[SWIM 7/18/2013] Acts 16:16-32 – Christ Our Deliverer Posted on July 17, 2013 by justinryu newcreationunited.wordpress/ In today’s passage, we can see a girl who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. Unlike our thought that every spirit is either good (angel) or bad (devil), this spirit looks neutral. It just predicted the future without any purpose. (In fact, this kind of spirit has been so common in Korea shamanism). Even though this spirit was not in either side between God and Satan, all spiritual beings knew who God is and who God’s servant is. It said to Paul and his companies, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved” (16:17). This is the identity of God and Paul which a spirit confesses. As SWIM says, “Thos in the spiritual realm – angels and demons, good and evil spirits – all know this truth [Jesus is the Savior, and apart from Him there is no way to be saved]. It is just the humans who have yet to decide.” Paul practiced exorcism to a spirit-possessed girl who bothered Paul and his company many days, and because of this exorcism, they were stripped, severely flogged, and thrown into a prison. In Acts 14, Paul was once stoned already, and this is another persecution that we read about him. I cannot imagine what it is like to be stripped and be severely flogged. How painful it would be! Why didn’t God save them before they were beaten? Why didn’t a violent earthquake which happened in the prison happen when or before they were severely flogged? More surprisingly, how could Paul and Silas pray and sing hymns to God in the prison even after they experienced such a horrible persecution? After all, was it all about to save the jailer with famous proclamation, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved – you and your household” (16:31)? When we do God’s works and especially when we preach the Gospel, persecution is unavoidable. There would be two kinds of peoples. One would complain and be frustrated when they have hardships or when they are persecuted. The other wouldn’t be bothered by persecution or hardships as they expected them. The latter would just keep praising God and preaching the Gospel in whatever circumstance until they die. No one and nothing can stop them. They are invincible. We had many invincible forefathers. That is why we can believe and talk about our faith freely without persecution. Today in our country, how easy it is to talk about God and to go out to preach the Gospel? What we need to bear is not to be beaten or thrown into the jail, but only to be seen a little weirdly or awkwardly.
Posted on: Wed, 17 Jul 2013 15:55:43 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015