Posted on 12/27/2008 10:03:37 PM PST by WhatNot
Acts 8:26
Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, "Go south to the road-the desert road-that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza."
Philip was conducting what we might today call a revival meeting. God was blessing the meeting, and many were being healed and delivered from demonic influence. Here is the scene:
Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Christ there. When the crowds heard Philip and saw the miraculous signs he did, they all paid close attention to what he said. With shrieks, evil spirits came out of many, and many paralytics and cripples were healed. So there was great joy in that city (Acts 8:5-8).
And yet, in the midst of this great event, the Holy Spirit spoke to Philip and told him to remove himself and go to a completely different area to speak to one individual. Philip was so sensitive to the directive of the Holy Spirit that he left what would be deemed a successful event to go speak to another-an Ethiopian eunuch. The result of his obedience was that Philip led the eunuch to faith in Christ and baptized him. The Lord then took Philip away supernaturally to another region many miles away.
God's ways of determining where we invest our time and energy often have little to do with results. The danger for each of us is to determine that we are in the center of God's will simply by the success or failure of the events we are involved in. Our plumbline for determining success can be only one thing: obedience. Philip responded in obedience to the direction of the Holy Spirit.
Are you listening to the voice of the Holy Spirit? Has God prompted you to speak, go, or come alongside another? Ask God today to help you hear the Holy Spirit's voice so that you might be used mightily in your marketplace.
First.
Forgiveness is required by God. As soon as Jesus spoke the amen to His model prayer--which included a petition for God's forgiveness--He commented:
"If you forgive men for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions"
(Matthew 6:14,15).
We must base our relationships with others on the same criteria on which God bases His relationship with us: love, acceptance and forgiveness
(Matthew 18:21-35).
Second.
Forgiveness is necessary to avoid entrapment by Satan. Unforgiveness is the number one avenue Satan uses to gain entrance to believers' lives.
Paul encouraged mutual forgiveness "in order that no advantage be taken of us by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his schemes"
(2 Corinthians 2:11).
Unforgiveness is an open invitation to Satan's bondage in our lives.
Third.
We are to forgive like Christ forgave in order to keep our hearts from bitterness.
Paul wrote: "Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.
And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you"
(Ephesians 4:31, 32).
Your act of forgiveness will set the captive free, then you will realize that the captive was you!
I was just speaking about something like this to my sister tonight. Sometimes we find ourselves in places and we can’t figure out why the Lord put us there. Often, something good will come out of the experience —that we would not have experienced if we hadn’t been inconvenienced. Sort of the “ill wind that blows no good” argument. But it’s true.
This has really been true in my life this year, thanks!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.