Turning Persecution into Production

A very reassuring aspect of God’s sovereign rule over the universe is His ability to bring good results out of bad circumstances.

That is especially true when His people undergo persecution.

Joseph- Sold into slavery by his brothers, rose to a powerful position and was able to save them and the entire nation of Israel.

Israel failed to listen to God and were forced into slavery- this gives us Daniel, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther.

In chapters 4-8 and chapter 12 here in Acts we see the church persecuted but we also see it grow and multiply greatly.

Anytime the chruch starts to grow Satan will always be quick to step in and try to cause havoc.

Satan was quick to react, first attempting to infiltrate the young fellowship with a demon-possessed medium.

When Paul’s miraculous power thwarted that attempt, Satan tried to destroy the church through persecution.

Those are always his two avenues of attack: infiltration—attacking the church from within; and persecution, attacking it from without.

Persecution (vv 19-24)