Enemies
Book of Acts • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Acts 14:1-4, 14:19-20
Acts 14:1-4, 14:19-20
Now it happened in Iconium that they went together to the synagogue of the Jews, and so spoke that a great multitude both of the Jews and of the Greeks believed.
But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brethren.
Therefore they stayed there a long time, speaking boldly in the Lord, who was bearing witness to the word of His grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands.
But the multitude of the city was divided: part sided with the Jews, and part with the apostles.
Then Jews from Antioch and Iconium came there; and having persuaded the multitudes, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead.
However, when the disciples gathered around him, he rose up and went into the city. And the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe.
Have you ever felt like all Hell has come against you? Have you felt like the more you try to do what is right, the more you try to serve God, the more enemies try to get in your way?
The fact there is an enemy attacking you is evidence not that you are doing something wrong but evidence that God has His hand on your life and He has something waiting for you on the other side of the battle. What God has for you on the other side is worth the fight.
The enemy is not coming against you. He is coming against your destiny. He is coming against the anointing and favor of God on your life. The enemy sees things in the spirit that even you do not recognize. He sees the call of God on your life even when you don’t and that is why he attacks. He doesn’t want you to recognize it. He knows if you can see what God has for you and God’s plan for your life, nothing he does will stop you from going there.
Now it happened in Iconium that they went together to the synagogue of the Jews, and so spoke that a great multitude both of the Jews and of the Greeks believed.
But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brethren.
Therefore they stayed there a long time, speaking boldly in the Lord, who was bearing witness to the word of His grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands.
But the multitude of the city was divided: part sided with the Jews, and part with the apostles.
And when a violent attempt was made by both the Gentiles and Jews, with their rulers, to abuse and stone them, they became aware of it and fled to Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and to the surrounding region. And they were preaching the gospel there.
Paul and Barnabas are on their first missionary journey. They come to the city of Iconium and begin preaching in the synagogue there. Iconium was not a Jewish city. It was in Asia Minor near the Mediterranean Sea. It became a major trade route because of its location and climate. So, many Jews had moved there and started a synagogue. The synagogue was the first place Paul and Barnabas decide to go preach.
Paul was once Saul, a Pharisee who arrested, imprisoned, and killed Christians in the name of God and Judaism. He is now standing in the very places he reviled against Christ to preach Christ.
Acts 14:2–3 “But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brethren. Therefore they stayed there a long time, speaking boldly in the Lord, who was bearing witness to the word of His grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands.”
They experience both success and opposition. The more people that believed the gospel, the more those who didn’t fought to stop it.
Opposition deter them. It made them more determined.
You cannot let your haters determine your calling or your walk with God. Some people will hate you just for the fact you are trying to do the right thing. Do not let it stop you. Know that it is not them but the spirit behind them that hates you.
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
“Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.
Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
These are the words of Jesus. These words do not match what culture will tell you. According to the pattern of this world, we do not associate persecution with blessing.
“I don’t feel blessed.”
When you follow God, there will always be people who will talk about you, spread false rumors about you, do whatever they can to drag your name through the mud. Jesus says, consider yourself blessed when they falsely accuse you because of Me. It is not a sign you are doing something wrong, it is actually evidence that the blessing of God is on your life so strongly that the enemy cannot stand it and will do whatever he can to tear you down.
REJOICE!!!! If you have ever been attacked and lied against because you stand for what is right, this would be a great time to lift up your voice and shout unto God.
Let the enemy know, you may come against me but you will not stop me.
Don’t cry, don’t get angry, don’t get discouraged, Rejoice!!! Rejoice because you know the hand of God is on you! Rejoice because Jesus says great is your reward in heaven. Those rewards are eternal.
We focus too much on temporary rewards. We need to get our minds set on eternal rewards. Matthew 6:20
Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal.
Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.
When you place your focus and hope in your eternal rewards rather than the temporary rewards of this world, then you will be able to rejoice when the enemy comes against you.
Be careful of praise
And in Lystra a certain man without strength in his feet was sitting, a cripple from his mother’s womb, who had never walked.
This man heard Paul speaking. Paul, observing him intently and seeing that he had faith to be healed, said with a loud voice, “Stand up straight on your feet!” And he leaped and walked.
Now when the people saw what Paul had done, they raised their voices, saying in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!”
And Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker. Then the priest of Zeus, whose temple was in front of their city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates, intending to sacrifice with the multitudes.
But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard this, they tore their clothes and ran in among the multitude, crying out and saying, “Men, why are you doing these things?
We also are men with the same nature as you, and preach to you that you should turn from these useless things to the living God, who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and all things that are in them, who in bygone generations allowed all nations to walk in their own ways.
USELESS THINGS
Nevertheless He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good, gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.” And with these sayings they could scarcely restrain the multitudes from sacrificing to them.
But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.
They refused to accept the praises of men. Any praise that comes to you and is not immediately given to God becomes pride in your heart. Paul and Barnabas could have easily thought, “Wow, they think we are gods. Maybe we should hang around here for a while.”
Sometimes it is even easier to get caught up in the praises of people than arguing against the hatred of people. When the enemy sees that attacking you does not stop you or cause you to stray away, he may send people to praise you.
Now it happened, as we went to prayer, that a certain slave girl possessed with a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much profit by fortune-telling.
This girl followed Paul and us, and cried out, saying, “These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation.” And this she did for many days.
But Paul, greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And he came out that very hour.
Praise does not always come from a pure heart and pure intentions. So, you have to be very careful. The intent of Praise is much harder to discern than blatant attacks.
Be very careful of praise. The ones who praise you on Monday may be the same ones crying, “Crucify Him on Friday.”
Then Jews from Antioch and Iconium came there; and having persuaded the multitudes, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead.
However, when the disciples gathered around him, he rose up and went into the city. And the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe.
The same ones who wanted to stone them in Iconium come back to finish the job. They convince the multitudes to join them. Paul and Barnabas had rejected the praises of the people and continued to give all the glory to God and preach Jesus. Now, even those who started to praise them want to stone them.
They stone Paul and leave him for dead. This would not be Paul’s last beating. The enemy thought he had Paul gone for good but the story did not stop in verse 19.
They thought he was dead........However.....other disciples gathered around him and he got back up.
(Hulk Hogan)
2 Corinthians 11:24–26 “From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;”
No matter what they threw at the Apostle Paul, he could not be stopped. He refused to back down from the fight. He understood the fight meant there was victory ahead. Victory only comes from a fight.
Paul knew that whatever the enemy threw at him, God would use for His glory.
Joseph had a lot of enemies. His own brothers sold him and supposed him to be dead. But, years later when there was a famine and they needed food, they went to Egypt. Guess who was sitting on the throne, still alive and well??? Joseph told them what you meant for evil, God meant for good.
When enemies come against you, don’t give up. Consider it an opportunity for victory. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 16 there is a great door for effective work opened for me and there are many adversaries.
Enemies are not a sign of failure. They are a sign of an open door to more. Don’t ever give up the fight. You already have the victory because Christ won the victory on the cross.
In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross.
We already have the victory. Satan may be thinking he has gotten the last laugh, he might think he has you defeated and has left you for dead. Stand up, point your finger in his face and declare, “I shall live and not die and I will declare the works of the LORD.” Remind him that he has already been defeated and because of that defeat, he has no power or authority over you.
