Lord, help us!
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21 “For this reason some Jews seized me in the temple and tried to put me to death.
22 “So, having obtained help from God, I stand to this day testifying both to small and great, stating nothing but what the Prophets and Moses said was going to take place;
23 that the Christ was to suffer, and that by reason of His resurrection from the dead He would be the first to proclaim light both to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles.”
Not the most encouraging message that
12 Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.
Nobody want to talk about the trail that company our faith.
certainly i would much rather talk about blessing and joy, which i believe are for the christian.
john 10:10
John 10:10 (NASB95)
10 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.
often time we focus on the b-part of that scripture..
Christ came that we may have life, and have it abundantly.
and yes, i believe that Christian ought to be the happiest people in all the world we cant ignore that fact that
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy
Jesus was sitting with His disciples and he tells Peter
31 “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat;
We do have an enemy that want to destroy us, but thank God that greater is he that is in me..
Touch your neighbor and say, Lord Help us.
31 “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat;
32 but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.”
The thief comes.. I came
the devil has desire to have you… i have prayed for you!
Daniel 7:25 (NASB95)
25 ‘He will speak out against the Most High and wear down the saints of the Highest One, and he will intend to make alterations in times and in law; and they will be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time.
The devil desire is to wear down the church to make them so tired and busy that they stop pursuing and pressing into Job and truth.
He will speak against the most High.
He will literally come against truth and righteousness.
he will come to wear down the saints but
26 ‘But the court shall be seated, And they shall take away his dominion, To consume and destroy it forever.
We have to remember that trail and hardship will come, but God has already provided help for us
7 “But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you.
Paul says in our text
22 “So, having obtained help from God, I stand to this day testifying both to small and great, stating nothing but what the Prophets and Moses said was going to take place;
It not of my own.
not in my own strength, but the Lord Helped me!
We talk last week quickly about Paul’s conversion on his way to Damascus
the man doing the persecution encounter God
1 Now Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest,
2 and asked for letters from him to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, both men and women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.
3 As he was traveling, it happened that he was approaching Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him;
4 and he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?”
5 And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” And He said, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting,
God, can save the persecuted and the persecutor.
You didn’t come to God first but it was the lord who first came to you.
No one to the Father unless the Father draws them.
Thank God that when I was going wrong and doing wrong he still called me.
He still helped
like Paul, He stops me he knocked me down and got my attention.
He asked him why are you persecuting me, why are you doing against me.
When we live in sin and we go against God we make yourself an enemy of God.
21 And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled
And Jesus asked him like he asked me why are you fighting against me.
Then he told him who he was.
He is the Christ the son of the living God.
He is Jesus the one the prophets prophesied about.
And he blind Paul for three Days until the brother Ananias came and lead hand on him.
Now Paul seeing different.
I once was blind but now I see.
This experience changed Paul.
it was The power of God.
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
Power = dominate
Paul was not unashamed
Then he went out preaching and teaching. And who know the devil hates that.
One lady told me. That if you never walk into the devil maybe that because you’re walking with him.
Simon the devil desire to sift you
Satan asked God to remove the hedge around Job
12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you;
13 but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation.
dont be surpried
james says
2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,
3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.
4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
patience or endurance
Now Paul was persecuted at every turn.
The disciple having to helping him lowering him down in a basket.
24 but their plot became known to Saul. They were also watching the gates day and night so that they might put him to death;
25 but his disciples took him by night and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a large basket.
they sought to kill Paul but the Lord help Him
Then he was stone and drugged out of the city and left for dead but the lord help him.
19 But Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and having won over the crowds, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead.
but the Lord helped him
They hated him the Sadducees and Pharisees tried to shout him up.
They Beat him and put him in jail.
But the lord helped him
and the lord will help you too.
The Jews caught him in Act chapter 22 wanting to get rid of him.
And he ask would they hear his defense and he took the opportunity while they where quiet and he had all their attention to tell them.
verse 6
One day while he was on his way to Damascus it was about noonday that a light shined on him and the power of God overtook him and that how he was saved. Then lord started to talk to him Saul Saul why are you persecuting me. And how he was blinded for 3 days till Ananias came and laid hands on him.
He gave them the Gospel.
Then they took him to the Sanhedrin Council
And then they put him in front of Felix and Fetus and Agrippa and all the other important people.
and we arrive at the context for our text
The stood him in front of all the people. And guess what he said.
2 I think myself happy, king Agrippa, because I shall answer for myself this day before thee touching all the things whereof I am accused of the Jews:
Today I think myself happy.
Sometime you got to make yourself.
Look at some one and say I am happy.
Then ask then why.
Then Paul started to tell them.
vese12
One day while I was on his way to Damascus it was about noonday that a light shined on my and the power of God overtook him and I was saved. Then lord started to talk to me Saul Saul why are you persecuting me. And I was blinded for 3 days till Ananias came and laid hands on me.
verse 22
And having got help from the Lord continue till today. Preaching to all that would listen.
Whether they were small are great. I preach to them the Gospel of Jesus Christ Because the Gospel has power to save.
It wasn't because Paul was so great, strong, or powerful. quite the opposite
5 On behalf of such a man I will boast; but on my own behalf I will not boast, except in regard to my weaknesses.
6 For if I do wish to boast I will not be foolish, for I will be speaking the truth; but I refrain from this, so that no one will credit me with more than he sees in me or hears from me.
7 Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me—to keep me from exalting myself!
8 Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me.
9 And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.
10 Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.
Why am i string when i am weak?
Because the Lord helped me..
His grace is sufficient for me.
and His power is perfected in weakness.