Helpful Daily Devotional

THURSDAY, MAY 19, 2022

TEXT: Acts 13:1-12

1. In the church in the city of Antioch there were preachers and teachers. They were Barnabas, Simeon Niger, Lucius of the country of Cyrene, Manaen of Herod’s family, and Saul.

2. While they were worshiping the Lord and eating no food so they could pray better, the Holy Spirit said, “Let Barnabas and Saul be given to Me for the work I have called them to.”

3. These preachers and teachers went without food during that time and prayed. Then they laid their hands on Barnabas and Saul and sent them away.

4. They were sent by the Holy Spirit to the city of Seleucia. From there they went by ship to the island of Cyprus.

5. When they went to shore at the city of Salamis, they preached the Word of God in the Jewish place of worship. John Mark was with them as their helper.

6. They went over Cyprus as far as the city of Paphos. While there, they found a Jew who did witchcraft. He was a false prophet named Barjesus.

7. Sergius Paulus was the leader of the country and a man who knew much. Barjesus was with Sergius Paulus. Sergius Paulus asked Barnabas and Saul to come to him so he might hear the Word of God.

8. But Elymas (as he called himself), the man who did witchcraft, worked against Barnabas and Saul. He tried to keep the leader of the country from putting his trust in the Lord.

9. Saul, those other name was Paul, was full of the Holy Spirit. He looked at Elymas.

10. Then Saul said, “You false preacher and trouble-maker! You son of the devil! You hate what is right! Will you always be turning people from the right ways of the Lord?

11. And now look! The hand of the Lord is on you. You will not be able to see the sun.” At once it became dark to Elymas, and he could not see. He asked people to take him by the hand to lead him from place to place.

12. The leader of the country put his trust in the Lord because he saw what had happened. He was surprised and wondered about the teaching of the Lord.

(New Life Version Holy Bible)

TOPIC: PAUL FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT

It is important for us to know that when God gives a directive, He means what He says and says what He means.

He knows who to empower to effectively do His work. He asked the disciples to set apart Barnabas and Saul (who is also called Paul) for His special work. The two of them preached from one synagogue to another.

The power of the Holy Spirit upon Paul made him confront Bar-Jesus, a sorcerer who urged Governor Sergius Paulus not to listen to the Word of God. But by the power of the Holy Spirit through Paul, Bar-Jesus became blind.

As a result, the governor embraced Jesus. By the power of the Holy Spirit, when you speak to the devil and his agents, they must obey you.

QUESTION: Do you know that only those who are filled with the Holy Spirit can successfully confront the devil and his agents?

PRAYER: Help me, O Lord, through Your Holy Spirit, to confront and defeat any satanic attack or predicament on my way.