Choose
Acts 16:16-18; 16:23-28
We welcomed Pastor Shaddy Soliman, the Lead Pastor of Lake Mary Church, to Northland! While he was bringing the Word to us, Pastor Josh preached at Lake Mary Church. We are grateful for the opportunity to partner with other local bodies of believers as we live out the Church in Central Florida!
Digging Deeper
As Paul continues his stay in Philippi, he and Silas continue to meet for prayer. They have the opportunity to continue sharing the Gospel, and things appear to be going well until Paul gets frustrated by a fortune-telling slave girl who harasses him. Paul authoritatively casts out the demon who gave the slave girl the ability to tell fortunes in the name of Jesus. Her owners are angry that they have lost a very significant source of their income. These owners of the slave girl incite a mob to condemn Paul and Silas. The mob severely beats Paul and Silas and throws them in prison.
God uses this jailed situation to allow Paul and Silas to share the Gospel in several ways. While in prison, Paul and Silas worship by singing hymns and songs of praise. The other prisoners hear their witness. When an earthquake occurs, none of the prisoners, including Paul and Silas, escape. When the jailor is ready to take his life because of this situation, Paul assures him that all the prisoners are present, and the jailor and all his household hear the Gospel and are saved.
During this time, the power of the Gospel is spread in Philippi. Paul calls out the demon in the slave girl, and the power of the name of Jesus frees her. Then, in the midst of suffering and mistreatment in jail, Paul and Silas choose to worship their Lord and God even in horrible conditions and circumstances. In both cases, Paul and Silas are faithful. They continue to do what God has called them to do, which is preach the Gospel, praising and worshiping God in all their circumstances.
WHAT NOT TO MISS
Main points:
In your time of harassment, you always have a choice: AGGRAVATED OR AUTHORITATIVE.
In your darkest times, you always have a choice: WHINING OR WORSHIPPING.
The book of Acts illustrates the acts of the Holy Spirit through those who receive Him and demonstrate the power of God.
In Acts 16, a slave girl who was demon-possessed kept following Paul, and she was a distraction. Paul did not want this distraction. Not that what she was saying was wrong, but she who was speaking was dark and Paul did not want to associate himself with evil or this presence of evil. Paul had the option to get aggravated or choose to take authority in the name of Jesus, causing every demon to flee and the will of God to be accomplished.
The owners of the slave girl brought Paul and Silas to the authorities. The two were beaten and put into the inner prison. About midnight, the darkest time of the night, they worshipped and praised God. The other prisoners listened and watched. There was an earthquake, doors opened and all the prisoner's chains fell off. The jailor was going to take his life, but Paul told him not to harm himself because they were all still there.
In your darkest times, you always have a choice of whining or worshipping. Whining occurs simply because we focus on ourselves. Our eyes are on our situation. We feel sorry for ourselves.
But what you focus on will grow. If you want the situation to get worse, focus on it.
Paul and Silas didn’t whine. They turned their focus to the Lord and on worship, praising and celebrating the attributes of God. They shifted their eyes from their situation to their God, who is above all. They knew that when praise goes up, His power comes down.
When you shift your focus on God and His mighty hand, centering your mind on what He can do in your life, you choose where to put your attention. He will then provide the breakthrough.
The same power that raised Jesus from the dead, defeated Satan for good, healed the sick, released those in bondage and paid the price on the cross is the same power that is accessible to us today in the name of Jesus.
The world will know that Jesus is real as we walk in that level of authority, so that our God will be glorified in the church. The church will be known in the community, and they will know who we are and who we worship. We can become the victim or we can walk in the victory of those who are called in His name. Our choice is to engage somebody bigger than us — something greater than us. The best choice is not to rely on ourselves but to depend and rely on King Jesus, the Lord of our lives.
We want Seminole County and beyond to know that there is a God who sent His Son to die on the cross, to break the bondage of sin and give people true freedom so that they can walk in victory, going from death to life, living eternally with Him forever.
LIFE APPLICATION
This week, pray about someone who needs to be freed by the power of Jesus or to hear the Gospel clearly. Look for opportunities that the Holy Spirit provides for you to connect with that person, care for them and share your faith in Jesus Christ. Consider who you might ask to join you and sit with you at the Easter services at Northland Church, coming up on March 30-31, 2024.
SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Do you recall a time when you praised God in difficult and unlikely circumstances?
Why do you think that Paul cast the demon out of the slave girl?
How did God use the circumstances of the imprisonment of Paul and Silas to spread the Gospel?
How did the jailor respond to the situation with Paul and Silas after the earthquake?
What results occur when we share the Gospel with others, and they are saved?
DAILY DEVOTIONAL BIBLE PASSAGES
Day 1: Authority-Matthew 29:18; Luke 10:19; Philippians 2:10-11
Day 2: Suffering for the Gospel-2 Timothy 1:8; Romans 8:18; James 1:2-4
Day 3: Worshipping God-Psalm 100:2; Revelation 14:7; Psalm 86:9-10
Day 4: Sharing the Good News-Mark 16:15; Psalm 96:3; Matthew 18:19-20
Day 5: Rejoicing-Philippians 4:4; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18; Romans 12:12
PRAYER
Lord, I thank you for loving me and freeing me from my sins in the name of Jesus Christ. It is hard to express how much I love Jesus and am thankful for His suffering on the cross to save me. I praise you for Resurrection Sunday, which is coming soon, when Jesus was raised from the dead on the third day and how Jesus triumphed over evil. May I, like Paul and Silas, praise You in good and bad times, knowing that I am a witness to the world of your great love for each and every person.
