My notes from a sermon on 27 March 2011
Acts 16 verses 16 – 24
Whenever we come to the Acts of the Apostles and chapter 16 we come to the city of Philippi. A chief city of the area of Macedonia, a hub of activity, the main thoroughfare for selling and trading. Lots of people would come to this place and that is why Lydia was there - to sell her trade. That is the reason why Paul came to evangelise this city. He began to preach and as he did so God began to move, to choose out people for himself. Things began to happen. The same is true today. Verse 16 Paul and the team were going to the place of prayer. They realised their need of prayer. They had nothing within them to offer but they knew praying would be endued with power to seek men and women to be won for the kingdom of God. That is why they were on their way to prayer. They met a young woman on the way. She was possessed with a spirit of divination. At one point in her life her heart was opened up and Satan was allowed in to take complete control of her life. Only Christ could set her free. Each of us has been born in sin and there is only one thing that can set us free – the power of God.
In verses 16 and 17 we see the measure of understanding she had. Paul and the team were going to prayer when this young girl met them. She followed them and cried out “these men are the servants of the most high God which show unto us the way of salvation.” She knew they were men of God, had brought salvation to those who would believe, she listened to them, took in all they said, was able to take in a measure of knowledge but that was all that she had. Maybe she was present when the women went up the hillside to pray. She was watching all that was going on. It doesn’t matter who we are, what we are, where we come from. The moment God saves us he changes us. “If any man be in Christ he is a new creature, the old things have passed away behold all things have become new.” (2 Corinthians 5 verse 17) Maybe this woman witnessed people coming to know Christ, she had a measure of the knowledge of Christ but it was not a saving knowledge. You don’t have to be a down and out – Lydia wasn’t. She was someone who worshipped the Lord before she got saved. The young woman who followed Paul was watching afar off. A young scribe came to Jesus one day. Jesus said to him “thou art not far from the kingdom of heaven.” (Mark 12 verse 34) Unfortunately we never read of this scribe actually taking that final step.
Notice the mistake that was underlying – verse 17. The woman could see the difference in Paul. She knew he had a passion to see men and women saved. She didn’t act upon the information she had. She knew what these men stood for but didn’t act on it. If she had she could have been guiltless, saved. God loved you with an everlasting love that he would send his only son into this world to be rejected, scorned, would die a terrible death on Calvary for your sins and mine. You have that measure of information but yet are not saved. The mistake she made – wasn’t going through with the measure of faith she had. Knowing she needed to be saved but not actually getting saved. Knowing you need to be saved and gaining the knowledge of how to be saved will never be enough. Paul preached to a king one day who said to him “Go thy way for this time, when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.” (Acts 24 verse 25) Agrippa said to Paul “almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.” (Acts 26 verse 28) Remember the story of Lazarus a poor man and a rich man. One died and went to heaven, the other to hell. The rich man cried out in hell because he was tormented. In Luke 16 we read the rich man lifted up his head, looked to Abraham and asked him to send Lazarus back to his house because he had brothers there and he didn’t want any of them to end up with him in hell. Abraham said “they have Moses and the prophets, let them hear them”. They had a measure of knowledge but done nothing with it.
The miracle that was undertaken. Verse 18 – she followed them for many days. Paul turned and commanded the evil spirit to come out of the woman and he did. Possessed by the spirit of divination but the power of the Lord broke the spell in her life and set her free. We underestimate the powers of hell at our peril. Satan can hold us tonight, through our pride. Satan can hold us with fear of what might happen in the workplace, in the home, hold us through habits, friends, hold us back from getting saved. It takes a miracle to break that. This is the day of Gods salvation for you. It took the power of God to come into this little girl’s life.
We also see many who were unsympathetic. If you were to come and accept the Lord as Saviour all heaven would erupt with singing. In verse 19 we see the employers of this young girl had lost money because of her getting saved. If you were to get saved you would probably find a very unsympathetic hearing but don’t let that stop you coming to Christ. Trust him as Saviour and Lord, this is your opportunity.
In verses 16 and 17 we see the measure of understanding she had. Paul and the team were going to prayer when this young girl met them. She followed them and cried out “these men are the servants of the most high God which show unto us the way of salvation.” She knew they were men of God, had brought salvation to those who would believe, she listened to them, took in all they said, was able to take in a measure of knowledge but that was all that she had. Maybe she was present when the women went up the hillside to pray. She was watching all that was going on. It doesn’t matter who we are, what we are, where we come from. The moment God saves us he changes us. “If any man be in Christ he is a new creature, the old things have passed away behold all things have become new.” (2 Corinthians 5 verse 17) Maybe this woman witnessed people coming to know Christ, she had a measure of the knowledge of Christ but it was not a saving knowledge. You don’t have to be a down and out – Lydia wasn’t. She was someone who worshipped the Lord before she got saved. The young woman who followed Paul was watching afar off. A young scribe came to Jesus one day. Jesus said to him “thou art not far from the kingdom of heaven.” (Mark 12 verse 34) Unfortunately we never read of this scribe actually taking that final step.
Notice the mistake that was underlying – verse 17. The woman could see the difference in Paul. She knew he had a passion to see men and women saved. She didn’t act upon the information she had. She knew what these men stood for but didn’t act on it. If she had she could have been guiltless, saved. God loved you with an everlasting love that he would send his only son into this world to be rejected, scorned, would die a terrible death on Calvary for your sins and mine. You have that measure of information but yet are not saved. The mistake she made – wasn’t going through with the measure of faith she had. Knowing she needed to be saved but not actually getting saved. Knowing you need to be saved and gaining the knowledge of how to be saved will never be enough. Paul preached to a king one day who said to him “Go thy way for this time, when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.” (Acts 24 verse 25) Agrippa said to Paul “almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.” (Acts 26 verse 28) Remember the story of Lazarus a poor man and a rich man. One died and went to heaven, the other to hell. The rich man cried out in hell because he was tormented. In Luke 16 we read the rich man lifted up his head, looked to Abraham and asked him to send Lazarus back to his house because he had brothers there and he didn’t want any of them to end up with him in hell. Abraham said “they have Moses and the prophets, let them hear them”. They had a measure of knowledge but done nothing with it.
The miracle that was undertaken. Verse 18 – she followed them for many days. Paul turned and commanded the evil spirit to come out of the woman and he did. Possessed by the spirit of divination but the power of the Lord broke the spell in her life and set her free. We underestimate the powers of hell at our peril. Satan can hold us tonight, through our pride. Satan can hold us with fear of what might happen in the workplace, in the home, hold us through habits, friends, hold us back from getting saved. It takes a miracle to break that. This is the day of Gods salvation for you. It took the power of God to come into this little girl’s life.
We also see many who were unsympathetic. If you were to come and accept the Lord as Saviour all heaven would erupt with singing. In verse 19 we see the employers of this young girl had lost money because of her getting saved. If you were to get saved you would probably find a very unsympathetic hearing but don’t let that stop you coming to Christ. Trust him as Saviour and Lord, this is your opportunity.
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