Pastor Barry's  "Chapter & Verse"  Day 48

February 17;   Acts 14:20;   103/260(VI);   ‘A Real Hero’

Acts 14:20 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.

Paul and Barnabas were in Iconium and ministered very powerfully in the synagogue.  A great multitude of Jews and gentiles believed.  As always, the religious Jews persecuted Paul and Barnabas because of envy.  Then the devil stirred up those who did not believe and they threatened Paul and Barnabas.  Paul and Barnabas left Iconium and went to Lystra.  While preaching in Lystra a crippled man was healed and the people thought that Paul and Barnabas were gods.  A quick point to be made here is a minister who flows in the healing anointing must be very careful to give the Lord all of the glory and credit for the healings.  People can and do mistakenly think that it is the power of the person, not the power of the God flowing through the person that heals.  Paul and Barnabas strenuously denied this, as they should have.  When the Jews from Antioch and Iconium heard that Paul and Barnabas had come to Lystra they persuaded the multitude to stone Paul.  We do not know if he was dead, but a group of disciples gathered around Paul, prayed for him and he arose, departing the next day for Derbe, to preach there also.  Nothing could stop Paul from fulfilling his ministry.  As was often the case, God used him mightily and then the devil, using the religious, jealous Jews attacked him.  If he was welcomed where he went, he preached.  If he was not welcomed where he went, he preached and moved on.  Good or bad, whatever the outcome, whatever the consequences, one thing you could count on, Paul was going to do the will of God.  An incredible hero in my book and in God’s.