Pastor Barry's  "Chapter & Verse"  2024  Day 57

February 26;        Acts 23:14;         112/260;        ‘You’ll Finish Your Course’

Acts 23:14 They came to the chief priests and elders, and said, "We have bound ourselves under a great oath that we will eat nothing until we have killed Paul.

We, as believers, live in a cursed world.  Once we became born again, we are not under the curse, but we do still live in a world that was cursed by the sin of Adam.  satan rebelled against God in heaven, having deceived one third of the angels so that they joined with him in his rebellion against God the Father.  The devil’s rebellion was crushed and satan and the angels with him were cast down to the earth.  Filled with hatred and desiring revenge, the devil now does everything he can to destroy the lives of humanity.  One of the ‘tools’ used by satan is religion.  There is a ‘hole’ in the spirit of mankind that can only be filled with God. The devil counterfeits the Word of God, with religious information that teaches that we have to earn heaven by our good works.  The religious spirit in those who teach the deception can become violent when followers find the truth, and no longer follow the false religion.  The response when someone no longer follows a religion can be deadly.  The religious leaders wanted to see Paul killed.  A serious Christian will often be warned by the inward witness of the Holy Spirit of the danger and violence can be avoided.  Other times, as in this narrative Paul’s nephew hears of the plot to kill Paul and warns the Roman soldiers who have Paul in prison.  The murder of Paul was prevented.  Paul was a faithful minister and tells us in 2 Timothy 4:7, He had fought the good fight and finished his race.  We too can be serious about our ministry expecting the Lord’s protection till our call is completed.