TRUSTING GOD IN TIMES OF TROUBLE
Acts 14:8-11, 19-23
FAITH IN JESUS IS THE KEY TO BLESSINGS
V:8 . \”In Lystra there sat a man crippled in his feet, who was lame from birth and had never walked.
9 He listened to Paul as he was speaking. Paul looked directly at him, saw that he had faith to be healed \”
A. God chooses the time and places for miracles so that His power and glory can be
shown.
1. The man was lame from birth and the whole community could attest to that fact.
2. He had heard Paul speak about Jesus and perhaps had witness miracles
performed by Paul in the name of Jesus.
3. He became a believer in Jesus Christ.
B. Paul\’s faith in Jesus was so strong that he knew that what he ask on behalf
of another believer would be done.
1. Paul had the spirit of discernment.
2. He determined by looking at the lame man that he had become a believer and that
his faith was strong.
3. Paul determined that when he spoke in the name of Jesus that the lame man
would respond in obedience.
C. We must anticipate that whatever we ask the Father in Jesus name will be done
for us.
1. Like the lame man we must live in faith that good things happen to those
who believe that Jesus will act in their favor.
2. Faith come by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.
3. Paul determined the lame man had become convicted by the Word of God.
OBEDIENCE IS FAITH IN OPERATION
V:10. \” and called out, \”Stand up on your feet!\” At that, the man jumped up and began to walk. \”
A. Learning to walk is a process.
1. The muscles, spinal cord, nerve system, blood vessels, legs
ankles and feet are just a few of the elements of the body that
have to work together for a person to walk.
2. A baby learn to walk in a year to year and a half.
3. The lame man immediately jump to his feet and began to walk.
4. It was according to his faith that the power of God worked to
enable the man to walk.
5. We lose blessing when we doubt the power of God in our lives.
6. We have not because we ask not.
B. Our faith may determine the greatness of the Lord shown through
us.
1. Our lack of faith may delay our recovery.
2. Our lack of faith may cause our prayers not to be answered.
WHO DO YOU CREDIT FOR YOUR RECOVERY?
V:11. \” When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they shouted in the Lycaonian
language, \”The gods have come down to us in human form!\”
A. The crowd witness a miracle but attributed to their idol gods.
1. Depending on their frame of mind, people can see and hear the same thing
and interpret it differently.
2. Paul gave the power and authority to the one true living God.
a. The lame man heard the Word and accepted it as the Word of God.
b. The community heard the same Word but was left in their lost condition.
B. The lame man saw Paul as an apostle of the true and living God.
1. The community saw Paul as a human form of their idol god.
2. The key question is how do you see Jesus?
3. Do you believe Jesus can do a miracle in your life?
4. Do you see the miracles of every day living and attribute them to \”mother nature\”?
5. Or, do you see God in His creation all around you?
REJECT CHRIST AND BE SUBJECT TO THE DEVIL\’S INFLUENCE
V:19. \” Then some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowd over. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead. \”
A. The Gospel was preached, but it fell on stony ground.
1. They say the miracle of previously lame man walking and was glad for a
short period of time.
2. Evil men from out side of the city easily persuaded them that Paul and Barnabas
were evil.
a. They witness a miracle, but couldn\’t see good, but only saw evil.
b. The men of the city saw the healing of one of their own as a punishment
against them.
B. A person without God in their life is capable of all evil.
1. They took Paul who preached the Word of God outside the city
and stoned him, leaving him for dead.
2. Paul preached eternal life and they tried to take his life.
3. Paul preached the good life and they saw evil.
GOD SPECIALIZES IN YOUR RECOVERY
V:20. \” But after the disciples had gathered around him, he got up and went back into the city. The next day he and Barnabas left for Derbe. \”
A. Evil exist all around us, but God\’s good will prevail.
1. In the same city where Paul was stoned, the church and new believers
stood by silently as if they had no power.
2. The church had access to all power but didn\’t know how to use it.
3. Even the lame man who had been healed didn\’t stand in defense of Paul.
B. Barnabas, Paul\’s companion, didn\’t stand in defense of Paul.
1. After Paul was left for dead, the church came out of the city
to see what happen.
2. The church witness the miracle of life in Paul\’s resuscitation.
3. God allows bad things to happen to good people so that He can be
glorified.
4. These events added to the testimony of the power of God of those who
came to faith.
a. The church witnessed a lame man being healed.
b. The church witness Paul being stoned and left for dead and
him being restored to perfect health.
USE YOUR TESTIMONY TO ENCOURAGE OTHERS
V:21. \” They preached the good news in that city and won a large number of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch,
22 strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. \”We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,\” they said. \”
A. The evil that God allows to happen to members of the Church will work to the
good of the Church.
1. The healing of the lame man didn\’t convert all the members of the church.
2. It was seeing Paul preached the Gospel after being stoned that convicted
large numbers that Paul\’s God was the true and living God.
B. Paul used his testimony to encourage the Church to remain faithful.
1. Paul used his near death experience to preach the power of God
and the good news about Jesus.
2. Paul\’s experience, demonstrated to the Church that they are under the
protection of the almighty God.
C. Paul and Barnabas went back to same places where evil men threaten
their lives, to show the Church that evil has no power over God.
1. Being a child of God does not preclude you from hardships
brought on by evil men.
2. The devil is busy trying to destroy the Church and Christian homes.
3. We may have to endure hardships while God fights our battles.
4. We want know that God is fighting our battles until we see triumph
over hardships.
5. God takes us to trouble, through trouble and out of trouble.
6. God said, I will never leave you or forsake you..
D. Paul gave the reason for our troubles; to enter into the kingdom of God.
1. Whoever tries to save his life will lose it. Whoever loses his life
for Jesus sake will save his life.
2. Jesus said they did it to the green tree, what will they do to the dry tree.
3. Jesus said they hated me, so they will hate you who believe.
4. Strength in our faith come through trials and tribulations.
USE YOUR TESTIMONY TO PROCLAIM THE GOSPEL
V:23. \” Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust.\”
A. Paul did not reprimand the Church for not standing up for him when he was
ran out of the cities and when he was stoned and left for dead.
1. Instead, Paul encouraged the Church to trust God.
2. Paul encourage the Church to keep their focus on the Lord.
3. Paul was a good example for the Church in trusting God in times of trouble
and life threatening situations.
B. The key to trusting God is a strong and active prayer life.
1. Paul established the structure of the Church.
2. He initiated prayer and worship in the Church.
3. In times of trouble we need that talk with God.
4. It is through prayer that we learn to call on God and expected His
protection and provision.
5. It is through prayer that we express our gratitude to God
for His goodness.
6. It is through prayer that we learn that our cries never fall on deaf
ears.
THANK GOD FOR CHOOSING US AS HIS SERVANTS
Rev M Mitchell
Asst Pastor of Greater Macedonia Baptist Church
5510 West Sam Houston Parkway North
Houston, Texas 77041
For more lessons, visit me on face book and my blogs,
revmmitchell,com and goodnewsrevmitc.blogspot.com
