Peace be unto you all stemians. I greet you all in the name of our dear Lord Jesus
BIBLE TEXT: Acts 13:1-7
Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.
As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.
And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.
So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus.
And when they were at Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews; and they had also John to their minister.
And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Barjesus;
Which was with the deputy of the country, Sergius Paulus, a prudent man; who called for Barnabas and Saul, and desired to hear the word of God.
KEY VERSE:
“And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away” - (Acts 13:3).
MESSAGE:
After a man had witnessed a Christian pray fervently for victory for the country's military during a turning point campaign, he returned home elated. The war was not over, but he announced that the battle had been won by his camp. Asked the basis for his optimism when the war was still on, he simply said that given the faith, intensity and sincerity of the one-man prayer session he saw, he could not expect God to deny a positive answer.
The mood of the believers at Antioch was not different. As they worked for the Lord and fasted, the Holy Ghost delivered them a mandate that would transform the Church and produce a remarkable missionary in the person of Paul. The Holy Spirit told the Antioch Christians to set aside for Him Barnabas and Saul (as Paul was still called) for the work of the ministry. The obedient disciples did the needful. They fasted and prayed more and released them.
The unquantifiable success that attended the missionary expeditions first of the two, and more importantly of Paul, are attributable to this planning stage of praying and handing the evangelism project to God. It is His work, so He knows best how to direct those He had chosen to do it. The Holy Ghost proved His presence quite early during the first missionary trip when a false prophet who withstood the disciples got instant judgment. Thereafter, it was a lifetime of miracles and signs and wonders in the apostle's service to the Lord.
Not praying to commit one's way to God, whether in the ministry or secular activity, is preparation to failure, loss and disappointment. The wise, even when called of God for a task, would not rush into action. They would wait on the Lord for specific guidance, so that God would be with them every step of the way.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
If you allow Him in prayer, the Holy Ghost will allow you His power.
