Acts 8-9 | How God Explodes His Truth

All of us have our ways. “He/she always does this,” someone might say of you. They know your ways. God has His ways. He can do anything He wants in whatever way He desires, but the Bible describes to us some of the predictable means He has of accomplishing His work.

One of the most extraordinary and miraculous ways He uses to rapidly expand His kingdom comes in times of great darkness.

RAVAGING AND PROCLAIMING

Before the Apostle Paul was converted, he was persecuting the fledgling church.

But Saul (later, Paul) began ravaging the church, entering house after house, and dragging off men and women, he would put them in prison. (Acts 4:3)

Saul was one of the ringleaders in trying to suppress the voice of the church by imprisoning its members … a practice that has happened in many lands throughout the ages. We can easily see this type of attempt happening soon in our nation.

But a strange phenomenon happened. We see it recorded in the next verse.

Therefore, those who had been scattered went about preaching the word. (vs. 4)

The people fled because of persecution, but they went proclaiming the gospel everywhere. Instead of slowing the gospel, Saul’s persecution accelerated it!

The next verses tell of Philip, the young deacon, going to Samaria and a mighty movement happening where multitudes came to Christ. And then, he was led to the desert to speak to an Ethiopian man who came to Christ. The gospel went all the way to Africa, and it had its genesis in persecution.

AGGRESSIVE COOPERATION

We are entering into an era of increased lawlessness and growing spiritual persecution in our nation. What is to be our response?

We must see this as that which God can use for the rapid expansion of His gospel. We can go everywhere proclaiming the gospel. We can see even this moment as an opportunity. God will take us to those who are ready to hear and believe. God may use you to send the gospel to the nations, simply through your faithful prompting to the Holy Spirit’s prompting

Father, thank You that nothing can abort the advance of Your kingdom! Thank You that You can use me to give the life-changing news of Christ in any situation, even in prison. Give us courage, Lord, to embrace the situations you place us in and to see each circumstance as an opportunity to tell those around us about You!