In the above focus we see Paul and Silas now discontinued their ministry in Asia and proceed on to Europe. Paul reacted quickly to the Spirit of God’s leading to go across the Aegean Sea to Europe. During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them. (Acts 16:9-10) We know Paul was not satisfied in building upon someone else’s ministry; he wanted to reach new lands, places where people had never heard the Good News about Jesus Christ. Consequently, the vision inspired him to go to Europe. In Macedonia he goes to the largest city in the area: Phillippi. There he bedded down for the night, probably in a place without the conveniences of a home, for we see his first convert, Lydia, invite him and Silas to her home. As we see Jesus moving from one place to another in his travels around Israel, He sometimes bedded down in places that were out in the open, with few conveniences, such as the olive grove where He was arrested. Once a teacher of the law who was convinced Jesus was a rabbi worthy of following asked Jesus if he could join his retinue. Jesus revealed the cost of attaching to his ministry to the Israelites. When Jesus saw the crowd around him, he gave orders to cross to the other side of the lake. Then a teacher of the law came to him and said, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” Another disciple said to him, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father. ”But Jesus told him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.” (Matthew 8:18-22) Paul and Silas are now in a Roman city, in an unknown environment, willing to follow Jesus without really knowing where to lay their heads down at night. They only knew that they MUST FOLLOW JESUS wherever He leads them. They are in Phillippi for several days, not easy days of enjoying the climate and their new surroundings, not a sight-seeing, touring experience. Instead, we see them going to a place where they can pray, probably concerning what they should do in Phillippi. At the river on the Sabbath, they meet some Gentile women who are probably washing clothes. They began to speak to the women who had gathered there, one of them was Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message. When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. We see in this narration that Luke the writer of Acts was also invited to her house. Now these Jews were in Lydia’s home where they could further their ministry in Macedonia. Their place of ministry was not in a temple or synagogue but at the river.
One day when Paul and his companions were going to the river to pray, a woman met them who was demon possessed. She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved. This seemed to be a wonderful message to shout out to the crowd, something like a billboard pointing the way to a church or explaining the way of salvation: John 3:16. What a great way to open Phillippi to the Good News! However, this demon possessed woman was a tool of the devil. She was a slave of a man who earned his money from this woman’s ability to predict the future. This soothsayer, worked in the arena of the dark world, a seer who could tell people their future for money. Even today, this occult ministry is very profitable; many people get involved with this New Age business. For many days, Paul tolerated her incessant exposition of them being people sent by God to explain the way to be saved. He knew the origin of this woman’s words; they came from the pit of hell. She, an instrument of the dark world, was sounding out a discordant message for the people knew she was demon possessed. Finally, Paul could not tolerate this situation of sweet water, a positive message, coming from a bitter spring. “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” Of course the power of Jesus’ name delivered her from this demon immediately. At that moment the spirit left her. This acknowledgment of the devil that the disciple carried the Good News to people, troubled the world of darkness, a world of deception and utter evil. With the Good News in the world, the devil’s dominance over people would be challenged. The devil and his cohorts, the demons, knew their time was short: eternal judgment would fall on them soon. What do you want with us, Son of God?” they shouted. “Have you come here to torture us before the appointed time?” (Matthew 8:29) After the fall, mankind slipped into darkness, so much that in Noah’s time, the Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. (Genesis 6:5) After the flood, the Lord said that every inclination of man’s heart was contaminated. So darkness and confusion about life existed in humans until Abraham’s time. Then Abraham’s choice of believing God’s words that life would come from his seed through the dead womb of Sarah brought light into the world. Later on in the wilderness this light was manifested in the law and regulations. Man failed to live up to the light, but the promise of Isaac, the SEED lived through the descendants of the Israelites, and culminated in Jesus, the Son of God, who would reveal forever to mankind the goodness and light of God. Some people will try to bring the light of God to people by another way, other than complete dependence on the name of Jesus. We see the sons of Sceva in their exorcism of demons combine Paul’s name with Jesus’ name. They were becoming well known by their ability to exorcise demons. One day the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you?” Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding. (Acts 19:14-16) The devil and the demons know where the power of God rests, and it is in Jesus’ name alone. Paul uses Jesus’ name to deliver this woman from the darkness that had inhabited her being. James tells us the demons shudder at the knowledge of God. They know the reality of God, and that we too should know the reality of God by faith, but this knowledge existing in us and through us leads us to good works for the sake of God being revealed to mankind. But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds. ”Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. (James 2:18-19)
The devil knows the reality of the Good News; he does not want THE WAY taught in his land of darkness, but the disciples will do just that. They will teach of the Good News, wrapped up in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, telling people everywhere that eternal life has come to them through faith in Jesus Christ. But along with the giving of the Good News will come pain. Paul and Silas will soon be confronted with suffering in Phillippi. But as he tells Timothy, My son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others. Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. (2 Timothy 2:1-3) Paul is in chains as he writes this to Timothy but he is not finished with announcing the Good News to all who would trust in the knowledge of Jesus Christ as their Savior. Paul is still on the offense. He tells Christians, who are in a foreign land, owned by the devil, to put on the whole armor of God. Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. (Ephesians 6:10-12) The devil was using this woman who was possessed by a demon to confuse the people of Phillippi; he was scheming to confuse these Roman citizens. But Paul stood his ground; he knew she was part of the devil’s attack on him and the message of Jesus Christ as the redeemer of all mankind. The full armor of God has defensive equipment and offensive equipment. To stand your ground, wear the belt of truth around you; have the breastplate of righteousness in your life; and your feet fitted with the shoes of peace. However, when you go into enemy territory, have the shield of faith to deflect the arrows coming against you, make sure your head is protected by the security of your salvation, use the sword of the Spirit, to even separate the marrow from the bone in people’s lives. And in everything, either on defense or offense pray continually. Paul and Silas were praying continually. They were moving into enemy territory. They, (the Gentiles) are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed. (Ephesians 4:17) Paul and Silas were instruments of light, a brilliant contrast to the dark world of the Romans. As Paul said to Timothy, to be a vessel of Jesus Christ, you must be willing to die with him, to endure life's perplexities with him, to face ongoing hardships with him, to remain faithful to him as He is faithful to you all the time, and then, finally you will reign with him. Christian companions, the blessings of a Christian’s life are many, but also concomitantly present are the hardships and the perplexities of life. The road of a Christian is often not easy. Jesus is not for quitters or those who retreat. Jesus says, Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it. (Matthew 10:37-39) So often when the road becomes difficult in life, we consider as the Israelites didd to go back to Egypt, even as slaves, for at least in Egypt they could understand their existence. But we who are on the threshold of eternal life, we will never go back to Egypt. We will put on the full armor of God, when being attacked and when on the offense. As Paul encouraged Timothy, endure all things, stand tall, let people know you are a child of the Living God.
