Similar Results

Acts 14:1-7 

1 At Iconium Paul and Barnabas went as usual into the Jewish synagogue. There they spoke so effectively that a great number of Jews and Greeks believed. 2 But the Jews who refused to believe stirred up the other Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers. 3 So Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there, speaking boldly for the Lord, who confirmed the message of his grace by enabling them to perform signs and wonders. 4 The people of the city were divided; some sided with the Jews, others with the apostles. 5 There was a plot afoot among both Gentiles and Jews, together with their leaders, to mistreat them and stone them. 6 But they found out about it and fled to the Lycaonian cities of Lystra and Derbe and to the surrounding country, 7 where they continued to preach the gospel.

The Boy Who Cried Wolf

There was once a young Shepherd Boy who cried out “Wolf! Wolf!” The villagers came out to help him but they found no wolf.

The boy was so thrilled that a few days afterwards he tried the same trick, and again the villagers came to help and found no wolf.

Shortly after this, a wolf actually came and attacked the sheep; the boy cried out “Wolf! Wolf!” louder than before, but the villagers thought the boy was again deceiving them. Nobody bothered to help him.

Any unsuspecting person can be easily deceived and believed even in lies.

Have you ever been deceived and have said something that you know it’s true but it seems like people don’t bother to take you seriously?

Scams, frauds, counterfeits, and impostors deceiving people made many of us to be more suspicious.

Sharing the gospel has been more challenging because there are many sweet speaking, sham, and fake preachers nowadays. Paul and Barnabas encountered similar results; there’s confirmation and confusion.

1.  Confirmation

1 At Iconium Paul and Barnabas went as usual into the Jewish synagogue. There they spoke so effectively that a great number of Jews and Greeks believed. 2 But the Jews who refused to believe stirred up the other Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers. 3 So Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there, speaking boldly for the Lord, who confirmed the message of his grace by enabling them to perform signs and wonders.

Paul and Barnabas were magnets to oppositions of God’s word. The Jews who refused to believe provoke others to join them in mistreating and insulting Paul and Barnabas, but more people both Jews and Greeks believed. Even with increasing persecution Paul and Barnabas stayed longer in Iconium.

Paul and Barnabas were not scared because the experience more of the Lord’s presence through signs and wonders they performed.

Have you doubted your faith? How did you know that Christ is with you? What practical confirmation have you experienced that you are truly saved? If you’re sure, have you ever wondered if God called you in a particular ministry? Have you received confirmations? What made you so sure that you are in the right ministry God has called you to be involved with?

Gideon

In Judges 6:14-17, 14 The Lord turned to Gideon and said, “Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?” 15 “Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.” 16 The Lord answered, “I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites, leaving none alive.” 17 Gideon replied, “If now I have found favor in your eyes, give me a sign that it is really you talking to me. 

Judges 6:36-40 says, 36 Gideon said to God, “If you will save Israel by my hand as you have promised— 37 look, I will place a wool fleece on the threshing floor. If there is dew only on the fleece and all the ground is dry, then I will know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you said.”38 And that is what happened. Gideon rose early the next day; he squeezed the fleece and wrung out the dew—a bowlful of water. 39 Then Gideon said to God, “Do not be angry with me. Let me make just one more request. Allow me one more test with the fleece, but this time make the fleece dry and let the ground be covered with dew.” 40 That night God did so. Only the fleece was dry; all the ground was covered with dew.

Gideon asked for confirmation that God will save Israel through him.

The Lord understands that we need to be confirmed that we have eternal life. All of us, one way or another, have experienced doubt in our faith in the Lord. Yet many who are not sure, if they really have faith, they pretend and act as if they have faith because they are more concerned what others might say.

We do not like to be called unbelievers.

Why is this confusion so prevalent?

2.  Confusion

4 The people of the city were divided; some sided with the Jews, others with the apostles. 5 There was a plot afoot among both Gentiles and Jews, together with their leaders, to mistreat them and stone them. 6 But they found out about it and fled to the Lycaonian cities of Lystra and Derbe and to the surrounding country, 7 where they continued to preach the gospel.

Why did Paul experience persecutions while preaching the word of God?

Remember that before Paul was converted, he persecuted the church. When Jesus appeared to Paul, he was blinded; a disciple named Ananias was told to go and restore his sight but Ananias was so scared because of Paul’s reputation.

In Acts 9:15-16, 15 But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. 16 I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”

In the first century Christianity until now, religious people bring confusion. In their confusion, the confused leads others to be confused unknowingly.

The Lord Jesus will pay appropriately anything we do to His body – the church. Opposition and confusion will not be absent in our life, even in the church.

In the human mind, trouble, problem, or suffering is real difficult experience. As long as the Holy Spirit dwells in us, suffering is not absent but instead of sorrow, grief, or distress, there is joy, peace that would sustain us to keep on.

There will always be intentional pretenders or deceived deceivers who would betray or mislead unsuspected believers into confusion. Mostly, young believers who are taking their faith lightly are easily confused and misled by sweet talking preachers to believe and do otherwise.

Door-to-Door Businessman

Door-to-door businessmen knocking at your door offering better option about internet, TV, telephone providers are prevalent these days. Those door-to-door businessmen would point out many real and existing problems you encounter with your internet, TV, or telephone. Then, they would offer you something better than what you have.

Unsuspecting customer can be easily persuaded.

Have you experienced that?

This door-to-door strategy in business has been practiced to deceive Christians.

There was a self-confessed pastor who came to a local church and pointed out church problems and offered his service to conduct a seminar. The church leaders became curious when he suggested many great ideas that should be done in the church in solving those problems.

Any local church has similar experiences: there will always be problem inside the church, there will always be spiritual warfare, there will always be confusion. But, it only confirms that when something is genuine, counterfeit will surely come out.

John reminds in 1 John 4:1, 1Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.

Don’t be easily persuaded; keep being filled with the Holy Spirit.

If you experience the fruit of the Spirit it’s a confirmation that Christ is with you.

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