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THE KING’S BUSINESS
Oftentimes opposition does more to spread the gospel than anything else. So instead of being disturbed by opposition we should rather be encouraged by it; Wednesday, January 17 . A c ts 13 : 50 - 52 . The wonderful progress of the Word of God awakened fierce opposition and bitter persécution. Notable success of the gospel always awakens »opposition and persecution of one'sort or another. The devil will not allow the gospel to triumph without a mighty fight (ch. 4:1-3; 5:14-18; 6:8-14). The Jews, like opposers of God’s Word in all ages, took under-handed means to thwart the work. It is to be noted that in this caSe the Jews stirred up the “best people in the town” against Paul and Barnabas. “Good, religious people” ' will often do the devil’s dirty work. It looked as if Paul had suffered a defeat in Antioch of Pisidia, but in the outcome it proved not to be a defeat at all, for the opposition simply sent Paul and Barnabas to other places with their message of life. Further more) it brought a blessing to the converts in Antioch also, for they were “filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost.” They had lost their human teacher, but had obtained a better one—the Great Teacher, the Holy Spirit. We can. afford to lose any human teacher if God; by way of compensation, fills us with the Holy Spirit. Not infre quently we get so taken up with the human teacher that there 'is no opportunity for us to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Paul and Barnabas obeyed the directions that God had given for such an emergency, to the very letter (v. 51; cf. Matt. 10:14). The phrase by which Luke describes the com pensation that came to the young converts in Antioch for the loss of Paul and Barna bas, is worthy of thoughtful consideration and meditation, the disciples were “filled with joy." There were not merely little drops of joy, or trickling streams of joy, but mighty rivers overflowing their banks” (cf. Ps. 23:5; John 7:37-39). They were not only filled with joy, they were also “filled with the Holy Ghost,” i.e., the Holy
Ghost made His glorious presence felt in every nook and corner of their being. Their being filled with joy came from their being filled with the- Holy Ghost (Gal. 5:22). There is no joy like the joy of the Holy Ghost, and .persecution and the joy of the Holy Ghost often go hand in hand (1 Thess. 1:6; 1 Peter 4:14; 2 Cor. 8:2). To be filled with the Holy Ghost is far more than sufficient compensation for anything we may lose through persecution. Blessed indeed is the privilege of persecution if with it there:comes a filling with the Holy Ghost. Thursday, January^ 18 . Acts 14 : 1 - 7 . God greatly honored the preaching of His faithful but persecuted servants in Iconium, as well as in Antioch of Pisidia, “a great multitude both of Jews and of Greeks believed.” It is worthy of note, as' we go from chapter to chapter in the Acts of the Apostles, how statements like this abound. But not only was there- victory, there was also - opposition, indeed the opposition in those days was most bitter, most determined, most relentless, opposi tion compared with which that which we have to meet today is but as child’s play. Still there was victory all along the- line in every battle. Why? Because they were men of prayer and filled with the Holy Spirit (ch. 2 :42; 6:4; 4:31; 13:9), and they proclaimed the Word without fear of man, no matter what they had to suffer. The mischief workers were soon at it again in Iconium. We may expect this if we are faithful to God and successful, but we need not worry) and above all we must not get bitter; if we do, Satan has carried the day. Paul and Barnabas did not trim to please the opposition, they stayed right there and endured all, “speaking boldly in the Lord.” These three words, “in the Lord,” should be deeply pondered; There is much bold ness which is not “in the Lord.” The Lord “gave testimony unto the word of His grace.” We need not bother about the opposition even of leading men if the Lord is pleased and sets His seal upon our
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