“Then the proconsul believed, when he saw what had been done, being astonished at the teaching of the Lord” (Ac 13:12)

The evening prayer meeting was very good. We are in a season of spiritual warfare. There was some opposition in the air but the Holy Spirit helped us to come with grateful hearts before the throne. This humble gratefulness was the key that opened the door of anointing. A little girl of about 7 called Leah led us in worship singing: “How excellent is Your name O Lord…” The children in Father’s House are true worshippers and serious warriors. We gave thanks to God for everything we can remember: for the past blessings, for our marriages, for our children, for our health, for protection, for wisdom, for peace, for joy, for Father’s House Bible Church, for our pastors and leaders, for dreams that came true, for dreams that will come true, for the grace of God, for the assurance that our names are in the Lamb’s Book of Life, for the hope of glory, for passing the Spirit’s ‘cut off mark’ to go to heaven…and so on and on…

The sermon was about the hindrance Apostle Paul faced in Cyprus (Ac 13:1-12). This is the first miracle that Apostle Paul does. It is a miracle of victory in spiritual warfare. This is important to note. Before praying for a life partner, for money or things to buy, you need to engage the enemy in battle and take new territories for the kingdom. That work is highly rewarded by the Captain of our salvation. All soldiers of Christ are very wealthy, happy, wise and strong.

The proconsul called Paul because he wanted to hear the Word of God. This desire is good but it is not enough to save a man. Paul and Barnabas came to preach the Gospel to the proconsul. But there was a hindrance, an agent of the devil. There was man there, a false prophet called Bar-Jesus or Elymas. He was the Proconsul’s friend or religious advisor. He was a wizard. This is a good lesson. The devil has his agents around all the ‘big men’ politicians, entertainers and wealthy business men. The devil has his own plans for each unbeliever, how to stop that one to hear the Word of God and so to be saved. Elymas the sorcerer opposed the servants of God. Paul confronted him saying that ‘he perverted the right ways of the Lord’. God’s ways are straight and full of light. Christianity is simple. But men with occult power try to confuse unbelievers by making simple ways to be crooked. In this way Christianity sounds difficult, prayers hard and true worship impossible.

Apostle Paul ‘looked intently’ at him. Pray that your eyes shall be spiritual ‘X-ray’ eyes. I pray that you see the enemy behind the cover of fake smiles, cheap greetings, fashionable clothes and glittering gold. I pray that you have to courage to stand for Jesus in the presence of big men. I pray that you may be bold, move forward and defeat that liar around the big man you minister to. The wicked Elymas became blind and impotent for a season. This is God’s warning and mercy to a spiritual criminal. It is a dangerous thing to resist a true servant of God sent on errand for the Kingdom.

We prayed against all gates of hell that hinder the progress of evangelism in our church. According to the Word of God, they cannot prevail. Lastly, we thanked God for the victory and for the harvest of souls! The devil has lost another battle in Father’s House. Tomorrow church shall be wonderful! Glory to God!