And The Hand Of The Lord Was With Them

A Sermon For You

A Ministry of Huckaby’s Evangelism

By- Evangelist Gary Huckaby

And The Hand Of The Lord Was With Them

(Preached at Fellowship Baptist Church

Manchester, Ga - 1990)

Acts 11:19-21, "Now they which were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen traveled as far as Phenice, and Cyprus , ands Antioch, preaching the word to none but unto the Jews only. And some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene, which, when they were come to Antioch, spake unto the Grecians, preaching the Lord Jesus, And the hand of the Lord was with them; and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord."

I believe in Christian education. It starts at home, with the teachers being father and mother, and it begins at birth and will continue through this earthly life on into eternity. Education is a necessity for the human race.

God uses the educated, as well as the uneducated. The success of their life’s service depends on this one basic fact. "The hand of the Lord is with them."

I had rather that God, take me home to heaven, than not to know that "The hand of the Lord is NOT with me." I, many times during the day, ask the Dear Lord, to let me know His presence is with me. To keep His hand upon me during the hours that I am working and the conscience moments during my life and that I may know Him for the rest of my days on earth.

The story of our text is about the local Church in Antioch, the saints had been driven from Jerusalem by one Saul of Tarshas, and enemy of the Church of our Lord Jesus Christ. Many left land, homes, wealth, and even unbelieving friends behind to go out and spread the Gospel of the risen Lord. They went everywhere preaching the Gospel. It was a spiritual explosion. Barnabas was called in to help in this great work. Then later after his conversion, the Apostle Paul was called to assist in the building of this Church and soulwinning ministry.

For one year, the Christians at Antioch had a Bible Conference, can you imagine that a whole year of constant meetings and soulwinning? God give us a REVIVAL of the early days of the New Testament Church, and conviction of the early Christians. The reason that Antioch was captured for Christ is seen in our text; "And the hand of the Lord was with them!"

It was not that they were great preachers, it doesn’t take great preachers, but preachers, preaching of our Great God. It was not in the great singing, for we barely see them having song services, it was not even in their great organization, nor organizers, but, "The hand of the Lord was with them!"

By the way it was at Antioch that they were first called Christians, meaning that the lost unbelieving people were calling them, "little Christ’s."

(Prayer)

Heavenly Father, breathe on us today. Come and speak to each heart and life through Thy Word, save the lost, revive the backslider, strengthen the believer, fill Thy servant with Thy Holy Spirit, In Christ Jesus I ask you. Amen!

What Does It Mean To Have His Hand Upon You?

(1) To have His hand upon you means; to have His Power. Acts 1:8, "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you; and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in Judaea, and in Samara, and unto the uttermost part of the earth."

Power for what? Power over sin for one thing. Power over the temptations of the Devil for another, and Power over others, especially those who do not know the Lord Jesus Christ.

(2) To have His hand upon you means; You have God’s protection in life.

It means that God’s man is indestructible, until God finishes with him, no one or nothing can stop him from his duty to God’s service. In John chapter ten we can see God’s protection for the child of God. Verse 28-29, "And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand." We are in the hand of Jesus, and Jesus and I are in the hand of the Father. We are also sealed by the Holy Spirit, Ephesians 4:30 says, "And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption." So tell me who can get to us here? No one or nothing is greater than God, nor Jesus, nor the Holy Spirit, and all three are our protection. "And the hand of the Lord was with them!"