What is clear throughout is the fact that evangelism is the result of partnering with the Holy Spirit
Three times Luke mentions that God is leading them
Verse “the Holy Spirit”
Verse 7 “the Spirit of Jesus”
Verse 10 “called of God”
There are at least four scenes in this chapter that will help us.
Seek God for direction:
At least three times in this chapter Luke refers to God given direction for places to evangelize
In verse 6 he says Paul desired to spread the word in Asia but the Holy Spirit forbid them
In verse 7 they desired to go into Bithynia but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them
And in verses 9-10 Paul received in a vision that he must go to Macedonia to evangelize them, in verse 10 he says they were called to preach the gospel to them
As much as we would like to evangelize everywhere all the time we cannot and may not be allowed to
I The first example is the conversion of one who is of another faith
The missionary quartet (Paul, Silas, Timothy, Luke) went to the riverside on the Sabbath instead of a synagogue because there was no synagogue in Philippi.
According to Jewish tradition, there had to be a quorum of at least ten male heads of households before a synagogue could be formed.
If these requirements could not be met, the faithful were to meet under the open sky near a river or sea.
So Paul and company walked outside the city on the Sabbath, probably to the Gangites River, looking for some fellow Jews. They discovered a small group—all women—who met to recite the Shema and pray the Shemoneth Esreh and read the Law and Prophets.
They were devout, and religious, but something was missing
History says that she had wealth but something was missing
But they had not accepted Jesus Christ as savoir they were still practicing Judaism
But like last week there were spiritual realities at work, they had been divinely prepared for what was about to happen
The text says that the Lord opened her heart
The reality of evangelism is that others aren’t the only ones affected, so are you
Paul’s pharisaical prejudices, which in pre-Christian years had taught him to pray, “God, I thank you that I am not a Gentile, or a slave, or a woman,” had been sharply altered by Christ and his growth in faith.
Remember Peter’s encounter with Cornelius (Acts 10)
II The second example is the conversion of one who is demon possessed
We must always remember that God is working but so is Satan, but He is no match for God
In this second example the encounter is with a demon possessed slave girl it is believed that she had the spirit of python
According to myth or legend, Python was a snake that guarded the Temple of Apollo and was eventually killed by Apollo.
Later the word python came to mean a demon-possessed person through whom Python spoke.
In any case she was demon possessed and it allowed her to predict the future
She was being used by men for their personal gain
Paul’s next move demonstrates that you can’t play with the devil even though what he’s doing has the appearance of advancing the Kingdom
What was the problem she was telling the truth
The problem is anytime you allow Satan in he will wreak havoc
Every time a demon confirmed Jesus as the son of God He rebuked them
Evangelism should bring revival and revival brings restoration, she is rescued and completely restored
Just imagine what this did to the citizens of Philippi
What a testimony to the power of God
It reminds me of what Jesus to the disciples in Mark 16
Mar 16:15 And he said to them, "Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.
Mar 16:16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.
Mar 16:17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues;
Mar 16:18 they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover."
III The third example is of one who seems to practice no religion
Evangelism will always bring persecution
The key was they knew that they were in the right place at the right time because they were led of the Lord
This speaks to how your response to personal tragedy and the demonstration of the power of God is a witness
As a result the Jailer cried
“Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” 32 And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house.
IV This church later assisted Paul in a major way
The book of Philippians penned from a grateful heart
I thank my God every time I remember you. (Philippians 1:3)
Moreover, as you Philippians know, in the early days of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only. (Philippians 4:15)
