Acts 13:13-34 The Distinctive Marks of Revival
1. The Check -
Spirit Goaded - 6 Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia,
Spirit Guarded - and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia, 7 after they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not.
Spirit Guided - 8 And they passing by Mysia came down to Troas.
2. The Channel -
This Call was Personal - 9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night;
Pressing - There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying,
Precise - Come over into Macedonia,
Practical - and help us.
3. The Charge
The Force 10 after he had seen the vision immediately
The Course - we endeavoured to go into Macedonia,
The Source - assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us
The Resource - for to preach the gospel unto them. (Vs 11-12)
4. The Choice -
The Communication in the Gospel - 13 And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither.
The Comprehension of the Gospel - 14 And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul.
The Commendation through the Gospel - 15 when she was baptized,
and her household, she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us.
5. The Challenge -
A Direct Challenge - 16 And it came to pass, as we went to prayer,
A Demonic Challenge - a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying:
A Defiant Challenge - 17 the same followed Paul and us, and cried,
A Deceptive Challenge - saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation. (the truth)
A Determined Challenge - 18 And this did she many days.
A Defeated Challenge - But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour. (In an Instant - The damsal lost her power, Her masters their profits, and Paul his privileges.)
6. The Chains - Their Opposition
It's Solidarity - 22 the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them.
It's Severity - 23 and when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely:
It's Security - 24 who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.
It's Sterility - 25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.
7. The Change -
The Jailor's Predicament - 26 suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed.
His Panic - 27 And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled.
His Prevention - 28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.
His Persuasion - 29 Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, 30 and brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
8. The Cheer - 34 when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house.
