Daily Bible Verse ~ Acts 13:51-52

Acts 13:51-52 But they shook off the dust from their feet against them and went to Iconium. 52 And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

Are you walking in the power of the Holy Spirit today?

One of the struggles we often have when it comes to sharing the Gospel is the fear of rejection. We often will withhold our belief in Jesus because we don’t want to be labeled a fanatic or be mocked by family or friends. In the 13th chapter of Acts, Paul and Barnabas have set out on their first missionary journey. The mission was to reach the gentiles for Christ.

In this chapter, they lay out the entire Gospel message, starting with their life as captives in Egypt and ending with raising Jesus from the dead. After they shared, they were begged to return the next week and share more. Many of the people were desiring to hear more about the message of salvation and the hope that comes in Jesus Christ. However, the leaders of the day became jealous and spoke against Paul and Barnabas and reviled them.

So what was the response of Paul? He said to the Jewish leaders that the message of salvation was to be told to them first, but since they are rejecting it, he will go to the gentiles. The people rejoiced over what they heard and the Gospel was spreading throughout the entire region.

So, what does all this have to do with verses 51 and 52 you may ask? Well, because of their jealousy, the Jewish leaders were stirring up trouble and trying to have the two men persecuted for their faith. They finally drove them out and forced them to flee to another district. And the response of Paul and Barnabas was to shake the dust from their feet and be filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.

Today we are so afraid to speak the truth because there are many who are trying to shut the voice of the Christian down. I experienced it recently where I was in group of people and a fellow believer and I were talking about the things of Christ. A friend chimed in, “If you want ot believe in fairy tales that’s your choice. I always make it a point to not talk about religion and politics. It saves friendships!”

Fairy tales… His view of the good news of salvation is “fairy tale.” Rather than challenging his belief, I chose to continue my conversation with the fellow believer and shake the dust from my feet. Later in the day the two of us discussed the interaction and praised the Lord that we had the hope of salvation in Jesus Christ.

Digging Deeper:

Matthew 10:14; John 16:22

Apply It:

Today I encourage you to be bold in your faith. To know the Gospel and share it with boldness and authority. If you get opposition then rejoice. Our joy is to be in the Lord and not in whether or not the Gospel message is accepted by our peers, co-workers, neighbors, and friends.

Prayer:

Lord, give me the boldness today to proclaim your message to a lost and dying world. Fill me with your Holy Spirit so I may be filled with your joy in every circumstance. In His name, amen