Bible Lesson: Miracles Of The Power Of The Holy Spirit: Miracles Of The Apostle Paul.
God's Messenger: Apostle Paul.
Bible Location: Ephesus.
Bible Text:
Acts 19:11,12 KJV
11 And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul:
12 So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them.
Acts 19:11 KJV
And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul:
The Apostle Paul was a born again, baptized Christian, and one who had been “endued with the power of the Holy Spirit,” such as the Disciples had been, in the upper room at Pentecost.
And how pray tell how do we know that?
We know it by its evidence, as given by the Apostle himself.
I Corinthians 13:1 KJV
Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels..."
I Corinthians 14:5,18 KJV (The Apostle Paul.)
5 I would that ye all spake with tongues..."
18 I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all:
Acts 19:5,6 KJV
(Apostle Paul, prayed for baptized Christians, to receive the enduement of the Holy Spirit's power(Luke 24:49).
5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
6 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.
If there is one thing the church of the Lord Jesus Christ needs well today, it is a real move towards the miracle working power of God the Holy Spirit.
We've tried church programs, church suppers, church talent scouts, debates, rock groups, interpretative dancing, what's next?
And the hurting who come, ...go away the same way they have come.
Is it any wonder why the church doesn't have any longer Wednesday night Bible class, or Sunday night prayer meeting?
Our own ingenuity, our own eloquent speaking, no matter how profound, just won't cut it in the realm of the spirit. What a blow to the ecclesiastical ego of man!
What was it our Saviour said?
Luke 24:49 KJV
And, behold, I send the promise of My Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.
In all our rushing to do things well, we have out run the Lord, who has called us.
What we need to do is to STOP.
What we need to do is to TARRY.
What we need is to be ENDUED, with the power of the Holy Spirit, so that our Church, our Ministry is Spirit, lead, and Spirit, empowered.
Acts 19:13-17 KJV
13 Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the LORD Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth.
14 And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so.
15 And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?
16 And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.
17 And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.
Acts 19:12 KJV
So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them.
God's man of power and might, could not be everywhere. Paul then determined to do the best he could do, and that was to give to those representatives seeking prayers for their sick, something to take back with them. And thus he gave of his own wardrobe, handkerchiefs, aprons, or parts of his garments, with the intention, that when placed upon the sick, they in Christ's name would be made well.
And the Lord working with the Apostle, honored the faith of all. The sick were made well, and those who were demon possessed, were set free, by the power of the living God.
Now may we be forever careful to point out, that the power WAS NOT, in the cloth, but in the faith of believers! The Lord honoring their faith, in Him.
Any other teaching leads one astray to the erroneous idea, of the veneration of various religious artifacts.
This terrible sin, the sin of venerating objects, instead of their living God, took place with the Jews.
II Kings 18:1-6 KJV
1 Now it came to pass in the third year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, that Hezekiah the son of Ahaz king of Judah began to reign.
2 Twenty and five years old was he when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was Abi, the daughter of Zachariah.
3 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that David his father did.
4 He removed the high places, and brake the images, and cut down the groves, and
brake in pieces the brasen serpent that Moses had made:
for unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it:
and he called it Nehushtan*.
5 He trusted in the LORD God of Israel; so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor any that were before him.
6 For he clave to the LORD, and departed not from following Him, but kept His commandments, which the LORD commanded Moses.
*Nehustan-Hebrew-Nechushtan (Nekh-oosh-tawn):Some thing made of copper, i.e.the copper serpent of the Desert.
Worship of things or people other than the Lord Jesus Christ, is absolutely forbidden, by the Word of God.
Exodus 20:1-5 KJV (10 Commandments)
1 And God spake all these words, saying,
2 I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
(First Commandment)
3 Thou shalt have no other gods before Me.
(Second Commandment)
4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.
5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate Me;
Leviticus 26:1 KJV
Ye shall make you no idols nor graven image, neither rear you up a standing image, neither shall ye set up any image of stone in your land, to bow down unto it: for I am the LORD your God.
Isaiah 42:8 KJV
I am the LORD: that is My name: and My glory will I not give to another, neither My praise to graven images.
I John 5:21 KJV
Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.
Never in any form, did the Apostle Paul, take any credit, or any glory for the miracles that had been done.
Apostle Paul's sentiments.
Romans 16:27 KJV
To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen.
Matthew 9:37,38 KJV
37 Then saith He unto His disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few;
38 Pray ye therefore the Lord of the Harvest, that He will send forth laborers into His harvest.
Matthew 20:6,7 KJV
6 And about the eleventh hour He went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle?
7 They say unto Him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive.
John 4:35 KJV
Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.
Salvation Prayer
