KEY SCRIPTURE: Acts 26:18. “To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.”

Among all that Paul was assigned to do, he was commissioned to turn men from the power of Satan unto the power of God. A look at the life story of Paul reveals that he was exceedingly successful at executing his commission.

What did Paul do to achieve such an outstanding success? Apostle Paul was selflessly committed to the commission. He was passionately dedicated. He says Philippians 1:21, “For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” Secondly, he also believed he could get the work done. This is seen in his declaration in Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ, which strengtheneth men. Apostle Paul had a very positive attitude toward the task given to him. With a positive attitude, he developed the positive motivation to fulfil his call. He was a man of action. He says the following, 1 Corinthians 15:10b “but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me”.

The following are basically Paul’s lines of action.

1. Positive Attitude

2. Positive Motivation

3. Positive Action

We must likewise adapt Paul’s approach to life and God’s work in order to get the work done. A look at some of the practical efforts of Paul, we see the following.

1. He travelled across the region to share the gospel (Acts 14).

2. He raised (elders) leaders in these places to consolidate whatever he had achieved. (Acts 14:23).

3. He prayed always for the churches. Eph 1:16 “Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers”;

4. He followed up on the work he had done by visiting the towns and the brethren he preached to. (Acts 15:36)

5. He wrote letters to these churches. His letters continue to deliver men from the power of the devil even after so many years since his death.

What then is the power of the devil? Satan’s power is anything evil. It is simply spiritual darkness. God’s power is also spiritual light. It is manifested by His word. The teaching of the truth and a corresponding receiving of it will effortlessly destroy every work of darkness. John 8:32 “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free”. This is the reason the revelations of Paul continue to set men free over the years.

CONFESSION

I have a very positive attitude about God’s work. I commit my life to doing this great work. Many lives are set free as I go about doing the work of the master. My success brings me joy and inspires others.

FURTHER STUDIES

Acts 14:23 “And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed”.

Acts 15:36. And some days after, Paul said unto Barnabas, let us go again and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they do”.

KEY SCRIPTURE Acts 26:18. “To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.

Apostle Paul was commissioned to turn men from darkness to light. Darkness has to do with everything of the devil. Darkness is the domain of Satan. It is the work of the devil. The Psalmist explains how children of God enter into darkness. Psalms 82:5. “They know not; neither will they understand; they walk on in darkness: all the foundations of the earth are out of course”. These people knew not and did not understand. Ignorance of the truth leads men into darkness. The level of ignorance in the world is simply incredible.

Ignorance has gone on a rampage because many Christians do not take the time to study the word of God. Some of those who study do so from a subjective point of view. They approach the bible from the background of traditions carried over from the teachings of others. One main area of darkness affecting the people of God is the struggle to become what God’s word tells us has already been given to us. Coming into Jesus Christ means the fulfilment of all the promises of God. Now listen to what God’s word says about God’s promises for us who are in Christ: 2 Corinthians 1:20 “For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us”. These promises are fulfilled in Christ. If you are in Christ, then the promises, no matter what it is, are already yours because you have inherited the answer. In Christ, it is not a promise to claim but an answer to possess. Acts 20:32 “And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified”. Every Christian has an inheritance in Christ. This inheritance is all that Jesus obtained for us through His death and resurrection. It includes the answer to every promise.

Take time to meditate on these things until they are fully established in your heart. Stop struggling to get what is yours in Christ and enter your rest by taking hold of them and then thanking God for them.

The people without Christ are in gross darkness. They must be given the word of God in the power of the Spirit. This is done by trusting the Holy Spirit to communicate His power and wisdom to the lost.

Share the message in love. Share it in faith. Pray a lot for the lost. It takes the Spirit of God to bring a man from darkness into light. No man in his own wisdom can turn a man from darkness into the light. This is purely the work of the Spirit. Cooperate with the Spirit to turn men from darkness into the light.

CONFESSSION

I am appointed to turn men from darkness into light. This I diligently do as I pray for the lost always. The Holy Spirit working through me saves them from darkness into the light.

FURTHER STUDIES

Hebrews 4:10. For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.

Hosea 4:6. “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children”.

KEY SCRIPTURE: Acts 26:18. “To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me”.

In the above verse, Apostle Paul tells us a description of the job given to him by our Lord Jesus. He lists them as follows:

1. To open the eyes of the blind.
2. To turn them from darkness to light
3. To turn them from the power of Satan to God

The next two are a result of doing the three points talked about. They are

1. Receive forgiveness of sins
2. Receive inheritance among those who are sanctified

Apostle Paul added that when I received this commission, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision. Dear child of God, every one of us has been given the same commission. We must respond as he did.

Gal 1:16 “To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood”: To confer with flesh and blood means to relate with men in such a way that it waters down one’s commitment to the task given him or her. It also means to allow your fleshly persuasions to influence you such that the task given to you is either abandoned or watered down outright.

His first task, just as has been given to us, was to open the eyes of the blind. In 2nd Corinthians 4:4, Apostle Paul states the following about Satan’s blinding of many who do not believe. “In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them”. Everyone who has not come to faith in Jesus has either been deceived by the enemy or just blind to the truth. Satan deceives the whole world(Revelation 12:9). If it is not the blinding power of the devil, then what on earth would make a man leave his normal relationship with a woman and go for his fellow man, and women also refuse to relate with men but to marry other women? What drives people to sacrifice fellow humans for money rituals? Please come to think about it, most respected nations in our world sanction homosexual and lesbian relationships. Men even officially marry animals. A very deep darkness has engulfed humanity.

The gospel is the only answer to this evil power holding a very great portion of humanity in bondage (Rom 1:16). Please note that the kind of message that would bring men to their knees is the visible demonstration of the power of God. This will show that our Lord Jesus is alive, and He is the same. We’ve got to trust God to see the dead raised to life again, Limbless legs growing out, the creation of new eyeballs, and many more. God has done these things and is still doing them, and would continue to do them if we trust Him. Don’t limit Him

CONFESSION

I am a Christ representative on the earth. His Spirit works through me. I bring sight to them that Satan has blinded, deliverance to them that are bound, and God’s miracle power to all held under Satan’s control in Jesus’ mighty name.

FURTHER STUDIES

Romans 1:16. “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek”.

Revelations 12:9. “And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him”.

KEY SCRIPTURE: Acts 25:14. “And when they had been there many days, Festus declared Paul’s cause unto the king, saying, there is a certain man left in bonds by Felix: “

Apostle Paul was unduly held in bonds by Governor Felix. Festus, the successor of Felix, came to meet Paul, and Paul had the opportunity to share the good news with him as well. Around that time, King Agrippa and his sister, Bernice, whom Josephus the historian wrote about, lived as a man and his wife. They also came to Caesarea to visit the new governor. They also had the opportunity to see Paul and hear the good news of salvation from him.

All these men were highly placed individuals in the society, who could not in any way have HEARD the gospel in the way Paul had to present it to them. God, in his wisdom, created the conditions and opportunity for them to hear this great news. All these events show God’s wisdom in allowing Paul to desire to go to Jerusalem, although all the brethren warned him against going.

Once again, I wish to state that the Holy Spirit may reveal an event which will happen in the future, yet there is a need to ask for His candid instruction about what has been revealed. You do not react to the revelation negatively because it carries something supposedly bad. When the Lord Jesus told the disciples about his suffering in the arms of the religious leaders, Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. Mt 16:22 “Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee” The Lord quickly reacted and said to Peter. In Matthew 16:23, “But he turned, and said unto Peter, get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men”.

God does not see things as men in their fleshly minds see and think. Apostle Paul had the glorious opportunity to speak to these leaders, including all who were with them in the palace. These events portray a very clear point: that is, the voice of the people is not always the voice of God. The bible said that throughout the journeys of Paul, the brethren in every city he got to, prophesied to him that bonds and afflictions await him. Paul, like the Lord Jesus, could not be swayed from his path because he knew what the Lord had said to him. God does not change his word. Num 23:19 “God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? Or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? “If you succeed in getting God to change His word, then you have entered into his permissive will. Under His permissive will, any evil thing could happen to you, yet He is not obliged in any way to save you.

CONFESSION

God is not a man to repent. God is always right in His dealings, and I believe whatever He says. I will accept whatever He says, no matter how ridiculous it may seem. He may lead me around, but He will surely lead me aright

FURTHER STUDIES

Romans 8:28. “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose”.

Malachi 3:6.” For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore, ye sons of Jacob are not consumed”.

KEY SCRIPTURE: Acts 25:7 ” And when he was come, the Jews which came down from Jerusalem stood round about, and laid many and grievous complaints against Paul, which they could not prove.”

In Luke 21:12, the Lord Jesus spoke about how his disciples would be treated before He comes. It reads, Luke 21:12 ” But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name’s sake”.

In Paul’s story, these Jewish zealots left Jerusalem to accuse Paul so he would be killed. The bible said they laid grievous charges against Paul, but they could not prove it. This is a demonstration of hatred. It is an antichrist spirit that started during the lifetime of our Master and is still in operation.

People under the spell of the spirit of antichrist have said all kinds of lies and abominable things about Jesus. The Frenchman François-Marie Arouet, known as Voltaire, attacked Christianity so much and even said after his death there would be no Bibles and Christianity would be extinct. Surprisingly, his own house became a printing press for printing Bibles after he died. John Lennon of Beatles fame said,’ he was more popular than Jesus. ‘ This man was shot and killed by an unknown assailant.

In recent times, some have attacked Christ by saying He was a myth. This is rather amazing. There is no myth that the people said to be in the story are active people who came to testify of their participation in the story? Apostle Peter wrote in 2 Peter 1:16,” For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. “He said we were eyewitnesses of His majesty on that holy mountain. This man died for what he saw, preached, and defended. Jesus is never a myth but a man of history. It is the very spirit of the Antichrist that has led men to ignorantly attack Him. Every attack or persecution of Christians is a direct attack on the person of Christ. (Acts 9:4)

This antichrist spirit has waged a relentless war by attacking Christians, giving some to lions, burning many at stake, burning Bibles, raising abominable teachings, burning churches, and what have you? In spite of all these, Christianity remains the most populous faith on earth now. There are about 2.4 billion professing Christians, followed by Islam, 2.0 billion. The bible remains the most read book. This antichrist spirit is defeated and will forever be defeated. Dear reader, if you have not been born again, then please accept Him today to partake of eternal life and escape eternal damnation. (Read Romans 10:9 & 10)

SONG

Jesus shall reign wherever the sun.

That His successive journeys run.

His kingdom stretches from shore to shore.

Till moons shall wax and wane no more.

FURTHER STUDIES

Matthew 24:9 ” Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake.”

John 8:37 ” I know that ye are Abraham’s seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you”.

KEY SCRIPTURE Acts 24:26. “He hoped also that money should have been given him of Paul, that he might lose him: wherefore he sent for him the oftener, and communed with him.”

Our key scripture said Governor Felix had wanted Paul to give him some bread, so he would have set him free. It seems corruption is not a child of these days but a ‘mother’ who has lived through human history.

Bribery is a means by which people make payments, either in cash or in kind, in order to influence justice. It has become so normal in our societies that almost all people are caught up in the web of it. I am informed that certain schools charge special fees for the school to buy leaked examination questions to be given to their students. A driver told me of an event in which a police officer, whose wife came to see him at the station and demanded some money from him. The only way out for this officer was to go to the roadside, arrest a few drivers who had broken road regulations, and get a bribe from them to be given to his wife.

In certain pastoral circles, enquirers have to pay some fees before meeting the man of God for prayers. How do you call this act, since prayers are to be offered free of charge? Dear Pastor, You and the man who had to collect some bribes before rendering his services are all in the same boat. Don’t call it an emergency. It is bribery. You and the government officials who take kickbacks are all corrupting the system. God will judge everyone who commits these things. Job 15:34 ” For the congregation of hypocrites shall be desolate, and fire shall consume the tabernacles of bribery”.

If Paul had succumbed to the bribery demands of Governor Felix and had been set free, he would have walked out of the will of God for his life. He was to preach the gospel in Rome. Many of us have jumped out of God’s plans for our lives because we decided to pay some bribes to make our way out. The grace of God would not assist lies.

CONFESSION

In the name of Jesus, I have received the ability to be truthful to God and His word. I always live in obedience to God, bringing glory to his name.

FURTHER STUDIES

1 Samuel 12:3. ” Behold, here I am: witness against me before the LORD, and before his anointed: whose ox have I taken? or whose ass have I taken? or whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed? or of whose hand have I received any bribe to blind mine eyes therewith? And I will restore it to you”.

Psalms 26:10 ” In whose hands is mischief, and their right hand is full of bribes.”

KEY SCRIPTURE: Acts 24:25 ” And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.”

Paul had a personal audience with Governor Felix. He wanted to know more about the Christian faith.

Apostle Paul, who was an ever-ready vessel, gave him very good answers. He knew his message very well and also learned how to present it. He fulfilled the scripture in 1 Peter 3:15, which says, “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:”

Paul, an experienced presenter of the gospel, knew what he had to tell this man of influence. He majored in three areas.

1. Righteousness
2. Temperance or self-control
3. The judgement to come.

Most people in positions of influence are often careless about their morals. Righteousness. Which is a gift from God that gives them a door to come out of their lousy lifestyle. With the gift of righteousness, a man must live right.

He also talked about self-control. This part hits the nail on the head by revealing the real life of that individual to him or her. Self-control deals with the act of disciplining oneself to do what is required. In the case of most influential people, they lack self-control. The powers they have drive them to satisfy their appetites with ease. One major sin of such people is immorality.

Finally, he talked about the future judgment. After showing the man his shortcomings, he takes him to God’s ultimate judgement for all mankind. 2 Corinthians 5:10 ” For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.”

He reveals to him how this judgment would be. He would judge in absolute righteousness. Revelations 19:11 ” And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war “All those without Christ shall be cast into the lake of fire. Revelation 20:14 ” And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.”

Governor Felix trembled at hearing this but did not yield to the truth. Do not be like Governor Felix if you have not yielded to Christ.

We can all learn some clues from Paul’s presentation about how to speak to men of influence.

PRAYER

Father, I pray for divine wisdom to always have the right message for whomever I encounter. May the Holy Spirit work on the hearts of my enquirers to receive His word.

FURTHER STUDIES

2 Timothy 4:2 ” Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.”

1 Peter 3:15 ” But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:”

KEY SCRIPTURE: Acts 24:16 ” And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men.”

The High Priest always hired an orator called Tetullus to speak to accuse Paul before Felix, the governor. This man was very good at his job by presenting his accusation against Paul. He told lies mixed with insults, yet truth shall forever remain sacred.

He started with showering praises on the governor Felix in an attempt to win his favour. He came very hard on Paul. Apostle Paul also had his turn to make his defence. Paul made his defence in the light of his philosophy as depicted in our key scripture. This reads “And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and men.”

He made his defence without attacking his accuser in any way. Tetullus, in his prosecutions against Paul, said Paul was a Pestilent fellow (comparing him to a plague). He said Paul is a mover of sedition and a ring leader of the sect of the Nazarenes. Paul maintained his point that he believed in the resurrection of the dead, and that was the reason he was being held in chains. Most people would have equally attacked the orator, Tetullus, with similar insults. Paul says he has made it his policy to have a conscience devoid of offence towards God and man. Dear child of God, please understand that we as children of God do not treat people according to their actions, but in respect to what God’s word says. Under the new covenant, it is not a tooth for a tooth, but always show the love of God to those who have wrongly treated us.

Most homes would have enjoyed a great amount of peace and harmony if couples would adopt this principle or philosophy. Many people act and speak with a motive to cause pain to their other parties. Insults are psychological arrows and spears that people shoot at one another. The end results are wounded souls who can not get along with such parties. Divorce, severing of relationships and friendships proceed from hearts that are careless about the effect of their words and actions on the second parties. Apostle Paul admonished the brethren in Colossae to ” Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man”. (Colossians 4:6)

CONFESSIONS

I thank you, Lord, for making me a partaker of your nature. I always express love, respect, and fear for God when I relate to all men. My words may correct but would not destroy others.

FURTHER STUDIES

Romans 12:14-15 ” Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.”

1 Corinthians 13:5 (Love) Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;

KEY SCRIPTURE: Acts 23:24. “And provide them beasts, that they may set Paul on, and bring him safe unto Felix the governor.”

The spirit of religion is very wicked. Religious people always fight for their God. They kill and terrorise in the name of defending their faith. During the Jewish people’s attack on Paul, some of them bound themselves with a curse not to eat for forty days till they killed Paul. Acts 23:12 “And when it was day, certain of the Jews banded together, and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul.” Our key scripture states that beasts, specifically horses, were provided to transport Paul safely to the governor. God would give you a special treat to keep you safe.

These Jews bound themselves with a curse not to eat nor drink for a period as long as forty days until they had killed Paul. Under the new covenant, no one is to physically attack or kill anyone who holds a contrary view to ours. The message of the new covenant is love for all men and hatred for none. The bible said that when these people were cooking this evil plan, the nephew of Apostle Paul got a hint of it and managed to get to Paul and reveal it to him. Paul told the captain that the young man had a message for him. He revealed the whole plot to the captain. Dear child of God, the wicked would never succeed with their evil scheming. Please behold the plan of God concerning your safety. Isaiah 54:15 “Behold, they shall surely gather together, but not by me: whosoever shall gather together against thee shall fall for thy sake.”

Dear child of God, do not be worried about threats against your life. The bible says they would gather, but it shall not be of the Lord, and they shall fall for your sake. If their plans prevail, then the Lord allowed it for the ultimate glory to His name. In Paul’s case, the Roman centurion asked that two hundred men be made available to escort Paul, while a horse be made available for him to personally ride on. Paul was on a divine program to go to Rome and preach the gospel there, too. Dear child of God, please know that God’s plans for His children are always the best. Listen to what God says about His plans for you. Jeremiah 29:11 ” For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. “Stop worrying about anything and everything. All you have to do is entrust your life and life agenda into Him and His agenda. God has not gone to sleep. His eyes are passionately on you.

CONFESSION

My life is for His glory. I do not live for myself. I live solely for His purpose. He gives me only the best; therefore, only the best comes to me.

FURTHER STUDIES

Psalms 121:3 He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.

Psalms 121:7-8 ” The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.”