The devil works tirelessly to thwart the truth given by God to men into a lie, thereby hindering people from getting saved. Through the works of the flesh, he uses available vessels to be enemies of God by spreading lies.
This is the case in our reading today in Acts 13:44-14:7. After the people heard the Gospel preached by the apostles in Antioch, they wanted to hear more, but the Jews, driven with envy, stood against the spread of the Gospel in their cities. They instigated the people against the Apostles to persecute and expel them from their land.
Fleeing from such wickedness, they proceeded to Iconium and spoke in the synagogue to both the Jews and Greeks, and many of them believed in the name of Jesus. The apostles remained preaching for a while, and God confirmed His word by performing miracles through them. However, just like in Antioch, the unbelieving Jews also stood against them and began poisoning the minds of the people there. This led to a plot to harm them, and the Apostles fled to Lystra and Derbe and began preaching there.
To this end, we see how relentless the enemy is against the gospel and even the people preaching it. But it is incredible to see that the Gospel always prevails despite the opposition. Therefore be encouraged knowing that God is with you no matter the persecution you face while preaching the gospel.
Prayer: Lord, I ask that you give courage and strength to missionaries facing persecution
Today’s reading
Numbers 34-36
Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
“Command the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘When you come into the land of Canaan, this is the land that shall fall to you as an inheritance—the land of Canaan to its boundaries.
Your southern border shall be from the Wilderness of Zin along the border of Edom; then your southern border shall extend eastward to the end of the Salt Sea;
Acts 13:44-14:7
On the next Sabbath almost the whole city came together to hear the word of God.
But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy; and contradicting and blaspheming, they opposed the things spoken by Paul.
Then Paul and Barnabas grew bold and said, “It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken to you first; but since you reject it, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles.