Day 26
Acts 16:13-19
13 And on the Sabbath day we went out of the city to the riverside, where prayer was customarily made; and we sat down and spoke to the women who met there. 14 Now a certain woman named Lydia heard us. She was a seller of purple from the city of Thyatira, who worshiped God. The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul.
16 Now it happened, as we went to prayer, that a certain slave girl possessed with a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much profit by fortune-telling. 17 This girl followed Paul and us, and cried out, saying, “These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation.” 18 And this she did for many days.
Two times of prayer. Two women. Two very different stories.
Paul and Silas have, in answer to a vision, traveled to the Macedonian city of Philipi. After being there a number of days they go out of the city to the riverside. It is the Sabbath and this is a customary place of prayer for this city. As they go there they meet people including a woman named Lydia whose heart is opened by the Lord and she and her family believe.
Paul and Silas continue in this city and continue to go to this riverside place of prayer. One such time as they went out to prayer they meet another girl. This one is a slave in more ways than one. She has a spirit that allows her to tell people’s fortunes. As she sees Paul and Silas she takes to following them and shouting their reason for being there. This last several days until Paul finally casts out the spirit. This, of course, leads to Paul and Silas’ well known imprisonment.
What we see here is a comparison and contrast in what can (and often does) happen as we pray. In the first example we see a woman prepared by prayer and in answer to prayer to open her heart to the message preached by Paul. She becomes a believer, she takes a public stand in baptism along with her whole household and she begins to serve and minister to needs. She is a classic example of God working in a life to justify sinners and sanctify them to Himself.
The the second example we see another woman. She is also spiritually affected. She has been moved in answer to prayer, but it is not to open her heart. Instead of opening her heart she opens her mouth because she is enslaved to a spirit, but it is not the spirit of God that moves her. The spirit that moves her is one of opposition and confusion. One that while speaking some truth is a bad witness to the gospel message that the apostle desires to bring. We remember that Jesus would not accept the testimony of spirits about His divinity and neither should be think that this girl gave any good witness to the gospel. In fact it seems that the enemy had stirred her up to be an opposition and stumbling block to the gospel.
Wherever people are praying and wherever the gospel is being preached we can be sure that there will also be spiritual opposition. As people are challenged with the truth, the enemy of their souls is also at work to keep them confused, lost and in darkness. In the time that we have been praying this summer and through these 30 days there is no doubt that as the heavens have been stirred by prayer,but so too has the opposition, which has no desire to lose its strangle hold on those that don’t believe. We have seen and felt some of the results of this battle that is taking place and so we ask you to pray all the more for Maribor and for us. You can see here a see a glimpse into the spiritual fight for the city of Philipi and that fight takes place wherever and whenever God’s people stand up in prayer.
We ask you to remember this aspect as you pray for us and for Maribor. Your prayers are stirring heaven but they are also annoying an enemy that knows how much effect they can have. Opposition will come so we must be steadfast in prayer and reliant on God’s power that cannot be stopped even when it looks like the enemy’s opposition strategy has been successful.
Prayer Request Day 26
1) Pray for Indi, Leah and Enya - these children of our friends have colds, coughs, runny noses and fever.
2) Olya's friend Sandra gave birth yesterday at 36 weeks. She delivered by C-section. Both mommy and baby are healthy and doing well but will be in the hospital for a little while. Pray for them for adjustment, they are still in the middle of remodeling, for quick healing from the C-section and continued health for the baby ... Yulia
3) For Maribor and for the tearing down of enemy strongholds in people's lives and in the culture... that God would establish Bible studies, open doors for outreach and open hearts to the message of the gospel - that He would build His kingdom and the enemy would not be able to stand against it
4) For our family and team - for protection, wisdom, guidance, provision,health and safety
Friday, September 14, 2007
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2 comments:
Hopefully encouraging you in this special season of prayer by letting you know that I am still with you. I can't claim to have prayed for Slovenia every day, but many at least. Your blog has been an encouragement and daily watershed for me. We will continue to pray. -- Andrew
Andy, thanks so much for any time you have dropped by and prayed along with us. We pray that this blog...that these devotionals will challenge and encourage all who read them. Thank you for standing with us and for the encouragement. We appreciate it very much. Jim
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