The ‘Key’ To Success Is…

Acts 18: 23-28 Paul begins his 3^rd and final Mission Trip, firstly, visiting all the Churches he started on his 1^stMission trip

Acts 18: 23 ‘…strengthening all the disciples.’

As Paul goes off the scene for a while, we learn a very important lesson from a man called Apollos, who goes toEphesus to preach Jesus 

We know a lot about Apollos Acts 18: 24-26

Jew from the City ofAlexandria/A learned man/A thorough knowledge of the scriptures/Instructed in the way of the Lord/Spoke with great enthusiasm/Taught about Jesus accurately/Spoke boldly

The most important thing we know about Apollos is: He accepted instruction

Acts 18: 26 ‘Priscilla and Aquila…explained (instructed him) to him the way of God more accurately.’

I think that all of us have a problem accepting instruction – we don’t like it, we all rebel against it – “Nobody is going to tell me what to do”

This rebellion began with Adam and Eve

Genesis 2: 15-17 God gave Adam and Eve permission to inhabit the Earth and prosper.

He also instructed them not to eat from a certain tree

Genesis 3: 1-6 But, they rebelled against God’s instruction, and as punishment, God sent them away from His presence and brought Sin and Death upon all Mankind Genesis 3: 16-24

We are still suffering for Adam and Eve’s rebellion today! Romans 5: 12

If we are going to grow as Christians and be successful in serving God we need to accept instruction!

The Bible is our first source of instruction, but, if you don’t like instruction, you won’t like the Bible

Is this the real reason that some Christians don’t like reading it!?

2 Timothy 3:16 ‘All Scripture is inspired by God…giving instruction for right living…’

Like Apollos, we also need to accept instruction from our Leaders

1 Thessalonians 4:8 ‘…anyone who rejects this instruction does not reject a human being, but God.”

As Apollos found out, there are great benefits to be had in accepting instruction

1/ You will receive encouragement from others in your vision to serve God

Acts 18: 27 ‘When Apollos wanted to go to Achaia, the brothers and sisters encouraged him…’

2/ You will be given ‘open doors’ to new opportunities in serving God

Acts 18: 27 ‘…wrote to the disciples there to welcome him…’

3/ You will be more effective in serving God

Acts 18: 27 ‘When he arrived, he was a great help to those who by grace had believed’.

4/ You will have more confidence as you serve God

Acts 18: 28 ‘For he vigorously refuted his Jewish opponents in public debate, proving from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Messiah’.

The willingness of Apollos to accept instruction was the ‘key’ to his success

1 Corinthians 3: 4 & 6 He is ranked alongside the Great Apostle Paul, as a Church ‘Builder’

1 Corinthians 16: 12 He is in such demand in different Churches that he can only go to them as he has opportunity

Prayer: “Lord, make me willing to accept instruction, that I might become all that You want me to be, in Your Service, and for Your Glory- Amen”!

 

What to do when serving God gets really tough (Part 4)

Paul had a tough time serving God in Corinth, but he stayed there for 2 years

Many people there believed in Jesus through Paul’s witnessing

A new church was started there (Read 1 & 2 Corinthians)

Paul even got to leave Corinth unharmed, rather than what usually happened to him: being beaten up and forced to leave!

Even though Paul had a tough time serving God in Corinth, he was successful there because he…

1/ Got support 2/ Continued to witness 3/ God helped him

But there was another reason for Paul’s success – if we are too quick to move on, we will miss it!

Acts 18: 18  ‘…a vow he had taken.’

4/ A vow is an act of deep devotion to God with prayer

Dear Friends, if we want to see people set free from sin, to become believers in Jesus, we must have ‘seasons’ of greater devotion to God and prayer!

This prayer is for the lost who are held captive to sin and unbelief, by the devil

2 Corinthians 4:4 ‘Satan…has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ…’

Have you ever witnessed to someone about Jesus, sin, salvation, Heaven and Hell and they just don’t ‘get it’

Only through our prayer, for them, can they believe

Illustration: Pai Kou Village miracles of salvation through Prayer

Many in the village still remember the day that a “madwoman,” who was well known in the village, disappeared.

She had walked all the way to Ning Xiang – a town 100 miles away, where women at a church had taken her in, cared for her and prayed for her

About two weeks later she started speaking normally and told them where her home village was

The church women travelled back to Pai Kou with her, taking with them some hand-copied Scriptures and hymns

The return of this woman was big news in the village because it was clear that she had been totally healed of her mental illness

Everyone came to see her to find out what had caused the big change in her; She told them that Jesus had healed her!

10-20 villagers became Christians through what happened

Today, that small group of Christians has grown into a congregation of 200 people with its own church building.

The church has also planted two other congregations in neighbouring villages, both of which have built their own church buildings.

 

Dear Friends, for us, for our Church, 2012 needs to be a year of greater devotion to God, and, to prayer

Prayer is the ‘key’ to unlocking Souls held captive in Sin, unlocking Villages, unlocking Cities, and Nations!

This kind of ‘breakthrough’ prayer is…United prayer/Believing prayer/Persistent prayer/Forceful prayer

Jesus said…‘…the kingdomof Heavenforcefully advances…’ Matthew 11: 12 (NLV)

For us, 2012 needs to be a year of advance! But, we cannot advance by doing nothing – standing still: we must act with greater devotion to God, and, to prayer

Acts 18: 19-22 From Cenchrea, Paul goes to Ephesus (Where he leaves Priscilla and Aquila), then to Caesarea, Jerusalem and back to his Home Church in Antioch

Paul’s 2^nd Mission Journey – FINISHED!