When God changes our plans!
Acts 8:26-40
Jeremiah 29
11For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.
1 st Need to have a relationship with God.
Let’s look at this man called Phillip and see what we can learn from his life.
·Started Acts 6:5And the saying pleased the whole multitude. And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip,
This is where you relationship start.
Eph 2: 8For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the
gift of God, 9not of works, lest anyone should boast.
God can and will use you if you’re willing and obedient, full of faith and power.
·Acts 8:5 Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them
Preached Christ because he had faith in Him.
He told them about Jesus the one who saved his soul……
·Acts 8:26 Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, "Arise and go toward the south along the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza." This is desert.
Relationship is builded on absolute trust……
As a bondservant you do what the master tells you to do.
·Acts 8:40 But Philip was found at Azotus. And passing through, he preached in all the cities till he came to Caesarea.
This is where he settled.
·Acts 21:8 On the next day we who were Paul’s companions[1] departed and came to Caesarea, and entered the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him.
2nd Need to hear God’s voice clearly….
V26 Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, "Arise and go toward the south along the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza." This is desert.
Consider this…..and make no mistake about the direction that God told him to go..
He was told to go to the desert…
Oh so many people claim to be sent by God but are they really?…….
The place where God call you is where your great gladness and the worlds great hunger meets. Francisco
V29 Then the Spirit said to Philip, "Go near and overtake this chariot."
Have you had that urge also? To speak to someone about Jesus?
Same here….
He was a man who knew the voice of the Father…. Just as Jesus did…
John 5: 19Then Jesus answered and said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner. 20For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel.
Q: How do we hear His voice?
1.Through His Word.
Luke 24 27And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the
Scriptures the things concerning Himself.
1 John 2 14 I have written to you, young men, Because you are strong, and the
word of God abides in you, And you have overcome the wicked one.
This is why Phillip could hear God’s voice..
2.Through Spirit.
Rom 8:16 16The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God
He uses your conscience
Rom 9:1 1 I tell the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit,
3rd need to obey the voice of God
V26 Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, "Arise and go toward the south along the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza." This is desert.
Human mind can’t understand this…..
City accepted the Word….Posters are up.. Philips speaking arrangements must be booked ahead.
God says cancel all and go to the desert…. Lonely place…
Look at this:
The Angel said…. Arise and go to the desert
Look at verse 27. So he arose and went…..
Verse 29 Then the Spirit said : Go near and overtake this chariot
Verse 30 So Philip ran to him
He’s applying the same faith than all those faith heroes in Hebr 11.
What a man…. What a God we serve!
He always has better plans for us…
What is the Spirit asking you to do today?
Lets consider the results:
He Listened , got onto the chariot and lead this man to Jesus. Baptised this man.
You may say that this was luck… just coincidence but let’s find out.
This eunuch was seeking a relationship with God.
He came to Jerusalem to worship. V27 but obviously didn’t find the answers there.
Thus reading and not understanding the scriptures he went home, but God saw His hunger in His heart and knew that He could sent someone who will obey him to help this man…. Philip
Philip was “Harpatzo” away from the desert to a nice harbour city, Caeserea.
So again I say:
Jeremiah 29
11For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.
