Witnessing Through Circumstances

WITNESSING THROUGH CIRCUMSTANCES

ACTS:16:25

11/6/95

JER.8:20 THE HARVEST IS PAST, THE SUMMER IS ENDED AND WE ARE NOT SAVED.

WITNESS: SOMEONE WHO IS CALLED UPON TO BE PRESENT AT A TRANSATION OR EVENT IN ORDER TO ATTEST TO WHAT TOOK PLACE. SOMEONE WHO HAS SEEN OR HEARD SOMETHING.

INTRODUCTION;

THIS MESSAGE TODAY IS THE BEGINNING OF A SERIES OF MESSAGES ON THE SUBJECT OF SALVATION! FOR THE USSAVED TO BE SAVED SOMEONE HAS TO WITNESS AND GOD HAS GIVEN THAT RESPONSIBILITY TO THE CHURCH (THE BODY OF CHRIST). THE BELIVERS, THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN SAVED. THE DICIPLES, THE FOLLOWERS OF JESUS CHRIST.

MATT. 9:27 SAYS "THE HARVEST TRULY IS PLENTIFUL BUT THE LABORERS ARE FEW".

FOR THE UNSAVED TO BE SAVED SOMEBODY HAS TO WITNESS. (EXAMPLE) THERE ARE MEN AND WOMEN IN PRISON BECAUSE SOMEBODY SAW SOMETHING OR KNEW SOMETHING BUT WOULD NOT SPEAK UP. (AND ALWAYS THERE ARE EXCUSES) (1)I DON’T WANT TO GET INVOLVED IT’S NOT MY BUSINESS. (2) I DON’T HAVE TIME, BUT IF IT WAS YOU. WE MUST STOP MAKING EXCUSES.

THERE ARE NO SPECIAL TIMES TO BE A WITNESS, EVERY OPPORTUNITY MUST BE SEIZED.

THE TEXT:

PAUL EXPOSITION AND BARNABAS IN CHAPTER 13 HAD BEEN A TEAM SENT BY THE CHURCH AT ANTIOCH TO THE GENTILES TO DECLARE THE WORD OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. THEY INCOUNTED MANY HARDSHIPS AND PERSECUTIONS. IN CHAPTER 15 THERE IS A CONTENTION BETWEEN PAUL AND BARNABAS CONCERNING JOHN MARK WHO STARTED OUT WITH THEM ON THEIR FIRST MISSIONARY JOURNEY, AND TURNED BACK. BARNABAS WANTED HIM TO GO WITH THEM AGAIN BUT PAUL SAID NO WAY. THEY PARTED BUT CONTINEUED TO WITNESS. BARNABAS TOOK MARK AND SAILED INTO CYPRUS. AND PAUL CHOSE SILAS AND WENT THROUGH SYRIA AND CILICIA. CHAPTER 16:PAUL AND SILAS HAVE MADE IT TO DERBE AND LYSTRA. THE BIBLE SAYS THEY WENT FROM DERBE AND LYSTRA AND THROUGHOUT PHRYGIO AND THE REGION OF GALATIA, AND THEY WERE FORBIDDEN BY THE HOLY GHOST TO PREACH THE WORD IN ASIA

THEY WERE UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

AFTER PASSING THROUGH OTHER REGIONS, THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT SAID DON’T STOP, THEY CAME TO TROAS. AT TORAS A VISION APPEARED TO PAUL IN THE NIGHT THERE STOOD A MAN OF MACEDONIA SAYING COME OVER AND HELP US. AND PAUL AND SILIAS IMMEDIATELY ENDEAVORED TO GO. THEY ARRIVED AFTER A LONG JOURNEY. ON THE SABBATH THEY WENT OUT OF THE CITY BY A RIVERSIDE WHERE PRAYER WAS WONT-ACCUSTOMED USED TO. AND THEY SAT DOWN AND WITNESS UNTO THE WOMEN WHO WERE THERE. AND A CERTIAN WOMAN NAMED LYDIA WHICH WORSHIPPED GOD, HEARD THEM, AND THE LORD OPENED HER HEART AND SHE RECIEVED SALVATION AND WAS BAPTIZED AND ALSO HER HOUSEHOLD. SHE INVITED PAUL AND SILIAS TO STAY IN HER HOUSE.

AND IT CAME TO PASS AS THEY WENT TO PRAYER MEETING, A CERTIAN DAMSELL POSSESSED WITH A SPIRIT OF DIVINATION MET THEM. THIS YOUNG GIRL MADE MUCH MONEY FOR HER MASTER BY FORTUNE TELLING. (SHE HAD A EVIL SPIRIT) SHE FOLLOWED PAUL AND THE OTHERS CRYING THESE MEN ARE THE SERVANTS OF THE MOST HIGH GOD WHICH SHEW UNTO US THE WAY OF SALVATION. (THIS SHE DID FOR MANY DAYS) BUT PAUL, BEING GRIEVED TURNED AND COMMANDED THAT SPIRIT IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST, COME OUT OF HER, (AND HE CAME OUT THE SAME HOUR)

HER MASTER GOT MAD WHEN HE REALIZED THAT THEIR GOOD THING HAD ENDED. THEY CAUGHT PAUL AND SILIAS AND ACCUSED THEM OF TROUBLING THE CITY, TEACHING CUSTOMS THAT WERE NOT LAWFUL AND THE MULTITUDE ROSE UP AGAINIST THEM, AND THE MAGISTRATE TORE OFF THEIR CLOTHES AND BEAT THEM. (LAID MANY STRIPES). THEY CAST THEM INTO PRISON CHARGING THE JAILER TO KEEP THEM SAFELY. (DO NOT LET THEM ESCAPE). HE DID A GOOD JOB- DEEP INTO THE PRISON- PLACED THEIR FEET IN STOCKS. BUT WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH - THE TOUGH GETS GOING.

PAUL AND SILAS BEEN STRIPPED BEATEN WITH RODS.

INPRISONED AND PUT IN CHAINS.

THEIR BACKS WERE A LACERATED, BLOODY, SWOLLEN MASS OF FLESH.

PAIN, PAIN AND MORE PAIN -SITTING THERE IN THE DARK SMELLY RAT AND ROACH INFESTED DUNGEON, THEY WITNESSED AND TESTIFIED OF THE WONDERFUL GRACE OF GOD.

THEY PRAYED- WHAT EVERY DEDICATED SERVANT WOULD ASK -FOR GOD

TO STRENGTHEN AND HELP THEM.

TO FORGIVE THEIR PERSECUTORS.

TO USE THEIR SUFFERING TO REACH OTHERS FOR CHRIST.

THEY PRAISED AND THANKED GOD FOR:

BEING SAVED.

THE PRIVILEGE OF SUFFERING FOR THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST.

HIS PRESENCE AND STRENGTH THROUGH ALL THE SUFFERING

A CHARGE TO KEEP I HAVE

I AM ON THE BATTLEFIELD FOR MY LORD

SOMETHING HAPPENS WHEN YOU WITNESS AND WHEN YOU TESTIFY.