Acts 28:6 The people expected him to swell up or suddenly fall dead, but after waiting a long time and seeing nothing unusual happen to him, they chaged their minds and said he was a god.
Whenever you are living out your God given purpose you can count on people counting against you. Granted there are people who genuinely love you and want the best for you but you will also encounter people who are expecting something bad to happen to you. Greater is he that is in me than he that is in the world but sometimes the world seems to be louder than the one within. It's important to have a strong relationship with God so that when the world is pulling against you something on the inside will keep you.
The Apostle Paul found himself shipwrecked and on an island with the survivors. This was miraculous in itself because Paul was able to save the souls on a storm damaged ship. God spoke through Paul to help them make it to shore and once upon shore God allowed the natives to show them "unusual" favor.(verse 2) then while they were warming by the fire a viper jumped out of the burning brush and attached itself to Paul's hand. Paul shook off the viper and that's when the people concluded that he must be a murderer and God was getting ready to kill him.
The People on the Island based upon their limited exposure to Paul started speculating from this incident with the viper that some how Paul deserved to die. They expected him to swell up or suddenly die. How many times have we been through some unforseen event and people speculate that you had to have done something wrong? I can see Paul looking at everybody, shaking the snake off, and sitting back down thinking to himself, "I'm sorry to disappoint ya'll but I ain't dying today!"
Here's what some people expect:
1. After a series of unfortunate events you are doomed to die. Just because you've been through one bad expereince to the next does not mean that God is not with you. I'm sorry to disappoint you but Jesus didn't say that vipers would bite me he just said, "I have given you authority over all the power of the enemy, and you can walk among snakes and crush them. Nothing will injure you." (Luke 10:19)
2. They expected him to swell up. Some people think you will die from growing. I've heard people say that some churches don't grow they swell and swelling implies infection. What they are really saying is, "I hope they die because they didn't grow right." Instead of praying that people die from swelling, pray that they might be able to handle their growth. Sorry to disapoint you but I did not die from my swelling.
3. They thought that he might die suddenly. There are some people just sitting back waiting for something bad to happen to you because there's no way that you've been able to do all that you've been able to do and you not die. I'm sorry to disappoint you but I shall live and not die and proclaim the work of the Lord's hand!
After they saw that he didn't die from something "unusual" they change their minds and said, "He is a god." Because they were unbelievers they falsely credited Paul with his own miracle. What they saw was God in Paul not that Paul was god. What we need to understand is that what we've been able to accomplish and survive is not because we are god but Because God is real!
Don't waste any time entertaining other people's negative opinions of you today. Don't worry about people who wish bad on you. Shake the devil off and let God use you to heal and deliver his people.
In Jesus Name,
Amen
Whenever you are living out your God given purpose you can count on people counting against you. Granted there are people who genuinely love you and want the best for you but you will also encounter people who are expecting something bad to happen to you. Greater is he that is in me than he that is in the world but sometimes the world seems to be louder than the one within. It's important to have a strong relationship with God so that when the world is pulling against you something on the inside will keep you.
The Apostle Paul found himself shipwrecked and on an island with the survivors. This was miraculous in itself because Paul was able to save the souls on a storm damaged ship. God spoke through Paul to help them make it to shore and once upon shore God allowed the natives to show them "unusual" favor.(verse 2) then while they were warming by the fire a viper jumped out of the burning brush and attached itself to Paul's hand. Paul shook off the viper and that's when the people concluded that he must be a murderer and God was getting ready to kill him.
The People on the Island based upon their limited exposure to Paul started speculating from this incident with the viper that some how Paul deserved to die. They expected him to swell up or suddenly die. How many times have we been through some unforseen event and people speculate that you had to have done something wrong? I can see Paul looking at everybody, shaking the snake off, and sitting back down thinking to himself, "I'm sorry to disappoint ya'll but I ain't dying today!"
Here's what some people expect:
1. After a series of unfortunate events you are doomed to die. Just because you've been through one bad expereince to the next does not mean that God is not with you. I'm sorry to disappoint you but Jesus didn't say that vipers would bite me he just said, "I have given you authority over all the power of the enemy, and you can walk among snakes and crush them. Nothing will injure you." (Luke 10:19)
2. They expected him to swell up. Some people think you will die from growing. I've heard people say that some churches don't grow they swell and swelling implies infection. What they are really saying is, "I hope they die because they didn't grow right." Instead of praying that people die from swelling, pray that they might be able to handle their growth. Sorry to disapoint you but I did not die from my swelling.
3. They thought that he might die suddenly. There are some people just sitting back waiting for something bad to happen to you because there's no way that you've been able to do all that you've been able to do and you not die. I'm sorry to disappoint you but I shall live and not die and proclaim the work of the Lord's hand!
After they saw that he didn't die from something "unusual" they change their minds and said, "He is a god." Because they were unbelievers they falsely credited Paul with his own miracle. What they saw was God in Paul not that Paul was god. What we need to understand is that what we've been able to accomplish and survive is not because we are god but Because God is real!
Don't waste any time entertaining other people's negative opinions of you today. Don't worry about people who wish bad on you. Shake the devil off and let God use you to heal and deliver his people.
In Jesus Name,
Amen
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