PAUL SECOND MISSIONARY TRIP | Pr Matthew Chang

You're listening to a message to go from acts church. We hope this message

will light up your day. I'm gonna start off with quick recap. Okay,

So we're gonna start a big, quick recap about Paul's first missionary trip.

Okay, quick quick. How many missionary trips did Paul went through?

How many say tree? How many say four? Five? Three? Okay?

The other class I went to, some people say five? You know,

very good, very good. Okay. So this is Paul, Paul's

first missionary trip. Very quick recap. So he was sent Okay, he

didn't just like, hey, you know, I wanted to do a holiday,

you know, he was sent. Okay, he was sent and set

apart, both him and Barnabas was set apart by the Holy Spirit, the

whole church actually you know, heard from the Holy Spirit then to set apart

Paul and Barnabas for the work that I've commanded them. Okay. And there

was some from the church in Antioch, from Jerusalem. Okay. So Antioch,

the church Antioch, okay, is the first planted church outter Jerusalem.

Okay. Men did not plant it. It was called okay, truly called

Okay. They didn't have a business plan. Okay, let's start one franchise,

two franchise, five franchise with no. It was really God who did

it, Okay. Along the journey they had a lot of success and also

a lot of opposition as well, opposed by their very own fellow men okay,

Jews, and also other temple leaders you know from either from the Jews

or from other religion as well, either from the Romans or from the Greeks

okay, in various cities. But they also had many success and they planted

various churches small, some started at homes, some with young people, some

with just women, okay. And they raised disciples and they appointed elders as

well. And these churches survived through even though they don't have sort of like

a main no, so you know, they call it a postor or a

pastor or all the resources they sustained through uh and because people rose up,

people serve, people were willing to give, and because it's simply out of

the faithfulness of God not sustaining them. And he and Paul eventually returned home,

home to home, home to the church in entire gave a report,

and then he went off to the Jerusalem UH to uh to attend a convention

or a council that was dealing with one major issue. Because you understand that

as Paul was preaching to both the Jews and the Gentiles. The Jews don't

have a problem talking about Jesus, okay, preach about forgiveness of no problem,

talk about Jesus rising up from the grave, okay, not too much

problem, okay. But the one thing they had a big problem with was

that they know the fact that you are preaching to the Gentiles. Nowadays,

we cannot underst then the animosity that they had because you know, it's it's

we are now in a in a society, in an age where everybody is

so integrated, everybody are so harmonized together. But back then it was so

different. The can't believe by the Jews say you want to be Christian,

Okay, you have to become a Jew first before you become a Christian.

Okay. It's like if you're going to Australia. Now we go Australia,

we just apply for a tourists for me, isn't it What if they turn

around and say that no, you must be in Australia before you come and

visit Australia. Nobody will visit Australia, right or hardly anyone will come,

isn't it. It's such a difficult requirement to do that. And not only

that, one of the main contentions for you to become a Jew was that

you've got to be circumcised. You know. It's like, you know,

say, hey, you know to believe, you become a Christian? Yeah,

you believe in Jesus Christ. Yes, then someone says you must be

circumcised. Oh no, can touch this? No no, no, no,

no, no, and touch this you know. So it's like,

you know, it became such a big barrier for people. And then because

this issue became so big, it went all the way straight to the apostles

and the elders in Jerusalem. It can't be decided by a single man.

And it's a very important precedence, okay, important event for the whole entire

church history to demonstrate how there must be an order okay of decision making okay

and passing off all these decreases that must be done in an orderly manner.

Okay. That's why it must be a counsel. Do we have a circumcision?

No, yes, stuff like that and so I'm not going to go

through all things, but I think that in the I think the last message

I preached about talking about that as well, Howard, that's proper order.

Ah and praise the Lord because God was working through every testimony, through Paul

and Barnabas, through Peter, and even through James, who was the main

leader of the church in Jerusalem's. And they eventually say that you don't need

a circumcision. Why because circumcision is not outward. Circumcision is actually inward.

Circumcision is not just so that you have a physical simba or you're a Jew.

You are not a Jew because you are a circumcised mhm. You know

when I's always says acumcision by my son, always like supersia, supercia,

I want some chicken rice, you know the French. Yeah, I know

it's lame. My children's face palmers that. But what was it? Getting

you distracted me again? Doesn't help man? There does not help man.

Okay, Oh, circumcision is off. The circumcision is not outward, it's

actually in what you can read the whole Book of Romans. What does circumcision

mean? Circumcision it's go spend all the time to Abraham. Abraham was made

righteous before the circumcision, not after the circumcision. Okay, So the actually,

in order to summarize it, there is a greater circumcisition that has come.

Second decision. What it means is about removing the oil so that the

new can come. Makes sense. Removing the oil so that the new can

come. The oil has gone, the new has come. That is what

circumissions about. It's about removing the flesh because we are now a spiritual being.

So in the times and the times of Abraham, there was a physical

circumcision to symbolize what is about to come. When Jesus came, he introduced

a greater circumcision. Okay, but who was the one performing the circumcision was

not Jesus was not a person. It was the Holy Spirit. The Holy

Spirit is the one that circumcises our hearts, reminds us about our new birth

right, our our new identity in Christ. The all has gone. You're

no longer following the flesh after the ways of the world. You know,

now there's a spiritual reality, a spiritual life in you. Your heart's desire

should be after this circumission, to desire God and his and godly things.

So that's what circumsion is really about. Okay, that's just a very quick

summary of it. And then there was a division over John Mark. I'm

not gonna go through I did talked about, but one want to save some

time for other things. But basically some disagreement, but eventually there it comes

out. Okay, the later parts. Okay, So let's go to X

chapter sixteen, and we're gonna read scriptures and we're gonna do a few pit

stops along the way to Benig, a few hat bido or something like that.

Then we'll go and we'll spend the major time in bin Okay, and

the part will be the poor and Silace being in prison. Okay, let's

start with us. One says, Yeah. Then he came to Derby and

Lestra, okay, and behold, a certain disciple was there name Timothy,

the son of a certain Jewish woman who believed, but his father was Greek.

He was well spoken of by the brethren who were at Lestra and Iconium.

Paul wanted to have him go on with him, and he took him

and circumcised him. Because of the Jews who were in that region. While

they all knew that his father was Greek, and as they went through these

cities, they delivered to them the decrees to keep, which were determined by

the apostles and elders at Jerusalem. Okay, so the churches were strengthened in

faith and increased in numbers daily. Now, okay, So Timothy, okay,

before I flash it up, because there's an answer. I wanted to

see the answer. Versir, how many of you want to guess how old

was Timothy? Who says fort these fifties? Who says like eight year old?

I mean, you want to guess fort these young working adult be specific?

Be specific? Young can be very young. Forty still young? I'm

still young? Okay, thirty eight and a half. How did you arrive

there? It's like you're competing process eight. He is hypothesized to be in

his late teens, possibly the oldest, probably twenty twenty one at that.

Oh, Paul chose a very young man to be his protegier, to be

discipling. Okay, and Paul, what did Paul ask him? Paul ask

him? You say, hey, so now you need to go for a

three year byble cause, Paul say, follow me, and you're not following

power is falling for persecution, you know, because this is not his first

trip, his second trip. You know, Timothing was well aware of what

happened to Paul in his first trip. He was beaten to death, presumably

dead. You know. You follow him is to follow for execution, you

know. Okay, but Paul said that follow me, follow me to the

mission trip straight away. So in a sense, if you want to self

God straight to the battle, if you want to know straight and immediately want

to know there is you're not too young, you know you're not. No.

God prepares, God strengthens, God leads along the ways as well.

And Paul recognizes that and he was such a you know, such a blessing,

not although he is father is great. But he chose to be circumcised,

you know, Paul, can you no, technically because of the Jerusale

Council, we said that you don't need to be circumcised. But you see,

we have liberty, you know, have the right. But some what

is the thing that would get you to give up your right? What will

get you to give up your seat on the first class in an airplane from

Singapore to London? I earned it? What would get you to give you

up. Nobody can force you. You know, you get me right,

But things in life are sometimes you give it up so that for the greater

thing you serve. You know, Portimoity didn't identically have to be circumcised,

Why no, but he allowed port to circumcise him so that what he had

greater liberty to preach, he's never falsd the greater you know. I mean,

parenting is the same. You know, Hey, my kids are people

or someone they can survive and teach their own teach them responsibility. But I

give up my basketball, give up watching my dealne give up doing my favorite

things. You know, why not so that they can enjoy better things.

So being a doubt and mature is learning to give up a lot of liberties

because of the vision. You see, they are greater than you, isn't

it. That's real growth, You know, there's real growth to say that

we are willing to give up something real. A grown man would never say

that everything is just living by your flesh and always submitting to your own hunger,

you know, and you know your appetite for the world. You never

it's about that if you continue just it's like not just following the appetite of

your of your flesh. Very had to grow on, very had to see

people around you grow and succeed and rifle with. It's all just about you,

okay. So it's such a young age. Timothy new you all.

He was willing to commit to it so that he has greater liberty, a

greater platform to preach, so that he may not win people, so that

oh may, no, what are you willing to give up to win people?

To win lives? To win for God? He was serving there,

you know, and he was saying that you all the people, even the

elders and the people around were alldering recognize him and recommended him to Paul.

Hey, what was it? What did you learn there? Did Paul see?

A faithful leader doesn't need someone to supervise them one and not? Paul

was traveling everywhere. He hardly had timer because I'm not I don't want to

surf in church because my my, my hearted leader never fall up on me.

Timothy hardly got followed up in it. He don't even know whether the

leaders still alive. Sometimes he got not to death. Really you know,

still life? Oh you're still life? Okay, good for you. But

the maturity is that I am responsible for myself and grow. You can mean

right, You can't always be a victim. You know, you know what

I mean, right, It should never be a victim. Actually, okay,

it was growing, uh And eventually for timity he served as Paul representative

to many churches you can read in the Book of Corinthians. Then later he

was a pastor in Everestus as well. At a very very young age.

It's not easy, Paul always trying to encourage him to not let you know,

people belittle you. You know I'm paraphrasing here because of your age.

But be firm and girded in the truth of God. Speak boldly, speak

courageously. Speak in truth. God will be your witness. Okay, let's

move on. That's our first start. Second stop from verse six. Now

it says there now, when they had gone to Verygia Okay, that's how

I pronounce it Phrogia and the region of Galaicia, they were forbidden by the

Holy Spirit to preach the world in Asia after they had come to Mayesia nor

Malaysia. Okay. They had tried to go to Bithynia, but the Spirit

that did not permit them so, passing by Malaysia, they came down to

Singapore. No, they came down to Trouviers, and the vision appeared to

pall in the night. A man of Macedonia stood and pleaded with him,

saying, come over to Macedonia and help us. Now after he had seen

the vision, immediately we sought to go to Macedonia, concluding that the Lord

had called us to preach the gospel to them. Okay, let's stop there.

So what can we learn from this small pitch top here? First of

all, we can see that God was clearly having his hand over their trip.

Not everything God communicates by email. If you know what I'm talking about.

God does not have to write you shall take this road to go left.

God, you don't have to wake up God. Do I take l

or take tea? You know, God does not give you a joystick instruction

left right, left, right one. Sometimes God puts his imprint in your

life and you walk. God, if this is your will, make you

blessed. If not, let me. So you walk and you walk by

faith, and God tells you you turn at the time you get I mean

right. And so as they were journeying, you notice that God is faithful

to tell them also, don't go, okay, don't go. So my

question is that does God have the same authority of saying yes to you and

also saying no to you? Just one a lot of pus our communication.

We got only got one button. That one button is yes God. You

only press this button. Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.

No button doesn't exist one. You know, it's like someone giving a call

your boss, call you. They cannot reach it. Only one button except

on you, and you'll never go. There's only no, no, cannot

put down, cannot put the snools, only accept only is no. We

have this relationship with God God. I only say yes. God is nobody.

That's not all anyone no. But God can say no, even if

you're doing a good thing, even if you're doing a church thing. Even

you say God, I want to serve your God can say no and you

cannot. And sometimes God will not tell you why. I don't need to

tell you how. But does God have the authority to speak to them,

speak to you in your life? So it's very important you say God lead

me, but wh God says no? Are you okay? Okay? It's

very important. But God was leading them Okay, so God's no is as

important as God's. Go okay. I say that God's no is as important

as as God's go okay. And this is a small detail. You notice

that in the last verse there that in verse ten, notice something unique en

that he says there, now after he has seen the vision, immediately we

sought to go to Macedonia. Who is we? He's never used WI before?

I know the author In this part, the author Luke began to refer

the company as we, meaning he began to accompany them. Luke the physicians

that accompanied them in their mission. So from here onwards, a lot of

times Luke is actually writing this letter, not from third party account but from

first person accounts. That's amazing, isn't it. Ah? And they talk

about the world of the God. It's quite amazing, isn't it. He

himself witnessed it as well. Okay, now let's move on verse eleven.

Third stop. I'm moving quite fast here, everybody. Okay, the slights

was there? Right? Okay? Good? Verse eleven. Therefore, sailing

from sailing from Troas, we ran straight across to the seventh phrase, and

the next day came to Neapolis Neeapolis, and from there to Phillippie, which

is the foremost city of their power of the Macedonia, the colony. And

we were staying in the sea for some days, and on the setbirth day,

we went out of the city to the riverside, okay, where prayer

was customarily customarily made, and we sat down and spoke to the women who

met there. Okay. Now, a certain women named Lydia heard us.

She was a seller of purple from the city of Thyaterra, who worshiped God

the Lord. Opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul, and

when she and her household were baptized, she begged that saying, if you

have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and

stay. So she persuaded us. Now this is a very interesting story.

We look at it, it's like, yeah, it's just a log book.

Da da da da. Okay, I have very interesting things to learn

from here. Okay. First of all, we know that Paul received uh

what do they call it? Leading from God and the vision from God to

go to Macedonia. So they immediately went everywhere every city that Paul had gone

to. What was his pattern pattern? His pattern of starting the world was

always go to the synagogue, the Jewish temple, because it only makes sense

to start with the people that you know, because you have common ground.

Okay, can talk easier. And you know Jewish people are very exclusive in

the circle they keep okay, but when they arrive here, okay in Macedonia,

uh to Philip by there he couldn't find a synagogue? Can I find

a jew cannot find the community? And what did he do there? Did

he just stop? Sometimes it's like this isn't it in our lives? Here

from God? Yes? Do this? Go there? Start there? Then

your mind's like, wow, God spoken to me, He's given me purpose.

You go there, you do it first day? Not what do you

imagine to be? Nothing is set up, no leader, help you,

no support, help you, no appreciation. Nah thing there, don't see

a single thing people not even there. Also start church only one feather camp

myself. Maybe I've got three more for the fathers on the Holy Spirit?

Okay, nobody there? When there got visions and more in all and when

they're nobody, not even a single God with all the people, did you

stop there? Got plants? A seat? Can a seat? And then

when they start to grow out the roots, right, cannot find water in

the first layer. Let's you stop, give me the day it can tell

God, God remove me. Maybe it's another city. Take the seat and

put it another place called more water. One. Sometimes it's not about that,

you know. And God, God doesn't make mistakes. One know.

God, it's not got confusion and he's not playing chess with you. And

it's like he see you got left right? Aht you you got right raw

hah he gets me right you No like that one and all but the thing,

all of us we live in that fear of God at all. Go

Oh, it doesn't work like they want. You have a false assumption of

God. You know, God is faithful to lead one. Now it's our

problem hearing one and most of the time, you know, Okay, he

went there, he goes there. I couldn't find them, Okay. And

what does he do? Okay, he goes to the riverside. Okay,

this is a very important lesson. Turn to your neighbor and say, today

we're going to go to the riverside. Okay, some of you introverts are

You're going to be very fearful right now. You're gonna be scared right now?

Yeah, me right, Just because you go there's no single God.

He said, Oh that's it, like wrap up today, ready, I

can do my own thing ready like oh south An already. That's to my

dad, Papaul. You see it when you are filled with purposa, you

see the land differently. You see something not there. You are not because

you are not just like just doing. It's just because God coming. You

know. You see the land as a mission field. You see the land

as personal. If I can't see it there, where can it be?

Let's go to the riverside. You know why they go to the riverside and

give you a context. Okay, because every synagou must have a source of

water. Ah, do you know what? Every synagoud must have a source

of water. Why they need a source of water. It's because before they

enter into the temple they need to wash their hands through the misvah, and

then when they prey they're cleansing. They need a source of water. And

all water they come down sometimes comes from the rain and then the story in

the underground system or sometimes well as well. Okay, because they need that

water. They cannot get any water because the water must be living water.

Ah, there are waters they are dead water, and they are living waters.

In ancient times, the best source of living water is actually either from

the fountain or from the spring, or from rain because it's moving. Actually,

real water is not considered a living water. It's actually not so great.

Actually, so for the Romans and the Jewish, people always want to

drink the best water, which is living water. When Jesus says I am

leaving water, he's not talking about the best quality of water. Say I

am the living water that you store up from heaven and out of you will

burst out in life. You're never thirst again. Ah, that makes sense.

And I are completely different, meaning you know this is the true living

water. Okay, the really living water. And so what because so the

temples when when they started, they need a source of water, so instead

of heaving water, they go to the second best place. Okay, so

the men to start a temple, you need at least ten men. Men

men, I'm not talking about men identifying as cats. Okay, no,

no, no man men. Okay, you need ten men, but not

enough men. No community, Let's go to the next place place, go

to the river. So the women will not mis start a community at the

river because they can walk, they can fellowship. So we need to go

to the weaverside. Before the age of internet social media, there was the

river side. There was the river esplanade where men and women need. Okay,

I'm not going up there, you know, you romantic romantic one,

you know, okay. So there was the riverside. So they so so

Paul, when the company went to the riverside to meet whoever they can meet,

anything like about this is not first choice. Every other city I'm going

to, Oh, I see other people planting. There was first choice.

Everybody gets better. Paul doesn't like, let's go to the riverside. Let's

get out a comfort zone today during lunchtime. If you're meeting someone there is

different. It's okay. It's part of being at the river side, you

know, talking and connecting with people. It's okay. In troverts, you

won't die. I all didn't. I didn't die as well. I mean

in TROUVT, I didn't die as well. I'm okay. One, Sometimes

you have to really talk about sitting with someone who doesn't talk the same topic

as me. Then you start to sweating already. I only have two topics

I like to talk about. But if you don't talk to me. I

don't know whether it was to talk to this threating. It's okay, hey,

it's all right, keep calm, okay, you can talk about anything

else one okay, God will leave. Okay. So they went to the

riverside there and then they talk and then who they met just because out of

the effect, they met Lydia. Lydia was an important lady in the in

the in the region, okay, because she will become a very important source,

like uh influential leader who will basically start. She hosts a lot of

Christians at her home and also like a semi church for the regenerating. Because

she's very wealthy. How do we know that she's very wealthy because she was

selling purple and blue and that time the most difficult color to get was purple

and blue. That's why they are reserved for royalty, very expensive one,

especially from the city of Tairatia. Okay. Very so she is wealthy and

known to be very very h have to have a really large household with many

servants. But yet God opened her heart. Instead of traditionals, God led

this company to meet a lady who you know, who had so much resources

to be able to help them just because they were willing to go to the

riverside. Today, turn to your neighbors. Ask your neighbor right now,

are you willing to go to the riverside? Some of you need to go

to the riverside and see you be of the world. Be okay, all

right, everybody? Okay, so far are you ready for the main destination?

Ah? Reaching Pinang? Ready, pinangor day at the bridge already?

Okay? How many peen people here? Okay? Too many? Ready?

Just kidding Verse sixteen. Now it happened as we went to prayer. Okay,

there there was a certain slave girl possessed with a spirit of divination who

met us, who brought her masters much profit by fortune telling. This girl

followed Paul and asked and cried out, saying, these men are the servants

of the Most High God, who proclaimed to ask the way of salvation.

And this she did for many days. But Paul, greatly annoyed, turned

and said to the spirit, I command you, in the name of Jesus

Christ, to come out of her. And he came out that very hour.

But when her master saw that their hope of profit was gone, they

seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to the authorities. The

moment I read this is a spirit of divination that just comes to mind,

the doing things like I can see into the future already. Anyway, I'm

just being nerding here verse twenty. And they brought them to the magistrates and

said, these men, being Jews, exceedingly troubled our city, and they

teach customs which are not lawful for us, being Romans, to receive and

observe. Then the multitude rose up together against them, and when they had

laid many strikes on them, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailers

to keep them securely. Having received Having received such as such a charge,

he put them into say, he put them into the inner prison, and

fasten their feet in the stocks. Cant let me drink a bit, having

a legging air already, let's pause there for a while. Okay, So

what can we learn from here? So the first thing is that we all

need to know there is a reality of the spiritual world. Okay, there's

a reality of the spiritual world. It's clearly says there's a slave girl processed

with a spirit of divination. You know, in the Bible it's forbidden to

practice witchcraft when I know because there's power. Want to know, you know

how spiritual possession happened. When I'm not claiming that I know a lot that,

but I know one very important principle. Okay, very very important principle.

You want to know, you want to learn. It's important for your

life and or for the life of others as well. Spiritual possession. Let's

see a whole stand this this, the money and things are things like that,

you know, spiritual beings are they are always looking for a host so

that they can influence the world given Without a host, they can influence through

other things, but they're always looking for a host always. Okay, the

same way with heaven as well. Youve got Holy Spirit is also working looking

for a host to influence us according to the Father's will. So there's always

a spiritual battle one you say what I'm saying here Now, it's a simple

thing. Don't think it's just a movie. There's always an influence. Now,

how do spirits come and influence your life? Evil spirits one main thing

by invitation. The same way you invite the Holy Spirit into your life,

you also invite evil spirits into your life. True not they can not certainly

who I'm a Christian read you know I didn't ask for really, so that

you're not invite fether push them into what now you're Christianity baptized that way you

came in. It's a personal decision. It's an invitation. You came mad.

That's why we do. We leave people into salvation, pray and ask

them to meaning from their heart, to invite Jesus as your personal law and

say, if you feel me out, if your Holy Spirit work with me,

guide me, because we acknowledge that is the power and their presence.

But in the spiritual worm it's the same thing. They come by evil space

come by invitation. Now, there are two types of invitation. One is

the direct invitation. Okay, you personally send an email, send a wedding

card, come into my party, come into my life, or have a

Bangalore right now? Do and you can invite people. There are people who

actually do that, Okay. There are politicians, there are musicians. There

are many people who do that and believe in that. Civilization has always had

many shamans, which doctors because they believe it's not a coincidence, you know,

Okay, And people play games like ouija. All sort of thing you

invite, that's direct. Second type of invitation, Okay, some of you,

if you hereble, you know what I'm talking about. Second type of

invitation is the indirect invitation. Now, how does indirect invitation happen? Or

someone take your email and send it out? Is it? No? Imagine

if you have a room, Cain, you have your study room or your

bedroom, simple reason, and you eat, you're magging me your food,

and you don't have a rubbish bean and you leave it there, can never

clean it for one week, two week, three weeks, five weeks.

Okay, you shut the door clean? Nor why fi no internet? Nothing

I tell you? Do you think the rats, the cockroaches and the flies

somehow find a way inside there? You see? Yah? Here, this

are by virtue of your stinking life. You've invited them. By virtue of

your stinking lifestyle. You've invited them. Same in real life. You can

mean same in real life. You don't have to do anything. But yet

you are inviting by virtue of your lifestyle. You live in the same sphere

and the frequency that you're talking to them, you don't because you act of

ignorance. I never intended to but in your ignorance, you invited them because

you're speaking the same language. You're feeding the same appetite as them. Ah,

you got me by having the same apetite and the same life style as

the world. You invite them. That's why some people don't don't mind.

Way, we have the same values. Let's do this. You bring them

in and the faster you know, they torture you. They're torment you.

Ah, and we've you know it's not that they will affect you to bring

diseases, cursings, restlessness into your life. You don't know how is this

possible? So next time when you pray, God, I want you to

fast and pray right God, I want you to heal me right now.

I say, said, okay, deal with your scene right now. But

what is my sin to do? It's a sin. Your sins are the

carrier of your disease. Makes sense, And that you don't just treat the

fever and you treat what is the root of the problem. You know,

you want to treat a diarrhea, you just go and give you pure clean

your room. Man, don't eat from the same boat again. Don't drink

from the dirty water again. Just right, not right on people. Hello,

people just want to kill and not God hear me. You don't.

Hell, you don't hear me. You're a bad doctor, God, SI,

deal with your sin. Don't mock God. Seriously, you get me

right? So it's very very very important. Okay, that's why when I

learned that, Wow, what does that? Do? You know? When

you understand this power invitation, now, it puts the responsibility on you.

That's why people don't like it. Ah ah makes sense or not? It

puts the responsibility on you. How can I come in here to put the

responsibility on God? So they God can hear me. But God said no,

don't mock me. He's want you. He said no. So it's

kind of like, get us to really rethink how we are really having this

conversation and how we're having this view about God. We think that we're waiting

for an answer from God, but God is atually waiting an answer from you.

So in your fast and prayer, it's time for you to answer God.

Okay, everybody, Okay, so far in this prayer you are supposed

to be answering God, not gone answering you. Okay, okay, all

right, let's do this. Everybody, okay, so ready for the final

pit stops. Okay, now, it's says verse twenty five. But ad

midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God very important.

They will give him praise, okay, and the prisoners were listening to them.

Suddenly there was a great so that the foundations of the prison were shaken,

and immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone's chains were loose.

And the keeper of the prison, awakened from awakening from sleep and seeing the

prison doors open, supposing the prisoners had fled, drew his sword and was

about to kill himself, but Paul called with a loud voice, saying,

do yourself no harm, for we are all here. Then he called for

a light, ran in and fell down trembling before Paul and Silence. And

he brought them out and said, sirs, what must I do to be

saved? So they said, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you

will be saved, you and your household. Then they spoke the word of

the Lord to him and to all who were in his house, and they

took and he took them the same hour of that night, and washed their

stripes and immediately he and all his families were baptized. Now, when he

had brought them into his house, he set foot before them, and he

rejoiced, having believed in God with all his household. Oh, bless the

Lord, hallelujah. That's this last part. If I titled to this message,

you know, I know we're doing this road trip and then this post

comissionery. If it does a title, I will call it true freedom.

Okay, true freedom. Now I want to draw a chart here. Okay,

maybe I can stick there. So what I'm saying that there a two

types of freedom. There is maybe go to the earliest slide. Sorryer,

no, no, the next one. The two. Yes, there is

a spiritual freedom and there is a physical freedom. Okay, they are distinct,

they are unique. And if I will say something, I would say

that you can be physically free but still spiritually bound. Okay, you can

be physically free but still spiritually bound. And this actually has a very important

implication to our fast and prayer and to also our overall mission as well.

Okay, let's go to the next night. If you go, don't look

at it, let's keep it there. If you look at this graph here,

non grapha this diagram here there is a spirit, there is a soul,

and there's a body. Before we knew Christ, before God has come

into our life, we are all called what spiritually dead? What a spiritually

that means? It means that we are cut off from God. It's like

a tree, like a branch cut off. And we know that because most

of us don't have a reality of God in our life. The fact that

you come to church, I didn't mean say there's a reality or somehow,

but we are knowledging, but there's no reality of God, not like you

aid to not have to go home. That's a real reality, you know,

or eventually you're going to have a separate of day ready. But our

reality for God is fine distance removed, God's purpose, plan, God's law,

God's word, God's sovereignty. There's no real effect and meaning in your

life. You're totally removed. All you have is just you, your yourself,

your world and what you're in and all your life you're living is just

to follow the appetite of your life you get I mean right, and that

is why we call it the body, your mind, your soul, which

you have. We can't see I can see your body. I can see

you as a person. But your soul is compressed of your mind, your

intelligence, your emotions, and your will. You think, you feel,

and you decide these treat parts and nothing can be removed on that, okay.

But without the spirit, your mind, your soul, and your will

will always be led by the reality of this world. That's why we say

be real, isn't it when we say be real, Let's talk about the

world. What the world really is about, what the world wants, what

the world will do to you, what the world requires. Be real,

that's what we take. It's in it. That's the reality of the world.

And so you feel, you think, and you act best of the

world. But when God comes into your life, your spirit becomes alive.

What does his spirit become? I suddenly I either hate though, isn't it?

No? Your spirit becomes a lie because there's a new reality of God.

Suddenly, when you become a Christian, or you become safe in that

very moment, when the moment you invited Jesus into your life, it's your

personal Lord and savior. You open your eyes and it happened to me.

You start the reality God is everywhere, God was everywhere, God was there

when I was born. I just didn't realize it so near, you're so

far. God was everywhere and here I am right now, where I'm sitting.

It is not a coincidence, makes sense. There's a reality. You

can't shake it. There's a reality and when you start, when you and

when your life is transformed, there's a spirituality you're still in. You're still

having this, you're still navigating this world. But yet there is this reality

there. It's there is affecting your life. It's that you're married. Really.

You know, last time you used to Mama at one o'clock, go

back, no problem because you're not married. But now your friend maybe John

Chung will come me. He Matt, you want to come on Mama at

three o'clock and now can But let me check with my wife right now.

First, you know, what does that mean? Means I acknowledge that the

reality that I'm actually married. It's different every one of you who was married.

You know there's a reality. He can't mean right, it's the same

thing. In course, I want to do something, but there's reality of

God in my life right now, your spiritual life. You hear him is

sensing even though he doesn't give you an email. You know your Why don't

I have to tell you? They don't stay so late that you know already.

Don't send an email to you, don't go out to the ah.

You know it. You know it. The implied message, the implied communication.

You know it. Man, you know all the husbands say what yes,

and all the wife say yes, you better get my implied meaning.

Okay, it's true. Is a reality. God is real. He is

a person. He's not just a religious He's a person. And so God's

reality starts to invade and effect affect our soul, the way we think,

how we feel, and our decision making. And when our soul is transformed,

we affect our behavior. Ah. So last time he used to be

downward up and now it's heaven down heaven ruling heaven, rules of power.

So it's not let upward, but downward having control. Okay. So the

appetite you have is not longer the epetite of the world is the epithite God.

You're hungry for the bread of God, the thirst thing for the living

water that is from heaven anymore. Okay. And so spiritual freedom comes from

two things. Okay. First, the work of Christ to pay for our

sins save you from the penalty of sin. Penalty you know you're already in

someone ready, somebody is to pay for you penalty of sin. The work

of Christ. Christ has freed you, guarantee second, the transformation and renewing

of our mind. We paid the penalty ready, but there is also the

power of sin. Makes sense. You drink and drive someone you you paid

the bill, but you're still under the influence of alcohol. So something must

overcome the influence of alcohol. You get mean, right, So you stop?

How do we of what the influence of alcohol? Stop drinking the alcohol?

Give me? Like? What does alcohol? Does it influence? You?

Give me right? Straight line? Everything influence is still being influenced by

the OCCO. You influenced by the Holy Spirit. So there are many Christians

who say that Christ has freed me. Coming coming to church, seeing Christians

here in this in Christ, you know that we have freedom. Yeah,

but they are not transformed. It's like a bunch of a bunch of a

bunch of uh what they call it traffic offenders are praising God that God has

paid their price up, but they're still speeding. Ah, do you want

that? Now? Do you want a bunch of how it's gonna say sex

offend traffic offenders say that, oh God, it's paid the penalty, but

you still drive fast. You're still having the same non driving pattern. You're

still drinking. But it's got paid, it's paid, but you're not transformed.

That is not the kind of spiritual freedom that God is looking for you.

I mean right. The true spiritual freedom is when your spirit is made

alive and your soul is renewed. Then your body will follow, and eventually

your body will get upgrade in it. This is an old skin. You

know. You get a new new iPhone, Okay, and you some so

and whatever. Your new one, a new, a perfect one. And

God has given us a trailer. You're buying iPhone sixteen, give a trailer

preview. Jesus himself. This is the new skin, the resurrector body.

Only one a great major a greade that you need ready, okay, one

major a grede Thatt's it ready, the resurrector body. They will never die,

they will never perish again. We're all gonna get a new one.

People, makes sense or not, I'm giving teaching quite a lot of theology

here. Makes sense or not? Makes sense. This is a very important

teaching for you, and I need to understand because this is your spiritual business

plan. Every bane of us, myself a spiritual business plan. How you

should be spiritually growing from your spirit, to your soul and to your body.

None of us half with your spirit. All come, don't have a

businessman. You start a business with no businessman, how you fail? Also,

you must have a spiritual businessman. Okay. Now when I talk about

this, right, how do I relate this to power and silasts? They

receive a vision to go and minister in Macedonia, they heal a young woman.

They came and they heal a young lady who was possessed, cast it

out. And for that good work, what did they do? What did

they receive? Beaten and sent to jail now prison lot in stock okay,

and the last part of the prison. Okay, last part of the prison.

That's what you get for, you know. It's like something of the

world will say that that's what you get for listening to God. Maybe you

didn't hear from God at all, Maybe you were deluded, maybe you hurt

wrongly. And this is the world, isn't it. The world will start

to tell you the soul, the mind, the will. Maybe God doesn't

know what he's talking about, and your mind will be feeled like, why,

God, Why? Why am I here? How are you going to

take me out of this? How you see her? When you do normal

fast and prayer right? A lot of times when we raise, our petitions

comes from the body because we ask God, why am I here? How

are you going to deliver this? Are you really good? Is the scene

in my life that you're doing? Am I unworthy? And it affects your

thinking, your soul, and your will? And you pray to God.

Maybe this is what I should pray for. Maybe God, this is not

the job by God. I want you to answer me by taking me away

from this job, taking me away from this pain, taking away from this

relationship, this change the people, change, my children, change my wife,

my husband, everything, do everything. God, take me out,

take me out of this earthly prison. From then to Paul and silence was

different. They were in the prison lock at the end there, but yet

they were praising God. I'll ask you this question. If you just now

we're in the body and you're asking why, Why? God? How and

how? The need to know why, the need to know this to satisfy

this fleshly desired and epithetic to say why God, and how I need to

know why If you cannot tell me why I can't follow, I can't walk,

You must deliver me because I can't know why. You seem to feel

like you have a average in negotiating with got God you owe me. It's

very powerful, you know, and because of that we take the narrative,

we have the conversation we have with God. If you're upset with God,

don't go to pray and fastet upset with God. You don't realize it,

but you are by virtue or what you're ask and pray for, you know,

But what by what by virtue what you request for? You know,

Paul didn't sorry, But because out of that, So when talking about when

you're upset and you're asking God to take you hour, do you think praise

and thanksgiving can flow out of your mouth? I can, Garanthine, you

know you can do it. But it's just cosmetics, you know, it's

just words, you know, true praise and thanksgiving and what she doesn't come

from the place like that. I want to know. It doesn't come from

the reality of the world. People, true praise and what she doesn't come

from the reality of the world. True praise and worship comes from people who

are spiritually free. The ritual reality dominates them. They may be bound physically

bound, but they are spiritually free. When Paul and I was listening and

look at all, when they were bound right, they didn't ask why,

God, we listened to you about why? They said, Oh, God,

how? Where? How? When all the things we need to know,

isn't it? You know what I believe they were thinking. They said,

God, we are here, we listen, We followed, and I

know and I know Heaven rules, you rule, you are in control.

I've seen it, I've tasted it. I don't even need to know how

and why because I've seen it. At this a reality, and because of

all this, I can say with my heart and with full conviction, you

are cool. Do you know what I mean? Right there was where the

praise and thankskeeping come from, not from the reality of the world, but

from the spiritual reality. Even when you come to a place you are locked

up and persecuted, and when you come and line up you're at the last

of the line, treated as the worst of the society, you are still

giving thanks that's the power of God. And I tell you you see And

the next thing is that I'm not sure whether I read the scripture. You

see it says that when as they were praying that people prisoners were listening,

isn't it, and the chains come and loose? Did they immediately leave?

Why didn't they immediately leave? What has changed? That's the important thing.

And a lot of people are saying, well, it is the change.

Is the praise and thanks that broke on the change? Yes, it's broken,

the change pies you see, really about the change? If it's really

about the change, they we have left, they would have by the wather

the jailer killed himself, isn't it. But when you start to allow the

spiritual coming to your life, you don't need to know the why and how,

And when things open up right, you don't look at yourself as a

prisoner anymore. All your battlefield, doesn't your surrounding. It's no longer a

prison, you know, all of us are. God, take me out

of here, from my job, whatever it is. And that's why you're

praying, God release me. You think it's a prison. And the first

time, the first time that God delivers you, you will go out,

and you think that that outside of prison is the will of God. Oh,

be very careful. You don't even don't always think that every opening is

the will of God. Go get suddenly, he hanter coming, that's the

will of God. Change for freeer. But did they immediately go outside?

No, doesn't mean not that you see an opening in the body and in

the flesh, that means it's the will of God. It's a very important

thing. And a lot of people always say that he must be the will

of God because he gave me this promotion. It must be the will of

God. I can buy this. It must be the will of God that

I can go to this place. No, I said before God. No,

it's important as go. It's very important. So the question is are

you able to hear and perceive what truly is the will of God. It

starts with the spirit and the body, isn't it? So when Paul,

when they when they when? When? When? When? When they?

When the change were released? Right? They didn't see it's like prison.

They don't see it around what they saw around the place, it's not a

prison. But they saw it as a place of battlefield from prisoners into soldiers,

from victims into overcomers, difference and on. You can come and pray

to God and said, God, I'm a victim. Take me out of

here, fast and prayer and everything can do. But then the moment God

answers your prayer because God actually didn't want this, not because even if I

have this right, I give you a thinks because the reality you have saved

me, you have forgiven me. I am blessed, I am here,

I am I'm a whole actually in this place? What is your will for

me? And because I am afraid, I stay because what you've given me

is a liberty to serve others. I'm no longer a victim. I am

a soldier. I fight, I occupy, I overcome and I win difference

and all you are a victim to become a winner called the wind. The

wind souls a soldier, a victim in a war, a victim. They

hide in the in the in the trenches. And then what did they ask?

What did they say? Why am I here? Why is that shooting?

A soldier in the battlefield said, how do we attack? How do

we advance? How do we say? Totally? Do different victim says,

I don't belong here? A soldier says, how do we occupy totally different

mentality? You know it's a different one and all that's why. So just

stay. I'm not saying that sweeping at you. Stay wherever you are,

you know, But what comes out from me is that you're not victim because

every time then your breakthrough will become a victim victim breakthrough, you know,

the whole spiritual. I shouldn't be a victim bration. You know. I'm

a victim here and then God save me. That's my testimony. Oh I

don't belong here because I Testimoney, it's not gonna bless anyone want to know?

Oh? Is that God you place me here? You? I'm more

than enough? But what is your purpose? From praise to purpose? I

see now that guy is gonna kill himself, I'm staying. I'm staying in

my prison so that I can win him. I have found my purpose.

So when you pray, instead God removing you, God, you ask for

God for higher, calling God, what is my purpose? Instead of telling

God giving him all the circumstances what he should do for you makes sense?

Makes sense or not? So it calls for us to really examine what you

really want to bring before God. Do you want God just to answer your

prayers and replies, or do you want to give Him to give you purpose.

Amen. We hope you've been blessed by this message. For more information

on our church, please visit as church org. We are also active on

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week. I hit for you. God bless