Manipulating Emotions

The Jews were envious of Paul & Barnabas and their bold preaching about Jesus. The word of the Lord was being spread throughout their whole region—and they were fearful. Know what they did? Acts 13:50 says they stirred up the devout women and the chief men of the city—until they persecuted Paul & Barnabas and expelled them from their city. They incited a riot by manipulating their emotions. 

Things haven’t changed. Years ago, we participated in a revival where the evangelist manipulated the emotions of women. He was fighting the pornography industry and very openly told us that if he could show moms and grandmas pornographic magazines and get them angry, they’d become the soldiers fighting to get rid of it. The desire to get rid of porn was noble and right…but the mode of operation was all wrong. 

Our emotions can be easily manipulated and we don’t even recognize it for what it is!  God warns us in His word to be on guard, keep our eyes on Jesus, to stand firm, to not be deceived, to take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. We’re living in days when it’s easy to be deceived! You’ve probably seen videos or heard podcasts of what you believed to be a well-known pastor—and it’s actually AI trying to manipulate your mind with false teaching. 

Be on guard. Check your emotions. Don’t be deceived.  

Circle of People

As I read Acts 9 this morning, I thought about the circle of people it took to accomplish God’s plan. If any one person had said “No,” the plan would have fallen apart!

Jesus had appeared to Saul on the road to Damascus and he was blind for three days. God told Ananias to go pray over him. Now Ananias was reluctant.  He’d heard the stories of how Saul was hauling Christians to jail! God had already told Saul that Ananias was coming to pray for him. Ananias could have refused and the whole plan would have fallen apart…but he went. 

Saul was changed! He went to Jerusalem and tried to join the disciples, but they were afraid of him. But Barnabas received him and brought him to the apostles to tell his story and he was accepted. If Barnabas hadn’t received Saul, how different this story would be!

Saul was speaking boldly about Jesus and disputing the Hellenists, who wanted to kill him. So the brethren sent him to Tarsus. The whole story changes at this point—Saul begins his missionary journey. And those brethren were a part of God’s plan to send Saul out. 

If any person in the story had refused to obey God, the story would be different. God would have raised someone else up, for sure. But everyone had a part—even a small part—to play. And it all fit together to tell the story of Jesus. 

It just makes me wonder what part you and I are playing. Have we said “No?” Is God raising someone else up? Or are we a small part of a much bigger story?  The story of Jesus.  

Bitterness

A man named Simon had become a believer and was baptized by Philip and began following him. Peter & John heard that many had believed and came to lay hands on them to receive the Holy Spirit. Simon offered them money for that kind of power!

Peter strongly rebuked him and told him, “I see that you have the gall of bitterness and are bound by iniquity.”

Have you ever met someone who has given themselves over to bitterness? They think they can hide it—but it oozes out of them. I love that the King James Version says, “gall of bitterness” because that’s so descriptive. Gall is bile which indicates someone is eaten up with bitterness—they’re living in the vomit of bitterness.  How did they get there? You don’t just become bitter. It’s a progression. First, they’ve become angry or offended. And they stew on that for a long time. Instead of confession or repentance, they give in to their emotions and nurse that wound. Over time, their anger or offense turns into bitterness. This progression becomes a stronghold. 

Peter saw Simon’s bitterness. It was evident. After Peter strongly rebuked him, Simon asked Peter to pray for him. He wanted deliverance. 

You have to be delivered of bitterness by confession and repentance—and then forsaking anger and offenses. You may have to forgive over and over. Don’t get eaten up with the gall of bitterness.  

Break that stronghold!

Dignified by the Indignity

The apostles had been put in jail while the high priest and elders decided what to do with them for preaching about Jesus. An angel let them out of jail and told them to go to the temple courts and teach about this Life.  When the high priest sent for them to come before the council, they weren’t in the prison! Soon a man told them the apostles were preaching right there in the temple!

The apostles were brought before the council and told to quit teaching in Jesus’ name. Peter replied, “We must obey God rather than men.”

The leaders were furious and wanted to kill the apostles. Gamaliel stepped forward and told the council that if left alone, this movement would fall away if it was of man. But if it was of God…they’d be fighting God!

The council took Gamaliel’s advice—but they flogged the disciples before sending them away and then told them not to preach about Jesus. 

The apostles left rejoicing!!  REJOICING! They rejoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer shame  and to be exposed to disgrace for the sake of Jesus’ name. That’s amazing!

The Amplified Bible says it this way…they were dignified by the indignity. I like that.  

Powerful Prayer

Peter & John came to where the disciples were gathered and reported how the chief priests and elders had threatened them because they’d healed a lame man. Jesus had just been killed days before—so they took this threat seriously. So they prayed. 

You’d think they’d ask God to spare them and protect them. Instead they prayed this way, “Lord, look on these threats and grant to your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.”  WOW!

And the Father heard and was pleased. How do I know? The place where they were assembled was shaken and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit.

Wouldn’t you love to be in a prayer meeting like this? 

Maybe instead of asking God for protection, we should be asking for this kind of boldness and the power to heal in the name of Jesus! That kind of prayer excites God. And what was the result of that powerful prayer?

 

“And they spoke the word of God with boldness.”

They’d been with Jesus

Peter & John were brought before the high priest and his family after they’d healed the lame man. They’d been arrested and put in jail because of it. Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke. He told these religious leaders that they’d healed this man by the name of Jesus Christ—whom they’d  crucified—but he’d risen from the dead.  

The Jewish leaders did NOT try to refute the death and resurrection of Jesus! This would have been the perfect opportunity if they were going to do so.  I find that very interesting. 

But these religious leaders DID take notice these two men had been with Jesus. Did someone among them recognize them as Jesus’ disciples? Or was it the authority and boldness with which they spoke that reminded them of Jesus and associated them with Him? Either way…they knew Peter & John, unlearned men, had been with Jesus. 

Do people recognize we’ve been with Jesus? Do we look and speak more like the world…or Jesus? Is there boldness and authority, that the Spirit gives, in our lives?

The high priest knew Peter & John had been with Jesus. He tried to silence them. But because they’d been with Jesus…they couldn’t be silenced. 

You Killed the Prince of Life

The Holy Spirit had come at Pentecost and filled the disciples of Jesus. Soon after, Peter and John were at the Gate Beautiful and Peter healed a lame man who sat there daily.  The people were amazed! Peter took the opportunity to preach. He basically said, “Why are you so shocked?  We didn’t do this by our power! Remember the God of Abraham, Isaac & Jacob? He sent His Son, Jesus. You killed Him. You killed the Prince of Life! It was faith in His name that healed this man.”

“You killed the Prince of Life!”

You killed Him. I killed Him. We killed Him. Our sins killed Him. But guess what?  The PRINCE OF LIFE CAN’T STAY DEAD! Otherwise, He couldn’t be called the Prince of Life!

Jesus is ALIVE! He rules over life and death. And faith in His name can still do miracles!