Ministry From Brokenness

Acts 19:11-12

And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul:

Galatians 2:18-21

Here we see the ministry of miracles upon a region that just experienced the receiving of the Spirit. Might I suggest it is one thing to have the Spirit seal you and keep you in all your goings with his power. See, some of you experience that everyday in various forms. You just call it by other names like the police, GPS, emergency services, pastor, teacher and so on. Yet receiving the Spirit or being baptized thereby is another matter entirely. Look with me now. I can travel to Africa and visit. I can even hire a translator and a guide to show me around. I might could even function halfway decently while there. But now what if I opened up my house doors wide and moved into Africa for good. Now I speak African languages which I knew not before. I walk in their paths without being taught. Their ancestors also can guide me because I am of them. Imagine some of you doing God that way. Yet how often it happens everyday. I know Heaven is not to be found in Africa. But how many of you know that Heaven follows much the same way on the basis of being a strange country of which you know little. This is how you end up with a whole missing church that Paul is addressing and a group of inquiring Jews now turned a church that has heard not of his Spirit. There seems to be a gap between I stand at the door and knock in Revelation and the I will make my home with him and he with me. See now what has taken over our apostle Paul. He scarcely knows not what he does for behold the text makes it clear is this not the Lord's doing. Here Paul says he builds the church again that he once destroyed and so transgresses against the laws of Judaism. This is why Paul can hold the tenants of such no longer. But look with me now. The Galatians must have the opposite problem for they surely cannot be found. Remember how Paul said he saw none on his way through. So now they appear into him as a dead church in word and in deed not just in name only. How much more should they not have just opened their doors and let the Lord in. Then would he not have done much more than just visiting. He would have moved in. For the text makes clear is this not living before God.

So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them

Supernatural anointing of God upon this thing. Some of you are reading this a time or two saying 'y'all nasty.' Imagine how much more God can use a life fully committed to himself to accomplish his all things. Surely Paul was not perfect and he might have wrestled with a thing or few. But when the hand of God was upon him, even the nastiness became blessed in his name. I know some of you are saying, 'the text doesn't say that.' Does it not though. See the handkerchiefs and aprons in abundance coming from the hand of Paul borne by those of the church. Now for you that know he was human, comment not on this for now. Nor do I advocate doing as he did. It is incredibly dangerous without the hand of the Lord upon you for reasons which I will discuss. Notice the focus is not upon the nastiness. Rather the diseases departed and the evil spirits packed their things and fled. See God covered the head of Paul for was he not under his authority. So with God's authority over all, there was no place found for any other. The spirit of disease and evil had no place in those hearts and lives because of the hand of God. It seems all things were done by his power. Now imagine had Paul set out in his own might. It would have been a situation like that of those beaten and whipped for casting out demons in the name of one they did not know. I have seen far too many lives, hearts, and testimonies broken for those not properly sent by him. For this cause Paul says he so identifies with Christ that the life, crucifixion, and resurrection are his also. Note that he is not claiming to be God. So now there is none left unto him but the Lord. Christ indeed lived with him deep down inside. Thus any life was now by Christ. Sure he had faith in him for so was he loved and accepted in the beloved as a child and a son of the Father himself. Therein is found no place for Paul to jump up and do as he pleased. It seems then there is a danger found in frustrating "the grace of God." See if Paul had turned tail and run back to the harsh taskmasters of Judaism again or served the law, then would the death of Christ be pointless. Imagine a name so holy taken in vain as though to say he has no power or authority in this place. Such is not his nature. I know him far too well. It is not for nothing as I have said how the ages echo his name. All their stories will praise him for he alone has power and authority over all. How nice it is to have God remember you. For he cannot deny himself. You better make sure it is not God you are standing against before you find your own self gone. Besides him there can be none other.