Live Free with Josh Howerton - Standing Firm Against the Real Enemy // Acts 13:1-12

Episode Date: December 13, 2024

Who is the real enemy we face in life? Today, we look at a powerful moment in Acts 13 where Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, confronts a sorcerer who tried to stop the spread of the good news. This encounter reminds us that our battle is not with people but with the darker spiritual forces at work. Paul’s courage and conviction encourage us to stand firm, put on God’s armor, and resist the schemes of the enemy. Let's keep our hearts strong, be gracious with others, and walk in the victory Christ has given us.   For more information, visit lakepointe.church/dailydrive

Thanks for tuning in to today's Daily Drive with Lake Point Church, a daily dose of God's Word for your morning drive. When the word, not the world, becomes the majority of your week, your life will start to change. For that reason, our prayer is that God will speak to you through today's devotional. For more digital content to feed your faith, visit lakepoint.com slash daily drive. And now let's dive in to today's devotional. Well, it is Friday on the Daily Drive, and we just have a couple of weeks until Christmas. Man, I am so excited for that. Can't believe it's almost already here.

It is the most wonderful time of the year. And they ought to make that phrase into a song, I'm thinking. We're just going through the book of Acts here on the Daily Drive, and we hit Chapter 13 today. Barnabas and Saul, who had been preaching and teaching up in Antioch. You might remember how Barnabas stood up for Saul when nobody else would, when people weren't sure that the conversion of this former persecutor of the church was legit. Barnabas goes to bat for him, telling everybody that Saul was the real deal, that he had a dramatic encounter with the resurrected Jesus, and God's hand was on this guy to spread the good

news. So Barnabas gets Saul to join him up in Antioch, and God does amazing things through the two of them. And then the Holy Spirit tells the leaders of the church of Antioch, I now need these two to go take the message all over the world. So lay your hands on them, pray for them, and then send them out. And out, they go. And along the way, they encounter this guy who was a sorcerer, a magician of sorts, a false prophet who tries to impede Saul and Barnabas from sharing the good news with the governor of the province. And verse 9 gives us a glimpse into the passionate personality that was Saul. Let me just read it. Saul, also known as Paul, was filled with the Holy Spirit. And he looked the sorcerer in the eye and said,

We would appreciate it if you didn't talk like that. If you could just turn it down a notch, that'd be great. Yeah, yeah, thanks so much, man. That's not what he says. Check it out. Paul, filled with the spirit, looks him in the eye and says, You son of the devil, full of every sort of deceit and fraud, an enemy of all that is good. Will you never stop perverting the true ways of the Lord?

Watch now, for the Lord has laid his hand upon. upon you, and you will be struck blind. You will not see sunlight for some time. Instantly, mist and darkness came over the man's eyes, and he began groping around begging for someone to take his hand and lead him. When the governor saw what had happened, he became a believer, for he was astonished at the teaching about the Lord. Now, as you read through Paul's writings, you will see how over and over he instructs us to honor people, to treat people with kindness and respect, to love them sincerely, to let our conversations be full of grace. In fact, later in this chapter, Paul preaches with a ton of grace and kindness and intellectual

clarity about how the message of God's salvation played out through all of human history and was available for everyone. And it says that as a result, all kinds of people were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit. But in this instance, he knew he was face to face. with the real enemy. And he recognizes it, and he comes on strong. He knows that Satan was living inside of this man and trying to use this man to prevent people

from hearing about God's saving grace. And he was not going to let this enemy derail the advancement of the good news. Paul would later write these words in Ephesians chapter 6. He says, a final word, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God's armor so that you will be able to stand firm against

all the strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh and blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. It's like Paul models for us that people are not the enemy. People are not the enemy. Our fight is not against flesh and blood,

but against someone much more sinister, much, much darker, and much more powerful. and he is trying to take you out. Be gracious with people, but with him? Not so much. He's your real enemy. Treat him as such. You know, I've played sports most of my life,

but I've never been much of a trash talker because I can never really back it up. But if I am going to talk a little smack, it might as well be to the enemy of my soul. You may have heard me share this before. A pastor gave me this over 20 years ago. It's called a mandate to Satan. Satan, take note, and listen well.

You will not conquer me. I am blood-washed, spirit-filled, daily delivered, strongly sanctified, and word and dwelt. I am linked with a sovereign and eternal power, and have set my face. You're extremely subtle, but I'm on to your ways. You parade as an angel of light, but I walk in a brighter light. Your days of deception are over with me. I won't be deceived, detoured, derailed, distorted, distracted, discouraged, or disillusioned by your schemes. Your vile influence will not cross the no trespassing sign on the gate of my heart. My life is off limits to you now. My doors are closed to you forever. You won't walk in, crawl in, slither in, sneak in, pry in, jump in, swim in, fly in, drive in, or barge into my life. I have a permanent guest that now lives inside, and he cannot share this temple with you. Face it, your days are numbered. Your kingdom is doomed. Your designs are dwindling, your evil erode, and your devilishness dissolving, your deception diminishing, and your death is dying. Your victory party has been canceled, and soon your show will be over. You can't. You can't. You can't. You can't. You can't. You can't. You can't. You can't. You can't. You can't. You can't. You can't. You can't. You can't. You can't. You can't trap me with your schemes, soil me with your subtly, or defeat me with your deception, because he that is in me is greater than you, so get off my property.

Isn't that good? I pray that you just walk in the power of the Holy Spirit today. Stand firm against the real enemy and be gracious with people so that they might become full of joy and the Holy Spirit too. Hope you have a great weekend. I'll catch you back here on Monday. tuning in today. For more biblical teaching and worship, join us for our church online live weekend services on Saturdays and Sundays. For more information about all the digital ministries of Lake Point, visit lakepoint.church slash daily drive. Also, if this podcast was helpful to you, would you be sure to rate, review, and share this podcast to help get the word out.