Scripture: Acts 16:1-40 (NLT)

The Big Idea: God uses ordinary, everyday people. God wants to use you!

Saved, Delivered and Free!

1. WHEN THE GOSPEL (JESUS CHRIST) IS SHARED – PEOPLE GET SAVED!

Acts 16:12-15 (NLT) 12 From there we reached Philippi, a major city of that district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. And we stayed there several days. 13 On the Sabbath we went a little way outside the city to a riverbank, where we thought people would be meeting for prayer, and we sat down to speak with some women who had gathered there. 14 One of them was Lydia from Thyatira, a merchant of expensive purple cloth, who worshiped God. As she listened to us, the Lord opened her heart, and she accepted what Paul was saying. 15 She and her household were baptized, and she asked us to be her guests. “If you agree that I am a true believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my home.” And she urged us until we agreed.

• The Gospel is for everyone.
• Lydia is an intelligent, religious, wealthy businesswoman.
• A church was started in Philippi, Macedonia, Northern Greece.
• The Church began to change their culture.

2. WHEN THE GOSPEL (JESUS CHRIST) IS SHARED -there will be demonic opposition.

Acts 16:16-21 (NLT) 16 One day as we were going down to the place of prayer, we met a slave girl who had a spirit that enabled her to tell the future. She earned a lot of money for her masters by telling fortunes. 17 She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, and they have come to tell you how to be saved.” 18 This went on day after day until Paul got so exasperated that he turned and said to the demon within her, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And instantly it left her. 19 Her masters’ hopes of wealth were now shattered, so they grabbed Paul and Silas and dragged them before the authorities at the marketplace. 20 “The whole city is in an uproar because of these Jews!” they shouted to the city officials. 21 “They are teaching customs that are illegal for us Romans to practice

• Jesus and Demons

… but the Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil. 1John 3:8b (NLT)

• Believers and Demons

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. Ephesians 6:12 (NLT)

• JESUS PROMISED HIS FOLLOWERS AUTHORITY OVER SATAN AND DEMONS:

… Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone. Anyone who believes and is baptized will be saved. But any who refuses to believe will be condemned. These miraculous signs will accompany those who believe: They will cast out demons in my name, and they will speak in new languages … Mark 16:16-17a (NLT)

Today: We are fighting demonic forces in our culture!

Satan fights from the vantage point of defeat ;

We as Believers fight from the vantage point of VICTORY!

3. WHEN CHRIST JESUS IS WORSHIPPED – BONDAGES ARE BROKEN!

Acts 16:22-34 (NLT) A mob quickly formed against Paul and Silas, and the city officials ordered them stripped and beaten with wooden rods. 23 They were severely beaten, and then they were thrown into prison. The jailer was ordered to make sure they didn’t escape. 24 So the jailer put them into the inner dungeon and clamped their feet in the stocks. 25 Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening. 26 Suddenly, there was a massive earthquake, and the prison was shaken to its foundations. All the doors immediately flew open, and the chains of every prisoner fell off! 27 The jailer woke up to see the prison doors wide open. He assumed the prisoners had escaped, so he drew his sword to kill himself. 28 But Paul shouted to him, “Stop! Don’t kill yourself! We are all here!” 29 The jailer called for lights and ran to the dungeon and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 Then he brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, along with everyone in your household.” 32 And they shared the word of the Lord with him and with all who lived in his household. 33 Even at that hour of the night, the jailer cared for them and washed their wounds. Then he and everyone in his household were immediately baptized. 34 He brought them into his house and set a meal before them, and he and his entire household rejoiced because they all believed in God.

There is power in our praise. We need to praise the Lord when we don’t feel like it, He is always worthy. Our worship becomes a spiritual weapon.

• Worship changes the atmosphere, Joy doesn’t depend on outward circumstances.
• In our pain we can pray, God use me.
  • Two things about pain. We need to SEE it coming & SEE it through.
• The gospel is for everyone.
• The Philippian jailor was a skeptic who got saved because: He observed Paul and Silas’ joy in the midst of pain; and he was the recipient of their extravagant grace.

Action Step: Love when you don’t like it; Worship when you are weary; Live for Jesus everyday.