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- The Power of the Holy Spirit is given to make us witnesses.

The Spirit is given to make us effective communicators of the grace and the hope of the gospel.

- Witnessing isn’t just about spouting words.

It involves a profound shift of caring for and about and suffering with people.

- In Acts we see that it is the Spirit that gives life.

The life of God is a loving, people-focused, sacrificial life.

- The power of the Holy Spirit isn’t meant to make us “sizzle”.

Neither is it given to make us “celebrities”.

- The ability to witness is not supposed to be natural.

It must be super-natural. The power of the Holy Spirit is given to make us servants.

- This will only happen when they are tired of being filled with things that leave us empty.

Then we are willing to be filled with the power of the Holy Spirit.

- Times of trouble in our lives bring 2 things:

Opportunities to better understand prayer.

Opportunities to better understand God’s sovereignty.

- Humility asks boldly, and it trusts completely.

- If God did everything on the miracle level, you would never mature in the image of God.

- We can miss what is knocking at our door:

Due to preconceptions of what’s needed or what God will do.

Due to past events that shape our expectations.

Due to the false security we find in a problem.

Because at times of a request for person growth, God may bring across our path, a person with needs.

Because at times of a request, we don’t see that some answers come in instalments.

- God is sovereign, but his sovereignty does not make prayer pointless.



· Our agendas as believers must always align with God’s agenda. That requires vigilance because Gods agenda can be hijacked.

· God provoked the church to abandon its misguided agenda and align with his missionary agenda.

- Gods answers to prayer are often disruptive. He often offers alternatives to our agendas while we are seeking echoes of our agenda.

- The story reminds us that hearts that are open to God’s agenda, will experience divine connections, that otherwise may be missed.

- Those who seek the Lord’s agenda are willing to listen and learn.

- God steered the church away from being an exclusive group.

- Our previous experiences with God although they are transforming and true, don’t guarantee that we are currently aligned with his agenda.

- Our agenda must be continually adjusted and aligned by the Lord.

- We all need to See sermons, not just Hear them.

- We need God’s Truth translated into Flesh so we can Understand.

- God transforms us in Relationships with other Disciples.

- To translate God’s love to others, we must Refuse to react to the Past we Recognise, and Choose to respond to the Promises we have Received.

- While others were Afraid of Saul, Barnabas was Not.

When everyone else was Rejecting Saul, Barnabas came Along Side of him.

- Accusers make our steps Heavy. While Encouragers see our Next Step.

- It’s the Nature of God to Encourage, and as a Believer, you are Indwelt with God’s Spirit.

- His nickname, “Son of Encouragement”, reminds us, that Barnabas character, was the Fruit of God’s Spirit.

· Following Jesus isn’t just about abstaining from evil things, rather, it’s about accomplishing good things, while in touch with God.

· Philip had received guidance, and he immediately added obedience.

· Discernment and faith are essential for obedience.

· This passage shows us that guidance is highly relational.

· This passage shows us that guidance is mission-focused.

· Philip accomplished things that would only occur in the lives of people in touch with God.

· And by the leading of the Holy Spirit, you can also be led as well.

- It’s possible to deeply desire God’s power, and yet forfeit it by stubbornly preserving sin.

- People full of themselves promote themselves; those filled with the Spirit promote Jesus.

- We’re saved by grace - not perfect understanding; we all have to grow to recognize and release sin after the new birth.

- Spiritual power is the ability to accomplish God’s purposes, and His primary purpose is to make us righteous servants, not religious celebrities.

- The Holy Spirit is given that we might render effective service to God and others, not to help us accomplish our sinful agendas.

- If we insist on preserving our sin, we will not possess power. The Spirit cannot fill what is already full!

- We don’t need more power; we need more brokenness. The locked doors of our hearts are the very ones through which the Spirit must pass.

· God often moves us towards His intent in ways we barely comprehend – or overlook altogether.

· The Church won’t always know where it’s being led, but it can trust the Lord who is leading.

· God’s work is never dependent upon one person or group of people.

· God raises up leaders, but no leader will lead everything, for God wants to make it clear the work is His doing.

1. When our vision clouds – when we don’t know what God’s up to – God may be reminding us who’s in charge.

· Disciples need some mystery in order to remain dependent.

2. When our vision clouds we need confidence and commitment.

· Persecution - and the uncertainty it brought – didn’t remove confidence in Christ or commitment to Him; it revealed it!

3. When our vision clouds something new is often in the making.

· “Relying on God has to begin all over again every day as if nothing yet had been done. “(C.S. Lewis)

4. When our vision clouds - and it will at times - faith confidently keeps on serving.

· We walk by faith, not vision.