Acts 13:48-14:7
48 When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and honored the word of the Lord; and all who were appointed for eternal life believed.
49 The word of the Lord spread through the whole region. 50 But the Jewish leaders incited the God-fearing women of high standing and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region. 51 So they shook the dust off their feet as a warning to them and went to Iconium. 52 And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.
14:1At Iconium Paul and Barnabas went as usual into the Jewish synagogue. There they spoke so effectively that a great number of Jews and Greeks believed. 2 But the Jews who refused to believe stirred up the other Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers. 3 So Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there, speaking boldly for the Lord, who confirmed the message of his grace by enabling them to perform signs and wonders. 4 The people of the city were divided; some sided with the Jews, others with the apostles. 5 There was a plot afoot among both Gentiles and Jews, together with their leaders, to mistreat them and stone them. 6 But they found out about it and fled to the Lycaonian cities of Lystra and Derbe and to the surrounding country, 7 where they continued to preach the gospel. [1]
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What’s striking to me in this passage is the joy of Paul and Barnabas. Their ministry is certainly meeting with mixed success, along with a lot of persecution. The work seems to go forward with great excitement, and then run into considerable opposition, resulting even in their fleeing the area. And yet, the text tells us that they will filled with joy.
Can we be joyful when things are in such disarray? Can we be joyful in the face of persecution and trouble? This and many other passages in the Bible answer that question with a resounding yes. (e.g. Matthew 5:11-12, Romans 5:3, James 1:2). How can this be?
Note that the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit. The joy spoken of here, the deep resilient Christian joy to which we are called, is all bound up with our relationship to our Lord. It flows from the conviction that nothing in this world can take away the love of God and the eternal blessings He has promised. In fact, we have the promise that even in the worst of times, God is at work for the sake of the kingdom and for our blessing (Romans 8:28).
This joy is deeper than fleeting happiness or giddiness. It may be more akin to contentment and peace, being so grounded in the Spirit that we are not shaken as we experience the brokenness of this world.
Ok, that’s what it is. How do I hold on to it? Again I point out that it is all about our relationship with our God. For the disciples in this passage it was about the Holy Spirit. As I cultivate my relationship with Jesus Christ, His joy will be with me and will sustain me in even the worst of times. As Jesus said, “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete” (John 15:11).
So today I am praying for the joy of the Lord to be with me, as He leads through whatever this day may bring.
What is the Word leading you to pray about today?
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[1] The New International Version. 2011 (Ac 13:48–14:7). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.
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