Studies by Book
04 Acts 08 26-40 PHILIP MINISTERING TO THE ETHIOPIAN EUNUCH 01 Acts 08 26-27a Obedience by faith
📖 Acts 08:26-40
01 – 03Feb2024 – *Obedience by faith* - _Acts 08:26-40_ – PHILIP MINISTERING TO THE ETHIOPIAN EUNUCH - _Hebrews 11:08_
_Acts 8:26-27a Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, "Arise and go toward the south along the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza." This is desert. (27a) So he arose and went. …,_
The Lord was leading Philip to accomplish His purposes. Philip had an angelic visitation and an angel of the Lord spoke with him.
Angels are ministering spirits. _Hebrews 1:14 Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?_ When our lives are entirely committed to living for Jesus and to do His will and will alone, then we will experience the leading of the Lord in miraculous ways. Angels are one way through whom the Lord leads his servants to fulfil His purposes.
Throughout the Acts of the Apostles, we see several angelic visitations. _Acts 5:19, 10:7, 10:22, 12:8-11, 12:23, 27:23_ The Lord spoke in other ways too.
*The Lord was instructing Philip very specifically to fulfil His purpose.*
Our lives must always be seen within the overarching plans and purposes of God. We are to seek His plans and purposes for our lives and not go our own way. His plans for us are all written in His book. _Psalms 139:16 Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And *in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them*._
Our timeline has been purposed by God and we need to seek His will so that we remain aligned with His plans for each of us. He will surely guide us if we are willing to follow His direction in our lives. We cannot have our own agenda and also expect to know God’s direction simultaneously. We must commit ourselves entirely to His purpose, He will then show us His specific direction and task.
Our gifts, talents, abilities, resources, and circumstances of doors closing and doors opening are only indicators. We must go beyond all of these and seek the mind of God for our lives. I find many people saying that since they have this particular gift or gifts, this is where the Lord wants them to serve. We need to exercise caution.
God’s will for each of us is a subset of His work that He is accomplishing for man and creation. _Colossians 1:19-20 For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, (20) and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross._
God is reconciling all things to Himself both in heaven and on earth and He has given to us the ministry of reconciliation. _II Corinthians 5:18 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation,_
Therefore, our task here on earth is to bring the reconciliation of all things back to God. Our careers, workplaces, businesses, our education, our homes, and every sphere of life, wherever we are connected are to be brought under the lordship of Christ.
We do not choose our work, career, or education first and then try to see how best we can be involved in sharing God’s word. We consider God’s purposes first and make life choices according to His purpose.
If God has birthed us in a particular cultural setting, this is by design. This particular group of people among whom we have the closest affinity are the ones for whom we are best suited to bring the Gospel as a witness. While we continue to faithfully serve God and share the word of God with those in our immediate circle, the Lord may move us to a wider and completely different audience for whom, in God’s scheme, we are aptly suited to bring the message of God as a witness.
These cross-cultural messengers of God will always be few, while the bulk of the sharing of God’s word as witnesses will be by those from the same cultural background. The cross-cultural messengers of God go to the new setting to share the word of God and not for their career advancement. Philip is an example.
As Philip was fully available for the Gospel, the angel of the Lord directed his path of life. "Arise and go toward the south along the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza." This was desert.
Philip could have hesitated at this instruction but he obeyed instantly. We do not know how the angel appeared to Philip but he had no doubt that this was the angel of the Lord speaking and he must obey.
The ways of God are indeed special but when God speaks to his servants, they will have no doubt whatsoever that it is the Lord speaking. _Hebrews 11:8 *By faith Abraham obeyed* when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going._
This is our life, which is *a life of obedience to God’s instruction by faith*. People around us may find our obedience by faith as not conforming to the ways of the world. ```This is where we keep our eyes on the Lord and obey and not be rattled by the opinions of those around us.```