New Place, New Revelation

Acts 14:1-3  At Iconium Paul and Barnabas went as usual into the Jewish synagogue. There they spoke so effectively that a great number of Jews and Gentiles believed. 2 But the Jews who refused to believe stirred up the 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 do miraculous signs and wonders.
 
THE pattern of Paul’s and Barnabas’ evangelism and preaching continues. Some believe and are joyous for the gospel. The two evangelists also continue to contend with the Jews’ opposition. This, of course, would always be, has always been and will always be true until Jesus comes again.
   But unlike their time in Pisidian Antioch, where they shook the dust from their feet and departed, Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time in Iconium, speaking boldly for the Lord.
   Here again, as written elsewhere in Acts, God will suddenly show himself through signs and wonders. The Lord chose Iconium as a place he would expand his gifts over the disciples. He first gifted them with bold speech. This means they had ample time to clearly explain the gospel. They also spoke effectively with eloquence rooted in the truth. Paul and Barnabas were sure of their message, and the Spirit gave receptive ears to hear the message of his grace.
   The Spirit also endowed Paul and Barnabas with the power to heal. This is not recorded in the other cities they have visited. God blessed Iconium with heaven’s very visible and immediate confirmation of  the gospel. When people saw God’s power to heal, they would more readily believe he could and would do the “impossible” even raise his Son from the grave.
   Such a compassionate, powerful God, who healed, could and would also forgive sins. God’s evident power showed everyone the impossible is possible. How could anyone deny such evidence of the Living Word? But of course they do, even to the point of violence. The peace in Iconium ended:
 
Acts 14:4-7 The people of the city were divided; some sided with the Jews, others with the apostles. 5 There was a plot afoot among the Gentiles and Jews, together with their leaders, to mistreat Barnabas and Paul 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 good news.
 
King David prayed in Psalms 140:1 Rescue me, O Lord, from evil men; protect me from men of violence 2 who devise evil plans in their hearts and stir up war every day. Perhaps Paul and Barnabas prayed David’s prayer as evil’s violence threatened them. If you are experiencing opposition because of your faith or you feel you are under spiritual attack, this is a good prayer for you, too.
   Thankfully, it was not Paul’s and Barnabas’ time to be martyrs. Their evangelism and God’s power demonstration continued.