Studies by Book
02 Acts 13 04-12 THE MINISTRY IN CYPRUS 01 Acts 13 04 Led and sent out for ministry by the Holy Spirit
📖 Acts 13:04-12
01 – Sun, 02 Mar 2025 – *Led and sent out for ministry by the Holy Spirit* - _Acts 13:04-12_ – THE MINISTRY IN CYPRUS – _John 03:06-08_
_Acts 13:4 So, *being sent out by the Holy Spirit*, they went down to Seleucia and sailed to Cyprus from there._
Barnabas and Paul were multipliers who were blessed, ordained, commissioned, and given authority to go out as church missionaries at Antioch. This is such a blessing to be embraced.
How wonderful it would be if we would adopt this model in our churches. Missionaries and mission agencies need to be adopted by the church as their own. Missionaries and mission agencies too must come under the protection, guidance, and discipline of the local church. This can become a wonderful model for the exponential growth of the church in our nations.
They were sent out by the Holy Spirit.
Many people wonder as to how we can discern the leading of the Holy Spirit. This is what our Lord told us. _John 3:6-8 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. (7) Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.' (8) The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit."_
The life of the Holy Spirit is a life of faith and dependence on God. _Romans 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God._ This is where the Jews struggle or have chosen to keep stumbling. For the Jews, their relationship with God is about keeping the law of Moses, and they claim this to be their faith in God. _Romans 9:30-32 What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have attained to righteousness, *even the righteousness of faith*; (31) but Israel, pursuing the law of righteousness, has not attained to the law of righteousness. (32) Why? *Because they did not seek it by faith, but as it were, by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumbling stone*._
No one is justified before God by the keeping of the law. _Galatians 3:10-11 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, "CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO DOES NOT CONTINUE IN ALL THINGS WHICH ARE WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF THE LAW, TO DO THEM." (11) But that *no one is justified by the law in the sight of God* is evident, for "THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH."_ / _Romans 3:20 Therefore *by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight*, for by the law is the knowledge of sin._
The law was our guardian till Jesus came and gave us righteousness by faith in Him. _Galatians 3:24-26 Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. (25) But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. (26) For *you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus*._ / _Romans 10:4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes._
This is what Paul asserts. _Philippians 3:9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith;_
Thus, for us, *the life of being led by the Holy Spirit is the life of faith*. The Holy Spirit guides us in our faith journey. *Not being dependent on the Holy Spirit is not an option for us*. We are always cast upon the Holy Spirit for this is the life of faith and this is our righteousness before God.
Therefore our sensitivity to the voice of the Holy Spirit is the very basis of our relationship with God. *Are you hungering deeply to hear the Holy Spirit?*
The life of the Holy Spirit is according to God’s word. _John 16:13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for *He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak*; and He will tell you things to come._ The Holy Spirit takes from the heart of God and communicates it to our spirit. _I Corinthians 2:12-13 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. (13) These things we also speak, not in words which man's wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
There are two vital aspects of being led by the Holy Spirit. The first is our faith, where we are totally dependent on the Holy Spirit for our guidance. The second is the assurance that the Holy Spirit will bring His word to our understanding.
The third requirement to be led by the Holy Spirit is that we do not give any room to our flesh. We must ask the Lord to alert us if we are at any time being drawn away by the flesh and enticed. When we sense the flesh in us seeking significance, we must take that matter to the cross by faith and there be crucified with Christ.
The interplay of these three factors will make us those led by the Holy Spirit. ```We are led and we are sent for the ministry by the Holy Spirit.```