Acts 13 & 14

I recently blogged about Peter's reaction to Simon the Sorcerer. I found it interesting in today's passage (Acts 13) how similarly, and yet how differently, Paul responded in a similar situation:

^"6They traveled through the whole island until they came to Paphos. There they met a Jewish sorcerer and false prophet named Bar-Jesus, ⁷who was an attendant of the proconsul, Sergius Paulus. The proconsul, an intelligent man, sent for Barnabas and Saul because he wanted to hear the word of God. ⁸But Elymas the sorcerer (for that is what his name means) opposed them and tried to turn the proconsul from the faith. ⁹Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked straight at Elymas and said, ¹⁰"You are a child of the devil and an enemy of everything that is right! You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery. Will you never stop perverting the right ways of the Lord? ¹¹Now the hand of the Lord is against you. You are going to be blind, and for a time you will be unable to see the light of the sun." Immediately mist and darkness came over him, and he groped about, seeking someone to lead him by the hand.¹²When the proconsul saw what had happened, he believed, for he was amazed at the teaching about the Lord."

It seems to me that Paul, unlike Peter, called it what it was: Satan's influence over this person. Then, Paul used his spiritual authority, in Christ, to not only perform greater signs and wonders than the sorcerer, but also used his spiritual authority to lead the proconsul to the Lord.

The other fascinating thing about Acts 13 & 14 is how obviously Paul & Barnabas heeded Christ's words, spoken in Matthew 10. Because they were obedient to Him and followed His instruction closely, they were successful in their journey. May God grant me the ability to listen and obey and to walk in such wisdom as well!