In Cyprus–Missionary journey begins with a false prophet lurking among those desiring to hear the Gospel of Christ.

Acts 13:4-12

• Paul, Barnabas, John Mark, and Luke began the missionary journeys.
• False prophet lurks among those who want to hear the Gospel.
• Blindness of government false prophets and not able to see the sun for a time.

Paul, Barnabas, John Mark, and Luke begin the missionary journeys.
“So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus. And when they arrived in Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. They also had John as their assistant.” Acts 13:4-5

“They” refers to Paul and Barnabas [and Luke who recorded the events of Acts and wrote the Gospel of Luke]. Barnabas, who was from Cyprus, is also the one who sold his house to use the money to buy food and other necessities for those who left everything to follow Jesus Christ. as described in Act6s 4:36-37. This is also said about Barnabas, “For he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord.” Acts 11:24 In Antioch at Syria, Paul and Barnabas were chosen through the Holy Spirit for the missionary ministry, Acts 13:1-3. From that calling, they went to Seleucia, then sailed to Cyprus where there arrived in Salamis and preached the gospel of Jesus Christ to the Jewish people. Those places are seen on the map below.

This begins the missionary journey of Paul which is recorded from Acts 13:4 through Acts 21:26. This is before Paul’s arrest, multiple hearings, and transfer to Rome. Paul was kept imprisoned for a little over two years in Caesarea [Acts 24:27] before he was transferred to Rome [by ship] where he was imprisoned for another two years [Acts 28:30-31], then executed. All of this is described from Acts 21:27 through Acts 28. Paul was born-again through Jesus Christ in Acts 9:1-31.

Paul and Barnabas were chosen by the Holy Spirit to begin the missionary ministry. The Holy Spirit is He who gives us what to do for the sake of the testimony of Jesus. The purpose of the Holy Spirit is to lift up the name of Jesus and to make His message known. The desire and yearning within our spirit, to make known the Gospel message, leads us into the work we do for God. According to the presence of the Holy Spirit, doors open and shut.

From Seleucia, Cyprus was the very first stop on Paul’s missionary journey, and Salamis was on the east coast. The first place they began was in the Jewish synagogues. Nothing more is mentioned about the results of ministering to those Jewish people. Sometimes, we may feel a need to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ in a place that is completely indifferent to what we say. That is all we can do, to share the message, and that is all we are asked to do. What the hearers do with the word they hear is on them, as described in Ezekiel 33.

“They also had John as their assistant” refers to the John known as Mark [or John Mark]. He assisted Paul and Barnabas. John Mark was the cousin of Barnabas, Colossians 4:10. Later on, John Mark wrote the Gospel of Mark. Luke is the one writing the book of Acts. John Mark is first mentioned in Acts 12:12 as the son of a woman named Mary, whose house was being used as a place for believers to gather and pray.

After being on Cyprus, Mark deserted Paul and Barnabas to remain in Pamphylia and left the missionary work, Acts 15:38. Pamphylia is seen on the map below, which is northwest of Cyprus. Cyprus is the island seen about in the middle of the image in the Mediterranean Sea.

A dispute arose between Paul and Barnabas about whether to have John Mark to rejoin them on their missionary ministry. Paul refused to have John Mark with them after he deserted them the first time. But Barnabas insisted on having John Mark with them. This dispute led to Paul and Barnabas parting ways. Paul decided to join with Silas for their missionary ministry, and Barnabas and John Mark teamed up to start another missionary ministry. This is described in Acts 15:36-41. Actually, this led to double the missionary ministries instead of just one. That is how the Holy Spirit works through people to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Whatever happens in our life, whatever contentions arise, when we welcome the presence of the Holy Spirit, it will work for the good of the Kingdom of God.

Paul and Silas went to Syria and Cilicia while Barnabas and John Mark ministered in Cyprus. Acts 15:39-41 Those places are seen on the map at the top of this post.

Years later, John Mark and Paul reconciled, and Paul calls him a “fellow worker” in Philemon 1:24. As followers of Jesus Christ, there must never be bitterness and unforgiveness due to disputes, this is part of our life of Holiness and the process of sanctification to purify us from bitterness and grudges. Forgiveness is necessary to reconcile us to our brothers and sisters in Christ. Near the end of Paul’s life, him and John Mark were still bonded by the Holy Spirit, as Paul said, “Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry”, 2 Timothy 4:11.

False prophet lurks among those who want to hear the Gospel.
“Now when they had gone through the island to Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew whose name was Bar-Jesus, who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man. This man called for Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God.” Acts 13:6-7

In the previous post on Acts 13:4-5, Paul and his companions were in Salamis on the island of Cyprus. They moved westward on the island to Paphos, as seen on the map below.

Paul was guided by the Holy Spirit regarding who he was led to minister to and those he wasn’t led to. His ministry was not based solely on converting a whole city or nation to Christ, but also on reaching one person who would make a difference within the family of Jesus Christ. By that personalized ministry, one person at a time, from small group to small group, and often to large crowds, the testimony of our lord Jesus reached to every continent around the world.

Paul, Barnabas, John Mark, and Luke [Acts 13:4-5] went through Paphos before they found that one person whom the Holy Spirit would open the door to a heart receptive to receive Jesus Christ. That one person was a proconsul named Sergius Paulus. A proconsul was a very powerful person of the Roman Empire, equivalent to a Governor or Senator of today. This intelligent person wanted to hear the word of God from Paul and Barnabas. The heart of Sergius Paulus was good soil,“…he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.” Matthew 13:23

As followers of Jesus Christ, we understand that the Holy Spirit is the only one who can bring people to God through Jesus Christ. Only when we are led by the Holy Spirit will we be effective in sharing our born-again experience [which is the Gospel of Christ written on our heart]. Any other time, sharing the testimony of Jesus is throwing the Gospel seed away from the good soil, onto stony places, or into the thorns. Click here for the parable on the sower from Matthew 13:1-23.

When meeting Sergius Paulius, “…they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew whose name was Bar-Jesus, who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus…” In today’s culture, there will always be those people who want to prohibit the spread of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. They even present themselves as ministers of righteousness [usually embracing humanitarian beliefs], but they are “false prophets” who oppose belief in God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. “For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple.” Romans 16:18 “These are spots in your love feasts, …” Jude 1:12 They are the thorns among the blossoms of the fruit of the Holy Spirit.

“But Elymas the sorcerer (for so his name is translated) withstood them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith. Then Saul, who also is called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him and said, “O full of all deceit and all fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease perverting the straight ways of the Lord?” Acts 13:8-10

The false prophet, Elymas the sorcerer, was with the proconsul who wanted to hear the word of God. Elymas opposed Paul and Barnabas directly to prohibit Sergius Paulus from hearing the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In today’s world, it’s obvious to see how the Governors of states and Senators of the United States government are prohibited from governing through the word of God. Apparently, they have false prophets as their advisers, people who serve the atheistic beast that governs through what people think, feel, say, and do. Today, the government lawmakers no longer integrate the values of the Bible into their laws, policies, and executive orders. They are filled with all deceit and fraud as they have made themselves enemies of righteousness and pervert the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Our walk in Holiness is a process of sanctification that removes deceit, fraud, and perversion from our spirit and attitude to give light to the truth and righteousness of Jesus Christ. The work of the Holy Spirit in us is to lift up the testimony of Jesus.

Paul was filled with the Holy Spirit, and looked the false prophet squarely in the eyes, and plainly said to him, “O full of all deceit and all fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease perverting the straight ways of the Lord?” It is deceitful and fraudulent to keep the truth of Jesus Christ hidden from those who want to hear the Good News. People who do so are oppressing the presence of the Holy Spirit and instigating lawlessness by doing so. This is happening on a state, national, and global level. Even today, the churches have abandoned the Gospel of Jesus Christ to partner with community values. The churches are meant to be the light shining with the message of the Cross.

People who prohibit the testimony of Jesus and oppress the presence of the Holy Spirit are the sons of the devil. They are the children of the beast that opposes the Holy Spirit from living within the conscience and spirit to give people what to think, feel, do, and say. This entity gives life to the image of the beast to speak and live through people in cities across the globe. They are groomed to the mark of the beast by what they are given to say and do. Today’s culture, which is global, are enemies of the righteousness of God that comes through Jesus Christ in the presence of the Holy Spirit. They pervert the Gospel of Jesus Christ and make Jesus a very different Jesus than who died on the Cross to atone for sin, who was resurrected after three days, and now lives eternally. Because He lives, we will live eternally with Him.

“But Elymas the sorcerer (for so his name is translated) withstood them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith. Then Saul, who also is called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him and said, “O full of all deceit and all fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease perverting the straight ways of the Lord?” Acts 13:8-10

The false prophet, Elymas the sorcerer, was with the proconsul who wanted to hear the word of God. Elymas opposed Paul and Barnabas directly to prohibit Sergius Paulus from hearing the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In today’s world, it’s obvious to see how the Governors of states and Senators of the United States government are prohibited from governing through the word of God. Apparently, they have false prophets as their advisers, people who serve the atheistic entity that governs through what people think, feel, say, and do. Today, the government lawmakers no longer integrate the values of the Bible into their laws, policies, and executive orders.

“But Elymas the sorcerer (for so his name is translated) withstood them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith. Then Saul, who also is called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him and said, “O full of all deceit and all fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease perverting the straight ways of the Lord?” Acts 13:8-10

Paul was filled with the Holy Spirit, and looked the false prophet squarely in the eyes, and plainly said to him, “O full of all deceit and all fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease perverting the straight ways of the Lord?” It is deceitful and fraudulent to keep the truth of Jesus Christ hidden from those who want to hear the Good News. People who do so are oppressing the presence of the Holy Spirit and instigating lawlessness by doing so. This is happening on a state, national, and global level. Even today, the churches have abandoned the Gospel of Jesus Christ to partner with community values. The churches are meant to be the tight shining with the message of the Cross.

People who prohibit the testimony of Jesus and oppress the presence of the Holy Spirit are the sons of the devil. They are the children of the entity that replaces the conscience and spirit to give people what to think, feel, do, and say. This entity gives life to the image of the beast to speak and live through people in cities across the globe. They are groomed to the mark of the beast by what they are given to say and do. Today’s culture, which is global, are enemies of the righteousness of God that comes through Jesus Christ in the presence of the Holy Spirit. They pervert the Gospel of Jesus Christ and make Jesus a very different Jesus than who died on the Cross to atone for sin, who was resurrected after three days, and now lives eternally. Because He lives, we will live eternally with Him.

Blindness of government false prophets and not able to see the sun for a time.
“And now, indeed, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you shall be blind, not seeing the sun for a time.” And immediately a dark mist fell on him, and he went around seeking someone to lead him by the hand. Then the proconsul believed, when he saw what had been done, being astonished at the teaching of the Lord.” Acts 13:11-12

The hand of the Lord had touched the eyes of the false prophet so that he was made blind and could not see the sun for a time. The false prophet never did come to see the Light of Jesus Christ, so we can say that the sun is the sun we see in the sky every day. Today, the sun is one thing that is able to distinguish between a false prophet and a real prophet. The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy, so those sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ are sharing a prophecy, “For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” Revelations 19:10

How does the sun expose a false prophet? Because the false prophets of today’s culture, which is global, say that global warming can be reversed by the collective efforts of the world’s population. However, the word of God says that global warming is to turn people to repentance. Global warming is the Fourth Plague of Revelations 16:8-9, as quoted, “The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and the sun was allowed to scorch people with fire. They were seared by the intense heat, and they cursed the name of God, who had control over these plagues, but they refused to repent and glorify him.”

Like the false prophet who tried to prevent the testimony of Jesus from reaching a Governor or Senator of the Roman Empire, today’s national and global advisers try to prevent politicians and community leaders from being aware of the prophecies of the Bible. Not one local, state, national, or global leader is saying a word about the sun’s intense heat as mentioned in Revelations 16:8-9. They want the global culture to blindly believe that they can reverse global warming by their own efforts, even as they oppose belief in God, scoff at the need for the forgiveness of sin through Jesus Christ, and oppress the presence of the Holy Spirit. “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9

The state or national false prophet was blind, not being able to see the sun for a while. This is the same as our state, national, and global leaders being the blind leading the blind. “Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch.” Matthew 15:14 When the state, national, and global leaders begin to realize that they are being led down a road leading to tremendous global tribulation, that would be the time to wake up. They should already realize that their advisers have need of someone to lead them by the hand. The more powerful the United Nations become as the one world government, the hotter and more intense the effect of global warming becomes. This is a time for high-level government leaders to believe in Christ as the proconsul did, “Then the proconsul believed, when he saw what had been done, being astonished at the teaching of the Lord.”

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“….to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets,“
‘I will not impose any other burden on you, except to hold on to what you have until I come.’”
“I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.”
Revelation 2:24-25, 3:11