Part 5 - When the Holy Spirit Speaks to Women

Welcome to the Women’s Weekly Bible Challenge! I’m Lisa Ann Spencer.

Today is Part 5 of our study, When the Holy Spirit Speaks to Women.

Let’s do a QUICK REVIEW of last week.

Paul was saved in ACTS 9 apart from the gospel of the Kingdom that the 12 Apostles were preaching.  Paul’s salvation is unique, and it is the PATTERN for everyone that is saved today. 

In ACTS 10 -11, God sent Peter to a devout Gentile’s house, Cornelius, who was saved and received the Holy Ghost.  The believing Jews were ASTONISHED that a Gentile was saved in this manner because they knew that ISRAEL, according to PROPHECY, should first be saved before the Gentiles would be blessed. 

In ACTS 12, Peter and James (the brother of John) are put in prison:  James is murdered, but God saves Peter.  Many years later, as recorded in Acts chapter 15, Peter gives testimony of God pouring out the Holy Spirt on the Gentiles in Cornelius’s house.  Paul is acknowledged as the Apostle to the Gentiles, while James is now the head of the church in Jerusalem, which continues to minister to JEWS ONLY.

ACTS CHAPTER 13 

PAUL’S MINISTRY TO THE GENTILES OFFICIALLY BEGINS

📔NOTE: It is interesting to note Herod’s death at the end of Acts chapter 12 just prior to Paul being sent to the Gentiles.  If we understand the prophetic timeline given in the book of Daniel regarding the 7-year tribulation that SHOULD have occurred following the cutting off of the Messiah, we ought to realize that it is highly plausible that Herod would have arisen as the Antichrist.  The people cry out upon hearing Herod’s speech, “It is the voice of a god, and not of a man”, but the angel of the Lord smote him.  Herod’s death is just another sign of the Kingdom being postponed.

Click here to read Acts 13:1-3

13:2 As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.

“Barnabas and Saul” are mentioned together throughout the early Acts period from 9:27-13:7, and Barnabas is always mentioned first.  After Saul’s name is changed to Paul, Paul is mentioned first, beginning in Acts 13:43, with few exceptions.  You can search these for yourself and note when and where the names are reversed.

PAUL’S MINISTRY BEGINS WITH A MIRACLE – A SIGN TO THE JEWS

The record of Paul’s first miracle in ACTS 13:6-12, is another SIGN of his ministry.  As Paul is attempting to share the gospel with a Gentile, a Jew attempts to prevent the Gentile from hearing the truth.  (This pattern is repeated through the remainder of the book of Acts.) The Apostle Paul blinds the Jew FOR A SEASON, and the Gentile believes the gospel and is saved.

I encourage you to read Romans chapters 9, 10 and 11 for the explanation of the Fall of Israel and their blindness for a season while God shows mercy to both Jews and Gentiles, saving them by faith alone in Christ alone. 

Romans 11:7 What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded

Romans 11:25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.

The conclusion of the matter is stated in Romans 11:32 For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have MERCY upon all.

Read Romans chapters 9-11, with the understanding that the purpose of Paul’s ministry is to demonstrate God’s mercy is UPON ALL so that ALL who believe may be saved, not just a few elect people as Calvinists falsely teach.

WHEN THE HOLY SPIRIT SPEAKS TO WOMEN

Now we see the transition that is taking place in the book of Acts:

• from Jew to Gentile
• from Peter to Paul
• from the Gospel of the Kingdom to the Gospel of the Grace of God,

We can move forward through the book of Acts and pick up our study on the WOMEN of the book of ACTS, keeping in mind that it is the Holy Spirit that has sent Paul and who gives him the words to speak.

I would like to point out the "Women Bookends" in this portion of the book of Acts; the so-called ‘devout’ Jewish “honourable women” of Acts 13:50, contrasted with the "honourable women" of Acts 17:12 who were Greeks.

In Acts 13, the unbelieving Jews of Antioch stirred up the people and raised a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and ran them out of town.

Acts 13:50 But the Jews stirred up the devout and honourable women, and the chief men of the city, and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their coasts.

Here we see the “honourable women” being influenced by the unbelieving Jews.  The word ‘honourable’ means: holding rank, distinguished, respected, and esteemed.  The word is found 30 times in the KJB, and I would encourage you to study how it is used to get a complete definition.  You can be assured that it involved wealth and influence, as did this local synagogue.  I am reminded of today’s mega-churches with their political influence, but who entirely reject Paul’s distinct ministry. They may lay claim to the gospel of grace, but they immediately pervert it by requiring their members to maintain good works, particularly tithing, as proof of their salvation.  However, we know that the gospel is simply trusting in Jesus's work on the cross to pay for our sins, and it has nothing to do with our works.

ANTIOCH PISIDIA

Click here to read Acts 13:14-41

Paul’s first recorded message is a history of the nation of Israel; Jesus’s Death, Burial and Resurrection; and the clear gospel of justification by faith alone!

13:38 Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: 39 And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.

After hearing this, the Jews left the synagogue, but the Gentiles stayed and asked Paul to preach again the next Sabbath day.  Many Jews and Gentiles believed and followed Paul. 

The next Sabbath almost the whole city came to hear the word of God, which moved the unbelieving Jews to ENVY – not jealousy, but envy!

📔 NOTE: Jealousy is not a sin because even God is jealous, but ENVY is a wicked sin that always leads to more sin (Exodus 20:5).  

The unbelieving Jews SPAKE AGAINST Paul’s message.  The text says they CONTRADICTED and BLASPHEMED (13:45).  This passage defines the meaning of blasphemy for us.  In the next verse Paul makes his first declaration that he is turning away from the Jews and going to the GENTILES.

📔NOTE: This is the first of THREE declarations by Paul that God is turning to the GENTILES:

1. Acts 13:46 It was necessary that the -word of God should first have been spoken to you [Jews]… but ye put it from you and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, Lo we go to the Gentiles.
2. Acts 18:6 And when [the Jews] opposed themselves, and blasphemed, he shook his raiment, and said unto them, Your blood be upon your own heads: I am clean: from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles.
3. Acts 28:28 Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it.

We'll end our study here today. In the next lesson we will pick up with the Apostle Paul's next "missionary journey", beginning in Acts 16.  We will continue our study of the women in the book of Acts.  You might like to read Acts chapters 16-28 and highlight any women that are mentioned.  

See you next week as we continue Part 6 of our study, When the Holy Spirit Speaks to Women.

This material is covered on my YouTube channel: