Acts 14
The Antidote to Poisoned Minds!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Tuesday, July 21.
Why is there is so much anger and strife in our world?
Listen to Acts 14:2, “But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers.”
This verse stopped me in my tracks. The Greek word translated “poisoned” carries malicious intent as to harm or embitter someone. This group sought to turn all the other people against the gospel of Jesus; to assassinate the character and discredit the believers. But the evil that animates such motivations won’t stop at discredit; it must win and will destroy anything that opposes it.
Sound familiar? Not much has changed because the same evil is at work in us today as has been for thousands of years. No amount of technological progress changes the real issue!
Paul explains this so clearly in Romans 8:6-7, “For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so.”
This is the real issue hidden behind all human issues—it is this hostility that our flesh (ego, self-willed efforts) has against God’s rightful claim on our lives. We belong to Him, but until we give over the deed of ownership we will fight Him and everyone else who doesn’t accept my right to rule my own empire.
The gospel is that Jesus came “to put to death the enmity [hostility]” (Ephesians 2:13-16) and to bring us under God’s sovereign rule where we find peace and rest.
Seize the moment and choose to give God all rights of ownership. God’s Spirit in you is the only antidote to the poison that brings hostility between us all.