Sergius Paulus, a Roman proconsul, was ministered to by a false prophet named Barjesus (also known as Elymas, meaning sorcerer). Elymas was perverting the right ways of the Lord and attempting to turn the proconsul from the faith. Sergius Paulus is however said to be a prudent man; he desired to hear the word of God from God’s servants (Barnabas and Paul) and summons them. The false prophet who was attempting to spiritually blind the mind of the proconsul, opposes Barnabas and Paul, and is punished by God to be blind physically. When Sergius Paulus saw the power of the Lord manifested, he was astonished and he believed.
We must be like prudent Paulus. We must not merely accept what the false prophets teach. We must desire and seek to hear the word of God and when God’s power is manifested and observed, we must believe, so that it can be said of us as well, as it was of Sergius Paulus, that we are prudent.
Points to ponder:
Do you/I desire to hear the word of God?
Acts 13:6-12 (KJV)
6 And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Barjesus:
7 Which was with the deputy of the country, Sergius Paulus, a prudent man; who called for Barnabas and Saul, and desired to hear the word of God.
8 But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith.
9 Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him.
10 And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?
11 And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand.
12 Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord.
