Read: Acts 13:1-3
After fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off. (v. 3)
I am suspicious whenever I hear someone say, “The Holy Spirit told me.” I’ve heard people use that phrase to add authority to their opinion. I wonder how they knew it was the Holy Spirit? Even worse, some have experienced abuse of spiritual authority in the church with such an unprovable approach. So how did the early church know it was the Spirit? Acts 13 gives us important markers to discern.
The Spirit speaks during a time of worship and fasting in the church. This is not a solo experience. The people come from a variety of ethnic, geographic, and social backgrounds, even a court official! The instruction received is consistent with biblical theology and past calling. Jesus said the disciples would be his witnesses “to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8), and he had already called Paul “to carry [his] name before the Gentiles” (Acts 9:15). This is not new. Then, before sending Paul and Barnabas, they pray and fast some more.
The Spirit still speaks to those who take the time to listen. I have seen this in Uganda. Every Thursday a team of intercessors fasts from dawn to dusk to worship and pray. They practice what I imagine the church in Antioch did. Amid worship and prayer, people share how they sense God speaking. All tested in Scripture and submitted to the community for discernment. When we seek God like this, we can trust what the Spirit says.
As you pray, ask to hear what the Spirit is saying.
About the Author
Rev. Jon Opgenorth serves as president of Words of Hope. Previously, he served for 18 years as senior pastor at Trinity Reformed Church in Orange City, Iowa. In preparation for ministry, he received a BA in Religion from Northwestern College, and an MDiv from Fuller Theological Seminary.
