TUESDAY 5TH JUNE 2018 MORNING PRAYER DEVOTION
SCRIPTURE READING:– ACTS 8:5-25
TOPIC:- TEN REASONS WHY THERE WAS JOY IN SAMARIA
TEXT:– ACTS 8:8
The Bible stated in Acts 8:8 that there was much joy in that city called Samaria, [ESV], or great joy [NKJV], or everyone in that city was very glad, [CEV], or great rejoicing, [AMP]. So we need to discuss what brought the joy to the city called Samaria.
Why was there much joy in that city as stated above in different versions of the Bible?:
1. Holy Spirit had been waiting for this opportunity to come one day. The Church needed to be expanded through evangelism but the Christians refused to carryout God’s injunction as stated in Matthew 28:18-20.
2. More specifically, Jesus mentioned Samaria as a city to be evangelized by the help of the Holy Spirit. See Acts 1:8 for details.
3. Since the Christians were growing bigger numerically in the city of Jerusalem and refusing to evangelize other cities as commanded by the Lord Jesus Christ as stated in Acts 2:41-42; 4:4.
4. Seen the incident of going against the will of God, thereafter, God allowed them to be persecuted which later led to many of them to be forced to leave Jerusalem. See Acts 8:2.
5. Another message was that this persecuted Christians left Jerusalem forcefully and thereby made Samaria as their targeted city and settled therein. See Acts 8:4.
6. Phillip too contributed to the reason why there was much joy in the city of Samaria. The Apostles earlier in Acts 6:1-7, ordained 7 Deacons, in which Phillip was one of them. After much persecution in which Stephen who was one of the ordained deacons was killed, the anointing upon Phillip also made him to go to Samaria whereby glorious signs and wonders were wrought through him. See Acts 8:5-8.
7. The evidences of signs and miracles performed by the Holy Spirit through Phillip is also one of the reasons why there was much joy in the city of Samaria as evidently confirmed by Simon the sorcerer. See Acts 8:12-17.
8. There was joy in the city of Samaria because the unclean spirit and that of the devil that had been in control and domination of the city subjected and gave way for the rulership of the Holy Spirit in which the formal controller of the city, Simon, who used his demonic power to put the city in bondage also was subjected to power of the Holy Spirit.
9. And not only so but the devil who was their master was cast out and the city enjoyed the power of the Holy Ghost. See Acts 8:7-24.
10. Lastly, the Bible was not just writing history but recording how evangelism spread all over including the city of Samaria. So, because of joy in the city, the book of the Acts of the Apostles should have been named the Acts of the Holy Spirit for it was the Holy Spirit who brought that joy to the city of Samaria through our forefathers. Praise be to our living God because power pass power!
Prayer Points:-
1. I command the joy of the Lord to locate me now by fire, in the name of Jesus Christ.
2. Ye joy of the Lord, why are you running away from me, I possess you now by fire, in the name of Jesus Christ.
3. I am no more weeping, sorrow is no more my portion but joy, in the name of Jesus Christ.
