Pun

I was going through the Acts of the apostles the other day and I read something that cracked me up 😂😂😂.

Acts 19:11-18 (NIV)
God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them.
Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed.
They would say, "In the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out. Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this.
One day the evil spirit answered them, "Jesus I know, and I know about Paul, but who are you? "Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all.
He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding.
😭😭😭😂😂😂💀💀 When this became known to the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus, they were all seized with fear, and the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honor.

But seriously though, know God’s word for yourself so you won’t be easily deceived. we shouldn’t trust our feelings or a pulpit. above all, we are to be rooted in the word of God for ourselves, praying to know who God says He is.

Let me go a little in depth.
(don't stop reading,  I promise you'll love it)

There was the Jews and there was the Gentiles.  Peter was called to teach the Jews while Paul was called to teach the Gentiles; although he was a Jew himself.
The Gentiles were idol worshippers,  they didn't know God. 
The legalistic Jews felt they were better than the Gentiles, so there was a big dividing line between them.

When God by His grace and mercy decided to include the Gentiles and all they had to do was "believe" to be saved, it infuriated the Jews, and so they kept trying to bring them back under the law,  they kept trying to find little ways to frustrate them,  so as to take away their freedom (Acts 15)

He who the Son set free is free indeed but satan is a legalist and he always work to take your freedom away from you. 
he's the accuser of the brethren,  he will always find something to accuse you about everyday (but condemnation is not of God).
You need to know when the devil is lying to you and you'll be able to stand up to him and say you're a liar, this is what the word says and I don't believe you.

Galatians 1:8-9 (NIV)
But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned!.
As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned!.

You need to know God for yourself!!!
This can't be over emphasized.

You need to make your mind up on what you believe,  make sure you can back it up with the word of God and when weird little doctrines come floating through the church from time to time,  you need to be well grounded in the word of God to not be deceived by those things.

You don't want to be close minded but you do need to be single minded,  know what you believe and stand firm on what you believe.

Deception in the last days will be so great,  the Bible says if He didn't shorten the days for the very elect. No man can stand the deception that is coming to earth. (Matthew 24)

We have to know what's true and follow what's true and don't get soaked up in the things that aren't true.

Paul was aggravated  with the Galatians because they knew what's true, they've received Christ,  their lives were changing.  Now the Jews that were legalistic creeps in (just the way the devil creeps in) among them and made them believe things that are not true (Galatians 5:1).

Being a Victorious, powerful Christian is a full time job; if you feel one little trip to church on a Sunday morning is good enough, you've got another thing coming.

Galatians 1:10
Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.

If you don't want to be a phony (preaching one thing and doing the direct opposite), decide to make a commitment to have a relationship with God; you're like God bring it on!!!.  You definitely can't be a people pleaser and still be a God pleaser.

Why compromise because of what someone will think of you?,  well!,  at least they're thinking of you and not thinking of someone else. (how cute😂)

Works of the flesh = Frustration
ie trying to do only what God can do
Genesis 16:1-16.

God gave Paul grace because he lacked knowledge. (Paul, then Saul felt what he was doing was right; when he was still under the law.  His heart was right,  he loved God and felt he was doing the right thing).
If you're doing what's wrong and don't know it's wrong,  you'll receive more grace than someone that knows what he's doing is wrong and still do it anyways.

When God convicted Paul of his sins on his way to Damascus to persecute Christian,  He was like God what would you have me do? (Acts 9). As long as you're willing to change,  God will work with you; No matter how many mistakes you've made,  no matter how many times you've failed. If your heart is to please God; God won't give up on you, if you won't give up on Him.

Spend time alone with God;
When Paul was called, He went away for 3 years,  then met  with Peter, stayed with him for 15days and then disappeared again for an extra 14 years (Galatians 2:1).
The Bible didn't tell us what He was doing,  but it's obvious he didn't need the approval of men.  He didn't want to be affected by everyone's opinion of what he should be doing.  So he got alone with God; so he can get real clarity and the real foundation in his life of what God wanted to do.

Don't be so entrenched in people, that you get sideline from what God is calling you to do by starting to feel like you have to gain people's approval for everything you do.
So Paul basically said I don't need their approval because I've got God's approval,  I've heard from Him,  I know what He has called me to do,  so I don't need anyone to tell me it's okay.  (we should adopt that attitude).
I'm not saying you shouldn't listen to people; the Bible says there's wisdom in many counsel (obviously, if you ask  10people and they all disapproves,  you should go back, rethink and try to hear from God)
But if you let people lead your life,  you won't end up where God wants you to be. So basically you should have a mind of your own.

When the push comes to shove, all you'll need is God and not people

Anytime you try to make the right decision for God,  the devil will find someone that doesn't like it.

Sometimes God will lead us into and through uncomfortable places in our lives because some of our best times and spiritual growth come from these places.

When it hurts and we continue to do what's right;  we're growing.
When it doesn't hurt, then we're enjoying the growth that we already have.

Everything God has asked us to do whether small or big is for the actualization of His overall plan for our lives.

God bless you😘😘😘