No miracles allowed! by order of the current Religious Leaders. Throughout history into our day, it is always the cry of the fake religious leaders to stop the Holy Spirit’s miracles because the leaders cannot control those miracles or the Holy Spirit. When pseudo-religious leaders are in charge of a group, a church, or a denomination, the first thing they do is shut down the miracles. No more healings. No more casting out demons. No more prophecies. Regardless of the tactics used, miracles are continually shut down. Why? Because the leaders are not in charge, they cannot control what is happening, and their own names are not associated with the great miracles that are occurring. Religious leaders are intimidated by the workings of the Holy Spirit yet they would all like to take credit for the work of the Holy Spirit if they can. Taking a forty thousand foot view we see that whenever a group of people allow the Holy Spirit to move in the gifts and power of the Holy Spirit, others always try to stop it. This happened to Paul at Ephesus, and later without Paul at Ephesus. This is why there was a change in attitude towards Paul between Chapter 15 of Acts and Chapter 21. It is one thing to make a bunch of new gentile converts that send money to Jerusalem, but is is entirely another thing to allow those gentile converts who send money to Jerusalem to see miracles in their churches and not at Jerusalem. If the leaders at Jerusalem were not in control of the miracles, and they themselves were not seeing miracles, then all miracles had to be stopped. Today one of the largest church denominations has to have a committee to determine if an event that occurred many years ago was an actual miracle. Pathetic. Scraping by with maybe one miracle per decade is ridiculous considering that the Holy Spirit is with us and in us. Both in the northern kingdom and southern kingdom, miracles were very few and far between as long as there was defilement in the temple. Then Jesus came. There were miracles everywhere he went. In our day, religious organizations hardly see any miracles. If a church or denomination is defiled in some way, miracles stop. If a revival breaks out people shut it down claiming everyone needed rest. Rest from miracles? That is silly. But this is how limited our thinking has become. People who are desperate for a miracle pine away, wishing for it when they had the power all along. But it does not come by clicking their heels. What do the pseudo-church leaders do? They tell people they need more faith or some nonsense, because they really don’t want any miracles.
The first thing we see when Paul arrives in Ephesus in Acts 18 is that he is on the way to Jerusalem. The Jews asked Paul to stay but he just said that he would return. He left Priscilla and Aquila in Ephesus instead. Paul visits the church in Jerusalem, probably bringing money to the church leaders, and then leaves for Antioch. Apollos goes to Ephesus and teaches there for a while, then leaves. Paul returns to Ephesus, Acts 19, and baptizes twelve people in the Holy Spirit. Those twelve begin speaking in unacquired languages and they prophesy. We need to stop here for a moment. Speaking in tongues, or unacquired languages, was not a new thing starting at Pentecost. It was a known phenomena associated with the Holy Spirit. The prophets under the old covenant spoke in unacquired languages. It was not an unheard of thing on the Day of Pentecost. What was surprising was that regular men, from all over the region, who followed Jesus, and believed that he was the Messiah, received this infilling. This is what scared the religious leaders, regular people receiving the Holy Spirit and speaking in various unacquired languages the wonderful works of God.
https://musingsofawinsomeheart.blogspot.com/2018/11/new-unacquired-languages-red-pill-blue.html
https://musingsofawinsomeheart.blogspot.com/2018/11/speaking-in-tongues-spirit-joins-spirit.html
https://musingsofawinsomeheart.blogspot.com/2022/03/gifts-offices-and-operations-allos.html
https://musingsofawinsomeheart.blogspot.com/2022/03/we-know-in-part-interpret-elohim-glossa.html
https://musingsofawinsomeheart.blogspot.com/2022/03/prophesy-decently-and-orderly-women-at.html
https://musingsofawinsomeheart.blogspot.com/2016/02/apollos-spirit-filled-tongues-of-fire.html
https://musingsofawinsomeheart.blogspot.com/2018/11/righteous-centurions-unacquired.html
The leaders in Jerusalem turning against Paul is not as much of a stretch as we might think as Stephen called them out for resisting the Holy Spirit. At first when the Jews were receiving the Holy Spirit it was a shock but not as much of a concern as when the non-Jews were receiving the Holy Spirit, like at Antioch. Besides receiving the Holy Spirit there were miracles and then the religious leaders felt like they had a problem. The leaders tried to shut down the miracles in Jerusalem, the healing of the lame man and the subsequent teaching that went on afterwards. People were being healed in Peter’s shadow so to shut down the miracles Peter was arrested. After the angel broke Peter out of prison the disciples were brought to the High Priest for interrogation, a beating, and then commanded not to speak again in the name of Jesus.
We see that Jerusalem was the city where miracles were not allowed. Disciples were seeing miracles outside Jerusalem and the leaders in Jerusalem wanted “reports” about these matters. Why? What did those religious leaders have to do with Samaria, Antioch, or Caesarea? Nothing. Those religious leaders had a temple that was full of dead works. Yet they attempted to use their perceived religious authority on other people in the region.They could only reach so far. They then send out “hit squads” to go after people in other cities. The Holy Spirit converted the assassins and prevented the pseudo-religious leaders from persecuting people outside of Jerusalem.
By Acts 18 notable miracles such as healings and casting out demons were not seen in Ephesus. People were receiving the Holy Spirit but it wasn’t until Paul returned from Jerusalem, Acts 19, that the flood of miracles occurred. The flood of miracles did not occur in the synagogue but after Paul had been teaching in Tyrannus. The first thing that took place was Paul’s handkerchief miracles. People were healed from sickness and evil spirits. Then the exorcists, the seven sons of Sceva, attempted to cast out an evil spirit, but it leaped on them, stripped them naked, and chased them out of the house. They tried to use the name of Jesus whom Paul preaches. What was the problem? They themselves didn’t believe on Jesus. They were using “Jesus” as a magic word. Fear fell on all the people in Ephesus. This is when many people confessed Jesus and burned their magic books.
Paul leaves Ephesus and teaches at Troas where he raises Eutychus from the dead after Eutychus had fallen out of a window. Paul stops back at Ephesus on the way to Jerusalem in order to meet with the elders. Something has changed between the time Paul went to Jerusalem in Chapter 18 and Chapter 20, which is about three years.
Acts 20:17 However, from Miletus he sent to Ephesus and summoned the elders of the church [to come to him there].
18 And when they arrived he said to them: You yourselves are well acquainted with my manner of living among you from the first day that I set foot in [the province of] Asia, and how I continued afterward,
19 Serving the Lord with all humility in tears and in the midst of adversity (affliction and trials) which befell me, due to the plots of the Jews [against me];
Paul points out that the plots of the Jews are still going on against him. What changed? Remember Jesus said he was sending them prophets, wise men, and desert scribes?
Matthew 23:34 Because of this, take notice: I am sending you prophets and wise men (interpreters and teachers) and scribes (men learned in the Mosaic Law and the Prophets); some of them you will kill, even crucify, and some you will flog in your synagogues and pursue and persecute from town to town,
The Amplified Bible (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1987), Mt 23:34.
We see that Paul is not calling them Pharisees or educated religious leaders, he simply calls them Jews. They were not regular men and women, they were synagogue and temple leaders that were trying to stop Paul. At some point, we do not know when, the church leaders made a deal with the Jews/Pharisees. We do not know what was happening behind the scenes but James and the other church leaders were ready to sacrifice Paul to the wolves.
Acts 20:20 How I did not shrink from telling you anything that was for your benefit and teaching you in public meetings and from house to house,
21 But constantly and earnestly I bore testimony both to Jews and Greeks, urging them to turn in repentance [that is due] to God and to have faith in our Lord Jesus Christ [that is due Him].
22 And now, you see, I am going to Jerusalem, bound by the [Holy] Spirit and obligated and compelled by the [convictions of my own] spirit, not knowing what will befall me there—
23 Except that the Holy Spirit clearly and emphatically affirms to me in city after city that imprisonment and suffering await me.
24 But none of these things move me; neither do I esteem my life dear to myself, if only I may finish my course with joy and the ministry which I have obtained from [which was entrusted to me by] the Lord Jesus, faithfully to attest to the good news (Gospel) of God’s grace (His unmerited favor, spiritual blessing, and mercy).
Paul is not running from the danger that awaits him in Jerusalem. It is interesting because we saw that Paul was sending in disciples to towns ahead of his arrival and if a plot was against him, he did not go there, as it was with Syria. But it is possible that after all these years Paul feels that the only way to not be hunted any longer is to confront the mob. It is also possible that the church at Jerusalem folded to outside pressure and now was just a vassal for the Jews.
Acts 20:25 And now, observe, I perceive that all of you, among whom I have gone in and out proclaiming the kingdom, will see my face no more.
26 Therefore I testify and protest to you on this [our parting] day that I am clean and innocent and not responsible for the blood of any of you.
27 For I never shrank or kept back or fell short from declaring to you the whole purpose and plan and counsel of God.
28 Take care and be on guard for yourselves and the whole flock over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you bishops and guardians, to shepherd (tend and feed and guide) the church of the Lord or of God which He obtained for Himself [buying it and saving it for Himself] with His own blood.
29 I know that after I am gone, ferocious wolves will get in among you, not sparing the flock;
30 Even from among your own selves men will come to the front who, by saying perverse (distorted and corrupt) things, will endeavor to draw away the disciples after them [to their own party].
31 Therefore be always alert and on your guard, being mindful that for three years I never stopped night or day seriously to admonish and advise and exhort you one by one with tears.
The wolves are coming for the laity. The wolves are hunting them and surrounding them. They will come out from among them, meaning that they were lying in wait for the right time to attack. They have been watching from within the church. Some of them called themselves "special messengers” or “apostles” while others call themselves the “people overcomers” or Nicolaitans. Jesus knows what they went through and were going through. He commended them for their endurance.
Revelation 2:2 I know your industry and activities, laborious toil and trouble, and your patient endurance, and how you cannot tolerate wicked [men] and have tested and critically appraised those who call [themselves] apostles (special messengers of Christ) and yet are not, and have found them to be impostors and liars.
3 I know you are enduring patiently and are bearing up for My name’s sake, and you have not fainted or become exhausted or grown weary.
4 But I have this [one charge to make] against you: that you have left (abandoned) the love that you had at first [you have deserted Me, your first love].
5 Remember then from what heights you have fallen. Repent (change the inner man to meet God’s will) and do the works you did previously [when first you knew the Lord], or else I will visit you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you change your mind and repent.
6 Yet you have this [in your favor and to your credit]: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans [what they are doing as corrupters of the people], which I Myself also detest.
The Amplified Bible (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1987), Re 2:2–6.
We love to wag a finger at the church in Ephesus for losing their first love but most of our churches can’t even endure past one false apostle, or one overly domineering narcissist detractor. These people were enduring many wolves, all types of evil people, and testing them and critically appraising them, finding them impostors and liars. Today our churches roll over for every false apostle and every narcissist with an opinion. We don’t test anyone and we don’t call them out, we let them co-exist in our church. The work of extracting the wolves became a full time job with the burden of testing and appraising the liars and impostors. Where did the miracles go? Maybe Jesus’ point here is that demons fled with Paul’s handkerchiefs, and the exorcist Jews were attacked by a demon, so why not get back into the flow of miracles? The liars and impostors will be run out by the power of the Holy Spirit. Maybe they thought it was their job or burden to fight the wolves when really the Holy Spirit will do it for them if they remember their first love and flow in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Paul knew what was going to happen and that he would probably not be back to see them so he prayed over them.
Acts 20:32 And now [brethren], I commit you to God [I deposit you in His charge, entrusting you to His protection and care]. And I commend you to the Word of His grace [to the commands and counsels and promises of His unmerited favor]. It is able to build you up and to give you [your rightful] inheritance among all God’s set-apart ones (those consecrated, purified, and transformed of soul).
33 I coveted no man’s silver or gold or [costly] garments.
34 You yourselves know personally that these hands ministered to my own needs and those [of the persons] who were with me.
35 In everything I have pointed out to you [by example] that, by working diligently in this manner, we ought to assist the weak, being mindful of the words of the Lord Jesus, how He Himself said, It is more blessed (makes one happier and more to be envied) to give than to receive.
36 Having spoken thus, he knelt down with them all and prayed.
37 And they all wept freely and threw their arms around Paul’s neck and kissed him fervently and repeatedly,
38 Being especially distressed and sorrowful because he had stated that they were about to see his face no more. And they accompanied him to the ship
The Amplified Bible (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1987), Ac 20:17–38.
Why were the Jews so hateful towards Paul? Why did they want to kill him? No one had a ministry like Paul. We can see that Luke focused on Paul after he came out of the desert instead of the Jerusalem church leaders or any of the other apostles.
Acts 21:1 AND WHEN we had torn ourselves away from them and withdrawn, we set sail and made a straight run to Cos, and on the following [day came] to Rhodes and from there to Patara.
2 There we found a ship crossing over to Phoenicia; so we went aboard and sailed away.
3 After we had sighted Cyprus, leaving it on our left we sailed on to Syria and put in at Tyre, for there the ship was to unload her cargo.
4 And having looked up the disciples there, we remained with them for seven days. Prompted by the [Holy] Spirit, they kept telling Paul not to set foot in Jerusalem.
5 But when our time there was ended, we left and proceeded on our journey; and all of them with their wives and children accompanied us on our way till we were outside the city. There we knelt down on the beach and prayed.
The Amplified Bible (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1987), Ac 21:1–5.
People knew Paul was walking into a trap. Paul knew he was walking into a trap. Maybe the Holy Spirit telling Paul and these other people telling Paul was just so that Paul had an opportunity to change his mind.
Acts 21:8 On the morrow we left there and came to Caesarea; and we went into the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the Seven [first deacons], and stayed with him. [Acts 6:5.]
9 And he had four maiden daughters who had the gift of prophecy.
10 While we were remaining there for some time, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea.
11 And coming to [see] us, he took Paul’s belt and with it bound his own feet and hands and said, Thus says the Holy Spirit: The Jews at Jerusalem shall bind like this the man who owns this belt, and they shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles (heathen).
12 When we heard this, both we and the residents of that place pleaded with him not to go up to Jerusalem.
13 Then Paul replied, What do you mean by weeping and breaking my heart like this? For I hold myself in readiness not only to be arrested and bound and imprisoned at Jerusalem, but also [even] to die for the name of the Lord Jesus.
14 And when he would not yield to [our] persuading, we stopped [urging and imploring him], saying, The Lord’s will be done!
15 After these days we packed our baggage and went up to Jerusalem.
The Amplified Bible (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1987), Ac 21:8–15.
Again Agabus tells Paul not to go or the Jews would bind him. Notice that Agabus says they would bind his hands and feet. Now it seems more like the Holy Spirit is warning Paul not to go to Jerusalem. Remember Paul said this to the Ephesian elders:
Acts 20 22: …..I am going to Jerusalem, bound by the [Holy] Spirit and obligated and compelled by the [convictions of my own] spirit, not knowing what will befall me there—
23 Except that the Holy Spirit clearly and emphatically affirms to me in city after city that imprisonment and suffering await me.
The disciples are telling Paul “don’t go to Jerusalem”. Paul says even though everywhere he goes people tell him not to go, he is going anyway, even though the Holy Spirit says imprisonment and suffering await him. After all these years, why? Something happened to the leaders in Jerusalem and Paul believed the only way to straighten things out was to go there himself. Paul felt so passionately about fixing this issue that he was willing to be a sacrifice.
Why would anyone want to shut down the man who healed so many and made Jewish exorcists cry? A man who also raised a boy back to life? Why would anyone want to stop the miracles? If the old religion worked so well why weren’t there any miracles until Jesus showed up? Jesus led the way in miracles, healings, and raising the dead to life, as well as opening blind eyes and deaf ears. The Messiah’s way is a new way. It is the way of life.
If they could stop Paul would the miracles stop too? No, the Holy Spirit can’t be stopped if people are willing to be led by the Holy Spirit. We see these same situations today. If someone is bold enough to pray for others who are then healed, then Christian wolves, false apostles, “people dominators” come out of the woodwork to stop the miracles. Over and over there are people in the churches waiting to stop the Holy Spirit and the power of the Holy Spirit. Fortunately for us, while Paul was on house arrest, he had the time to dictate many letters to the various churches which we can learn from. The Jews couldn’t stop the letter writing. The Jews tried to stop Paul, but Paul wasn’t stopped and neither was the Holy Spirit.
Jerusalem was no longer a hub for religion. Judaism was no longer a prominent religion. The Romans controlled Israel. The Jews put themselves under a blood curse by rejecting Jesus as Messiah and unbeknownst to them this is the ending of their existence. The Jews would have another civil war. Soon the Romans would kick all the Jews out of Jerusalem and tear down the temple. Meanwhile, the churches that Paul established were miracle flowing healing centers for the world. No one was bound by a heritage or a religious order, Christianity was for everyone. Next week we will see how the Church at Jerusalem made its way to the dark side, and why they let Paul be their sacrifice.
