Week 29 (13 - 19 July): Partnership, Courage and Growth

During our young adults’ discussion on Acts 18 – 19:22, we were reminded of how relevant the early church’s experiences remain today. As we followed the story of Paul’s continued missionary journey to Corinth and Ephesus, two key cities in the Roman empire, it became clear that the gospel did not flourish in these places because the cities were receptive, but because God was at work even in the midst of cultures marked by pagan idolatry, sexual immorality, and occultism. Indeed, no place or person is beyond God’s reach and true transformation can only come from Him. 

One verse that stood out to us was God’s encouragement to Paul in Acts 18:9-10 “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city”. Despite the strong opposition Paul faced in Corinth, God was clear in His reassurance and reminded Paul to continue faithfully proclaiming the gospel. What intrigued us most was when God said “because I have many people in this city”, and we found ourselves wondering who these people were. From a human perspective, Corinth seemed like one of the least likely places for the gospel to take root. Even many of the Jews, who had long awaited the Messiah, rejected Paul’s message that Jesus was the one true Messiah. Yet beyond the visible circumstances, God already knew those whose hearts He would draw to Himself, even before they had responded to the gospel. This truth is just as relevant today, as we Christians may continue to encounter opposition or pushback for our faith. Paul’s words in Romans 8:31 serve as a fitting encouragement “If God is for us, who can be against us?”. Knowing that God is for us gives us the confidence to persevere faithfully, even when the circumstances may seem discouraging.

We also discussed our desire to hear God’s voice, recognising that this is ultimately guided by a desire to walk closely with Him. At the same time, we acknowledged that our experiences of discerning God’s voice can at times feel uncertain. This led us to reflect on the importance of fellowship, where we can share what we had heard from God to encourage one another and discern prayerfully together. I found this especially comforting as it reminded me that God never intended for us to journey alone. 

In Acts 19, we saw the clear distinction between John’s baptism (a baptism of repentance) and the baptism of the Holy Spirit. A key question that we wrestled with was – Can we truly believe or have repentance without the Holy Spirit? As we reflected on Scripture, we concluded that the Holy Spirit enables the conviction of sin (John 16:8) and spiritual awakening (1 Corinthians 2:14). It is the continuous infilling of the Holy Spirit that empowers us, and truly transforms us from the inside out. 

We concluded the session with a wonderful time of worship and prayer led by Pastor Ben, Andrea and Bryan. The presence of the Holy Spirit was deeply felt, leaving many of us with a renewed sense of God’s peace, assurance and transformation. 

In our coming week, we commit these to prayer: 

Lord, we pray for a deeper relationship with You, a continuous infilling of the Holy Spirit, a more discerning ear to hear Your voice, and a heart that is both humble enough to receive correction and gracious enough to lovingly guide others. Above all, remind us that You are already at work in places and people that may seem unlikely, and that our calling is simply to remain faithful and steadfast in wherever you have placed us.

On behalf of RT1 Sheryl