A Clash of Kingdoms Discovery Guide by unknow

Author:unknow
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperChristian Resources
Published: 2017-05-02T00:00:00+00:00

2. Unlike the Jews who had the written Word of God, the Greeks and Romans had no sacred texts. They were hungry for a word from their gods and longed for divine guidance for the future. So they sought to manipulate favor from their gods through sacrifices and offerings and viewed omens and oracles with high regard. In their view, the Pythia, the woman who was the Oracle of Delphi, literally was the voice of god. But ordinary people often did not have the means to travel to Delphi and seek an oracle from Apollo, so a child who was believed to have a python spirit that linked her to the god and gave her the ability to predict the future would be in high demand. In contrast, what does God say about his Word and the role it is to have in the lives of those who follow him? (See Romans 3:2; 15:4; 2 Timothy 3:16–17; Hebrews 4:12.)

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3. The city of Ephesus, where Paul spent considerable time, was known for having significant demonic influence. What insight does Ephesians 2:1–6 provide into Paul’s understanding of what it is like for a person to live under the influence of demons and in bondage to the “ways of this world,” which is Satan’s kingdom?

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How is it possible to escape such a life?

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4. Acts 16:18 tells us that Paul became so “annoyed” by the young slave’s harassment that he cast the spirit out of her. We must realize that being “annoyed” does not mean Paul was having a bad day or was reacting to a petty irritation. The word Luke used has the implication of being “deeply troubled” as well as annoyed.14 It is translated in some versions as “grieved” and implies that Paul was struggling with deep inner pain.

a. How do you think the girl’s constant presence and shouting would have affected Paul’s ability to find an audience and share the good news of Jesus as he walked through Philippi, and why would this have troubled him?

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b. Paul’s mission was to make God’s name known—to display God’s character and increase his reputation so that people who did not know him would be drawn to him. Yet the publicity generated by the demonic spirit that possessed the girl was the opposite of his intent. How deeply must the demon’s power and influence have troubled Paul, and why was it necessary for him to demonstrate God’s power over the demon? (For a greater understanding of the power struggle between demons and God’s kingdom and its influence on making God’s name known, read what happened in Ephesus, Acts 19:11–20.)

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c. It is hard to imagine a powerful demon, an agent of Satan’s evil kingdom, possessing a young and helpless child. What about her situation and condition do you think deeply grieved Paul? (See Deuteronomy 24:17–22; Ephesians 4:32; Philippians 2:1–5; Colossians 3:12.)

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FOR GREATER UNDERSTANDING

The Spiritual Battle Is Real

To the modern reader, it may seem that

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