Acts 13:2-3 As they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.’ Then after they had fasted, prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them off.
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It should be obvious by now that the early church did not have a guidebook to tell them what to do next.
They had the overall mission given to them in Jesus’ words in Acts 1:6, so they knew that eventually they were to go “to the ends of the earth.” But how was that to happen?
The answers came to them by seeking God’s will. In Acts 13, we are taken to the church at Antioch, which was the first identifiable church that would not be from Jerusalem, Judea, or Samaria. It was in present-day Syria, almost 300 miles from Jerusalem. The first verse of Acts 13 describes the leadership of this church as five men identified as prophets and teachers. They were quite diverse, including at least one and possibly two from Africa and another who served in Herod’s household.
As this passage shows, they found their direction from worship, fasting, and prayer. This is the first time that the word ‘fasting’ is used in the book of Acts and it will come up one more time in the next lesson. In both of these situations, fasting appeared to be an integral component in the charging and sending off of those who were being ordained for church leadership.
What is notable in this passage is that it was after they heard the Holy Spirit identify Barnabas and Saul that they again prayed, fasted, and laid hands on these two men. Prayer fuels every aspect of work for the Lord.
PRAYER STARTER…
O Heavenly Father, may we never take for granted your blessing, your direction, your protection, and love for us. May we always seek your grace in any and every endeavor, no matter how clearly we see the path before us. We especially pray for wisdom and godly consul for our church leaders. They are on the front lines and they need your shelter and strength.
(Continue this prayer as the Holy Spirit directs you personally. Seek to pray specifically for particular elders, home group leaders, ministry coordinators, etc. that the Lord may give you a burden for. )