26 Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” 27 So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of the Kandake (which means “queen of the Ethiopians”). This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, 28 and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the Book of Isaiah the prophet. 29 The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.”
30 Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked.
31 “How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
32 This is the passage of Scripture the eunuch was reading:
“He was led like a sheep to the slaughter,
and as a lamb before its shearer is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.
33 In his humiliation he was deprived of justice.
Who can speak of his descendants?
For his life was taken from the earth.”
and as a lamb before its shearer is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.
33 In his humiliation he was deprived of justice.
Who can speak of his descendants?
For his life was taken from the earth.”
34 The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?” 35 Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.
36 As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?” [37] 38 And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. 39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing. 40 Philip, however, appeared at Azotus and traveled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he reached Caesarea.
The Spirit of the Lord (the angel of the Lord ) continued His empowering in Philip's ministry, telling him to travel on the road to Gaza. Philip listened to the voice of the Spirit, obeyed the instruction, and seeing how the Spirit prepared him to evangelize to an eunuch. Having baptized the eunuch, the Spirit took him away suddenly to preach in other towns at Caesarea. Jesus proclaimed the God's Kingdom by the Spirit; the apostles prophesied, the deacons (Stephen and Philips) preached the gospel powerfully with the Spirit; and the disciples witnessed the Name of Jesus as they were sent by the Spirit. The early church's community became the priesthood of believers. They listened to the voice and and obeyed the instructions of the Spirit, and they all spoke about Jesus and His Gospel powerfully by the Spirit in the midst of persecutions and oppositions. Signs and wonders followed their works to witness their preaching. Jesus's Gospel was spread and His Name was exalted.
Dear Holy Spirit, the angel of the Lord, please continue to speak to my life and ministry that I know and follow Your instruction like the ministry life of Philip. As I follow your way, even a desert road in people's eyes can become a way to fully experience Your presence and power, and at the same time, greatly bless other people's lives. You are God and living in your disciples' lives.
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