In this post I am going to discuss Acts 13:1-3, I am only covering three verses out of the Book of Acts, but God revealed several key points during this study on the importance of seeking God. There are some very important keys that every Christian should be applying daily to their life along with reading the Word.
A Divine Calling
Acts 13:1 starts off by telling us that there was a group of teachers and prophets at the church of Antioch. Verse two tells us that as they were worshiping God, and fasting the Holy Spirit spoke to them and told them to separate Barnabas and Saul for a divine work God has called them to do. In the next verse, as they were praying and fasting, they laid hands on Saul and Barnabas and prayed over them before sending them away to what God had called for them to do. Acts 13:3 (AMP) translates it as, “Then after fasting and praying, they laid their hands on them [in approval and dedication] and sent them away [on their first journey].”. It tells us that the teachers and prophets laid hands on Saul and Barnabas in approval for the work of ministry they will begin, and dedication to that calling. Many times, when a new minister is ordained, a pastor certifying the new minister will often lay hands on them and pray over them. This is something you might see at an ordination service. This is something very important because it is one thing to just hand someone a piece of paper certifying them to be a pastor, but it is another thing to lay hands on them and pray for them. This should also be a reminder that we need to be praying for our pastors, and other people in the ministry field daily for God to give them wisdom, knowledge, and strength.
Fasting
If you look at Acts 13:1-3 you will see that they were not only praying and worshiping God but that they were fasting. My pastor calls fasting the ‘F’ word in Christianity. This is very important for every Christian to do if you want to truly seek God. Now keep in mind, if you have any medical condition, please consult with your doctor first before trying to fast. But it is always encouraged to start off small, such as skipping a mid-day snack or meal. Jesus fasted for forty days in the wilderness when He was tempted by the devil. Luke 4:2 (NKJV) tells us, “being tempted for forty days by the devil. And in those days, He ate nothing, and afterward, when they had ended, He was hungry.”. Jesus was very vulnerable during this time being without any food for forty days, but He still did not fall into the temptation of the devil. He continued responding to the devil what scripture said. This is one important way to deal with the attacks from the enemy, which is to declare what the Word of God says.
Worship
Another key that is shown in Acts 13:1-3 is that they were worshiping God. Many Christians just worship God when they are in church on Sundays. We are to spend time worshiping God as much as we can, not just once a week. John 4:23-24 (NKJV) tells us, “But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”. We are to worship God in spirit and truth, we need to worship Him with our full heart. Worship is to be personal with you and God, not just what the words of the song are. We not only need to sing along to other worship songs, but we need to sing our own personal song to Him. Psalm 150:6 (NKJV) tells us, “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!”.
Praying in Tongues for Personal Edification
Another key that I want to talk about is prayer. The teachers and prophets were praying, fasting, and worshiping God in Acts 13:1-3. The church in the Book of Acts was filled with the Holy Spirit.
Now it is important to note that there are four different types of tongues mentioned in the Bible. These are:
- Tongues for a sign to unbelievers (public ministry)
- Tongues for interpretation (public ministry)
- Tongues for personal edification (private time with the Lord)
- Tongues for intercession (private time with the Lord, and when praying over someone)
I have covered these in detail in a previous post, in this post I want to cover tongues for education. 1 Corinthians 14:2 (NKJV) tells us, “For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit, he speaks mysteries.”. When we speak in tongues, we speak mysteries to God, these include promises in His Word and His plans for our lives. 1 Corinthians 14:39 (NKJV) tells us, “Therefore, brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak with tongues.”. No Bible-believing church should forbid speaking in tongues, we should all be seeking the Gifts of the Holy Spirit. If the church you are in does not encourage you to speak in tongues for personal edification and/or not encourage you to seek all the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, then you are in a dead church. Churches without the Holy Spirit are powerless! Some of them just have salvation, which is important, but how can believers truly build up their faith as the Bible says? The answer is reading the Word, personal worship, fasting, and praying in the Spirit. Jude 1:20 (NKJV) tells us, “But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit,”. Keep in mind that Jude is the next to last book in the Bible, this right here cancels out any false doctrine that condemns speaking in tongues.
How Important is God to You?
So how much of God are you seeking? Are you seeking Him by just going to church, or are you making time every day to seek Him? Proverbs 8:17 (NKJV) tells us, “I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently will find me.”. Lamentations 3:23 (NKJV) also tells us, “The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, To the soul who seeks Him.”. We need to diligently seek God daily; we need to have a desire to spend more and more time with Him. There are 24 hours in each day, and 168 hours each week. If you are only seeking God by going to church once a week for a two-hour service, then you are only giving Him one percent of your time. You can’t expect much growth from just one percent of your time. I challenge you this week to record your time with God. Keep track of how much time you spend in the Word, prayer, worship, and even fasting. Try to improve each week until you can get on a consistent schedule.