When God Opens Doors: Give Him the Glory

Devotional

Day 1: Lame Man Leaps at Lystra

Paul fixed his eyes on the lame man who’d never walked. The crowd saw only brokenness, but Paul saw faith ready to ignite. “Stand up!” he commanded. The man leaped—dust swirling as sandals hit dirt for the first time. The crowd gasped, calling Paul and Barnabas gods. But miracles never exist to crown human effort. [42:37]

Jesus still works through ordinary people to reveal His power. Paul didn’t heal the man—God did. The miracle confirmed grace, not human merit. When God moves, our role is to point to Him, not soak in applause.

How often do you claim credit for what God alone does? When you share a kind word or see a prayer answered, do you subtly pat your own back? Identify one victory God gave you this week. How will you redirect the praise to Him today?

“Paul looked directly at him, saw that he had faith to be healed and called out, ‘Stand up on your feet!’ At that, the man jumped up and began to walk.”
(Acts 14:9–10, NIV)

Prayer: Thank God for three specific works He’s done through you this month. Confess any pride claiming His glory.

Challenge: Text one person about a recent blessing, explicitly crediting God’s hand in it.

Day 2: Torn Clothes at Zeus’s Gate

Priests brought bulls and wreaths to sacrifice to Barnabas and Paul. The apostles ripped their robes—fabric tearing like a rebuke. “We’re just men!” they shouted. The crowd froze, garlands dangling in stunned hands. Even good intentions can become idolatry when we mistake vessels for the Source. [43:50]

God shares His glory with no one. Paul refused to let human admiration dilute divine testimony. Every breakthrough, every healed relationship, every provision flows from God’s kindness—not our cleverness.

Where have you quietly accepted praise meant for God? Maybe for parenting wins, career success, or spiritual discipline. Write down the last compliment you received. How could you have redirected that honor upward?

“Friends, why are you doing this? We too are only human, like you. We are bringing you good news, telling you to turn from these worthless things to the living God.”
(Acts 14:15, NIV)

Prayer: Ask God to reveal one area where you’ve subtly sought personal glory. Repent of stealing His spotlight.

Challenge: Decline one compliment today by saying, “God enabled that,” and pray silently for the person.

Day 3: Stones and Perseverance in Iconium

Jews from Antioch hurled rocks at Paul until he fell. Bloodied and still, disciples gathered around him. Then he stood—breathing, walking, marching back into the city. Persecution didn’t stop his mission; it fueled it. [44:59]

Opposition proves the gospel’s worth. Paul knew suffering mirrored Christ’s journey. When we face ridicule for faith, we join a chain of witnesses who chose scars over silence.

What criticism have you avoided by hiding your faith at work, online, or in friendships? Name one relationship where fear has muzzled your testimony. What step will you take to speak grace there this week?

“They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead. But after the disciples had gathered around him, he got up and went back into the city.”
(Acts 14:19–20, NIV)

Prayer: Confess where you’ve valued comfort over courage. Ask for boldness to endure pushback.

Challenge: Write down three past persecutions you’ve faced for faith. Thank God for the honor of sharing Christ’s sufferings.

Day 4: Rain from Heaven’s Kindness

Paul reminded the crowd of rain soaking fields and harvests spilling grain. “God didn’t leave Himself without witness,” he declared. Sunlight and full bellies were never about human effort—they were divine love letters. [44:22]

God’s daily kindnesses preach louder than sermons. He feeds rebels and saints alike, urging all to repent. Our job isn’t to manufacture miracles but to spotlight His steady grace in ordinary moments.

When did you last pause to thank God for rain, a meal, or a sunset? List five “small” gifts He gave this week. How might these everyday testimonies open conversations about His goodness?

“He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; He provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy.”
(Acts 14:17, NIV)

Prayer: Walk outside. Thank God aloud for three natural wonders that declare His generosity.

Challenge: Share a photo of creation today with a caption highlighting God’s kindness.

Day 5: Antioch’s Unclaimed Victory

Paul and Barnabas returned to Antioch, bruises still tender. They recounted riots, healings, and hostile crowds—then gave God full credit. No trophy case for their scars. No shrine to their resilience. Only collective awe at doors God had kicked open. [49:52]

True ministry leaves no room for self-promotion. Every soul saved, every heart stirred, is God’s work. Our stories should always point to the Author, not the scribe.

What “success” have you quietly tallied as your own? A child’s faith, a friend’s conversion, a donated check? Today, how will you erase your name from that story and etch His?

“They gathered the church together and reported all that God had done through them and how He had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles.”
(Acts 14:27, NIV)

Prayer: Confess any hidden pride in “your” spiritual impact. Ask God to rewrite your narratives with His glory.

Challenge: Call someone you’ve spiritually influenced. Tell them, “God worked through you to change me,” and listen.

Sermon Summary

The text opens with a prayer of gratitude and moves into a clear recounting of Acts 14 where Paul and Barnabas face praise, persecution, and the need to keep God at the center of ministry. The narrative shows how bold proclamation and evident miracles drew both belief and resentment. In Iconium and Lystra, many believed because the message came with signs and wonders that confirmed God’s grace. When a man lame from birth was healed, the crowd rushed to worship the healers as gods, but the response corrected that idolatry by pointing people back to the living Creator who gives rain, crops, food, and joy.

Conflict follows success. Some stirred opposition and even plotted violence, culminating in a stoning that left one figure presumed dead. The community’s disciples gathered, and the one presumed dead stood and continued the work. The missionaries then returned to their sending city and celebrated what God had done, crediting God rather than themselves. That contrast highlights a crucial shift from earlier self-seeking to humble testimony that exalts God alone.

Practical application flows from the story. Persistent skeptics will always oppose good news, so faith must be grounded enough to follow God’s leading through uncertainty. God confirms gospel work by enabling believers to act in ways beyond their own strength, making the acts a testimony to divine grace rather than human skill. Persecution and misunderstanding accompany faithful witness because Christ suffered, and people who follow him will face resistance in varying degrees. The proper posture in success and hardship remains humility. When God opens doors, praise must flow to him alone while believers continue to point others toward the Creator who sustains life.

Everyday faith looks like trusting God to provide opportunities, allowing God to work through ordinary people, and resisting the temptation to claim credit for another’s turn to God. The closing prayer asks for help to refuse personal glory, to guide others toward living a Christian life, and to acknowledge that good outcomes ultimately reflect God’s work. The entire account presses for dependence on divine empowerment, readiness for opposition, and a consistent habit of giving God the glory for what he accomplishes among people.

Key Takeaways

1. reliant plans. [48:06]
Signs confirm God’s grace
Miracles and empowering signs served to validate the message and point away from human credit. The acts functioned as God’s attestation that grace had arrived, not as spectacles to elevate those who performed them. When the community saw healing paired with proclamation, belief grew because God made his presence plain. Signs redirect worship to the Giver rather than to the instrument.

Expect resistance and persecution
Faithful witness often provokes critics, plots, and even physical harm, reflecting the pattern of Christ’s own rejection. Opposition can fracture communities and stir confusion, but it also clarifies the source of power and the necessity of perseverance. The faithful learn to expect resistance and to depend on God’s sustaining strength in the aftermath. Hardship refines witness rather than negates it.

Give God the glory
When doors open and lives change, the rightful response is to attribute the fruit to God’s work, not human merit. Humility in success preserves the testimony and guides others to the source of life and joy. Credit given to God safeguards the community from idolatry of personalities and keeps the mission centered on the Creator. Praise returns the focus to him and sustains future fruitfulness. [48:06]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[39:02] - Opening prayer
[39:23] - Skeptics and critics
[40:22] - Missionary conflict in Iconium
[41:04] - Effective preaching and belief
[42:37] - Lame man healed in Lystra
[43:30] - Mistaken for gods and correction
[44:59] - Stoning and miraculous recovery
[49:52] - Return and giving God credit
[53:58] - Persecution as part of following Christ
[59:03] - Closing prayer and charge

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
Acts 14:8-20 (ESV)
8 Now at Lystra there was a man sitting who could not use his feet. He was crippled from birth and had never walked. 9 He listened to Paul speaking. And Paul, looking intently at him and seeing that he had faith to be made well, 10 said in a loud voice, “Stand upright on your feet.” And he sprang up and began walking. 11 And when the crowds saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in Lycaonian, “The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!” 12 Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker. 13 And the priest of Zeus, whose temple was at the entrance to the city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates and wanted to offer sacrifice with the crowds. 14 But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their garments and rushed out into the crowd, crying out, 15 “Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men, of like nature with you, and we bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them. 16 In past generations he allowed all the nations to walk in their own ways. 17 Yet he did not leave himself without witness, for he did good by giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness.” 18 Even with these words they scarcely restrained the people from offering sacrifice to them. 19 But Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and having persuaded the crowds, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead. 20 But when the disciples gathered about him, he rose up and entered the city, and on the next day he went on with Barnabas to Derbe.

Observation Questions

What immediate reaction did the crowd in Lystra have after Paul healed the lame man, and how did Paul and Barnabas respond to their misunderstanding?
After Paul was stoned and left for dead, what happened when the disciples gathered around him?
According to the sermon, why did God enable Paul and Barnabas to perform signs and wonders during their ministry? [49:29]
How did Paul and Barnabas respond when they returned to their sending city, and what did they emphasize about their mission?

Interpretation Questions

Why do you think Paul and Barnabas were so quick to correct the crowd’s idolatry, even though it risked losing their admiration?
The sermon mentions that persecution is part of following Christ’s example. How does Paul’s stoning and recovery illustrate the relationship between suffering and faithfulness? [53:58]
What does the crowd’s confusion (mistaking Paul and Barnabas for gods) reveal about human tendencies, and how does this connect to the sermon’s emphasis on giving God glory?
The sermon states that “signs confirm God’s grace” rather than human ability. How does the healing of the lame man in Lystra demonstrate this principle? [49:29]

Application Questions

When have you seen God work in a way that others might mistakenly attribute to human effort or luck? How can you intentionally redirect praise to Him in those situations?
The sermon warns against claiming credit for others’ spiritual growth. How can you cultivate humility when sharing about God’s work in someone’s life? [55:01]
Paul faced violent opposition but kept preaching. What practical steps can you take to prepare your heart to respond with perseverance when your faith is criticized or mocked? [44:59]
The crowd in Lystra fixated on the miracle rather than the message. How can you guard against prioritizing “spectacle” over the gospel in your own spiritual life or ministry?
Paul and Barnabas credited God for their mission’s success. What is one area of your life (work, relationships, service) where you need to consciously acknowledge God’s role instead of your own?
The sermon says persecution is inevitable for Christ-followers. How have you experienced resistance for your faith, and how did it deepen your dependence on God? [53:58]

Sermon Clips

38s

#GodEnablesGoodWorks

“``God enables us to do the the good works that he he has us to do to provide to confirm his grace to everyone around us. It's not just for us. And in fact, it's it's never about us. At the end of the trip, Paul and Barnabas returned home from Antioch where they had been sent from and they shared what they what happened to them along the way and how god opened doors to the good news in the Gentile world.”

37s

#NotOurGlory

“He wanted Paul and Barnabas to know that all that stuff was from him and not themselves. God provided for Paul and to share the good news with the people one on one by enabling them to perform signs and wonders like I already said. Paul and Barminus allowed god to to use him to do his work in the areas. It wasn't from doing the work on their own. God did this to confirm the message of his grace.”

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