4 The two of them, sent on their way by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and sailed from there to Cyprus. 5 When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. John was with them as their helper.
6 They traveled through the whole island until they came to Paphos. There they met a Jewish sorcerer and false prophet named Bar-Jesus, 7 who was an attendant of the proconsul, Sergius Paulus. The proconsul, an intelligent man, sent for Barnabas and Saul because he wanted to hear the word of God. 8 But Elymas the sorcerer (for that is what his name means) opposed them and tried to turn the proconsul from the faith. 9 Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked straight at Elymas and said, 10 “You are a child of the devil and an enemy of everything that is right! You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery. Will you never stop perverting the right ways of the Lord? 11 Now the hand of the Lord is against you. You are going to be blind for a time, not even able to see the light of the sun.”
Immediately mist and darkness came over him, and he groped about, seeking someone to lead him by the hand. 12 When the proconsul saw what had happened, he believed, for he was amazed at the teaching about the Lord.
-Acts 13:4-12
As Saul (now called Paul) and Barnabas begin their ministry, they are met pretty quickly by opposition, and in this case a sorcerer and false prophet named Bar-Jesus. Also named Elymas, the sorcerer tries to undermine Paul and Barnabas and prevent the gospel from being spread to the preconsul. We read that his plan ultimately fails and he pays the price by losing his eyesight.
The first thing to note is in the opening of the passage, we are reminded that Paul and Barnabas's mission is not something they embarked on by themselves or something they planned on their own. We read that it is in fact the Holy Spirit who sends them out and is with them throughout their journey. Paul and Barnabas were ordinary men who decided to take faith and venture to Cyprus. Meanwhile, Elymas was a sorcerer who probably had a lot of experience in what he did. However, Elymas was ultimately no match to the Holy Spirit and through Paul and Barnabas, God's power triumphed over Elymas's wicked ways.
Secondly, we should keep in mind that although there may not be many sorcerers around anymore, there are certainly many people or things that may try to sway us from knowing God and growing in our faith. Especially in today's times, many things we see around us may point us away from God. However, God pursues us and will beckon us to come to Him, and He will ultimately reign over all things. Knowing and believing that, how will we respond?
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