Tertullus, attorney for the Jewish officials, calls Paul a "plague" in front of Felix at his trial. The devil was complicit with the religious elite in an attempt to kill Paul, but failed. Now, while Paul is imprisoned and on trial, the devil is complicit with the religious Jews to diminish and demoralize Paul by calling him a "plague" in an effort to rob Paul of his strength and deter him from his calling. Has a word curse been spoken over you? Resolve it in Jesus' name. Spoiler alert: the devil loses.

Paul is wrongly accused and wrongly punished for bringing the message of Jesus to the Jews and Romans. God vindicates Paul by enlisting the Roman Empire to escort Paul with 470 armed forces away from the Sadducees and Pharisees who had conspired to kill him. Paul shows great restraint in not seeking retribution and revenge against his fellow Jews.

Paul shares his testimony as a defense to his fellow Jews in the Temple after being arrested by the Romans. The Lord meets him in the night and reaffirms that he's on the right track and is called to continue to testify about Him.

Paul shows how to live the now in light of eternity.

The demand for Demetrius' silver shrine business drops because Paul's preaching ministry so positively impacts Ephesus. Eutychus is brought back to life after falling asleep and falling from a third-story window during one of Paul's sermons. Paul also addresses the elders in Ephesus, calling them to the highest standard possible.

The Holy Spirit is *with* us pre-conversion, the Holy Spirit is *in* us at conversion, and the Holy Spirit is *upon* us after conversion. Western Christians are known to stop after being filled at conversion. We must lift the lid off our lives to allow the Holy Spirit to come upon us and flow forth from us, for this is where true spiritual power flows.

Paul experiences setbacks that create discouragement. God encourages Paul in a vision and then he experiences breakthrough. Paul's dependency on God and his devotion to God is Paul's simple but effective approach to the Christian life.

Do we try to manufacture a reality, a preferred life, that we would like to have or at least present to the world that's not actually in alignment with reality? In Acts 17, Paul appeals to the Athenians to acknowledge the one, true, living God - a new reality that was in stark contrast to the reality in which they were living.