Philip was on a roll, In Samaria, He was changing lives, healing the sick, and leading all whom would listen to follow Jesus. Amid the revival, God changed the plan. He had Philip go to the road from Jerusalem leading to Gaza. As he approached so did the Treasurer for the queen of Ethiopia. As Philip approached, he noticed the treasurer reading from Isaiah. He was able to use the scripture as a guide for the Ethiopian to understand the life and death of Jesus. As He did, the Ethiopian came to know the Lord and was baptized.
Philip’s obedience to God’s lead was clearly an opportunity to open the door to the gospel in Ethiopia and hopefully a start toward the ends of the earth. Upon completing the baptism, God took Philip to another area and started Him on a tour from Azotus back to Caesarea.
God’s plans rarely look like ours. We are limited in our scope and abilities to see life from an eternal perspective, as it moves forward. If we will trust God to lead, He will do exceedingly more than we could ever imagine. Philip was having a major impact in Samaria. Still, God saw Philip’s opportunity to open a path to the ends of the earth. When Philip did that, He had an even greater impact upon the spread of the Gospel. Once completed, God set Philip on yet another road to spreading the Good news.
We, like Philip, simply need to trust God in His administration of the Gospel and ministry. Instead of trying to help God determine the best way to lead others to faith, we should simply join Him in the ministries He already has in progress. If we will, God will not hesitate to lead us to the place He can best use us. Then, as we follow His lead, He gets the credit, and we get the blessing of simply following Him and watching Him change the world. That is good duty for any soldier.
God Bless You
Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Rise and go toward the south[d] to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is a desert place. 27 And he rose and went. And there was an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship 28 and was returning, seated in his chariot, and he was reading the prophet Isaiah. 29 And the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and join this chariot.” 30 So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” 31 And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. 32 Now the passage of the Scripture that he was reading was this:
“Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter
and like a lamb before its shearer is silent,
so he opens not his mouth.
33 In his humiliation justice was denied him.
Who can describe his generation?
For his life is taken away from the earth.”
34 And the eunuch said to Philip, “About whom, I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?” 35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus. 36 And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?”[e] 38 And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. 39 And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing. 40 But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he preached the gospel to all the towns until he came to Caesarea.
Walking With God 