Acts 8:5

Acts 8:5 states, Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them.  Philip, another of the deacons, was preaching in Samaria. This must have really enraged the religious leaders trying to stop the spread of the gospel.  Not only were the disciples disobeying the religious leaders, but they were also preaching salvation to the despised Samaritans.  We need to be careful that we don’t start believing that we are superior to certain groups of people.  Verse six adds, And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.  In Samaria, God was able to perform many miracles through Philip.  We must understand that we can never perform miracles.  We can only be the instrument through which God performs miracles.  Verse seven continues, For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them: and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed. Unclean spirits were cast out and people with palsy and those who were lame were healed.  There is no evidence that Phillip was nearly overpowered by the evil spirits.  It is simply stated that crying with a loud voice they came out.  When we are acting in God's power to do His will, the battle is already won.  It is interesting how many times in these few chapters of Acts that the believers were said to be of one accord. There is a message there for all the followers of Christ today.  We need to be of one accord in the will of God.  Verse eight concludes, And there was great joy in that city.  There was great joy in the city.  In Jerusalem, God's city, the religious leaders were so angry about Christ they were gnashing their teeth.  Yet, in Samaria, that city despised by the religious leaders of Israel, they were full of great joy because of that same Jesus.