Day 3: Opportunity Encounters and Fishing Holes

Sometimes we go to those favorite fishing holes because we know they’ve got good rainbow trout, steelhead, or an elusive bass. This is directed, we’re on a hunt. And sometimes we just go and toss a line into the water and hope for the opportunity of a bite from anything. One is directed, one is based on opportunity, but both are rooted in expectation. The majority of encounters with people aren’t directed, but encounters of opportunity.

Consider these encounters of opportunity in Acts:

• Aquila and Priscilla saw an opportunity to help lead Apollos into greater understanding.
• Peter and John were heading to a prayer meeting when they healed a lame man.
• Paul and Silas cast a demon out of a woman who was following them around.
• Majority of Jesus’ disciples making occurred on his daily routine.
• Paul’s prison guards had to be changed often because he kept making disciples out of them.

Recognizing the Fish

To be able to capitalize on encounters of opportunity, you need a few qualities.

1. Like directed encounters, you need to be sensitive. You have to be sensitive to the spirit that an opportunity is there for you to take. It could be to lead someone into a greater understanding; It could be because someone needs prayer for pain; It could be to encourage someone to repent of sin. In all of these, you have to be sensitive to see the opportunity.
2. Also like directed encounters, you should expect to find opportunity on your daily route.
3. Your interactions should be intentional, leading to disciple-making, building relationships, and looking for chances to share your testimony in a mutual exchange of the heart.

Final Thoughts

The majority of the encounters occurred on a daily route. The disciples and Jesus weren’t doing anything out of the ordinary when they capitalized on an opportunity. In addition, Paul gives us an example of intentionality and Aquila and Priscilla were actively listening to someone who wanted more. We don’t have to go out of our way or make an extra effort in order to find a disciple. All we have to do is go about our daily route, listen, and present ourselves as the living word of the Gospel, so our testimony becomes an encouraging letter to others… then seize every opportunity to lead them.

Biblical Devotion

Acts 18:24-26  Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, competent in the Scriptures.  (25)  He had been instructed in the way of the Lord. And being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John.  (26)  He began to speak boldly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.

Acts 3:1-8  Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour.  (2)  And a man lame from birth was being carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple that is called the Beautiful Gate to ask alms of those entering the temple.  (3)  Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked to receive alms.  (4)  And Peter directed his gaze at him, as did John, and said, “Look at us.”  (5)  And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them.  (6)  But Peter said, “I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!”  (7)  And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong.  (8)  And leaping up he stood and began to walk, and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God.

Acts 16:16-19  As we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners much gain by fortune-telling.  (17)  She followed Paul and us, crying out, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation.”  (18)  And this she kept doing for many days. Paul, having become greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And it came out that very hour.  (19)  But when her owners saw that their hope of gain was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before the rulers.

Acts 19:1-7  And it happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the inland country and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples.  (2)  And he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”  (3)  And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They said, “Into John’s baptism.”  (4)  And Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.”  (5)  On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.  (6)  And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying.  (7)  There were about twelve men in all.

Isaiah 28:23  Give ear, and hear my voice; give attention, and hear my speech.

Revelation 3:20  Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.

Proverbs 15:28-33  The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer, but the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things.  (29)  The LORD is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayer of the righteous.  (30)  The light of the eyes rejoices the heart, and good news refreshes the bones.  (31)  The ear that listens to life-giving reproof will dwell among the wise.  (32)  Whoever ignores instruction despises himself, but he who listens to reproof gains intelligence.  (33)  The fear of the LORD is instruction in wisdom, and humility comes before honor.