Barnabas and Saul sailed to Cyprus, called by God the Holy Spirit to be missionaries in the field.  They went beyond the boundaries of their home church.  (Acts 13:2)
When they arrived in Salamis, Cyprus they proclaimed the word of God in a synagogue.
Then they walked the length of that island nation to Paphos. (Acts 13:5-6)

(NASB) Acts 13:6-7 “…they found a magician, a Jewish false prophet whose name was Bar-Jesus,
7 who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence.  This man summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God.”

The reader’s are introduced to the four men who are involved in this historical account:
Barnabas and Saul; the magician, Bar-Jesus (translated his name was Elymas) and Sergius Paulus, the proconsul.

The magician opposed Barnabas and Saul and tried to turn Sergius Paulus away from faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.  (Acts 13:8)

Saul (known as Paul and Scripture calls him Paul from this point) was filled with the Holy Spirit of God.  Paul discerned the magician’s deceit and fraud.  Paul did not mince words or play nicey-nice with the man’s feelings…Paul called him the “son of the devil”.
Paul also exposed the man as the “enemy of all righteousness”; as well as asking a question, “will you not cease to make crooked the straight ways of the Lord?”
(Acts 13:9-10)

The magician must have thought he had some kind of power; however, the Holy Spirit had greater power…Paul said:
(NASB) Acts 13:11 “‘Now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and not see the sun for a time.’  And immediately a mist and a darkness fell upon him, and he went about seeking those who would lead him by the hand.”

To whom do you listen?  Do you listen to deceivers, people who defraud? Those who follow the devil are enemies of righteousness.  Are you hearing “evil” called “good” or “good” called “evil” today?  Beware!  We need discernment that only the Holy Spirit of God gives to His own.

God the Holy Spirit’s power was greater than the “power” the magician thought he had.  It is still true today.  God the Holy Spirit has greater power than all who deceive today, than all who work at fraud today, than all who are enemies of righteousness today.  Our God is greater!

What did Sergius Paulus believe after these circumstances?
(NASB) Acts 13:12 “Then the proconsul believed when he saw what had happened, being amazed at the teaching of the Lord.”

Today, we also need the discernment that only the Holy Spirit of God can give.