"FOR YOU yourselves know, brethren, that our coming among you was not useless and fruitless. But though we had already SUFFERED AND BEEN OUTRAGEOUSLY TREATED at Philippi, as you know, yet in [the strength of] our God we summoned courage to proclaim to you unfalteringly the good news (the Gospel) with earnest contention and much conflict and great opposition. For our appeal [in preaching] does not [originate] from delusion or error or impure purpose or motive, nor in fraud or deceit. But just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the glad tidings (the Gospel), so we speak not to please men BUT TO PLEASE GOD, Who tests our hearts [*EXPECTING THEM TO BE APPROVED]. -The Apostle Paul
You don't owe an explanation to anyone as to why you are going through your crisis.
Paul wrote some of his best letters in prison.
Some of the greatest (divine) inspiration spoken to a liberated church came from a man bound in a prison cell.
You would think that it was Paul that need encouragement from the church while incarcerated; yet it was purely the other way around. Likewise, people need what you are learning in this season of your life.
God has a way of pulling some of the greatest leadership and ministry out of our lives during some of our worst times.
Are you at the brink of disaster? Are you at the point of no return? Are you embarrassed by your prison cell?
Paul wrote, "Yet in [the strength of] our God we summoned courage to proclaim to you unfalteringly the good news (the Gospel) with earnest contention and much conflict and great opposition."
What does it mean to "summon" courage?
Dictionary.com defines that word "summon" as:
- To call for the presence of, as by command, message, or signal;
- It is an "authoritative call" to be at a certain place for a certain purpose
- It means, to rouse, warn, advise; to call something or someone to deliberation or action
There are times when Paul didn't have anything left in the tank; And he needed to "summon" something he didn't have (courage, fearlessness or dauntlessness) to act on his convictions and dreams despite criticism.
So in prison, when at his lowest point, he prayed, sang and wrote letters:
- It was in prison he was singing and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the very foundations of the prison were shaken; and at once all the doors were opened and everyone's shackles were unfastened.
- It was in prison he wrote, "For the [Gospel] I am suffering affliction and even wearing chains like a criminal. But the Word of God is not chained or imprisoned!"
- While imprisoned and in the middle of a typhoon and shipwreck, Paul told those sailing with him (who had lost hope), "I have faith (complete confidence) in God that it will be exactly as it was told me; I must stand before Caesar and there will be no loss of life among you (only of the ship.)"
Regardless of what he was going through, Paul refused to please men or give them credit for what he was going through.
He was determined to please God and the vision in his heart. In Acts 26:19, he stood in a royal court and declared: "Wherefore, O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision;"
- Are you practically doing what God has called you to do?
- Are you obedient to the dream or call of God on your life?
- Would you still function in it, even if you were imprisoned and outrageously treated by others?
Concerning our dreams and the Kingdom (ministry), we can get so discouraged that if we can't do ALL OF IT, we won't do ANY of it.
Paul couldn't flow in all the vision at times when he was in prison, but he still touched areas of his call to ministry despite his physical address or circumstance.
As the founder of both for profit and non-profit organizations, I have often wondered how Paul ran a business and planted churches simultaneously. I imagine that He worked days (often nights) in tent making, wrote his letters to the church at night or in prison and planted churches (establishing leaders over them) instead of pastoring them.
But I also imagine, that being unmarried gave him a freedom to do both very well. (1 Cor. 7:20, 32-36) To support this, we see that many of the other disciples (that were married) at one point said:
"It is not seemly or desirable or right that we should have to give up or neglect [preaching] the Word of God in order to attend to serving at tables and superintending the distribution of food. Therefore select out from among yourselves, brethren, seven men of good and attested character and repute, full of the [Holy] Spirit and wisdom, whom we may assign to look after this business and duty. But we will continue to devote ourselves steadfastly to prayer and the ministry of the Word." Acts 6:2-4
Honestly, I have tried to run a business and ministry vision simultaneously (full time) and it is extremely difficult. Jesus once said, YOU CANNOT SERVE TWO MASTERS. You will either hate one or love the other. Likewise, I have found it very challenging to run two visions. One will suffer.
Mike Murdock once said, "How do you distract a man with a vision?"
Give him another one.
Today, make up your mind what you are going to do.
If you are anointed to do something, what are you "truly" waiting for?
The word mashiach means "anointed one." It refers to one who is anointed with oil, symbolizing the reception of the Holy Spirit, enabling him or her to do an assigned task.
- What have you been anointed by the Spirit of God to do?
- Are you a prisoner of war?
- Have you been wrongfully or outrageously treated in your life, workplace or industry?
It was not useless or fruitless.
God expects us to pass the test based on what we have studied.
He doesn't allow us to be tested unless He has prepared us with previous study material (in His Word.)
Because everything taught must be tested.
