Paul was able to stand firm despite the oppositions and the difficulties he faced.
• He experienced fatigue, frustrations, fears and failures but he did not give up.
• Paul weathered through all these and stood firm. This is what we can learn from him.
1 Cor 15:58 “Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labour in the Lord is not in vain.”
In Acts 17, Paul had a challenging time in Athens with the philosophers, in a city full of idols. The sight of the idolatry “greatly distressed” him.
• There were oppositions in almost every city he had been to, from Philippi to Thessalonica, from Berea to Athens.
• He moved from place to place, but most of the times not by choice but by force because the people were out to get him.
He was alone in Athens and supposed to wait for Silas and Timothy to join him but they did not come.
• Acts 18 tells us Paul decided to leave for Corinth, where he met a Jewish couple who were tentmakers. He stayed and worked with them, because he himself was a tentmaker.
• It was quite obvious that Paul needed some financial support. He needed to work and provide for him because he was all alone.
Paul could only spent “every Sabbath”, not every day, to reason in the synagogue and persuade Jews and Greeks to believe Christ.
• He did not stop preaching; he just could not do it every day…
• …UNTIL Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia. Then, “Paul devoted himself exclusively to preaching, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ.” (18:5)
18:6-7 “But when the Jews opposed Paul and became abusive, he shook out his clothes in protest and said to them, "Your blood be on your own heads! I am clear of my responsibility. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.”
• “7Then Paul left the synagogue and went next door to the house of Titius Justus, a worshiper of God.”
• Paul never gives up. If you do not want it, I’ll go somewhere else with it.
• He was determined to let the truth out. He was relentless in preaching Christ. He was committed to God’s call upon his life.
I read through a couple of the chapters this past week and gained a deeper appreciation for this man. Paul was truly a remarkable servant of God.
• He was resolute, determined, and unwavering in his commitment to preach Christ, no matter what – no matter what the circumstances are or how the people are treating him.
• I wondered if he knew what he was getting himself into when God called him.
• If that was the JOB RESPONSIBILITIES he read at the beginning, during his enlistment, I wondered if it scared him.
I went back to read what God said to Ananias: “This man is my chosen instrument to carry My Name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel.” (Acts 9:15)
• If this was the Job Description given out in a job interview, then I must say Paul met it spot on.
• In fact, I felt he surpassed it. He excelled in what God called him to do.
But what surprised me was what God said after that. I didn’t notice this until now. God said to Ananias: “I will show him how much he must suffer for my Name.” (9:16)
• Even that, God said it right at the beginning. He revealed how tough the ministry would be.
• I wondered if this would have scared away many would-be followers of Christ today, if the prevalent message we have is that when we follow Christ, we would be blessed in every way – left, right, and centre. We would get health, wealth and success.
• People are not prepared to ‘give up’ anything to follow Christ. We are here to be blessed, not to make sacrifices.
I wondered if Ananias told Saul everything God said. Did Paul know right at the start that he would be facing lots of hardship? Would it have scared him then?
• I don’t know. The Scriptures did not reveal much.
• But that is not relevant now. What is more important is: Are we prepared for this? Are we prepared to pay a price so that others can get the prize?
I was talking with Bro Peter about a month ago and he posed me a question - How to grow a church? It sounded like a trick question, but anyway, he eventually gave his answer to it.
• Jesus said to His first disciples: “Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” (Matt 4:19).
• We will be made fishers of men (that’s church growth) if we FOLLOW HIM… really follow Him, seriously. What does this mean?
• Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” (Matt 16:24)
That’s what the disciples did. That’s what Paul exemplified.
• He goes where God leads him. He denies himself and preaches Christ wherever God tells him to go.
• “Fishermen will go where the fishes are.” If we are followers of Christ, then we are fishers of men – and fishermen go where the fishes are.
Paul was able to teach the Corinthians - 1 Cor 15:58 “Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labour in the Lord is not in vain.”
• That motivates Paul. His work for the Lord will never be in vain.
• He paid a price. He paid a price so that others can get the prize (gift of eternal life).
• He suffered much to get the message out. But to him, it was all worth it.
That explains why he was able to stand firm.
(1) BELIEVE THAT YOUR LABOUR IS NEVER IN VAIN
Ministry is always an INVESTMENT. You sow believing that there will be a harvest.
• You throw the seed but you know you are not losing it. It will be rewarding.
John 12:24 “I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.”
• Every sacrifice you make for the Lord is an investment. You’ll reap many folds what you put in, because God has His hand in it.
• If you keep it, you’ll have nothing at the end. That will be a real loss.
The 2nd reason why Paul could stay so committed is in Acts 18:9.
• I believe Luke wants to let us know something here. He does not want us to think that Paul is some sort of a superhuman, who can never be discouraged.
• He inserted a comment in 18:9, almost abruptly it seems (I feels that way):
“9One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: "Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. 10For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city." 11So Paul stayed for a year and a half, teaching them the Word of God.”
(2) BELIEVE YOU ARE NEVER LEFT ALONE
It might have felt that way to Paul, at certain points of his journey (from what we read) – alone in Athens, having to work for his own needs in Corinth.
• God came to assure him – “Do not be afraid.” Paul must have been afraid. He mentioned in 1 Cor 2:3 “I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling.”
• God assured him of His presence and protection, and gave him a promise - a prophetic word – “I have many people in this city”. Many will believe Christ!
The situation was very similar to Elijah’s in 1 Kings 19 when he was afraid and running for his life (from Jezebel). He said, “I have had enough, Lord.” (19:4)
• He said, "I have been very zealous for the LORD, but the Israelites have rejected the message, and I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too." (cf. 19:10)
• And the Lord said to him, “I reserve seven thousand in Israel - all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and all whose mouths have not kissed him." (19:18)
And then God re-assigned him – to train up Elisha. So don’t give up too soon.
Fatigue, frustrations, fears and failures – these will discourage us. It will not happen once or twice; it will come back again and again.
• Whatever the discouragement you are facing today, don’t stop trusting God.
• Don’t let it defeat you. Overcome it FOR the glory of God.
• Lean on God and prove to the devil that he has failed, in his attempt at knocking you out. Stand firm and glorify God!
Discouragement cannot defeat you, unless you allow it.
• You allow it when you let bad thoughts linger in your mind. You keep thinking about them. You let the past haunts you, because you cannot let it go.
• You have to replace them with the thoughts of God and from God. God is present. He is watching over you. Remember what is forever true - His Word. Remember who rules, forever.
God came to Paul in a vision, at the time of his great need. I don’t think this is the one and only time for Paul. God sustained him until he finished the race. (2 Tim 4:7)
• God will do the same for you. Hear Him out. Do it deliberately.
• Don’t lose sight of Him because of your difficult situations.
