Fueled by FaithPrimjer

Day 9 - (Part 2) Faith gives us supernatural boldness.

Yesterday, we learned about the conversion of Saul, and how the faith of Ananias gave him the boldness to go and pray for the man who had been persecuting Christians. Today, we are going to look at the things that Paul suffered as he served the Lord.

One of the things that my father said that has always stuck with me is that God does not call us to be successful, He calls us to be faithful. It is not our responsibility to make things happen, nor it is our responsibility to make sure that everything works out perfectly. Our job is to do what God says to do, in the way that He says to do it, and at the time we are told to do it. It is far too common for people to blame themselves for something not going the way that they had hoped, even though they obeyed God. When we obey God, we expect everything to work out, but God may have more planned than we realize. It is important to remember that God is the One doing everything. We are just obeying God, giving glory to Him, and watching Him work.

As you walk by faith, you will almost certainly encounter hardship. Faith is not easy, and the more you have been called to do, the more you should expect to suffer as God prepares you for what you have been called to do. The devil will oppose anybody who seeks the Lord, especially when you are trying to lead others to Christ. As Christians, we must hold onto the faith that we have received, and we must seek God’s guidance as we encounter trials of various kinds.

God works all things for the good of those who love Him, for those who are called according to His purpose. Understanding that, we can go to the Father in prayer and ask Him to show us what we should be doing as we are suffering. When we are pursuing what God has called us to do, we will never suffer without there being a good reason. Ask God for wisdom, pay attention to what happens in your situation, and allow God to prepare you.

This brings us to today’s passage. Throughout Paul’s ministry, he was met with various trials. Don’t just take my word for it, though. Paul describes some of what he has been through for the sake of the Gospel, and I love reading his description whenever I feel discouraged. How could one have such joy and peace when there is so much to be upset about? The secret to such joy is the faith that we have in the Lord.

One of my favorite examples of the boldness that comes with faith is that of Paul when he wrote his letter to the Philippians. The entire letter is not long, and I would highly encourage you to read through Philippians. As you read the first chapter of Philippians, take note of what Paul says about why he rejoices. When Paul wrote Philippians, he was imprisoned, and he makes reference to this in verse 13. Even then, Paul rejoices in the Lord, tells the Philippians that he hopes to see them soon, and encourages them to rejoice with him. Paul’s faith gave him the ability to write to churches that he started during his missionary work. Paul tells the Philippians that he is rejoicing, confident that their prayers and help from the Lord will deliver him from his imprisonment. Paul is in prison, but he is able to rejoice and trust that he will be released from his situation.

Guess what? He was right!

Paul had such a powerful faith that he was able to tell the Philippians that he would be released from his imprisonment, and he told them that without any doubt in his mind. That type of boldness can only come from the Holy Spirit.

REFLECTION:

1. Why does Paul rejoice?
2. How can you serve the Lord in times of suffering?
3. How has God used your suffering to bring about good in your life and in the lives of others?