Philippians 1:14 "And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear."
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The apostle Paul was a firebrand for the Gospel. He traveled the known world proclaiming the reality of the Resurrection of Christ and its meaning to liberate people from their sin. He established churches and raised up leaders to guide them. He mentored others to follow in his footsteps and to expand the reach of the good news beyond his steps and beyond his life. He was perceived as a threat to the Roman authority, as believers bowed down to God in preference to Caesar. And so he was locked up...imprisoned...chained...to block the impact of his work.
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But this failed...in fact quite the opposite took place. As brothers in faith observed Paul's commitment to proclaim Christ from prison, as recorded in the letter to the Philippians and several other important epistles that we still have to this day in Scripture, they were inspired to share Christ. It is as if the power of Christ's liberation was heightened when man's chains could not contain it.
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Paul had asked others to pray for him in prison: Ephesians 6:19 "and [pray] also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak."
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As we are currently somewhat 'imprisoned' or held captive by a virus that is impacting so much of our lives, let us remember to continue to share the Gospel as we are reminded that the Word of God cannot be quarantined...cannot be weakened when we are weakened by sickness...and will be carried more effectively than the most contagious of diseases.
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As believers, we...like Paul...can never be separated from our Lord, or His message to the World!
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blessings,
Rob Smith
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"Death is inevitable. Life is a choice!"
John 11:25
Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live."
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