Philippians 1:25-26 TPT “Yet deep in my heart I’m confident that I will be spared so I can add to your joy and further strengthen and mature your faith.
26 When I am freed to come to you, my deliverance will give you a reason to boast even more in Jesus Christ.”
I am observing this incident to be a great lesson in how we think and in our faith. We, as Christians, tend to think and believe in a certain direction that is for our own welfare. The Apostle Paul had written the book of Philippians while he was under house arrest in Rome. He was deeply and truly believing, as the above letter informs his readers, that in his heart he would be set free. If any of us were in his situation, we would activate our faith, believing for the best and for God to set us free. But what happened? In the end, the Apostle Paul was executed under Roman law by Caesar Nero. The writings of renowned previous scholars of those times claimed that the Apostle Paul was beheaded. He was never rescued but ended up a martyr.
We can be in a financial situation. We can be in a marriage or family situation. We could be under heavy tormenting persecution. We can be in a health crisis, and we can pray all we are able, believing in healing, a financial breakthrough, or deliverance. We can even have deep confidence. But in the end, God may not come as we had expected. Should we get angry? Should we distance ourselves from the Lord?
You have heard us convey part of a sermon previously by Bishop about how the Apostle Paul was not to go to Jerusalem to be captured.
I want to point out and teach how we humans think and how stubborn we can be. While the apostle Paul was under house arrest, he truly believed he would be set free. Let us see why he was not supposed to go to Jerusalem to be captured.
Acts 21:4 TPT “When we went ashore we found a number of believers and stayed with them for a week. They prophesied to Paul repeatedly, warning him by the Holy Spirit not to set foot in Jerusalem.”
Apostle Paul does not listen and continues on his travels. On the second stop, in Caesarea, a prophet comes and not only prophecies but puts it into visual demonstration.
Acts 21:10-14 TPT “During our stay of several days, Agabus, a prophet from Judea, came to visit us.
11 As a prophetic gesture, he took Paul’s belt and tied his own hands and feet with it as he prophesied, “The Holy Spirit says, ‘The one who owns this belt will be tied up in this same way by the Jews and they will hand him over to those who are not Jews.’
12 “When we heard this, both we and the believers of Caesarea begged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem.
13 But Paul replied, “Why do you cry and break my heart with your tears? Don’t you know that I’m prepared not only to be imprisoned but to die in Jerusalem for the sake of the wonder of the name of our Lord Jesus?”
14 Because we couldn’t persuade him, we gave up and said nothing more except “May the will of the Lord be done.”
Although Apostle Paul had written most of the New Testament books, his ministry had ended prematurely.
Additional Comments:
But why did God not rescue him while he was under Roman house arrest?
Probably cause he didn’t listen to the Holy Spirit about not going to Jerusalem?
If we apply this in terms of business, our health, our family life, our jobs, and or our finances, we can get into serious trouble because we had not listened to the Holy Spirit previously, and then once we are in trouble, now we are asking for help?
You may have to deal with the consequences or the fruit of your choices if you do not listen to the Holy Spirit from the original instructions
The Apostle Paul made his own decision over the instructions of the Holy Spirit conveyed through other authorities.
That sounds like some of our own people making their own decisions over my instructions. As I said, “Up to you.” 🫠
Senior Pastor Steve Kim