Great friends sent me a fantastic sermon by preacher Robbie Symons. The whole sermon was excellent, but what struck me the most was his introduction. He referred to Acts 23:11. In the middle of all sorts of persecution in Paul's life, God came and spoke to him, saying, "Take courage, for as you have testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem, so you must testify also in Rome."
How wonderful to hear directly from God. You would think if God planned a trip to Rome for Paul, then He would make a way for him to get there, but it just got worse for Paul from there. Attempts on his life, jail, storms, shipwrecks....months and months of hardship, if not years, but the whole time, Paul never faltered, because God had told him he was going to Rome. In fact, just as a way to give him a reminder, an angel of God was sent to him one more time while they were on the ship, having "been without food for a long time." The angel reminded him, "Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Casesar." In other words, "You're going to Rome."
Robbie's encouragement was if you know your destination, i.e. heaven, then nothing can distract you or even discourage you. Paul was even bitten by a snake, but was spared. He wasn't even worried. He was going to Rome. Robbie repeated it over and over, he knew he was going to Rome. It didn't matter what happened to him. It didn't matter how long it took him to get there, because God had told him, he was going to Rome and that's where he would be! No matter what!
A quality disciple lives in victory. We won't be brought down by life's circumstances because we know ultimately we are going to be in heaven one day. We must live in that victory today even if life's circumstances say otherwise. Paul's hardships heated up after God spoke that to him. I'm sure Satan was quite determined to make his getting to Rome impossible, but Paul didn't falter in his faith. If God spoke it, it was going to happen.
I'm not sure exactly what I thought was going to happen when we first took on this debt-reduction plan. Well, actually, I think I do know what I thought would happen. I'm pretty sure I thought God was going to be so grateful for our awesome attitude and then, because we were being obedient then He would just bless us, possibly even right away, and make our plan easy and fast. That has not been the case at all, though we have had tremendous blessings along the way, it has not been easy and certainly not fast. We've been shipwrecked, imprisoned, bitten by snakes and have had delay after delay! But we know our destination. Even if we don't see the freedom we long for in this life, we know ultimately we will have victory in heaven. We keep our eyes set on "Rome", which is still being debt-free, but know that all our plans are in His hands. We get angels sent as encouragement along the way. He reaffirms us all the time. "When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope of our being saved was at last abandoned." (Acts 27:19) We have had those feelings like the men on the ship at sea. Sometimes it feels like there is no sun, no stars, no wind, no hope, but just at that moment, God sends those angels and then like Paul, we can say to one another, "So take heart, men, for I have faith in God that it will be exactly as I have been told." (vs.26) Funnily enough, he then added, "But we must run aground on some island." (27). Running aground does not sound like a plan of salvation! But if that's what God's plan is then, send us aground to an island! (Actually, I'd love to go to an island....heh heh...)
Scripture is alive with encouragement. As long as I stay in Scripture, then I'm good. I'm going to Rome.
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