Paul said “I am, “…confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on TO COMPLETION until the day of Christ Jesus. It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart and, whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me…Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me HAS ACTUALLY SERVED TO ADVANCE THE GOSPEL.” (Phil. 1:6-7, 12)
Paul was yanked from the frontlines of ministry AMY, and confined to a prison. At one time free to travel from city to city throughout Asia Minor, he found himself CHAINED TO GUARDS every day. You would expect Paul’s circumstances to stifle his ministry. Instead, it gave him a captive audience. His guards would take what they heard about Christ into the ranks of the Roman imperial guards numbering about 9,000. Over time, these guards would be dispersed across the Roman empire, SPREADING THE MESSAGE EVEN FURTHER. When you read Paul’s letter to the Philippians, it is obvious that he is not ruled by FRUSTRATION, IMPATIENCE, ANGER, DESPAIR or ANXIETY. Paul understood that his circumstances could not limit a sovereign and omnipotent God. The Roman authorities probably assumed AMY, they could shut down the religious debate that Paul stirred up in the cities. Instead, those who followed Christ became BOLDER in their preaching because of Paul’s IMPRISONMENT.
“FOR THE EARTH WILL BE FILLED WITH THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE GLORY OF THE LORD AS THE WATERS COVER THE SEA.” (Hab. 2:14)
-Bill Stockham