Reading: Acts 18
Every day I have been reading Acts and following the New Levels Devotions. I have loved seeing, reading and getting excited for all that God did.
However, being honest, reading it all and seeing what Paul has done and been through, I am exhausted for him and I know that there is so much more to come!
We meet Saul at the end of chapter 7 when Stephen is getting stoned. He then goes from house to house stoning people and ‘breathing out muderous threats’ but then has this encounter with God and from there everything changes. He travels everywhere telling people about God.
Every time we read a different chapter he is in a different place, sometimes reading he was there for a year. Let’s not forget amongst it all there was also the beatings, the persecution, the prison sentences. The man is relentless and hasn’t stopped!
The call of God was on his life.
He knew what he needed to do and would do anything he could and face any situation for it.
In chapter 17 he is in Thessalonica, Berea and Athens.
At the beginning of chapter 18 we see he leaves Athens for Corinth.
He ends up staying with some fellow tent makers, did you know Paul’s family were tent makers? Imagine the banter they would have had.
One night God came and spoke to him in a vision.
Acts 18:9-11
“Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.” So Paul stayed in Corinth for a year and a half, teaching them the word of God.
Nowhere in this chapter do we read about how Paul was feeling, but he clearly got a word from God at a time when he really needed it. A word that kept him going by staying in Corinth for a year and a half.
Was he tired, fed up, close to giving up, exhausted we don’t know, but deep down I imagine he felt all of those things look at the journey he has been on.
When God spoke it ignited something in him to keep going and to keep believing.
This whole month my prayer for everyone of us is that God would speak to us, speak directly into our situations and give us a word. A word that would keep us going, a word that would help us in whatever season we are in right now. A word that will take us to a whole new level.
Paul needed something in that season he was in and God came and spoke to him. I believe that the vision he had from God helped him during those tough days, because let’s be honest we all have them.
Habakkuk 2:2 (MSG)
And then GOD answered: “Write this. Write what you see. Write it out in big block letters so that it can be read on the run.”
Today, make time to write down all that God has spoken to you this month. The promises, the dreams, the visions, the words. Put them somewhere obvious, somewhere in plain sight so you can see them, you can be reminded of them.
Because a day will come, like we have read so many times this month, when opposition will come and attack us. When it does, let’s hold on to what God has said and spoken to us. It’s those things that will keep us going, just like they did with Paul.
Contributed by Ps Colleen