Be Not Afraid, for God is with You

9Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace: 10for I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city.  Acts 18:9-10

 

The Apostle Paul, after he departed from Athens, went to Corinth, where he joined Aquila and Priscilla, a devout husband and wife team.  He worked with them there as a tentmaker while preaching the gospel of deliverance.  Unfortunately, the Jews that Paul spoke to opposed him and blasphemed vehemently.  Their response was so severe that Paul declared in Acts 18:6, “from henceforth I will go to the Gentiles.”

Apostle Paul must have been discouraged to have his words so soundly rejected by the Jews.  But, as a result of what he experienced, Jesus spoke words of encouragement to him in a night vision.  Acts 18:9 says:

9 Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace:

10 For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city.

 

These words were so encouraging to Paul that he continued there for a year and a half, teaching and preaching the Word of God.

This word is to all Saints, but especially to the ministers.   Circumstances may appear in our lives in which preaching and teaching the Word may seem to put us in danger.  Our words may be rejected, and men may hate us for our stand.  But I say to  you, “Be not afraid to speak the Word, for God is with you.” 

Moses escaped from Egypt after killing an Egyptian and went into Midian.  He was afraid to return to Egypt when God told him to go because he felt his life was in danger.  But God assured him that those who were after him were all dead.  God spoke important words of encouragement to him in Exodus 3:12 when He said, 12certainly I will be with thee.  With God on his side, Moses had no reason to be afraid.  

Following the death of Moses, Joshua took over as the leader of God’s people, the Israelites.  God spoke words of encouragement to Joshua when He appointed him.  He said in Joshua 1:5:

5 There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.

With those powerful words, Joshua was strengthened and encouraged to do the will and work of God.  

God used strong words to encourage Israel in Is. 45:2-5 when he said: 

2 I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron:

3 And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the Lord, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel.

Saints of God, we have no reason to be afraid of anything the enemy throws at us because our God is with us.  Not only be with us, but He will also go before us and make the crooked paths straight.  A great blessing awaits us if we go in God and do what He has given us to do.  Let us, therefore, be not afraid to speak the words and do the will of Him that sent us.  Why?  Because our God is with us. 

Let us pray:  Dear Heavenly Father, I thank You for the call You have placed upon my life.  When I feel afraid to obey You, I have only to remember that You are with me.  My will is submitted to You. Have thine own way in my life.