12 Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually advanced the gospel, 13 so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard, and to everyone else, that my imprisonment is because I am in Christ. (Philippians 1:12-13 CSB)
Take note this morning that Paul wrote this letter of encouragement to the church at Philippi while in prison. I am encouraged that I get to write these missives to you from the comfort of my home. However, I hope that given the chance I would do so from wherever I might find myself. This has been my goal and my desire.
Do I think I would ever have to write these from prison? I hope not, but I do believe we are getting closer and closer to a time when The Word will suffer much greater suppression. We are already in a time when basic truth and faith are being called into question on every corner.
It is not easy to keep from caving at the first sign of pressure. Many Christians opt to not offend and thus water down their message because of this. But, like Paul, we are called to speak truth no matter what. Paul reached a large portion of the imperial guard while in prison, so he did not let his circumstance derail his mission.
There is so much that the enemy puts in our way to keep us from reaching God’s mission in our lives. Some may be outright confrontation, but more likely it will come in the form of busyness, distraction or some other form of misdirection. The strength of our witness must stand the many subtle and not so subtle tactics of the enemy.
So that no matter what has happened to us we can say it happened to actually advance the gospel.
