Tag Archives: my deliverance

PARTNERS IN POWER

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Philippians 1:19 NLT
[19] “For I know that as you pray for me and the Spirit of Jesus Christ helps me, this will lead to my deliverance.”

Philippians 1:25-26 NIV
[25] “Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, [26] so that through my being with you again your boasting in Christ Jesus will abound on account of me.”

Despite Paul’s longing to be with Jesus, he didn’t live his life with a death wish. There was work to be done and, as long as he was alive, he would do it faithfully with enthusiasm. For this reason, he needed to be delivered from prison.

His partnership in prayer with his fellow believers in Philippi was God’s way of getting him out of jail. As much as he was able to reach people in Caesar’s palace through his imprisonment, he had no desire to stay there. He wanted to be free to continue his mission to the Gentiles across the empire for as long as possible.

Paul knew that God could deliver him as He had done many times already. Paul was no stranger to the Father’s miraculous interventions. However, as always, he was subject to the Father’s will.

I think Paul knew that martyrdom was inevitable. He had already tasted the enemy’s hatred towards him in many ways. Hounded from one city to another by Jews and Gentiles, beaten and imprisoned more than once, accused and threatened with death for blasphemy, stoned, shipwrecked…you name it, Paul had survived many life-threatening situations, but he knew he faced a violent end. However, he was not daunted by the possibility.

Engaging in prayer meant engaging with God the Holy Spirit. Release from prison didn’t involve a jail break. It meant that God would intervene with a miracle that would legitimately set him free to go on his way. He was no stranger to God’s power through prayer.

And so it was! Before his arrest and final imprisonment in Rome ending in the martyrdom Paul had long anticipated, he was given more time to finish his task.

How do we know when our work is done? Only God knows because…

  1. He has written our story before we ever lived it, to the last page.

Psalms 139:16 NLT
[16] “You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.”

  1. He has chosen others to carry on His work. It’s not for us to be concerned but to be faithful in the work He has given us to do. He will see to it that all His plans are fulfilled.

2 Timothy 2:2 NLT
[2]” You have heard me teach things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses. Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others.”

It’s easy for us, when we know we are near the end of life, to be either fatalistic…karma – what will be will be…or passive…waiting to die. Not Paul!

He mobilised his strength and the strength of others with him to continue with his task until his last breath. There was no lack of power, through the prayers of his partners and the Holy Spirit’s work for him, to sustain him to his last day.

Let us also resolve, like Paul, to continue, persevere, and be faithful as long as God gives us the strength to fulfil our calling. We know that He will raise up others after us because His work to establish His kingdom on earth will continue until Jesus comes.

PARTNERS WITH A GOAL

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Philippians 1:19-20 NLT
[19] “For I know that as you pray for me and the Spirit of Jesus Christ helps me, this will lead to my deliverance. [20] For I fully expect and hope that I will never be ashamed, but that I will continue to be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past. And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die.”

Paul’s attitude to life and its circumstances, easy or difficult, was closely allied to his goal. His purpose was to glorify Christ in all of life, good or bad. “And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die.”

Living or dying, and everything in between! This meant that he embraced every circumstance as an ally, not an enemy of his goal. It also meant that his goal was so big that he could not achieve it alone. “You pray for me!” “The Spirit helps me!” The outcome, “My deliverance!”

Paul was not a fatalist. He was determined to stay alive until his work was finished. He engaged those who could help him to get the job done…fellow believers and the Holy Spirit in partnership with him.

Paul was also not afraid to die…in fact, he welcomed death as a release from his struggles and a reward for his faithfulness. In life and in death, he had the same goal, to become what Jesus had called him to be, a replica of Himself. .

Philippians 1:21-24 NLT
[21] “For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better. [22] But if I live, I can do more fruitful work for Christ. So I really don’t know which is better. [23] I’m torn between two desires: I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me. [24] But for your sakes, it is better that I continue to live.”

At that moment, as inviting as dying was, Paul chose to continue living because he could carry on his work fruitfully for the Lord.

His circumstances were no hindrance. He could live one day at a time, one step at a time because he was not in charge. He trusted the one who shaped his circumstances for him and make the best use of each moment knowing that, in His time, he would reap the reward of his labours.

Paul was also not concerned about the way his life would end. As his witness for Jesus drew the noose tighter around his neck, he could say with confidence and without fear…

2 Timothy 4:6-8 NLT
[6] “As for me, my life has already been poured out as an offering to God. The time of my death is near. [7] I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. [8] And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing.”

Living or dying, all that mattered was “Christ in him, the hope of glory.”

TO LIVE OR TO DIE

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TO LIVE OR TO DIE

“Yes, and I will rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and God’s provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance. I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now, as always, Christ shall be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” Philippians 1:18b-21.

This man, Paul, continues to amaze me! His concern was not to get out of prison but to have the courage to stand for Jesus whether it meant life or death. He relied on two things, the prayers of his fellow believers, and the Holy Spirit whom God had given to him at his new birth. Paul saw deliverance, not as freedom from imprisonment in Rome but freedom from his own fleshly nature which cowered at the thought of dying a gruesome death.

Prayer is a mystery, isn’t it? Why should the prayers of his brothers and sisters in Philippi make any difference to his attitude? Surely God was with him and the Holy Spirit in him there in Rome. What difference could their prayers make to him, whether he was courageous or cowardly in the face of impending martyrdom? That was his greatest concern. To face the sword or the wild beasts without flinching was more important to him than getting out of prison or staying alive.

Paul would rather die without shame than deny his Lord, and there was every possibility that he would be called on to make the choice of confessing that Caesar was Lord or facing the consequences. And with Nero there was no mercy. He hated Christians so fervently that no torture was too heinous to make them suffer for their loyalty to a Galilean Jew whom the Romans had crucified.

The thought of dying held no terror for Paul. His hope was in Jesus. He had met Him face-to-face on the Damascus road. He knew He was real, alive and with him. He knew that the moment he stepped out of his mortal body, he would be with Him forever and in the glory of the Father’s presence. In fact, he yearned for that day, the day of his release from the flesh, which had been his enemy from birth.

Living in his human, mortal body was a journey – daily dying to the demands of his sinful nature and learning to rely on the Holy Spirit who energised his spirit with the life of Jesus. He used every opportunity to rely on His strength in his human weakness. Paul was dead to himself and alive by the life of Jesus in him but, nevertheless, he found the thought of martyrdom at the hands of Nero daunting, to say the least.

The thought of the prayers of his beloved brothers and sisters in Philippi comforted him. In a way that only God understood, prayer was God’s way of engaging with His people to do His will. Of course, He would give Paul the courage and strength to endure, but how much better when His people partnered with Him through prayer. Instead of feeling helpless, they could do something positive to help Paul face his trials with courage and know that, because God was a loving Father to them and to Paul, they could trust Him to do whatever was necessary to give Paul the victory.

Can you imagine life without prayer? What would it be like if we had no way of engaging with God in our suffering and in the suffering of those dear to us? How could we do God’s will if we had no way of communicating with Him? What would we do with our anxieties and fears if we could not cast them on the Lord? How could we express our love to Him and worship Him if we could not draw near to Him? We would not even be able to offload our misgivings and mistrust of Him if we could not talk to Him.

Prayer means a thousand things to us, and God knew that when He invited us to draw near to Him. Prayer is one of the greatest gifts a loving Father could ever give His child. Unlike many human fathers who are either too busy or too indifferent to listen to their children, God is passionate about our coming to Him, so passionate in fact, that He sent His Son to clear the obstacles out of the way so that we can approach Him without fear.

“Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, His body, and since we have a great high priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.” Hebrews 10:19-22.

Life, with all its hardships and troubles, holds no fear for the one who knows the Father and calls on Him for grace and strength in every situation.

Scripture taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.