God Has Got Your Back

[0:00] Thank you for tuning into this message by David Entry. Every true revival is a product of the strong preaching of God's word. May you receive a word from this message that will spark a revival in you.

[0:15] ! Born in Pontus, lately come from Italy with his wife Prisla because that Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome and came unto them.

[0:46] And because he was of the same craft, he abode with them and wroth for by their occupation they were tent makers.

[0:58] And he risen in the synagogue every Sabbath and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks. And when Silas and Timotius were come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in his spirit and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ.

[1:18] And when they opposed themselves and blasphemed, he shook his raiment and said unto them, Your blood be upon your own heads. I am clean. From henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles.

[1:36] And he departed thence and entered into a certain man's house named Justice. One that worshipped God whose house joined hard to the synagogue.

[1:51] And Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his house. And many of the Corinthians, hearing, believed and were baptized.

[2:03] Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision. Be not afraid, but speak and hold not thy peace.

[2:15] For I am with thee and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee. For I have much people in the city. And he continued there a year and six months teaching the word of God unto them.

[2:32] Here ends the reading of God's word. Shall we please pray? Father, thank you so much for the privilege of gathering together so we can hear your word read and taught.

[2:44] As your word is taught, we pray that let the heavens open upon our lives. Give us glimpse and illumination into yourself.

[2:57] That Christ will be revealed to us. Let gospel truth come alive to us. That we become stronger in the Lord. For the Lord is our strength. And the Lord is our salvation.

[3:09] Thank you that you are with us and you keep speaking to us. Speak, O Lord, for your servants are listening. To your glory in Jesus' name.

[3:24] Praise God. Paul was a negative missionary. In other words, traveling to closed down churches.

[3:36] And God realized his zeal and passion about how he does his work will be useful. And God had already had a plan for him in his life.

[3:47] But just that he didn't know. He was using it for wrong things. I'm just describing many of us here. There are endowments that God has put in us.

[3:58] But before we came to Christ, we were using it differently. Until you discover who you are to be in Christ. Unfortunately, some are in Christ but still using it wrongly.

[4:08] And not for the purposes of God. Yesterday, I had a meeting with our missionaries. And I was telling them something that I found out and discovered. That Jesus has a big sponsorship program.

[4:21] There's reserved funds from heaven. Allocation. It has big. The budget of heaven has the treasury. Yeah, the treasury of heaven has a major allocation.

[4:35] Main budget is to sponsor church building. I'll just wait for you to sink in. To sponsor church work.

[4:47] That's why Jesus is sitting in heaven. And how about the hungry? What has that got to do with him? How about the poor? You always have poor. You always have the hungry. So he has put systems in place on earth to take care of the hungry.

[5:01] To take care of the poor. To take care of the disenfranchised. Slave trade was not stopped. It's no more going on just because of the Bible. It's no more going on. Because people are becoming sensible.

[5:13] Do you understand that? There's no society where murder is celebrated. So that's how God also defends and protects people. Do you understand that? So it's called the general benevolence of God.

[5:25] When the rain falls, it doesn't only fall on the land of good people. It also falls on the land of bad people. Medical science is a reflection of God's benevolence. So that it's not only those who pray who will be healed.

[5:40] Doctors are there for all who are sick. Not all who go to church. Do you understand? So if you say, God, what about the sick people? He has actually put his general benevolence in place to take care of all those things.

[5:55] It's an order in life. There's a system in life. But now, he has started a program. It's called his end time agenda. His eternal economy.

[6:08] It's to build. Jesus said in Matthew chapter 16 verse 18, He said, I will build my church. This is how I will build your church. And this is how you build my church. I was sharing this with him because I found out that anyone who is committed to the building of church, God's work, always invariably sees the goodness of God in their lives.

[6:32] Invariably. Any pastor who is doing well, whose work lasts, is because their focus is on the building of the church. Now, does that make sense?

[6:42] God has an allocation. Christ is busy. He himself will sponsor you if you are church-minded. He will sponsor your job.

[6:54] He will make way, a room for you. Paul was called, was, it says that God separated him from his mother's womb with an agenda to reveal Christ in him.

[7:08] Galatians chapter 1 verse 15 and 16. God separated and God said, I'm going to reveal Christ in you. But he was going around closing down churches. And then God called him into missions work.

[7:22] And from Acts chapter 9, we are in chapter 18 now. We've been seeing Paul and his missionary work. So, but you notice that even though it was God who was behind it, from Acts chapter 13, that's when the mission started.

[7:38] As soon as the mission work started, it was fraught with all kinds of challenges and difficulties. But you would have thought that this is what God wanted him.

[7:49] He was doing what God wanted him to do. But why all these problems? Paul's life was cooler and more comfortable when he was not doing missions. Soon as he started mission work, fool of, when he started mission work, first problem they encountered was this by Jesus guy who was trying to block them from doing their work towards the proconsul.

[8:13] Paul had to confront him. Acts chapter 9 from verse 9, filled the Holy Ghost, confronted him. Then, verse 13, they are help. They had John verse 6.

[8:23] They had John Mark to be their assistant. When they go to verse 13, assistant left him. When they go to Thessalonica, is it? Not Thessalonica. Pamphylia.

[8:35] Now, Paul, come and lose. They care to pay for it. And Pega, and then Pamphylia. And John departed. When they go to Pamphylia, John left. The one who was called to help you, was called to help you.

[8:50] About eight, or eight is even too much, seven investors down the line, they left you. They left you and went back to Jerusalem. Say, I don't think I'm cut out for this.

[9:02] You would have thought that was enough. And then, in Acts chapter 13, before the chapter ended, Bible says that, verse 45, the Jews were jealous. Jealousy, persecution, and afflictions were part of the normal attendance, what attended Paul's mission.

[9:26] Look at this, a multitude. They were filled with envy and spoke against the things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming him. Envy, persecution, and blasphemy was what he kept seeing.

[9:41] Then he went somewhere, he left there. He moved on in chapter 14. And they came there. They moved. The enemies, the Jews came there to spoil.

[9:55] They polluted the heart of their brethren, affected. Evil affected the minds of their brethren. And persecution started again. They attacked him. And then he left.

[10:06] He went to Beria. Sorry, not Beria. He left. He went to Lystra and Iconium. And the people who said, ghosts have come down to us. They now turned against. They stoned Paul before chapter 14 ended.

[10:19] Paul had been stoned and left for dead. And then, after all the missions work, he didn't stop. He moved to another city, another town. And after all the missions work, came back to Antioch.

[10:31] And some Judaizers, chapter 15, have also come and were spoiling the work he had done. So they had to go to Jerusalem to get all those sorted. And by before chapter 15 ended, major contention has broken up between Paul and Barnabas.

[10:48] These two allies who God called, verse 37 of chapter 15. I mean, what kind of mission work is this? This will be very frustrating. So, Barnabas takes John Mark and sails to Cyprus.

[11:05] And Paul also takes Silas and then continues the journey. And then, they got, chapter 16 comes in. They got Timothy to be with them.

[11:17] They started doing the work. They wanted to go and preach in Phrygia, Bithynia, and all that. They didn't. A vision came. A vision. Verse 9, chapter 16. A vision came to Paul. A man of Macedonia standing.

[11:29] Come to Macedonia and help us. So, when he got up from his vision, they said, we concluded. Verse 10. They concluded. Paul saw the vision, but they concluded. It's a teamwork.

[11:40] They concluded that God wanted them to preach the word of God to Macedonia. So, they went to the chief city of Macedonia. When they got there, ministry was working. Their ministry was accepted.

[11:53] It was working. God opened the heart of Lydia. In fact, now, Lydia was putting pressure on them to do them good. Lydia said, no. Lydia was a bit kind of well off. So, come to my house. I want to make sure that I take good care of you.

[12:06] All your expenditure, everything is covered by me. Please. And she was begging them to allow her to do them good. I mean, that's how ministry was working. They cast demons out.

[12:17] And within a short time, in that same city, Paul was arrested. And beaten without trial. Beaten and put in prison.

[12:28] Locked up in prison. They haven't done anything wrong. What kind of mission work is this? Locked him up in prison. And at midnight, they prayed and God showed up.

[12:42] And they were deported from there. They were sent away from Philippi. You would think you would have thought that. No, they both said, leave, go. So, they were deported.

[12:52] What kind of missions work? Paul didn't stop. When, so, from Philippi. Now, this is where the thing is getting interesting. Because now he's in European territory. So, Philippi.

[13:04] Then from Philippi, went to Thessalonica. And then went to Thessalonica. And the Jews are being jealous and envious. Started. See, Paul noticed a trend.

[13:15] Anytime I go somewhere, I get audience. But when the audience begins to increase. Challenges. Opposition begins to go up.

[13:26] And once opposition begins to go up. Persecution is coming. They might have beat me. Catch me in prison. When will this stop? When will this stop? And so, in Thessalonica.

[13:36] It was working until the Jews came and guarded some useless people and fought against Paul. So, Paul had to leave Thessalonica and went to Berea.

[13:50] And they traveled from Thessalonica and came to Berea when they realized Paul was doing well there. Created a problem. So, Paul had to leave Berea to go to Athens.

[14:02] So, immediately, Paul was sent away. They brought him to Athens. He got to Athens. Athens was the intellectual center of intellectualism in those days.

[14:16] He came to Athens. He preached. The people there, intellectual elite and spiritual, they are very intellectual and spiritually superstitious.

[14:28] So, that would have been a good place. He preached to them. And when he preached, at Mass Hill, see, it's almost like a court. Mass Hill was like, they brought him to court to defend his thesis.

[14:40] After preaching, the Bible says that large number of them didn't believe in him. They didn't take him serious. This guy is not serious. He said, get out of here. Get out of here.

[14:51] And so, only two people believed. Amongst those who believed in the verse 32, 34. However, some men joined him and believed.

[15:05] Amongst them were Dionysius, the Aeropagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others. You know, just a few. A lot of people did. Then Paul comes.

[15:16] Let's look at it. Then Paul leaves Athens and comes to Corinth. So, from Philippi to Thessalonica. From Thessalonica. From Thessalonica to Beria.

[15:31] From Beria to Athens. From Athens, now in Corinth. Corinth is not a place you would like to go. It's like Las Vegas on steroids. It's so bad. It's so bad.

[15:44] It was so bad. If they call any woman a Corinthian woman, it's another name for a core girl. I mean, you wouldn't want to be called a Corinthian.

[15:56] Their city was so polluted. Their city was so polluted. Their values were so loose. Sexual immorality was normal.

[16:09] Because their form of worship, they worship the sex goddess. So, their form of worship meant to worship. You cannot worship.

[16:19] You are not worshiping until you find. So, they even have. When you go to the temple, instead of having maybe a cross or having another. They had what we call temple prostitutes.

[16:30] Temple prostitutes. Both male and female. They were there. And you are coming to worship.

[16:44] You want to go and worship there? Excuse me. Temple prostitutes.

[16:55] So, Paul finds. That goes to Corinth. That's not a place you should be preaching. That's not a place. Because there are things you even see. So, Paul in Corinth.

[17:10] Paul! What are you doing in Corinth? Huh? Corinth? It's like the whole city was a brothel. Wild. What are you doing in Corinth?

[17:21] And so, Paul gets to Corinth. Corinth. Tired. Afraid. Discouraged. Lonely.

[17:33] He was there alone. He left Timothy and Silas. He went to Corinth. Tired. Discouraged.

[17:44] Afraid. He was like, when would this end? When would this end? Because I've just finished preaching great ministry. But look at what's happening again.

[17:55] I went to Athens. Things. Great teaching. Look at what's happening. Now in Corinth. So, let's see what happened in Corinth. So, remember the background of his missionary attempt.

[18:09] And he was in Corinth. Very discouraged. And he was afraid. The great man of God was afraid. Was tired. He was tired.

[18:20] He was afraid. And he was lonely. He felt like, what's the point? So, he was there. So, now, with that background.

[18:31] After these things, Paul departed from Athens and went to Corinth. And he says that. And, you see, when you are at your lowest ebb, God will always, when he's with you, you're always sure.

[18:47] When you go to Corinth in that state of tiredness, frustration, afraid, lonely, God didn't leave him.

[19:00] God did some things for him. Number one, he found friends there. Wow. He found some spiritual friends there.

[19:11] Don't take good spiritual, godly friends. No, not spiritual. Godly friends for granted. Everybody needs some godly friends. Because the adventure of faith is not a journey to be embarked alone.

[19:27] To be embarked on alone. You need godly friends. If you have been standing for Christ for a while, I'm telling you, it's not just purely because of your devotion and goodwill.

[19:41] It's also because of your association. Godly friends. Some of you are injured. You almost didn't make it by your friend. Hey. No, no. Let's go.

[19:52] Had it not been for your godly friendship after COVID, you would have been missing. Or you went under deep sea after COVID and godly friendship got you back.

[20:07] You always need people around you who will steer you towards godliness and good works. Paul, when he was tired, frustrated, and discouraged and afraid, Bible said, And found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus.

[20:31] Can you imagine? They got to Corinth just when Paul also got to Corinth. They were all new in the city. So, but they used to live in Italy.

[20:43] But there was a problem in Italy. The gospel had gotten to Rome at that time. The gospel had gotten to Rome. And the Jews, some of the Jews have accepted the gospel according to history.

[20:58] They have accepted the gospel. And the unbelieving Jews who have not accepted the gospel started a rancor, an argument, or a row, or they broke up some tension between the Jews who have accepted the gospel and the ones who have not accepted the gospel as you always saw.

[21:17] So, those unbelieving Jews were always creating the problem. And so, there was a major tension between these two Jewish factions who were fighting. The other ones were fighting.

[21:29] It was like a major religious tension. And Claudius Caesar said, I won't have none of this nonsense. So, he drove out all the Jews from Italy.

[21:41] He said, all of you get out of here. Go. Yes, he deported all Jews because of this tension. And so, Aquila and Prisla, who were Jews, living in Rome or Italy, when they were deported, they found themselves in Corinth because they were believers.

[22:02] So, they went to Corinth. And when they found themselves, that's when Paul also had gotten to Corinth. And so, in his state of loneliness and discouragement, God gave him some good friends.

[22:17] Prisla Aquila makes appearance again in chapter 18. They're so good that Paul, Bible says that, verse 18, sorry, chapter 18, verse 18. The scripture says that, Paul, after he tarried there yet a good while, and then took his leave of the brethren and sailed them into Syria.

[22:42] And with him, Prisla, nowadays, he started traveling with them. They became his allies. How beautiful is that God never leaves himself without a witness?

[22:55] I heard somebody mention something some time ago, a preacher. Some time ago, he said, God still sends postcards. Nowadays, we don't send postcards.

[23:07] A postcard is just someone sends a postcard and tells you that, listen, I'm still thinking about you. It doesn't have to be something big. It doesn't have to solve your problem. Postcards didn't really solve problems.

[23:20] It's just to let you know someone was, you're in somebody's place. And God has a way of every now and then sending you postcards. I don't know who I'm talking to. Sometimes, God will, something little to point you to the fact that God is with you.

[23:36] God is with you. God hasn't left you. You go to the hospital, very discouraged. And suddenly, this doctor said, I think I know you somewhere. And you found out that your first job, he was the one who was on internship there, and then you were very nice to him.

[23:51] The doctor said, don't worry. I know it's just a sign. God is, even in your sickness, God is with you. Even when things were gloomy, God will send you a postcard.

[24:05] And so, God sends Paul a postcard and tells him, I'm with you. How? By making him meet Priscilla and Aquila. And guess what? There were tents. Priscilla and Aquila, their business, their tent-making business.

[24:17] In other translations, it's not tent-making. It's leatherworks. So, some translations put it tent-making. But original Greek is leatherworks.

[24:28] They were in leatherworks. And Paul also was a leatherworker. I mean, this, Priscilla and Aquila were so instrumental in his life. In Romans chapter 16, verse 3, look at what he said about Priscilla and Aquila.

[24:42] After years, when he was sending a letter, he said, Great Priscilla and Aquila, my God has a way of sending you signals, sending you a note to let you know, girl, you're all right.

[24:59] I'm with you. I don't know. I got your back. The Americans, I got your back. God will always send you a note to let you know I got you. I got your back. I got you covered. I got you covered.

[25:10] Sometimes in the darkness of the moment, a message just comes. Somebody sends you a message. You feel, wow. What a time for this message to come.

[25:21] God, thank you. Thank you, Lord. God's got you covered. Tell someone, God's got you covered. God's got you covered.

[25:32] So, it's important to understand that when you are walking with God, listen to what I'm about to say. Paul was serving God faithfully, but he didn't seem to see the success.

[25:47] Your faithfulness may not necessarily produce automatic and immediate success. Faithfulness may not necessarily produce automatic and immediate success.

[26:05] Your devotion to God may not necessarily produce or may not necessarily make things go your way immediately.

[26:18] But invariably, you realize that you have a loss. It's a lesson. When you look at Paul's life, it's a lesson to everyone who believes. That you can be faithful and still things may look dark.

[26:31] But in the time of darkness, God will always send you postcards from heaven. Am I talking? So, Prisla and Aquila.

[26:43] Now, you can tell how effective they were. There was actually a church in their house now. Yeah. Prisla and Aquila, 1 Corinthians chapter 19.

[26:55] 1 Corinthians chapter 16, verse 19. There was a church in there. The church of Asia salutes you. Prisla and Aquila salutes you much in the Lord.

[27:06] With the church that is in their house. These are the kind of people Paul met when he was down. 2 Timothy chapter 4, verse 19. When he was sending greetings. And towards the end of his life.

[27:16] 2 Timothy chapter 4 is Paul's last message. He was about to die. In verse 6, he said, the time for my departure has come. Verse 6.

[27:27] He said, for I am now ready to be offered. And the time of my departure is at hand. So, he was now. Then he says that I fought a good fight. Oh, yes. Then he writes his own obituary.

[27:38] He said, just so you. I'm writing my obituary. Not for me, but for you. I fought a good fight. I finished my course. I kept it. Therefore, there's laid for me a crown of righteousness.

[27:49] Which the Lord, the righteous shall give to me on that day. And not only to me. Paul. That was his son. He said, Demas has forsaken me. Bring John Mack. He's profitable for me.

[27:59] When he said, Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm. May the Lord repay him according to his. So, he was leaving his final address.

[28:17] Then, guess who he mentions? Verse 19. He said, greet Priestland Aquila and the house of the... These guys, can you imagine how they became in his life?

[28:27] In his downest moment, God gave him company. I see God sending good company to you. And so, Priestla and Aquila, they were tent makers.

[28:40] Paul was a tent maker. All right. Now, let's look at the text again in verse 3. And because he was of the same craft, he abode with them and wroth.

[28:51] Wroth there means worked. Okay. So, that is what he should... I mean, he worked. Paul was a bivocational minister. What does that mean?

[29:02] He was not only doing church work. He also had a business. He had this. Acts chapter 20, verse 34 and 35. Acts 20, 34 and 35.

[29:15] Look at that. He says that, yes, he also knows that these hands provided for my necessities and for those who were with me. Do you know why Paul was working?

[29:26] He was working... He was working to support himself and the others for the mission. That's why he was working. So, in 2 Corinthians, he said, I did not depend on you.

[29:38] I chose not to depend on you because I didn't want anyone to be telling me that I'm doing this because I want something from you. He said there's nothing wrong... 1 Corinthians chapter 9.

[29:49] He said there's nothing wrong if we reap something from you, if we sow spiritual things. But because of all this kind of nonsense talk, he said, I chose not to take anything from you. He said, I worked my... Yes.

[29:59] It's very interesting. Paul said, I worked by myself. So, when you look at 2 Corinthians, if I sow spiritual things, there's nothing wrong with reaping. But he said, I'm not using it.

[30:10] Actually, in 2 Corinthians chapter, it was even stronger. 2 Corinthians chapter 12, verse 12. It says that you are not behind anything. Truly, the signs of an apostle will rot amongst you, accomplish amongst you.

[30:23] And the signs of one... Look at the next verse. Verse 13. For what is it in which you were inferior to other churches? You are not inferior. When you talk about miracle, power, everything.

[30:35] You are not inferior. Except I myself was not bending self to you. Forgive me for this. Can you imagine? Paul says, it's wrong. That I'm blessing you and I didn't let you take care of my knees.

[30:47] He says, it's wrong. He said, forgive me for this wrong, yet I'm not repenting. That's what he said. Look at the next verse. Now, for the third time, I'm ready to come to you and I will not be bending self to you.

[31:01] For I do not seek yours, but you. For the children ought not to lay up for their parents, but the parents for their children. The next verse. And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you.

[31:14] Though the more abundantly I love you, the less I'm loved. Paul was making some serious case. And when you go to that chapter 13, he said, I'm coming again and I will not depend on you.

[31:25] And then he wrote to... It didn't mean he didn't like receiving from people. Because he wrote to the Philippian church that when he was in Thessalonica, you know from Philippi, he went to Thessalonica. He said, when I was in Thessalonica, Philippians chapter 4, you sent aid once and again, not once and for all, once and again to my necessity.

[31:44] And he said, may my God supply your knees. So they were supporting him. But there were times Paul said, I'm working with my hand to support myself and the people with me. So he was a tent maker or a leather worker.

[31:59] He used to do that on the side so that he could support himself from the text we saw. Time will not permit me to go to my... Let me just add one. First Corinthians chapter 4 verse 12. It says, and labor working with our own hands.

[32:14] So Paul used to work with his own hands. Now, so why is it that some pastors would just do full time? A pastor should not be paid for what he does.

[32:28] But a pastor can be paid to do what he does. So you see the bifurcation now? He's supposed to be around the world. If the church gets to a certain...

[32:39] When the church needs all his attention. He's not being paid for the preaching. But he has to be taken care of so that he can have time to take care of the church. Depending on the state of the church.

[32:50] Do you understand what I'm saying? Listen, it's a lot of work to pastor a church. It's so much, so much work. Bishop Oedipo once said that if I've abandoned everything in my professional life to do the work full time.

[33:07] He said, no one doing it part time will beat me to it. Because my hands are now being freed from other things. Then it must show on the work. If my hands are being freed and there is no showing on the work.

[33:20] And others whose hands are even busy are doing better. Then it's an indictment to me. Do you understand what I'm saying? So Paul was a bifurcation minister because of the nature and the times he was living in and his nature.

[33:33] And so he was into tent making. And then Prisla and Aquila, he made them. And then verse 4 says that. And he reasoned. Uh-oh. Synagogue again. He reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks.

[33:49] He reasoned. He could work miracles, but he reasoned. He reasoned because Christianity is reasonable. Anybody who said, just believe your God.

[33:59] Just take it like that. No, no, no. Bible never tells us to just take it like that. He gives us reasons. Biblical reasons. There must be biblical reasons for what you do. There must be biblical reasons for what you believe.

[34:11] If you can't found sound, balanced, biblical reason for your faith, then it's fake when it comes to the Christian faith.

[34:23] So Paul went into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews and the Greeks. There's verse 5, something interesting. Verse 5 says that, and when Silas and Timotheus were come, they were around with him, when they were come to Macedonia, Paul was pressed in the spirit and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ.

[34:47] He couldn't help it anymore. In spite of his fear, his loneliness, everything, he was pressed in the spirit. Jesus is the Christ. He testified. You know, I spoke about testifying.

[34:57] Actually, after 14, we go there, testifying. We testify. In other words, proving. To testify means to prove, to show as a witness. So you are showing from there.

[35:09] And I explained that there are enough evidence in the Old Testament that Jesus is the Christ. So you don't need something else. You can testify. The Bible says he testified to the word of his grace.

[35:21] Grace has always been a practical God expression in the Old Testament. So verse 6 says that, and when they opposed themselves and blasphemed.

[35:36] Say blasphemed. Blasphemed. Say it again. Blasphemed. Now, Acts 1345 says that. But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy and spoke against those things which were spoken by Paul.

[35:52] Contraditing and blaspheming. Now, when they said they blasphemed here, the way the Greek renders it, they said they blasphemed. So it's either speaking against God or actually cursing and swearing at Paul.

[36:09] Swearing at him. Cursing him. Very angrily. So either that or blasphemy. Blasphemy is to speak against God. But the original Greek translated there was more about, look at 1 Peter 4, verse 4.

[36:21] Is somebody getting what I'm saying? In 1 Peter 4, verse 4, it says, Wherein they think it's strange that ye ran not with them to the same excess of riot. Speaking evil.

[36:33] Some translation used blaspheming against you. So speaking evil of you, the same thing, blaspheming. The same Greek word, blaspheming against you or castigating, cursing you.

[36:45] They are treating you in a way that can sometimes be very hurtful. So they blasphemed Paul. Cursed him. Saying all kinds of things against him. Paul went through a lot.

[36:56] Paul's missionary work is not comfortable at all. They blasphemed. And when they opposed themselves and blasphemed, he shook the raiment. His raiment.

[37:07] That's a serious one. He shook his raiment and said unto them, your blood be upon your own head. That means that people's blood can be on your head. Or their own head.

[37:20] Blood be upon your own heads. I am clean. From henceforth, I go. That's where his Gentile ministry started. He focused purely on the Gentiles. Because he was pressing his spirit to prove that Jesus is Christ.

[37:33] And they blasphemed rather. And they were cursing him. And so he shook. I think Nehemiah chapter 5 verse 13. There's something very interesting there. Nehemiah chapter 5.

[37:43] So when you shake the dust of your feet to a Jew, he understands what you mean. Also, I shook my lap and said, so God shake out every man from his house and from his labor.

[37:59] That performeth not this promise. Even that be he shaken out and emptied. So when someone shakes in the Jewish tradition, when they shake their feet, he's trying to, it's almost like God will shake you.

[38:14] Paul shook, Acts chapter 18 again. Paul shook the, he shook his raiment, shook his raiment. I don't have anything to do with you.

[38:25] And he said, your blood be upon your head. Hey! Your blood be upon your head. 2 Samuel chapter 1 verse 16. And David said unto him, thy blood be upon thy head.

[38:36] For thy mouth has testified against you, saying, I have slain the Lord's anointed. Thy blood be upon your head. In other words, your demise, I'm not responsible for your demise.

[38:49] Whatever, I will not be responsible for the negative outcome of your life. Paul said, you resisted blaspheme? You're on your own. The outcome is upon your head.

[39:00] Paul said, your blood be upon your head. In Ezekiel chapter 33 verse 4. Ezekiel chapter 33 verse 4. He says that, then whoever heareth the sound of the trumpet and taketh not warning.

[39:14] If the sword come and take him away, his blood shall be upon his. In other words, you are responsible for what happened. When they say your blood is on your head, that means that you are responsible for the negative outcome.

[39:27] So, back to the text. He shook his raiment and said, your blood be upon your own heads. I am clean. From his forth, I go to the Gentiles. And he departed then and entered into a certain man's house named Justice.

[39:41] One that worshipped God, whose house, can you imagine, there was a problem with the synagogue. So, he left them. He said, I'm done with you. And then he goes to Justice's house. His house was next to the, but Justice was a very devoted man.

[39:55] He said, send me the text. And so, what he couldn't do in the synagogue, he was doing next to the synagogue. To the extent that Bible says that the leader of the synagogue, look at the next verse.

[40:09] Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his house. And many of the Corinthians, hearing, believed and were baptized.

[40:21] So, he wasn't operating from the synagogue, but he was operating from the annex. Next door. So, as people were coming to the synagogue, they would hear something is going there. Let's check it out.

[40:33] That's how God, so God gave him companions. And then God also gave him an open door. God opened the door for the gospel.

[40:44] Even though there was opposition, God opened the door. How come in the thickness of opposition, there was justice? Look at where his house was. If anyone should accept him, justice.

[40:57] What an irony and what a beautiful opportunity. When doors are shutting, God can open a door in a place. Ah, Friday, I was sharing with some people about how in Philippians chapter 4, verse 22, when Elijah said to God that they've killed all your prophets in 1 Kings chapter 19, verse 10.

[41:16] 1 Kings chapter 19, verse 10. Elijah said to God, they have killed all your people. I'm the only one left. It was his dreams. He didn't know what he was talking about. Verse 18 said, God told you I've got more.

[41:27] Verse 18 says that yet I have reserved 7,000 in Israel. You don't know them. They are there. Romans chapter 11, verse 3 and verse 4, the same thing. When Elijah brought a complaint, Lord, they have killed your prophets and turned down your altar.

[41:44] I alone am left and they seek my life. But what does the divine response say to him? I have reserved for my... So you might not know God is working behind the scenes.

[41:58] Now, what has that got to do with the text? Philippians chapter 4, verse 22. Right, right under the nostrils of Caesar, who was trying to stop the church, there were people who were in his house who were believers.

[42:13] House of Caesar, there were believers there. He was trying to get rid of this church thing, but God still had people in his house. God has a sense of humor. That when the enemy thought your back is against the wall.

[42:29] Yes, your back may be against the wall. Not knowing it was actually a door. It was a door that no one knew. A secret door. Your back was against the door.

[42:40] He pushed you only to realize that, ah, that's the door I've been looking for all my life. The songwriter said, all my life you have been faithful. All my life you have been good.

[42:52] So good to me. Every breath that I have taken, I will sing of the goodness of God. Your goodness has been following me all along. All along. The Bible says God did not leave himself without a witness.

[43:06] God did not leave himself without a witness. And so Paul, when he was discouraged, he was tired. He was frustrated. When he was lonely, he felt like things are not working.

[43:18] Ministry was harsh. God sent him company. And then God opened a door for him. Let's see what God did again. Then I'll end.

[43:30] So, verse 9. Then speak the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision. This is one of the six visions Paul saw in the New Testament.

[43:43] One of six visions. God himself spoke to Paul. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Now, what is it? Hallelujah. God then spoke to Paul and gave him comforting ways.

[43:59] That's why it's good. Sometimes when things are rough, just listen to some preaching. Good preaching anyway. Yesterday, I was sharing some things with the missionaries. And I said, one of the signs of spiritual maturity is that you can't listen to everybody.

[44:16] One of the signs of spiritual maturity is you don't listen to everybody. There are some people you can't listen to them preach. You can't. It's not every preaching you listen to. One of the signs. Because it's just a waste of your time.

[44:28] There's a scripture for the Ephesians chapter 4. Like, you don't be children tossed to and fro by every weed of God. Carried about.

[44:39] Carried about is like when someone is incapacitated and is depending on others to move. Sometimes they will take you where you don't want to go. They take you where they want you to go. Wrong doctrines can take you where they want you to go.

[44:53] But once you are maturing, it's not everything you listen to. There are a lot of things I just can't. So, God gave him some comforting words of assurance.

[45:05] In the thickness of the darkness in his life. Paul was afraid, you know. Paul was afraid. He was afraid. So, when... Let's do that text again. Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision.

[45:21] He wasn't asleep. He couldn't sleep. It would have been a dream. He was asleep. It would have been a dream if he was asleep. But that tells you the man was tossing.

[45:34] He couldn't sleep. He was so down. He was afraid. He was lonely. He was just... God said, okay, since you can't sleep, why don't we talk? God came to him and said, let's talk then.

[45:48] Since you are awake, all right, let's make use of it. And God spoke to him. And God said... So, the Lord spoke to Paul in the night by a vision. What did God say?

[46:00] He gave him a commandment. Gave him a commandment and a promise. Commandments were in two ways. Two ways.

[46:10] The first commandment he gave him there was, don't... Do not be afraid. Be not afraid. Be not afraid. Yeah. Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death.

[46:23] I fear no evil. I fear no evil for thou art with me. He says that the Lord is my sheep. I shall know one. He makes me to light down green pastures. He leads me beside the still waters. These are good stuff.

[46:34] Good stuff. Good stuff. Good stuff. Good stuff. He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in the path of righteousness for his name's sake. Then he said, after all these things, a time comes when you feel I am in the valley of the shadow of death.

[46:53] But he said, I fear no evil. Why? Not because everything is good. For thou art with me. Psalm 27 verse 1.

[47:04] The Lord is my light and my salvation. Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life. Of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked, even my enemies, they came upon me.

[47:17] My foes came upon me to eat up my flesh. They stumbled and fell. Verse 3 says that thou and host should encamp against me. My heart shall not fear.

[47:28] The war. The war. I don't know who I'm preaching to. But though war. Though war shall rise against me. In this will I be confident.

[47:41] The Lord is my strength. In Isaiah chapter 41 verse 10. He said, fear not. Fear not. Fear not. Isaiah chapter 41 verse 10.

[47:53] He said, fear not. Fear not. For I am with thee. Be not displayed. For I am your God. I will strengthen thee. Oh, I thought somebody was ready for yourself.

[48:07] I will help you. I will help you. I will help you. I will help you. I will help you. I will help you. God is with us.

[48:21] Tell somebody, God is with me. God is with me. God is with me. When you go through the fires, he said, I'll be with you. When you go through the waters, I'll be with you.

[48:35] He said, for God has not given us the spirit of fear. Amen. 2 Timothy chapter 1 verse 7. For God has not given us the spirit of fear.

[48:48] But of power. Of love. And of sound mind. Of sound mind. You are not coming down with depression. Of sound mind. You are not coming down with depression.

[48:58] You are not coming down with depression. In the name of Jesus. Sometimes when you receive a report from the doctors, that's why I like the song the choir sings.

[49:10] I am not alone. I am not alone. You are not alone. You must know you are not alone. For God is with you. God is with you. God is with you. God is with you.

[49:23] Acts chapter 27 verse 24. It says that God came to Paul saying, fear not, Paul. But you must be brought to you. In the middle of the turmoil.

[49:35] Shipwreck. Shipwreck. God said, fear not. Because you are on your, where you are going, you will arrive. You will get to your destination. The storms cannot stop you.

[49:48] Don't be afraid of the storms. The storms cannot stop you. Don't be afraid of what they are saying about you. They cannot stop you. Because God is with you. I don't know who God sent me to talk to you.

[50:00] But God said, be not afraid. Be not afraid. Be not afraid. Jesus puts it this way in John chapter 16 verse 33.

[50:13] Jesus said, these things I have spoken unto you, that in me you might have peace. In the world you have tribulation. But, be of good cheer.

[50:26] Move to three people, tell them, be of good cheer. Be of good cheer. Be of good cheer. Be of good cheer. Jeremiah chapter 1 verse 8. Let me add that in there.

[50:38] Jeremiah chapter 1. Shall we read it out? Shall we read it out? Let's go. Be not afraid of your places. For I am with thee to deliver me. Say it again.

[50:50] Be not afraid of your places. For I am with thee to deliver me. Say it again. I am with thee to deliver you. and with thee to deliver you and with thee to deliver you and with thee to deliver you I read somewhere two reasons for fear in a Christian's life number one reason for fear is guilty conscience guilty conscience sometimes Bible says Proverbs 28 verse 1 the evil door runs when no one pursues him because some of you right now just imagine this I'm preaching and I come and stand by and say hey you get up you'll be very scared because oh no oh no what's going on here can you imagine you changed some you did some figures at work or you did something you should have done and then a week later you hear the bosses want to see you you see you're afraid you are in church and the pastor calls for you and then you're afraid why are you afraid when your pastor is calling you guilty conscience produces fear in the life of the believer guilty conscience and one great man of God wrote somewhere he says that fear is the taxes that the conscience pays to guilt yeah fear it's the taxes that the conscience pays to guilt second reason for fear in the believer's life is lack of faith lack of faith faith and fear cannot dwell together in the heart one will be kicked out fear not so let's look at the text as I round up now so God told Paul do not be afraid that's first commandment the second commandment he gave him he said speak he said be not afraid but speak and don't be quiet in the same place because Paul is thinking that as I speak and people begin to come there's going to come persecution opposition persecution and affliction so maybe I should stop speaking

[53:11] God said don't stop speaking we live in a society that sometimes when you want to speak as a believer you fear being victimized he said that is not the time to be quiet speak speak and don't hold your peace speak because the one next to you your neighbor the reason why they are so annoying is maybe God put you there so you can speak to them that's why they are that annoying that your manager that your boss there's a reason why God said I hate these people I can't stand them no no no no wallow wallow wallow God there's a reason why God sends you somewhere speak and don't be afraid so God gave him a commandment don't be afraid speak and not only a commandment he gave him a promise look at it I'm finishing on the verse 10 why for I am with you that's why that's why he gave him he says that

[54:16] I am with you that's exhortation he said I am with you and no one will be able to attack you he said God gave him this comfort he said I am with you and no one will be able to no I know you didn't hear that he said no one will be able to hurt you God said it all the things they've been doing to you I'm telling you don't be afraid speak out for no one will be able to he didn't say no one will be able to attack you no no no no you didn't get it he didn't say no one they will attack you but they can't hurt you they can't castigate your name online but they can't hurt your work they will attack you but they can't hurt you because I'm with you God gave him this assuring word in fact this is not a promise it's an assurance it's an assurance that I am with you I am with you I am with I don't know who I came to talk to but tell somebody

[55:17] God is with me God is with me and so he gave him the exhortation and then he gave him the explanation he said I am with you that's the exhortation he said don't be afraid I am with you then he gave him the explanation for I am with you and no one will be able to help you look at the next verse that's scary that's scary the next verse please and he continued there a year let's go back to verse 9 that's something I want to probably yes where is the many for I am with you and no one will be able to hurt you for I have many people in the city Elijah was complaining he said listen you know what Paul told God God I shouldn't be afraid no one will be able to help me God maybe you haven't gone to town you haven't seen what's going on you haven't gone to town go and see the opposition placards everywhere against me you haven't been there that's why he said you are with me and I shouldn't be afraid

[56:17] I should speak God God said no I have been to town but you haven't seen what I have seen Jesus I have what you have not seen there's something else another layer you have not seen you've only seen what is obvious but what is not obvious to man you haven't seen I am working on people in their bedrooms I'm working on people in their hearts I'm working on people online I'm working on people they will speak people will be speaking against you but those that are complaining against you too after they finish complaining to them they say I want to even know more God said I have much people in the city so don't be afraid go on go on church carries can I announce to you God has got much people in United Kingdom God has got much people in United Kingdom God has got much people in Parliament God has got much people in politics

[57:20] God has got much people in the media God has got much people in the media God has much people don't be afraid speak out don't be afraid don't be afraid and just just just just so you know he said no one will be able to hurt you Paul stayed there longer than usually stayed there for one and a half years and guess what somebody decided to create a problem out of jealousy that Paul Galio when he became pro-consul the Jews with one accord rose up against Paul and brought him to the judgment seat they brought him to the look at what happened quickly saying this fellow persuaded persuades men to worship God contrary to the law the next verse and when Paul was brought to open was about to open his mouth Galio said to the Jews excuse me what was this he threw the matter out of God threw the matter oh you Jews

[58:28] I thought you talked about something reasonable he said I'm not interested I'm not interested I'm not interested I'm here for political purposes not religious he threw it out and guess what the one who brought Paul to court the people turned on him and beat him yeah yes then all the Greeks took sustenance the ruler of the synagogue and beat him before the and and Galio was watching beat him I don't care you can't worry about it God said Paul I haven't met people no one will be able to hurt you no one will be able to hurt you no one will be able to hurt you I don't know who I'm preaching to but I came to announce to you fear not don't be afraid open your mouth speak do the work of God do the church work your future is safe your marriage is safe your children will be okay the enemy cannot take the right hand of you your health is covered fear not fear not fear not fear not fear not

[59:36] I have much people in the city open your mouth he says speak out and don't hold your peace I have much people no one will be able to hurt you because I'm with you I'm with you your fear is giving Satan a platform to operate put your confidence in God our help is in the name of the Lord Carice our help is in the name of the Lord Carice our help is in the name of the Lord I hear my spirit let me say this I want to make an announcement to the church the true church in London the true Christian church in United Kingdom don't be afraid God is with us don't stop talking don't remain silent open your mouth and speak because God is with us God is with us there were places

[60:39] Paul went they caught him beat him stone him for dead they also arrested him they beat him and put him in prison but here God said they can't repeat that here because here I am with you and I am going to show you my power I don't know who I am preaching to but I want you to know that church church London Christianity God is with us Christians in United Kingdom God is with us UK will not be overtaken by secularism or any group of people as long as we are here God has much people they will be coming to Christ one after the God has much people in this city they will be coming to Christ one after the other God has much people in this city God has much people in this city and they will be coming to Christ one after the other fear not

[61:45] God is with you fear not God is with you lift up your two hands I am not afraid I am not afraid lift your hands and tell God I trust you I will not be afraid if you do not I am not alone.

[62:44] He's my comfort. Come in, come in. He's my comfort. Always holds me. I want you to die.

[62:57] Hallelujah. I am not alone. I am not alone.

[63:08] He's my comfort. He's my comfort. Always holds me.

[63:20] Hallelujah. Hallelujah. God is our refuge and our strength.

[63:40] A very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear. Though the earth be removed and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea.

[63:56] Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled. Though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. There is a river. The streams whereof shall make glad the city of God.

[64:09] The holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High. God is in the midst of her. She shall not be moved. God is in the midst of her.

[64:20] She shall not be moved. God is in the midst of her. She shall not be moved. God is in the midst of her. She shall not be moved.

[64:31] God shall help her. And that's right, Ellie. So shall be your testimony. If you believe it, give Jesus praise. Thank you for listening to this message by David Endry.

[64:46] We pray you have been revived towards God. We can connect with David Endry on all relevant social media platforms, including Instagram and LinkedIn. You can also hear more messages from David Endry on all relevant streaming platforms and the Karish Church app.

[65:01] Don't forget to like and share the message. Be blessed.