Act 18:10 | KingComments | STEP | While the work is in progress and many are coming to repentance, one night the Lord comes to Paul in a vision with an encouragement. From what the Lord says, we can see that Paul is afraid and is thinking about remaining silent. It is not without reason that the Lord says that Paul should not be afraid and that he should speak and not be silent. We could ask ourselves whether so much blessing at his work is not already a great encouragement and that his fear and his considerations not to preach any more speak of little faith or even unbelief. But we remember what type of a city Corinth is ( ) and that Paul is there with fear and trembling. Even the campaign of hatred of the Jews ( ) he does not suffer stoically. Paul has a great awareness of the enormous opposition. There is result, but what an environment! Blessing gives no strength. Only the Lord gives strength. The Lord knows what is going on in His servant and He encourages him in view of the resistance of the Jews and in view of the great immorality of the city. Every servant who is aware of the world in which he lives needs such encouragement. The Lord gives Paul two encouragements to continue. The first is that He Himself is with him. Knowing that the Lord Himself is with you gives strength. We then know ourselves in the company of Him to Whom all authority has been given in heaven and on earth ( ) and Who has said: “And lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” ( ; ). It is the encouragement that we will also be able to perform the task assigned to us ( ). No one will be able to do him any harm, for the Lord Himself will protect him so that he may perform his task. What that task is, we see in the second encouragement that consists of the announcement that the Lord has many people in the city. The Lord knows all who will believe in Him ( ), but He wants to use Paul to make themselves public. So Paul is told that there are many chosen people, whom he has yet to approach with the gospel. He does not know who they are, but they will come forward through his preaching. Although it has yet to become clear who all belong to His people, the Lord does not say ‘I will have a great people in this city’, but ‘I have many people in this city’. To Him, something that has yet to happen is the same as if it has already happened. He can talk about future things as things that are already reality. Encouraged by the Lord, Paul continues the great work in Corinth for no less than a year and a half, although he is on a missionary journey.

‏ Acts 18:10

The Lord Encourages Paul

While the work is in progress and many are coming to repentance, one night the Lord comes to Paul in a vision with an encouragement. From what the Lord says, we can see that Paul is afraid and is thinking about remaining silent. It is not without reason that the Lord says that Paul should not be afraid and that he should speak and not be silent.

We could ask ourselves whether so much blessing at his work is not already a great encouragement and that his fear and his considerations not to preach any more speak of little faith or even unbelief. But we remember what type of a city Corinth is (1Cor 6:9-11) and that Paul is there with fear and trembling. Even the campaign of hatred of the Jews (Acts 18:6) he does not suffer stoically. Paul has a great awareness of the enormous opposition. There is result, but what an environment!

Blessing gives no strength. Only the Lord gives strength. The Lord knows what is going on in His servant and He encourages him in view of the resistance of the Jews and in view of the great immorality of the city. Every servant who is aware of the world in which he lives needs such encouragement.

The Lord gives Paul two encouragements to continue. The first is that He Himself is with him. Knowing that the Lord Himself is with you gives strength. We then know ourselves in the company of Him to Whom all authority has been given in heaven and on earth (Mt 28:18) and Who has said: “And lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Mt 28:20; Isa 43:5). It is the encouragement that we will also be able to perform the task assigned to us (Jdg 6:12).

No one will be able to do him any harm, for the Lord Himself will protect him so that he may perform his task. What that task is, we see in the second encouragement that consists of the announcement that the Lord has many people in the city. The Lord knows all who will believe in Him (Acts 13:48), but He wants to use Paul to make themselves public. So Paul is told that there are many chosen people, whom he has yet to approach with the gospel. He does not know who they are, but they will come forward through his preaching.

Although it has yet to become clear who all belong to His people, the Lord does not say ‘I will have a great people in this city’, but ‘I have many people in this city’. To Him, something that has yet to happen is the same as if it has already happened. He can talk about future things as things that are already reality.

Encouraged by the Lord, Paul continues the great work in Corinth for no less than a year and a half, although he is on a missionary journey.