Don’t Be Afraid and Don’t Be Silent

Every time I read the book of Acts, God teaches me different things from the same book, He is unlimited source of knowledge and wisdom! He speaks differently to His children to meet their needs. Isn’t He the amazing Father?

God knew how to speak to the people Paul visited. He knew their hearts and how they would react to the truth that Paul shared with them. He knew that they would reject and oppose Paul and the message. But God had prepared Paul for all of these, he said to Paul clearly,

“One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision and told him, “Don’t be afraid! Speak out! Don’t be silent! For I am with you, and no one will attack and harm you, for many people in this city belong to me.” (‭Acts of the Apostles‬ ‭18‬:‭9-10 NLT)

We all can read the result after that. Paul extended his staying for another 1,5 year just to continue preaching and teaching God’s word among the people.

Bible Stacks_small

This portion of passage speak a lot to me this morning that there are many Christians here and in my home country have heard about Jesus, the Messiah, but they have no idea that they only know “about” Him, not knowing Him personally. We are sent to share the Gospel not only to those who have not yet heard of the Good News, but to those also who have heard but have not yet having relationship with the Father.

I grew up in a small where you can literally see a church in every one mile! But watching their every day life that did not show what they told others about Jesus or what the Bible says. They just tried to get people to go to church, but not never leading them to understanding that they need to repent and leave their old life style and have relationship with the Father through Jesus Christ.

As a non-Christian, I though, well then if they lived like that, what’s wrong with my life style? I could just go to church and not changing my life so people could see the outside.

That was sad. Sad because I got the wrong ideas of what being a Christian is. Sad because there was no one came to me and taught me the truth. Sad because I had to wait for 21 years of my life to finally came to know the giver of my life who loves me so much and even gave His so that I may come to life. Sad.

But this is truth I read in Acts 18 this morning confirmed what God has put in my husband’s heart and mine that we need to go to preach and teach the truth not only to the people who never heard of it but also to those who have heard of it but not yet understand the truth. It is not by our human wisdom, but by God’s wisdom. It not by our own knowledge, but by the knowledge of the Holy Spirit given to us.

It is only God can lead people to repentance and change their hearts. But He will use each of us – you and me – to go and tell them this Good News!

This can be hard. For this kind of ministry can be tough and we can be rejected, but important. Their lives mean a lot to God. He wants them to repent and walk away from their old lives. He wants them to walk in the truth, not just knowing the truth. He loves them too.

Let’s not forget them in our prayer today. Ask God that they may come to see His face, seek repentance and run back to His loving arms.

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