Dave's Diary

Daily Readings: Acts 23 and Psalm 91

¹¹ The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, ‘Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.’

If you have ever had a very, very tough day, you’ll understand how difficult that night would have been for Paul. Paul was only human, and he had been under intense human attack over the last two days. His life had been in danger repeatedly; and no doubt, in the darkness of that night, huge fears came upon him. Even his trust in God would have been under spiritual attack as the evil one assailed him. But, in the darkness of that night, the Lord Jesus came to Paul and stood by him.

Jesus has promised every disciple that He will always be with us (Matthew 28:20). So even though Paul was physically alone under lock and key in the Roman barracks, he wasn’t alone spiritually! And even if everyone else forsook him, Jesus was enough. It is better to be in jail with the Lord than anywhere else without Him.

Standing by Paul, Jesus encouraged and reassured him. He was not going to die here. Nothing the persecutors tried to do to him would succeed in killing him. He would live to testify about Jesus in Rome, just as he had done in Jerusalem. What a wonderful assurance to be given, considering all the danger and difficulties that still lay ahead of him (Acts 23-28). As each danger arose, Paul could cast his mind back to this night and regain his courage and absolute confidence that Jesus had promised to overcome every threat to his life until he had preached in Rome.

Life application: Live today in the certainty that Jesus is with you and that His purposes for your life will be accomplished – no matter the odds that may be stacked against you.