“And after that many days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel to kill him:” (Acts 9:23)
Before the apostle Paul was saved, he did his best to persecute Christians in hopes of stopping Christianity. But after his conversion, God changed his heart. He went from persecuting Christians to preaching Christ! (v.29) says, “..he spake boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus…”
As a result, he went from being the hunter to becoming the hunted! It says they “took counsel to kill him.”
You don’t have to do a lot to get the world to come against you. All you have to do is speak boldly about Jesus Christ.
But Paul didn’t quit. And neither should we.
FIRST—He Continued, Though He Was ABUSED
(v.29) says “..the Grecians..went about to slay him.” Paul was forced to leave town, but he didn’t quit; he went on to Jerusalem. Then he preached in Jerusalem until the Grecians wanted to kill him…but he didn’t quit. Instead, he just went on to Tarsus and began preaching Christ.
We are living in dark days. It will become increasingly more dangerous and difficult to stand for Christ. But stand for Christ we must! Someone said, “Let us pray, not for lighter burdens but for stronger backs.”
SECOND—He Continued, Though He Was ABANDONED
In (2Tim. 4:16-17) Paul said, “At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me…Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me…” There was a time when Paul found himself serving God all alone…but he served anyway!
Paul had hitmen after him and he still took a stand for Jesus. As we get closer to the coming of Christ, we may face more and more persecution. We must learn to stand alone if need be.
Ask God to give you the courage and boldness to stand even if no one will stand with you.