A Safety Assurance in Preaching the Gospel

[9] “Now the Lord spoke to Paul in the night by a vision, “Do not be afraid, but speak, and do not keep silent; [10] for I am with you, and no one will attack you to hurt you; for I have many people in this city.” [11] And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.” – Acts 18:9-11 (NKJV)

In recent times, physical abuse of Christians has been abolished in several nations, although not all. But even that, persecution is still ongoing. In some nations, there’s a law against public church gatherings. In other countries, like China, they are destroying church buildings. But generally speaking, it is quite dangerous and uncomfortable to preach at a place where your security is in shambles. So, because of this, some preachers don’t hold crusades in some countries.

When Paul was at Corinth with Timothy and Silas, the Jews there rejected the gospel of Christ and became abusive. Paul told them that from that time on, he would go to the Gentiles, which was a fine decision. But one night, the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision, saying, “Do not be afraid, but speak, and do not keep silent; for I am with you, and no one will attack you to hurt you; for I have many people in this city.”

God knew that Paul’s security was in jeopardy in Corinth, and because of his mobility lifestyle, he could have left the place in no time. But because God assured him of his safety, Paul stayed in Corinth for eighteen months. That’s long.

Dear preacher, sometimes, only God can give you a safety assurance in preaching the gospel where He has sent you. While you may have ministry friends who can suggest that you leave a place after suffering setbacks, always let your final decision be based on what God told you.

You are a blessing.