So verse 19, Paul says, I know that this shall
turn to my salvation. He's talking about his affliction,
his imprisonment. We go back a little bit and read,
that's clear. And the fact that while he was
in bonds, Christ was preached all the more. Speaking of his
imprisonment, he can say with confidence that he knows the
outcome of this situation. This shall turn to my salvation. He's talking about deliverance.
The word there is deliverance from enemies. So there's a double
meaning to that, clearly. I think he's primarily saying
me being in prison is inconsequential right now. Because we know the
outcome of this, I'm gonna be free. I'm gonna be free. One
way or another, I'm delivered. The word shall turn to there,
this shall turn to my salvation. That means this is what the outcome
is gonna be. We know the outcome, don't we?
We know how it ends, and so we can have the same confidence
Paul does. It ends with our freedom. It ends with liberty for those
who are in Christ Jesus, because if the Son shall make you free,
you'll be free indeed. The word salvation is used for
salvation from sin, and that's the same word, It means deliverance
from enemies, which applies in more than one way to Paul here,
because he'd been falsely arrested and detained for preaching the
gospel. But how could Paul know? I know,
he said, I know that this, that the result of this will be my
deliverance from my enemies. What made him able to say that?
Well, the rest of the passage that we read all the way through
to verse 26 even answers that question, how he could know that.
But let's notice a couple of things in this verse that'll
be instrumental. Paul says will be instrumental
in this outcome. I know the outcome, he said.
I'm gonna be delivered. I'm not worried about being imprisoned
or whatever happens. And he's said that before. I'm
not worried about what's gonna happen to me. The Holy Spirit
testifies to me it's gonna be bonds and affliction, but I count
not my life due to myself for the sake of the gospel. It's
bigger than me, it's bigger than you, it's bigger than all of
us. But he had this confidence, and there's a couple of things
that God was gonna use, that God was gonna do as part of this
deliverance. In God's purpose, these things
will be instrumental in delivering Paul. What was the first one? Your prayers. Your prayers. It's so easy for
us, isn't it, to get down, to feel defeated about things. And
what do we do when we do that? We try to take matters into our
own hands. We don't think God has turned things around fast
enough for us, or God's way needs a little help like Abraham and
Sarah, like Sarah thought. We're gonna have to help God
out here. That's the way we get in many things that frustrate
us. We try to relieve our problems
in a way that doesn't honor him, that's not waiting on him. Instead
of asking him, just ask, he said, and wait. His time is the right
time. His way is the right way. Paul
was confident that so many were praying for him that God would
hear and do what they asked. Listen to Mark 11, 24. The Lord
said, therefore I say unto you, what things soever you desire
when you pray, believe that you receive them and you shall have
them. In other words, And it's interesting
here, I should've had you turn to, if you wanna look at Mark
11, 24, there are two thems in that verse, and neither one of
them are actually there. Here's the way it rightly reads,
therefore I say unto you that what things soever you desire
when you pray, believe that you receive, and you shall have. The thems are not there. You're
not gonna necessarily have exactly those things that you asked for,
but you will have. Believe that you receive. Believe
that God gives you everything and He's loved you since before
you were born. He's loved you with an everlasting
love if you're in Christ. Those two thems are in italics
and it's important to notice that. We may not receive what
things we ask for specifically, but we shall as eternally loved
by God and perfectly cared for children of His, We will receive
from Him all that we need. How many times have we said,
you know, He says, ask and you shall receive. What's better
than getting everything you want? Getting everything you want minus
what's bad for you and plus what's good for you. That's better,
isn't it? That's the spirit of the verse.
If we had a lamp with a genie in it, we would kill ourselves.
We would destroy ourselves spiritually. But we've got a God in heaven
that rules all things for our good. He says, you ask and you'll
receive. Isn't that glorious? Philippians 4.18, listen to what
Paul said. He said, I have all and abound. Jacob said to Esau, I have everything.
Take this gift from me. I have everything. I have all
and abound, I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the
things which were sent from you. God uses means. He uses the support
of his people. He uses love for one another.
It's a proof of the sincerity of their love. An odor of a sweet
smell, a sacrifice acceptable, well-pleasing to God. But my
God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory
by Christ Jesus." Don't think you're going to be the loser
for giving for the sake of Christ. all your need. He's talking about
earthly needs there. We know how richly he supplied
all of our spiritual needs. We have all spiritual blessings
in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. Forgiveness, redemption,
holiness, every blessing, faith, love, Every fruit of His Spirit
and every blessing, spiritually, is ours in Christ. But even the
things that He supplies for us, it's according to His riches
in glory by Christ Jesus. All of it, every need. I have
everything, Paul said. That's what Jacob said, too.
What about you? What about you? God will use your prayers. They
will avail much in the purpose and providence of God. James
5.16, they will avail much. And also by His Holy Spirit.
That's the same thing. By His Spirit. He's still running
everything down here. God's not watching us from a
distance. That's a stupid song, isn't it?
He's in this room. By His Holy Spirit, He supplies
everything that we need. God Himself does that. By the Spirit of Jesus Christ,
everything will happen just like it's supposed to, to the end
that I will be delivered from my enemies. The word supply there
means ministry. the Holy Spirit ministers unto
us, all of God's children in all circumstances and everything. When you're helpless, he's controlling
everything for your good. When you're weak, he says, I'm
God. Remember, I never have gotten
over when we looked at that and Abraham was down, oh, he was
down. And God said, Abraham, I'm God
Almighty. What else did he need to say?
I'm God Almighty. When you're weak, He's God Almighty. The Holy Spirit. When you don't
understand, His peace surpasses understanding. When you don't
see a good outcome, He's already ordained it. And He'll perform
it for you. He'll do it for you. Every time. Look at verse 20 in our text.
According to my earnest expectation and my hope that in nothing I
shall be ashamed, God has proven over and over that He is my strength,
He's my sufficiency. He's not going to let me go now.
He's not going to let me cause shame or be ashamed of Him or
act in such a way. But that with all boldness, as
always, so now also, as always, look what God's always done.
How often do we forget that? Hitherto hath the Lord helped
me. Let's raise an Ebenezer today.
How about that? Or are we going to say, look
what God has done all this time, but what in the world am I going
to do tomorrow? That just doesn't make any sense, does it? God's given me everything I need
for 60 years. Am I gonna worry about tomorrow
now? I probably will. But God give me grace to say,
with all boldness as always, now also Christ is gonna be magnified
in my body. Whether he lets me out of the
detainment of house arrest, or whether they kill me, either
way, I'm delivered. Isn't that beautiful? Can we
have that attitude in this world? Or we get bogged down in the
stupid stuff. Are you like me in that? We get
bogged down in the petty things of this world. We cannot do that. For the glory of our Savior,
we can't do that. Christ Jesus Himself had promised
this and it had been happening already as always. And so seeing
even that Paul's imprisonment, what he wrote about before this,
even that has fallen out to the furtherance of his gospel and
how that God had delivered Paul already from so many threats
and dangers. And acknowledging here that even
if God kills Paul, Christ will be exalted in that too. He's
gonna be magnified in my body. no matter what, and I'm gonna
be free. Christ magnified in Paul's body
by life, in life, see where we fit in into this, would have
been preaching the gospel, opening his mouth and preaching the gospel.
It would have been in the determination of his heart. Like he said, given
by God, when he said, I don't count my life dear unto myself
that I might preach the gospel, Fulfill the ministry that God
has given me to preach the gospel of his glory. Christ magnified in Paul's body
and life would have been the direction of his feet to go wherever
the spirit of God sent him as always. It would have been in
the work of his hands so as not to be a burden to those to whom
he preached. All of Paul, inside and out,
was dedicated to the glory of Christ. The very day that God
stopped him on the road of self-destruction and said, I've chosen you, and
here's what you're gonna do for me. God had done that, and Paul was
bold in it that he was going to. One way or the other now,
he was gonna glorify, he had used Paul to glorify himself,
not Abbott Christ. Not Abbott Christ. And he says either way, life
or death, that's what he's gonna do. That's what he's been doing,
that's what he's gonna do. There's a lot of comfort in that.
I like the word death in this verse, don't you? Think about
what was the very best outcome of Paul's situation. If you're
just thinking narrowly about him being in prison and not able
to go like he did in outward freedom to preach the gospel
where the Lord would send him, if you're just thinking about
that, what's the best outcome of that, according to our understanding
at least? If they had released Paul right
then, that very hour, that's the best thing. Then that narrow
question that we're considering, it's over, it's gone. They released
him and everything's back the way it was. That's the best thing
that could happen. And Paul said, if that happens, Christ will
be magnified in my body, just like he's always done. He didn't
have confidence in himself. He had confidence that God would
do what he's always done. God using that man to promote
his gospel. What's the worst thing that could
happen, according again to our understanding? Christ is gonna be magnified
in that too, in Paul's death. It's literally a no-lose situation
for Christ and his sheep. And it's a no-win situation for
the enemies of Christ and his gospel. That's what's clear from this
text. That's why Paul was able to say, either way, I have confidence.
It's deliverance for me. And it's the magnification of
God's Son. Does that remind you of anybody?
I was gonna have you turn here, but I went a little bit long
while ago, and you know this story. Does it remind you of the boldness
of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in Daniel 3? If you want to jot
this down, it's Daniel 3, 13 through 29. You see this same
boldness in the apostle Paul. They said to him, when he demanded
that they bow down to a false God, these are God's people. They said, we're not going to
bow down. And he said, I'm gonna throw you in the fiery furnace,
you're a goner if you don't bow down. And you remember what they
said in effect, I probably should read it to you, but I don't wanna
go too long, I don't wanna. They said, our God is able to
deliver us from the fiery furnace. Isn't that Paul? God's gonna
deliver me. Remember what else they said?
If he doesn't, We're still not bowing down to your God. Either
way, we're free. Either way. That's what Paul's
saying here. That's exactly what he, the same
spirit was in him that was in those three Hebrews. Do you see how this is true with
you? Look, I'm not scolding you. I'm
exactly the same as you and worse. but we got to lift our heads
up. We got to acknowledge God in all of this. Has God supplied
every need all of your life? And are you fixing to take matters
into your own hands now? Are you going to relieve your
affliction by your own reasoning and so-called wisdom? Or are
you going to wait on God and honor Him every second of it? God, help us to do that. I love
what Scott Richardson wrote. I think it's still back there
on our bulletin board. God may not give you that many
opportunities to honor Him like that in this life. Don't waste
it. Don't redeem the time. He may not bring you that low
very many times. What an opportunity to honor
Him in this wretched body. in this wretched flesh that tends
so much to lean on our own understanding and do foolish things. Don't ever be discouraged. Believer,
don't ever be discouraged. God has supplied every need of
ours all of our life. Can't we wait on Him now? Can
we wait on Him? Look at verses 25 and 26 back
in our text. and having this confidence, I know that I shall
abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy
of faith, that your rejoicing may be more abundant in Jesus
Christ for me by my coming to you again." He couldn't do that
now. He was under house arrest. He was literally chained in his
house and there was a guard there making sure that he stayed there. But Paul was confident that the
prayers of God's saints would be answered. That's the way the
Lord told us to pray. Believe it. If that's what's best for you,
that's what's gonna happen. And he knew that the other outcome
was better for him. Didn't he say that a little bit
later in the verse? If I die, that's better. If they kill me
for preaching, that's better for me. But I believe the Lord's gonna
do what he's been doing. He's gonna have the gospel preached
to his people wherever they are. He's gonna send me to you and
to others and set the world on fire with the truth of God. Deliverance either way for Paul
and he glorified Christ in that confident assurance. God help
us to do that in our little afflictions. Look particularly at verse 21
for a minute again. What we read a while ago, for
me to live is Christ and to die is gain. If living is Christ, how can
death be gain? What's better than Christ? There's
not but one answer to that, more Christ. Better than Christ in this life
is Christ without sin in us to dim His glory in our hearts. Better than Christ in this life
is Christ without the dark glass of this flesh to view Him through. To die is Christ known by us
even as we are known by Him. To die is Christ face to face. You see why Paul was able to
say that I know what the outcome is. It's my deliverance. Either
way, Paul sang Christ's praises in prisons. And he wasn't about
to hang his head in this one. God, give us that. Give us that. God allows us to get discouraged
at times. You know why? To show us our
own helplessness and hopelessness without him. That's not time
for our flesh to rise up. That's time for us to realize
the foolishness and impotence of our flesh and to wait on him,
to look to him. He also never leaves us nor forsakes
us. He also lifts up the hands that
hang down. Look up in a concordance if you
have one sometime, these words, or just type, you know, you have
a Bible search engine of some kind, type in these words, David
encouraged himself in the Lord. And take a look at the context
of that again. You talk about having nowhere
else to look. You talk about not knowing what
to do. You talk about having no choice
but to wait on Him. We're amateurs in that. But let
us be amateurs with the grace of God. to do what David did, to have
the grace of God in our hearts like David did. May God give
us that spirit to encourage ourselves in the Lord. Quit doing stupid stuff that
we think is gonna relieve our affliction and wait on the Lord. Now listen, I've been, privy to a lot of discouragements
and turmoil and trials that churches, other churches have been through.
I've seen pastors die, and I've seen the wrong things done after
that happens, and I've seen the consequences of that. I've seen deep strife within churches. deep enmity and hard feelings
and just hatred. I've seen it. And that can be
discouraging. And God allows these storms to
come. But what does God always do with storms for his people? And he's put this church through
some things that most people will never live through. Some
terrible things that also are common to others. Will the fallout
from that, Paul said, I know the outcome here. What will be
the fallout here? Will we glorify the flesh? Will we make excuses for our
sin or the sin of others that we prefer over some? Will we form judgmental attitudes
and put up fences? Will we seek to lessen our suffering
and shame? by looking for fleshly ways,
selfish ways to relieve our circumstances? In other words, will we lean
to our own understanding? Will our flesh be indulged and
glorified in these things? That's the tendency, y'all. We
know that. Or will God give us grace to
glorify him in all of it? to pray earnestly for strength
and for peace for one another, as well as ourselves, for wisdom,
to wait on the Savior and to be happy with what He determines,
to be happy with what He brings to pass. Well, we see all of
it through the lens of the spiritual, eternal perspective, acknowledging God and what He's
doing and what's important and what's not. Will we know and
never forget that we're His, that we're made by Him and for
Him, for His glory and our good? Will
we be encouraged that even if there is no outcome of any of
it that our flesh is particularly happy about? that Christ's love
for us is not manifest in fleshly contentments. In fact, if we
find our satisfaction in fleshly contentments, He will surely
destroy those. That we might be content in Him
alone. Expect it. Rejoice in it. God is shutting us up to Christ,
to His ministry, to His glory, to His people, to His honor in
this world. We have a little while here in
this world to honor Him in this sinful flesh. In all that we do, in all that
we have from Him, there's a few years to determine to not henceforth
live unto ourselves. than to him which died for us
and rose again. Do the things we've been through
work against that or for that? Will God overrule them for his
glory and our good? God forbid that we should glory,
save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom this world
is crucified unto us, and us unto this world. Amen, let's
pray.