29
Jan '25
What the Devil Means for Evil, God Means for Good
29
Jan '25
Introduction: Have you ever heard the statement that what the devil meant for evil, God meant for good? Is it true? Take, for example, the apostle Paul’s imprisonment. He was not only beaten by a mob but also eventually chained to a guard 24/7. How could anything good come out of that Christian persecution?
1. The Big Picture! (Phil. 1:12) – “But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel.”
Word had traveled—Paul’s in prison! His witness is hindered, or so they assumed. However, the opposite was true. Paul clarifies any confusion. Actually, he assured this special church whom he loved that his influence and opportunities had multiplied!
Now, for the first time, he was able to share Jesus Christ with all the Roman guards who were chained to him. Imagine being chained to the once-murderer who was transformed into a flaming missionary—how that must have been—a captive audience! The end results were many conversions. Although we are not chained to a guard, we have been commissioned to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ!
How are you doing?
2. The Blessed Passion! (Phil. 1:13-14) – “So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places; And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.”
Get the picture: Paul had preached to the common people, but since becoming a prisoner, he was able to get inside the praetorian guard. While it looked bad for him, God the Holy Spirit was opening doors of opportunities.
Could it be the Holy Spirit is doing the same for us?
Conclusion: Pray for open doors. Even in bad circumstances, our Lord is able to open what appears to be closed doors. Get ready to walk through them! Then you can testify—what the devil means for evil, God can mean for good!!
Love y’all,
Dr. Randy Reese