◄ What Does Philippians 1:14 Mean? ►

God uses the most absurd equipment and seemingly inappropriate circumstances as the catalyst to spread the gospel of Christ in the most unexpected places.

Just as He used David's sling, Gideon's pots, Balaam's donkey, and the staff of Moses, God used the chains that bound Paul and his imprisonment in Rome as the most effective tool to spread the good news of the death and Resurrection of our Saviour Jesus Christ to many Roman guards. Paul's witness even invaded the household of Caesar himself.

God is able to open prison doors as well as men's hearts when a man or woman is ready and willing to be a prisoner in chains for Jesus Christ and become a living sacrifice, ready and willing to witness to the truth of the gospel of God.

One benefit of the various imprisonments to which Paul was subjected were the number and variety of people with whom he was able to share the good news of salvation. And of course, the various 'prison' epistles he wrote during his detentions, are profitable for our own instruction, reproof, doctrine, correction, discipline, godly obedience, and training in righteousness.

But one amazing and exciting by-product of Paul's imprisonment was the effect that it had on most of his Christian brothers and sisters. Rather than causing them to become fearful and faint-hearted, they gathered courage and began to speak out boldly about their faith in Christ. They started to be increasingly confident, as they fearlessly and confidently shared the message of God's grace.

We live in increasingly dangerous and distressing times and none of us know what tomorrow may bring in our home or in our country, but never forget that God is in ultimate control and can use the most absurd equipment and seemingly inappropriate circumstances as the catalyst to spread the gospel of Christ in the most unexpected places. Let us be ready and willing to be a prisoner in chains for Christ and become a living sacrifice, to the glory of God the Father.

Heavenly Father, thank You for the wonderful witness of Paul and for the many instances where You took simple people, absurd equipment, and seemingly inappropriate circumstances, to forward Your plans and purposes. Fulfil Your will in my life, I pray. May I be a willing witness in whatever circumstances I may find myself. In Jesus' name, AMEN.