-November 3, 2021-
Good morning, happy Wednesday,
“But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that the message might be preached fully through me, and that all the Gentiles might hear. Also I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. And the Lord will deliver me from evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom. To Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen!”
(2 Timothy 4:17-18).
Paul faced many spiritual battles and found the Lord faithful to him in the past and looked to the future on earth and beyond into eternity. In the previous verses, he mentioned the opposition from Alexander the coppersmith who did him much harm. He had previously referred to two individuals, Alexander, likely the same man, Hymenaeus in 1 Timothy 1:20. He wrote in 2 Timothy 4:16, “At my first defense no one stood with me, but all forsook me. May it not be charged against them.”
With the spiritual battles raging against him, he found that the Lord stood with him and strengthened him, so that the message of the gospel went forth to the Gentiles. Others may forsake us, turn from us or against us, but we can always count on the Lord. God has promised, “And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed” (Deuteronomy 31:8).
Paul was likely referring to his experience in Corinth in Acts chapter 18. Acts 18:9 says, “Now the Lord spoke to Paul in the night in a vision, ‘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.’”The Lord has our back. Romans 8:31 tells us, “What shall we say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?” Paul was delivered from the mouth of the lion, which refers to the devil and was confident of the Lord’s future deliverance and preservation. What a great encouragement and assurance that us is for us too!
May we trust the Lord who stands with us to strengthen us and preserve us. We are victorious in Christ. We are on His side, the winning side, and He is on our side.
Have a blessed day walking with the Lord through all things. Stay safe and healthy.
In His grace,
Dean
Dean Allen's Daily Devotional 