God Always Goes Before Us
The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, “Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.” Acts 23:11
The stack of bills was high. My bank balance was low. An unexpected car repair nudged me toward despair. I cried out to the Lord for help, completely unaware that he had already set the solution in motion.
In Acts 23, the apostle Paul was in a much more dangerous situation than I have ever tackled. More than forty Jews in Jerusalem had “formed a conspiracy and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul” (vv. 12–13).
The trouble had begun when a riot broke out at the temple and Roman soldiers had to break it up (Acts 21:27–32). The Roman commander, Claudius Lysias, put Paul into protective custody until he decided what to do with him.[1] The next day Lysias released Paul, but an ensuing argument in the Sanhedrin was so violent that Lysias put Paul into protective custody again (Acts 23:10).
That night God appeared to Paul and told him to “take courage” (23:11). In fact, God had solved the problem of the Jews’ murderous plot before they formed it. First, God had worked in Lysias’s heart. The Roman commander respected Paul, believed he was innocent, and was eager to help him. God had also already arranged for Paul’s nephew to hear about the plot and tell Paul about it (23:16). Paul had also won the favor of a centurion who was guarding him (23:17–18). All this led to Lysias protecting Paul again by sending him to Caesarea during the night (23:23–32). And by the time Paul arrived in Caesarea, God had impressed upon the governor, Felix, the need to hear Paul’s case.
God is always working on our behalf before problems arise. In my case, he had spoken to someone in my church, who gave me money for the car repair anonymously. In Paul’s case he used numerous individuals to work together to ensure Paul’s safety.
What need is weighing heavy on your heart? God is already whispering, “Take courage!” Can you hear him? Claim the promise of Matthew 6:8—“Your Father knows what you need before you ask him”—and expect deliverance.
Dig Deeper
Consider how Joseph and Esther received unexpected help in Genesis 39:20–23 and Esther 2:8–9. When has God used someone unexpected to help or protect you?
Review what Jesus said about anonymous giving in Matthew 6:1–4. What experience have you had with anonymous giving and receiving? What have those instances taught you about yourself, others, and God?
Read Isaiah 41:17–20. How do God’s “I will” statements encourage you? What does verse 20 say about the reason God makes these promises?
Denise K. Loock
This devotion is part of our series on the book of Acts.
[1] Claudius Lysias was the highest-ranking official stationed in Jerusalem. The Roman headquarters in Jerusalem, Fort Antonia, was located on a precipice overlooking the temple complex. From that vantage point, the Romans could see any disturbance on the temple grounds and respond before it got out of hand.