Philippians 1:19 (NIV) For I know that through your prayers and God’s provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance.

The Apostle Paul wrote to the believers in Philippi, encouraging them to rejoice in the God of their salvation. How challenging to everyone's faith it must have been to see Paul rejoicing through his circumstances and encouraging everyone else to join him in doing so. Paul had been thrown in prison for preaching the gospel. Prisons back in the Roman Empire era were not at all like the prisons that we know of here in this country. They were filthy dungeons where many who went in never lived to see the light of day again. Yet, Paul was so confident of what the Lord was doing through his circumstances that he had enough joy left over to greatly encourage the people of the Philippian church. He was seeing positive things happen, such as believers being emboldened to share their faith as they saw how Paul was handling his situation so victoriously.

I'm sure that Paul was able to handle his dire situation well because he knew that the Lord had never left his side and was still fully in control. He also knew and acknowledged that the Philippian believers were lifting him up in prayer, and he believed that when people pray, God answers. Then there was his ultimate assurance, and that was that the Spirit of Jesus was with him through God's provision. He knew that he was where God wanted him to be at that moment and that God had a plan. The plan was that through his situation, the gospel would spread even further and that his own faith would be tested and tried so that it would grow exponentially more than ever before. It has been proven that persecution and suffering lead to obedience and to the forming of Christ in the hearts of those who face dark circumstances with faith, knowing that the Lord works all things together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28).

Paul had prayers going for him, had the Spirit of Jesus living in him and the hope of his salvation to carry him through every trial and every difficulty. He also knew that God works in ways that are past finding out, so that what looked like a bad situation for him and for the gospel to continue to spread would actually be a catalyst for it to surge ahead with a turbo boost. And while that was going on, Christ was being formed more and more in Paul's heart. God means for us to be unstoppable. We just have to see things the way that Paul did. With people praying for you and with the Spirit of Jesus with you, your trouble can also turn out for your deliverance. Trust Jesus through everything and continue to rejoice in the God of your deliverance right now and until you see Him face to face.

Pastor Joey Vazquez