Advancing Encouragement By:
Bishop James Jr. Hairston

2Tm: 4:17b, 18: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

If you look at Paul’s situation here in the text he was being persecuted for his faith. He had been beaten, left for dead and thrown into prison during his missionary journeys’. Here Paul was put into prison the second time after the burning down of more then half the city of Rome. Nero was behind it and blamed it on the Christians and Paul was one of those accused now awaiting his death. Paul's’ ministry was consistently under attack by the Devil. Satan does not want the gospel to go forth to accomplish the establishment of mighty men and women of faith by the power of Jesus Christ in the earth. During this time were the beginning stages of the rising of the Church of Jesus Christ. While, the Church stayed under attack being persecuted for their faith, it kept on growing and growing with leaps and bounds. Not only that, the Church was also under the influence of false doctrine and the Christian faith had a lot of dissension, discord and division among them. Yet, the truth of Jesus Christ had to be preached and the Word of God had to go forth in the mist of it all. Therefore, on one hand you had persecution from the enemies of the Church lead by Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus and on the other hand you had the enemies within the Church. The enemies within the Church were like wolves in sheep clothing departing from the faith giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils, 1 Timothy 4:1. Yet, Paul said in verse 17 of the text: Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. Paul was delivered over and over again out of the mouth of the lion like Daniel out of the mouth of the lions in the lions den in the days of king Darius of the Persia empire (Daniel 6:22). In addition, Paul was strengthened to endure the things he faced daily because the Lord Jesus Christ stood with him through it all. When you stand up for what is right, when you are living for the cause of Christ you are a walking rebuke to the world and the world will not like you. Satan does not like you either for all that matters. Additionally, we all the more need to stand together as one people of God and destroy the enemy at his every turn. Today, the Lord Jesus Christ will give you strength to endure whatever it is you may face today by any attacks from the enemy. You can stand firm today with the Lord by your side with all power in His hand fighting your battles giving you the victory in Jesus Name…

James Jr. Hairston