The Furtherance of the Gospel

"But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel” (Philippians 1:12, NKJV).

In this verse, Paul tells the Christians in Philippi not to worry about all the things that they had heard had befallen him. Those “things” included great afflictions and infirmities. 

Paul wrote this epistle while bound in a Roman prison. At this point in his ministry, he was a seasoned warrior of the gospel, having endured every conceivable hardship and human affliction imaginable. He experienced shipwrecks, beatings, buffetings, mocking, persecution, hunger, thirst, nakedness and defamation of character. Everywhere Paul went, it seemed, he was met by affliction, trouble and sorrow. 

Yet Paul said, “None of these things move me” (Acts 20:24). Furthermore, he added, “No one should be shaken by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that we are appointed to this. For, in fact, we told you before when we were with you that we would suffer tribulation, just as it happened” (1 Thessalonians 3:3-4).

Paul was reassuring these believers, saying, “I’ve told you all along that if you are going to walk with Jesus, you will face afflictions. Now that these afflictions have come upon me, why are you so surprised? This is our appointed lot in life.” 

Try to get this picture in your mind: Here was a holy man called by God to take the gospel to the nations. On every assignment, the Holy Spirit whispered to him that the next stop wouldn’t be easy. He would face opposition and would find more afflictions and trials. 

I find this man’s life absolutely amazing. Can you imagine it? Paul faced troubles and afflictions at every turn. At this point, you may be saying, “Wait a minute, you’re talking about Paul’s life, not mine. God appointed him to suffer afflictions. I haven’t been called to such a life.” Wrong! The Bible says: “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all” (Psalm 34:19).

The phrase “many are the afflictions” applies not just to Paul but to us as well. We love to hear the last part of that verse, but do we rejoice in the first part? Like Paul, let’s be glad when faced with a trial or affliction when the end goal is furthering the gospel of Jesus Christ.