Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace: For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city.

Acts 18:9-10

During this pandemic, I had many friends who were very concerned for their jobs and the provision for their family. They have had to remind themselves that one of God’s names is Jehovah-Jireh, the LORD will Provide, and pray for God’s provision. God has proven faithful to His promise and has provided in each of their situations and has just encouraged them and strengthened their faith in the midst of their trial. It has been very exciting to watch and witness the Lord’s workings in their lives as God never provides in the same way. We have also experienced this with our company…and God has been SO good!

When we are discouraged, God knows exactly what we need and gives it to us. Sometimes His encouragement is subtle and sometimes it is extremely obvious. In these two verses, God is obvious, and I find it to be an encouragement to all of us. God tells Paul in a vision “Do not Fear.” I can just imagine the emotions and struggles that Paul was experiencing for the Lord to encourage him like this. God never gives us more than we can handle when we are in His will (I Corinthians 10:13) and it seems from the Lord’s words that Paul was wrestling with the possibility of being tortured again for the gospel. God directly encourages him to be bold and that lets him know that he will not be hurt. How amazing is that!

Perhaps you need some encouragement. Have you gone to God about your need? Are you walking in His will? Are you trusting, even if it is just a “grain of mustard seed” faith? Pray and ask God for help and comfort and then give Him the glory when you receive it.

Written by Kaye Dee Richards. Kaye Dee lives with her husband Colin in Morrison, CO. They have 4 children, Joshua, Amelia, Victoria, and Julia.
To contact Kaye Dee, leave a comment, message us on Facebook or email comments@thebeautifulspirit.org.