One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.” So Paul stayed in Corinth for a year and a half, teaching them the word of God. (Acts18:9-11)
Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia to the city of Corinth to join Paul and brought the Philippi church's gift to support Paul's gospel ministry in Corinth. Because of the Philippian church’s support for Paul, he was able to concentrate on preaching the gospel and didn’t need to make tents. Paul concentrated on preaching the gospel to the Jews, thinking that more people would know Jesus Christ and repent and accept the gospel. It turned out to be different from what he expected because what he faced were resistance and slander.
Although Paul was a great apostle, he was also a human being. When he faced a difficult situation, he would be afraid and weak. Just as he said in a letter to the Corinthian church: “I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling. “(1 Corinthians 2:3) For this reason the Lord Jesus appeared to Paul in a vision at night and shared the above passages, not only to comfort and encourage him, but to strengthen his faith, and guide Paul's evangelism. It was precisely because of the comfort and guidance of the Lord Jesus that Paul, who originally wanted to leave Corinth, stayed for another year and six months to spread the gospel to more Corinthians. This is how the Corinthian church was able to be established. At the same time, two Corinthian letters were left to bless the churches of all generations.
Paul was called the greatest apostle by the church. After he was called by the Lord, he became enthusiastic for the Lord. Not only did he strive to preach the gospel, but he also achieved great deeds, and established many churches. In the long history of the church, many Christians have been influenced by Paul, and they all want to imitate him by being enthusiastic for the gospel, do a lot of work for the Lord, and build many churches. Although many people imitate Paul, not everyone can achieve tremendous results like Paul. Rather, every evangelist will inevitably experience the frustration and weakness of Paul.
This frustrating experience is absolutely inevitable when engaging in evangelism. Even Paul, who was so zealous for the Lord, and so confident, was weak because of this, and even he wanted to leave the city of Corinth, how much less are we able to withstand. But most people think that if they have a lot of enthusiasm, they can quickly lead many people to believe in the Lord and restore the church of God. They ignore the process of evangelism and reality of encountering many unbelievers and even face persecution. Even if you think of this problem in advance, it is easy to be frustrated, discouraged and weak.
There are also other things that need to be faced. Many people are reluctant to plant churches and spread the gospel because of a fear of persecution and knowledge that they will face frustration. Although some people are willing to go out and preach the gospel, they only want to reap the harvest, they don’t want to do the difficult task of sowing the seed. When this happens the message of the Great Commission is compromised and there will be little church growth. There may even be a regression where churches will lose members.
Weakness caused by frustration may be unavoidable, but we still need to know that God is always with us. Without God’s permission, not even one hair on our head can fall to the ground. So even if we meet persecution and opposition from the world, don't be afraid and keep your mouth closed, but continue to preach the gospel.
In addition, we must also know that it is normal for the world to resist the gospel because the sinful nature of people makes people resist God. Instead of approaching God, so we cannot think that there are no people of God among them because of the unbelief of the world. At first, Paul strongly opposed the gospel and persecuted Christians, but he not only repented and believed in the Lord but also became enthusiastic in preaching the gospel. Therefore, we should be confident that there are still many people of God among unbelievers, waiting for us to find them.
(Note: The author of this article is a full-time co-worker of a grassroots church in Fujian)
-Translated by Abigail Wu
《使徒行传》灵修系列：对传福音者的安慰
夜间，主在异象中对保罗说：“不要怕，只管讲，不要闭口。有我与你同在，必没有人下手害你，因为在这城里我有许多的百姓。”保罗在那里住了一年零六个月，将神的道教训他们。（使徒行传18:9-11）
西拉和提摩太从马其顿来到哥林多城与保罗汇合，并且带来腓立比教会的奉献，以支持保罗在哥林多的福音事工。因着腓立比教会对保罗的供应，使得保罗可以专心的传福音，不用再分心去制造帐棚。保罗就更加专心的向犹太人传讲福音，本以为会使更多人认识耶稣基督，并悔改接受福音。结果却是与他所期盼的大庭相径，因为他所面临的是抗拒与毁谤。
保罗虽然是伟大的使徒，但他也是人，在遭遇这样的情况时，也同样会恐惧、会软弱。正如他在给哥林多教会的书信中的自诉一样：“我在你们那里，又软弱，又惧怕，又甚战兢。”（林前2:3）为此主耶稣在夜间的异象中向保罗显现，说了上文这一段话，不仅要安慰鼓励他，坚固他的信心，同时也要引导保罗的传福音方向。正是因为主耶稣的安慰与引导，让原本想离开哥林多城的保罗，又在哥林多城住了一年六个月，将福音继续传给更多的哥林多人。哥林多教会也正是如此才得以被建立起来，同时也留下了两封哥林多书信祝福历世历代的众教会。
保罗被教会称为最伟大的使徒，他蒙主呼召之后，就为主大发热心。他不仅努力传福音，并且得着很大的果效，所以也建立了许多的教会。在教会的历史长河中有很多基督徒都被保罗的样式所影响，也都想效法他的样式，为福音大发热心，为主做很多工，建立起很多教会。虽然很多人效法保罗的样式，却不是所有人都能像保罗那样取得巨大的果效，反而是每一个传福音的人都必然会经历到保罗那样的挫折与软弱。
这个挫折的经历在传福音中是绝对无法避免的，连保罗这样为主大发热心，这样有信心的人，也会因此而软弱，甚至想离开哥林多城，更何况我们这些人呢？可是绝大多数的人认为自己只要为福音大发热心，就能很快带领许多人接受福音，复兴神的教会。忽略了传福音的过程中必然会遭遇到许多不信的，甚至还会面临对方逼迫的情况。就算事先有想到这个问题，但是在这种情况下也很容易会挫折、灰心与软弱。
这个问题还带出另一个现象，很多人会因为害怕挫折与逼迫，不愿意去植堂传福音。有些人虽然愿意走出去传福音，却只想着做收割的工作，不愿意做撒种的工作。这种情况下，必然会导致大使命被削弱，教会人数增长缓慢，甚至出现倒退的情况。
挫折所带来的软弱是无法避免的，但是我们仍然要知道神应允一直与我们同在，若是没有神的允许，我们连一根头发都不至掉到地上。所以我们就算是遇到世人的逼迫与反对的声音，也不要惧怕，更不要闭口，而是要继续传讲福音。
另外我们也要知道，世人抵挡福音这是正常的，因为人里面的罪性使人抵挡神，而不是靠近神，所以不能因为世人的不信，就觉得这当中没有神的百姓。保罗起初强烈反对福音，而且大肆逼迫基督徒，但是他最后不仅悔改信主，反而为福音大发热心。所以我们应当要有信心，在不信的人中间仍有许多神的百姓，等着我们寻回。
（注：本文作者为福建一基层教会全职同工）
http://www.gospeltimes.cn/portal/article/index/id/52431
One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.” So Paul stayed in Corinth for a year and a half, teaching them the word of God. (Acts18:9-11)
Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia to the city of Corinth to join Paul and brought the Philippi church's gift to support Paul's gospel ministry in Corinth. Because of the Philippian church’s support for Paul, he was able to concentrate on preaching the gospel and didn’t need to make tents. Paul concentrated on preaching the gospel to the Jews, thinking that more people would know Jesus Christ and repent and accept the gospel. It turned out to be different from what he expected because what he faced were resistance and slander.
Although Paul was a great apostle, he was also a human being. When he faced a difficult situation, he would be afraid and weak. Just as he said in a letter to the Corinthian church: “I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling. “(1 Corinthians 2:3) For this reason the Lord Jesus appeared to Paul in a vision at night and shared the above passages, not only to comfort and encourage him, but to strengthen his faith, and guide Paul's evangelism. It was precisely because of the comfort and guidance of the Lord Jesus that Paul, who originally wanted to leave Corinth, stayed for another year and six months to spread the gospel to more Corinthians. This is how the Corinthian church was able to be established. At the same time, two Corinthian letters were left to bless the churches of all generations.
Paul was called the greatest apostle by the church. After he was called by the Lord, he became enthusiastic for the Lord. Not only did he strive to preach the gospel, but he also achieved great deeds, and established many churches. In the long history of the church, many Christians have been influenced by Paul, and they all want to imitate him by being enthusiastic for the gospel, do a lot of work for the Lord, and build many churches. Although many people imitate Paul, not everyone can achieve tremendous results like Paul. Rather, every evangelist will inevitably experience the frustration and weakness of Paul.
This frustrating experience is absolutely inevitable when engaging in evangelism. Even Paul, who was so zealous for the Lord, and so confident, was weak because of this, and even he wanted to leave the city of Corinth, how much less are we able to withstand. But most people think that if they have a lot of enthusiasm, they can quickly lead many people to believe in the Lord and restore the church of God. They ignore the process of evangelism and reality of encountering many unbelievers and even face persecution. Even if you think of this problem in advance, it is easy to be frustrated, discouraged and weak.
There are also other things that need to be faced. Many people are reluctant to plant churches and spread the gospel because of a fear of persecution and knowledge that they will face frustration. Although some people are willing to go out and preach the gospel, they only want to reap the harvest, they don’t want to do the difficult task of sowing the seed. When this happens the message of the Great Commission is compromised and there will be little church growth. There may even be a regression where churches will lose members.
Weakness caused by frustration may be unavoidable, but we still need to know that God is always with us. Without God’s permission, not even one hair on our head can fall to the ground. So even if we meet persecution and opposition from the world, don't be afraid and keep your mouth closed, but continue to preach the gospel.
In addition, we must also know that it is normal for the world to resist the gospel because the sinful nature of people makes people resist God. Instead of approaching God, so we cannot think that there are no people of God among them because of the unbelief of the world. At first, Paul strongly opposed the gospel and persecuted Christians, but he not only repented and believed in the Lord but also became enthusiastic in preaching the gospel. Therefore, we should be confident that there are still many people of God among unbelievers, waiting for us to find them.
(Note: The author of this article is a full-time co-worker of a grassroots church in Fujian)
-Translated by Abigail Wu
Devotional Series from Acts: Comfort for Evangelists
