Caleb Walker

A Devotional from Acts 26

     From Acts 26, we see Paul for over two years in prison and in chains while awaiting his fair trial and not knowing if he would ever receive it. He was heard by Felix and then forgotten. Then Festus and Agrippa. In each situation of being brought before these rulers and returned to his imprisonment and his cell Paul maintained several key messages and attitudes that enhanced his witness to his various audiences.

     Paul was respectful, joyful, evangelistic, compassionate, and expectant.

Paul was respectful. In each opportunity that he was given an audience with these rulers, he did not succumb to their behavior, their demeaning of him or of the work of God’s church. He did not angrily demand his way being locked up mercilessly in prison for such a long time. One would think Paul would have snapped and expressed his disdain, but no.

     Paul was enthusiastically and joyfully evangelistic and compassionate in each of his interactions. His chief goal was to spread the gospel, whether free or in chains. There can be a tendency in us to look at the limitations and grow discouraged or shy in sharing the gospel with others who oppose it in various degrees. Felix was indifferent and passive. Festus was ignorant. Agrippa was knowledgeable of the word, open to conversation, yet unpersuaded. In each of these instances, Paul keeps sharing his testimony and conveying the gospel to them.

     Paul did not need four walls and a pulpit to convey the gospel eagerly and boldly. Paul did not need an air-conditioned sanctuary and an agreeable audience to convey the gospel. Paul used what he was given. Paul was often not given much to work with. He was given mobs, tortures, opposing viewpoints, noisy open marketplaces and streets, people laughing at him, long stints in prison, and chains. Most individuals would have seen these as setbacks, but Paul saw them as opportunities.

     So, what are the “setbacks” in your life? Have you had familial, relational, vocational, professional, financial, educational, or other types of setbacks?   Know this from Acts 26 and the Scriptures as a whole. You are perfectly placed exactly where you are in the present circumstance you are in right now to glorify God and convey the Good News of Jesus Christ right where you are. God in His sovereignty knows that there could not be a more optimal position for you to be in to joyfully and with enthusiasm be a witness for him both in example and in word. So ask God for the grace to leverage your current circumstance—no matter how good or bad—with joy for His glory and for the evangelism of the lost around you.

     You may say, “I am not experienced enough.” Leverage your lack of experience for relatable authenticity in witnessing to the lost. You may say, “I don’t want to say the wrong thing and mess up the gospel presentation.” So, work on it. Practice sharing the gospel. And step out in faith and give it one try after another until you get better and better at it. You may say, “I am not around lost people as much as Paul; I’ll never stand before kings and rulers. My circumstances are more quiet and don’t afford much opportunity.” Preach he gospel first into your own soul and heart. Pray for your neighbors every day and go on walks and stroller rides. And when you see your neighbors engage them, get to know their names and interests and hobbies, and show them how much you care about them, and when the right time presents itself share the gospel with them.

     Help your spouse be bold in their faith at work. At the dinner table talk about who you are burdened for and debrief conversations with your spouse of your attempts to share the gospel with your coworkers.  Work at it. Pray for each other as you both work at it. Uplift each other. On a side note, when you go to work or into raising kids and making a home with a mindset of, “I am in my job, in my home, in this neighborhood as the sovereignly and specifically ordained witness for God here,” it will transform how you go about each day. The former grind and drudgery of the day will be reinvigorated with kingdom purpose and meaning. So, talk about it. Keep at it. Paul didn’t look at his chains as setbacks, and neither should we. What the world sees as setbacks God redeems as our inroad to share the gospel. So, leverage “the chains.”

How to Pray:

• Help me to step verbally into the gospel-sharing opportunities around me.
• Give me favor, relatability, authenticity and an open door to share the gospel with __________________.
• Help me to keep at it and work at it and not grow discouraged.
• Give me a burden for the lost and a joy in sharing the Good News with those You have placed around me.