"..remain strong and not be discouraged.." Ephesians 3:13 (TPT)

I am Encouraged by Paul’s statement here; even though he is imprisoned and writing from behind bars, he is still inspiring the believers in Ephesus. He is taking a stand (not for himself) but for the word of Christ that it may prosper and grow influential in the lives of his fellow believers. 

Paul planted this gathering during a brief visit to Ephesus, and Paul’s co-laborers Pricilla and Aquila nurtured it, then later by Apollos (see Acts 18:19-28). Paul returned to Ephesus later for an extended (three-year) period of ministry, which marked a victory of the gospel of the Kingdom over the demonic powers and entrenched commercial interests surrounding the city’s famed temple of Artemis (see Acts 19:1-41).

Later, bidding farewell to the Ephesian elders, Paul summoned them to be vigilant to protect God’s sheep from “fierce wolves” and false shepherds (see Acts 20:29–30). 

Writing from prison even later, Paul summoned this church to “unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God,” a maturity that would enable them to stand firm against “human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes” (see Ephesians. 4:13–14). 

The apostle insisted that the church exercise theological discernment: “Let no one deceive you with empty words” (see Ephesians 5:6).

The one thing that stands out about Paul is that he was selfless. He suffered greatly for the gospel of the Kingdom, and as he points out in the above verse for the believers to “remain strong and not be discouraged or ashamed..” 

With a person like Paul who was laying down everything for the sake of the gospel, it would be easy for him to become prideful; but Paul recognized that the revelations he received were because of the grace of Christ, not his own acquired knowledge. Paul chose humility as the way of Jesus in his life, not only as an example for the believers in Ephesus, but that other gatherings who would read the body of his written works would know that his suffering was not in vain, it produced more of Christ in his life, and in the lives of others.

The enemy desired to eliminate Paul from existence, but the Holy Spirit saw Paul’s suffering as a treasure that needed to be preserved and shared with successive generations. Paul’s ministry continues to this day through his letters to the Ecclesia that he planted in various locations throughout his missionary journeys in life.

The perfect example of Paul’s humility is on display in the above verse “..I suffer on your behalf, for it is for your glory.” 

As a believer, it is easy to become discouraged or ashamed when we look at where we are in our Christian life and recognize we are not where we should be regarding our development in Christ, especially when we consider the life of Paul. 

Maybe we should be further along in our relationship with Jesus than we presently are, or perhaps some hindrances block us from going further in our Christian walk? This type of introspection can be unhealthy if we dwell on these thoughts for an extended period and allow guilt and shame to creep in and stifle us from moving on and growing in Christ. 

The words of Paul ring so loudly, “do not be discouraged or ashamed.” Paul knew the human condition better than we do, and he would never want us to be discouraged if we haven’t progressed in our relationship with Christ Jesus to a level on par with his, in fact, this is more like Paul being a spiritual father putting his arm around our shoulders and encouraging us to be active in what we do have and where we are at so that the Lord can further reveal His heart to us.

Paul also recognized that the sufferings he faced were for the benefit of others; he also mentions this in his letter to the Colossian believers.

 “I am happy in my sufferings for you. There is much that Christ must still suffer. And I gladly accept my part of those sufferings in my body for the good of his body, the church.”

Colossians 1:24 (ERV)

Do I fully understand what Paul means by bearing the sufferings of Christ in his body for the Ecclesia? I do not! But I am learning what it means by remaining humble by allowing the Holy Spirit to reveal more of Christ in deeper levels in my life that I might continue to be changed and be more like Him.

I believe that Paul desired that we use him as an example of how the Christian life should look.

“So imitate me, watch my ways, follow my example, just as I, too, always seek to imitate the Anointed One.” 
1 Corinthians 11:1 (VOICE)

I think that if I were ever allowed to meet the heroes of the faith, Paul would be on top of my list. He received many revelations regarding the patterns of the Old Testament and how it spoke of Christ; I find it astounding that He had such a fantastic grasp of the things of God.

I also love that way he comes across as being a concerned spiritual father and he has such depth and compassion for those of us who know what it means to struggle in the faith, he was always patient and understanding, affirming and encouraging us (and others) to move forward in the faith.  

I feel that in the most part this is his legacy left to us who believe. 

Be Blessed;

Stephen Barnett