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Thread: A man who was in full control

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    A man who was in full control

    https://www.blueletterbible.org/study/paul/timeline.cfm

    Phil 1:23 I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far;
    24 but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body.
    25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith,
    26 so that through my being with you again your boasting in Christ Jesus will abound on account of me.

    Paul is effectively foretelling his upcoming release from Roman house arrest, enabling him to visit the Philippians again. The man is in full control, he knows that he will continue to live and prosper for a while longer.

    History tells us that he did travel again before returning to Rome in 65-66 AD where he was imprisoned again and then martyred.

    2 Tim 4:20 Erastus stayed in Corinth, but Trophimus I have left in Miletus sick.

    The last time Trophimus was mentioned was when Paul was imprisoned in Jerusalem. The next thing that happened then was that he was sent to Rome so this has to have happened during his travel to that region after he was released from house arrest in Rome.

    His final letter to Timothy was apparently written during his final imprisonment in Rome :

    2 Tim 4:6 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand.
    7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
    8 Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.

    Again, the man is in full control. He knows that he is about to fulfill his calling, end his ministry and depart for heaven. These aren't words spoken by a man who has received his sentence and is about to be executed :

    4:21 Do your utmost to come before winter.

    He is still months away from getting to that point. But he knows that it is coming. He probably even knows that he will still be alive before winter arrives so that Timothy will have a chance to visit him.

    God showed me something similar regarding his servants during the end times, that they will be in control like Paul was. Those who seek to persecute them will not notice because they are full of unbelief but those who are touched by their message will notice that they are. Effectively, they will walk through every storm in full assurance that they will continue to live and prosper here on Earth until the specific time comes when they will have fulfilled their calling and it is time to depart, whether that is by martyrdom or it is through death by natural causes. In that walk through the storms they will come across as being incapable of dying. As representatives of the resurrection life of Christ in motion.

    In the book of Revelation, the two witnesses of God are killed but are then resurrected again and ascend into heaven. This will also happen with other servants, that they will walk into death knowing that they will be resurrected again and then they will continue their ministry as before. Something similar happened to Paul :

    Acts 14:19 Then Jews from Antioch and Iconium came there; and having persuaded the multitudes, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead.
    20 However, when the disciples gathered around him, he rose up and went into the city. And the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe.

    Surviving an uninterrupted stoning by a multitude that knows what it is doing, is completely impossible. We do not know if Paul actually died or if the power of God preserved him, but that is as good as a physical resurrection out of death. It was so unthinkable that Paul was in fact able to walk into the city again and remain undetected because noone thought it could possibly be him. The same will happen again.

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