Encouragement for spreading the Gospel of Christ on the journey to the world capital.

Acts 23:11

Click for a description of the mark of the beast.
Click for a description of the image of the beast.

“But the following night the Lord stood by him and said, “Be of good cheer, Paul; for as you have testified for Me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness at Rome.” Acts 23:11

Rome would be the last stop of Paul’s ministry, where he would be imprisoned and executed by beheading at the command of the Roman Emperor Nero. This verse mirrors what Paul spoke when he was on the ship [as a prisoner] sailing towards Rome, as quoted, “For there stood by me this night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must be brought before Caesar…” Acts 27:23-24 

The Roman commander of Acts 23 sent Paul to Felix in Judea [Acts 23:23-24] where Paul was imprisoned for a little over two years [Acts 24:27]. This was after Pul’s confrontation with the two-party congress of the Sanhedrin [Acts 22:30 through 23:10]. After his imprisonment under Felix, Paul was put on the ship sailing for Rome. The journey to Rome took at least four months, [spent three months on Malta during the winter [Acts 28:11]. Once arrived in Rome, Paul spent another two years imprisoned [Acts 28:30-31] for a total of about 4 1/2 years continuous imprisonment. We could say that Paul’s 1st imprisonment was in Judea, with four months traveling to Rome till his second imprisonment in Rome.

As followers of Jesus Christ, we are prisoners in this world that is sailing towards the world capital of the global government. Under these circumstances, we are to share our born-again experience, which is the Gospel of Christ written on our heart. However, in opposition to the word of God, to reach the global government, the agenda and goals of the United Nations are being used. The agenda and goals are empowered by the atheistic culture of humanism, which is the fig leaf worn by those who live and govern for the entity that gives them what to think, feel, say, and do. This entity gives life to the image of the beast to speak and live through people, and the Gospel of Jesus Christ is despised. Today’s culture, which is global, is groomed to the mark of the beast by what they are given to say and do, and they reject the word of God.

The Holy Spirit speaks these words to us [a paraphrase of today’s verse], “Be of good cheer, for as you have testified for Me before, so you must also testify of Me as the world sails for the global government of the beast” Jesus says, “I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:20

Those who were killed for the testimony of Jesus Christ were in Heaven asking God how long it would be before He avenged their deaths. The Lord answered that many more will be killed as they were, for the sake of the Gospel of Christ, and when that is completed, then He will avenge all of their deaths. “When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held. And they cried with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” Then a white robe was given to each of them; and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed. Revelations 6:9-11

With Paul, who was beheaded [at about the age of 60] in Rome at the command of the Roman Emperor Nero, there is a crown of life awaiting us who remain faithful to Jesus Christ, “For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 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.” 2 Timothy 4:6-8

Jesus says to us, “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves…You will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles…Now brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved.” Matthew 10:16, 18, 21-22.

Jesus says, “Most assuredly, I say to you that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy.” John 16:20 With Paul we say, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” Romans 8:18

The prophecies of the book of Daniel and the Revelation are unfolding in front of our eyes.

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“….to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets,“
‘I will not impose any other burden on you, except to hold on to what you have until I come.’”
“I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.”
Revelation 2:24-25, 3:11