Notes:

 

We can decisions in life that land us in prison.  

 

The Apostle Paul spent time in prison in a very difficult time in history to be in prison.

 

Acts 16:20-24 → Prison was very difficult.  It was typical for someone to be stripped and beaten.  

 

Satan was working strongly against Paul who was preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  

 

Eph. 3:1 → Paul classifies himself as a prisoner of Jesus Christ.

 

Eph. 4:1 → Prisoner of the Lord.

 

Why did he refer to himself as a prisoner of Jesus?  He was already confined.

 

1. Be content in your sufferings.  

 

As a prisoner, there will be times of suffering.  

 

2 Cor.11:24

 

Paul said that if were to boast, it would be in weakness.  From time to time, we suffer for Christ as well.  Paul knew that his sufferings were because of his calling and he was taking Jesus Christ’s message out to the people.  

 

What are some of the ways that we suffer?  We can suffer from job loss.

 

2 Tim. 1:8

 

When we suffer for our beliefs, we are a witness for Jesus Christ.  We are not to be ashamed of it.

 

Sometimes we are suffering physically.  God does promise healing, but we aren’t always healed.

 

Understand that God has the full power to heal anyone at any moment.  

 

How do we handle our trials and sufferings.  Do we willingly partake of our sufferings with Christ.

 

What is the purpose of our suffering?

 

1 Peter 4:12-13 → We cannot be shocked when something bad happens to us, but rejoice to the extent that we can partake of his suffering and when He is revealed, we can partake in the joy.  This identifies us as part of His family.

 

Rom. 8:17 → if we suffer with Him, we will be glorified with Him.

 

1 Pet. 2:18 → A lot of time, we suffer wrongfully.  If we are living our life according to God’s way, we will be commended for it.  

 

Christ left us an example to follow in His steps.  Christ suffered wrongfully like no other.  

 

What do we have to gain from our sufferings as God’s prisoner?

 

Heb. 5:5 → Jesus Christ prayed for relief from his death sentence and was heard - but it didn’t change the focus on what Christ needed to do.

 

Phil. 2:6

 

We need to be obedient to God, even to the point of death.

 

Phil. 4:11

 

Why does God want us to find contentment in our life?  Satan was not content and grew to hate where God had placed him.  Satan knows the power of the discontented heart.

 

2.)  A Prisoner is Completely Dependent on His Captor

 

Conditions in Roman prisoners were deplorable.  

 

Jesus Christ is our captor.  We cannot depend on whatever we don’t believe in.  We must deeply trust and believe in Jesus Christ and God the Father.  We must believe in who He is for us.  God had made a lot of promises to us.

 

Promises:

 

Protect us. - 2 These 3:3

 

Provide for our needs. - Phil 4:19

 

Promise to show love and mercy - Eph. 5:2, Eph. 2:4

 

Hear our prayers - Matt. 7:7, Heb. 4:16

 

Heal Us - James 5:14-15

 

Deliver us from sin - 2 Tim. 4:18, Judges 1:24

 

Jesus Christ as Head of the Church and in Control.  Col. 1:15-20

 

Give the Faithful Eternal Life through Jesus Christ -

 

1 John 5:11-13 → He who has the Son, has life.  It comes does to our belief in their power and belief in them as the head of the church.

 

Paul had tremendous insight on who Jesus Christ was to him.  He knew the full understand and meaning of being a prisoner to Jesus Christ.