Deliverance and Preservation Promised (2 Tim 4:17-18)

(vs16-18) At my first defense, no one stood with me, but all forsook me. May it not be charged against them. But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the [Gospel] message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen!

We have confidence in the Lord Jesus and the grace of God. Salvation isn't doubtful but sure. We labor knowing what the result will be, as forgiven and sure of life eternal. We work under God's umbrella, protected and assured by Him. This is our right, O doubtful Christians. Believe and work by faith.

First, don't be doubtful about tomorrow. The Lord will “deliver” and “preserve” you. The future is held by Him who holds you. The same Christ who saved you thus far - who paid your sin debt - is the same Christ who will keep you, even in death.

He who has BEEN faithful will continue to be so, and the past is a foreshadowing of the future. He will be faithful still.

Secondly, He gives us strengthening grace. Paul said, “The Lord stood with me and strengthened me” (vs17). What we need in the trial is given. Not only is the end promised, but the path of blessing is yours too. He takes care of the details, rules the lion Satan, and strengthens you according to His will. Paul said, “that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith... and to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God” (Eph 3:16-19).

You see how Paul was abandoned by friends and hated by foes, and yet God was enough? He said, “At my first defense no one stood with me, but all forsook me... But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me” (2 Tim 4:16-17). Thus, when life kicks you down, Satan roars, and your friends turn tail on you, just REMEMBER that having God is more than enough. His arm shines more powerfully when no other hand is seen!

Thirdly, the place you're going is “His heavenly kingdom”, to sin no more, to rest, and to enjoy peace (vs18).

Your battle time is now, but the real you will live eternally, UNFETTERED by sin and Satan.

You and I receive all of our bad stuff here, but the time is coming, in Abraham's bosom, protected in the covenant of peace, that we shall receive what the Lord Jesus died to give, which is face to face contact and conformity to God. John says, “Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is” (1 John 3:2). Soon, we shall be loved and loving, at peace and peaceful, and we'll have nothing to disturb our peace. No more temptations, evil thoughts, or broken dreams! Only good, pleasure, and beauty, forever. He told the transformed thief on the cross, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise”, a garden of pleasure (Luke 23:43).

Lastly, our job is to make this HOPE known to others. Paul said the Lord “stood with me and strengthened me, so that the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles may hear it”, so that he had a reason for being delivered, which is to serve others. The fact that we have SO much in Christ compels us to stretch out Christ to men. “Therefore”, Paul says, “from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh (in unbelief), yet now we know Him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation” (2 Cor 5:16-17). Having so much, God's love forces us to serve others willingly.

“Serve No More” (Numb 8:23-26)

“This is it that belongs unto the Levites: from twenty five years old and upward they shall go in to wait upon the service of the tabernacle of the congregation: and from the age of fifty years they shall cease waiting upon the service thereof, and shall serve no more. But shall minister with their brethren in the tabernacle of the congregation, to keep the charge, and shall do no service. Thus shall you do unto the Levites touching their charge”  (vs24-26).

It comes a time when we CEASE to serve the Lord in the heat of the day, in the burden of the ministry, in the way that we served before. We must SERVE in Babylon, but there comes a time, appointed by God, when the slavery ceases, and we’re given freedom - “For thus says the Lord, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place. For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an hoped for end“ (Jer 29:10-11).  Not only did He determine our path, but He ORDAINED blessings for us that we don’t deserve, even giving us rest and peace.

I have, again, been TOUCHED by the justification that’s by faith, anointed of God to SEE that my whole relationship and acceptance with God is by FAITH in Jesus’ sacrificial death, that what He did, and FAITH is sufficient for me to be justified, saved, and blessed; I don’t need to “do”, but only believe, and God REVEALED this to me after years of up and down, weak and flustering Christianity, so that the GOSPEL I heard in the start that saved me from Egypt is the gospel that I heard not long ago to break Babylonian captivity and free me from sin (Jer 16:14-15).

God said how long I would serve, and then God gave me rest from my labors of captivity.  We shall leave this planet to sin no more, and we shall be delivered from sin MORE POWERFULLY while we live, by the gospel at the appointed time, because God is pleased that we SERVE Him in tears, fighting against sin, under His humbling and chastening hand, and God is PLEASED to give us relief from captivity, strength to build, and the blessed Spirit in a special way by faith only - “Then spoke Haggai the Lord’s messenger in the Lord’s message unto the people, saying, I am with you, says the Lord. And the Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and did WORK in the house of the Lord of hosts, their God” (Haggai 1:13-14).  The believer UNDER chastisement is accepted of God, but he doesn’t enjoy the same power and pardon as he experiences when delivered to obedience (Heb 12:11).

Bless God that you have respite from your labors and SERVE Him now, not by carrying burdens, but by HELPING those who must carry them, learning and teaching from God’s throne - “But shall minister with their brethren in the tabernacle of the congregation, to keep the charge, and shall do no service. Thus shall you do unto the Levites touching their charge” (Numb 8:26).  Do not say, “I’m great now” and leave the gospel; you and I were saved by grace only; let us THANK God for grace, point sinners to grace, and use GRACE to do what God says in a much more easy fashion!