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Acts
  
6. Christ’s Appearance to Paul at Night (Acts 23:11)
11But 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.”


Paul’s conscience was always clear, for he served God day and night. He did not behave recklessly while he was in Jerusalem, nor did he create a tumultuous situation intentionally. He obeyed the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and was prepared to die. His Lord, however, had other plans for him. He appeared to him personally, in the darkness of night, and said to him: “Be of good cheer, and do not be afraid. Death is not at hand, even though it encompasses you like hungry wolves. They will not harm you, for I am with you. I will close the mouths of the beasts. I will be a fiery wall around you.”
The brothers scattered from Paul. Not a single friend from Asia or Europe accompanied him to prison. Nor did James appear with thousands of Jewish believers to help him, to mediate for him or to comfort him. It was as if he was a dispersed vapor. But Christ, in person, was with him. He was his comfort, righteousness, power, and hope. Dear brother, you have neither hope in this life nor in the next, except for the presence of Christ, just as Paul wrote: “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” This assurance of the power of the Holy Spirit continues even in death and torture. Brainwashing is unable to wipe out this assurance.
Christ declared to Paul what he had prepared for him from eternity, that is, He would crown his ministry by sending him to Rome, the capital of the universe at that time. With the achieving of this goal, Christ’s triumphal procession would be completed. At the point of greatest defeat, in the night of despair, Christ consoled and revived him, giving him assurance that he would finish the last part of his missionary journey and testify to Him in Rome. This procession compromises the mysterious banner of the Book of the Acts of the Apostles: from Jerusalem to Rome. Paul stood like a runner at the starting point of his last journey. His Lord, however, willed that he not proceed forth in this stage free and victorious, but imprisoned and bound. Nevertheless, in his inmost being, Paul was truly liberated, knowing that nothing could happen to him except that which was prepared for him by Christ. Thus he called himself from now on the prisoner of Christ. In this manner, in chains and handcuffs, he set out to Rome, to win the capital to his Lord.