God Gives Paul Grace and Strength

Paul went on three missionary journeys. On each journey, God gave Paul the grace
and strength that he needed.
On his first journey, people stoned him in Lystra, dragged him outside the city
gates, and left him there, thinking he was dead. But God gave Paul strength and a
quick recovery, and the next day he was able to leave with Barnabas and travel to
another city.
On his second missionary journey, Paul and his friend Silas were beaten and put in
prison in Philippi. They had not done anything wrong. When they had cast an evil
spirit out of a slave girl, her masters had become angry and took them to the
leaders. Paul and Silas were beaten and put into prison. Paul and Silas could have
complained and been bitter and unhappy in the prison. They could have doubted
God’s love and care for them. But instead, they decided to pray and sing hymns of
praise to God. While they were praising God, God sent an earthquake that shook the
prison and caused the gates to open and the prisoners’ chains to fall off. Instead of
running away, Paul and Silas and the other prisoners stayed. Paul and Silas
explained the gospel to the guard and his whole family. They all trusted Jesus
Christ. The next day Paul and Silas were set free.
On Paul’s third missionary journey, God gave Paul strength to continue teaching
about Christ. In Ephesus, after teaching in the synagogue for three months, Paul
faced opposition again. Though many people in Ephesus worshiped idols and
practiced witchcraft, Paul continued for two years to daily speak of Christ. Paul
stood up for the truth and taught the people that they could have victory over Satan
after trusting Christ. Many of those who became Christians burned their satanic
books. God also protected Paul from an angry mob that started a riot.
Paul, he used the opportunity to preach to the angry Jews.
After his third journey, Paul returned to Jerusalem. He
was seized by a mob of Jews. When Roman soldiers rescued Paul, he used the
opportunity to preach to the angry Jews.
For the next two years, Paul was kept as a prisoner of
the Roman government. During that time, he had to appear before a number of
rulers. Each time, Paul witnessed to them. Then Paul was sent to Rome for another
trial. On the way to Rome, as the ship sailed across the sea, the winds roared and
the waves tossed the ship back and forth. As the storm continued, the men tried to
lighten the load to keep the ship from sinking. Though the sailors fought the terrible
storm for many days, the ship struck something and broke apart. Everybody who
had been on the ship held onto boards or parts of the ship to get to shore safely. God
protected Paul and all who were with him when the ship wrecked. God also
protected Paul when he was bitten by a snake after that shipwreck.
Later, Paul was a prisoner in Rome, but God allowed him to live in his own house
and gave him freedom to preach the gospel. During this time, Paul wrote letters to
some of the churches that he had started. Some of these letters are part of the New
Testament.