The Advantage of Disadvantage

But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel; ~Philippians 1:12

Our devotion this morning centers on how God uses what appears to be difficulties and turns them into blessings. One noted preacher, J.H. Jowett, calls Philippians 1:12-14 “The Fortune of Misfortune.” If we are not careful, we might overlook opportunities that God gives us in obstacles. This morning, let us see the advantage of disadvantage.

Philippians is one of the prison epistles of Paul. He speaks of “the things which happened unto me” and “my bonds.” Paul was a prisoner in Caesar’s palace. He was waiting for an opportunity to appeal and testify that he did nothing wrong or deserving of imprisonment. During his stay in Rome, he was shackled to two soldiers. The soldiers would rotate shifts every four hours. Though he had freedom to move around, he was continuously chained to two soldiers. Paul could view his chains as a grief, or he could view them as a gift. He could view them as restriction, or he could view them as a responsibility. Paul took advantage of his disadvantage.

Paul said, “That the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel.” Paul used his circumstances to witness to the soldiers assigned to him at every shift. The two soldiers on every shift had no choice but to listen and be engaged in conversation with Paul. As Paul shared with them his remarkable salvation testimony and about the death and resurrection of our Lord, soldier after soldier repented of his sins and, by faith, accepted Christ as Savior. Paul said that the ministry that God gave him resulted in the furtherance of the gospel. Like Paul, we must be willing and ready to adapt to our circumstances and creatively reach the unsaved with the gospel. One could say that Paul was out of his element if he was not planting churches. However, Paul recognized that he had a “captive audience” with the soldiers. He saw the advantage of disadvantage.

“So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places….” Over a two-year period of time, Paul’s ministry in bonds spread far and wide. Not only were soldiers getting saved, but slaves, senators, and many other people who either were employed in the palace or frequented there came to receive the Lord as Savior. What is significant is that the spread of the gospel went throughout the palace and was carried to other places by those who were saved under Paul. Paul refers to the saints which were of Caesar’s household in Philippians 4:22. Certainly, Paul’s evangelistic efforts in the palace were greatly effective. When we read Romans 16, there is a listing of several people who are believed to have been among the many converts who got saved when Paul was in bonds. These people were among the many who spread the gospel in other places.

Paul praised the Lord for using him in such a prolific way. He praised the Lord for the many who were saved in Caesar’s palace. He praised the Lord that the gospel spread in other places. He praised the Lord that “many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.” Let us be inspired to let our disadvantages become advantages. Have faith that God can turn our grievous obstacles into golden opportunities.

Bible Reading Schedule: Judges 3-5

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