For I am with you and no one will lay a hand on you, because I have many people in this city.”for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many people in this city.”For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city.for I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to harm thee: for I have much people in this city.
3 sermons cite this verse
… other parts of Acts. You come to Acts chapter 16, and they are praying that God would open people's eyes to salvation. See how the sovereignty of God affects the mission of God. In Acts chapter 18, verse 9 through 11, Paul is in Corinth, and he's really struggling. He's wondering if he needs to stick around there anymore because it's a really tough mission field. And Jesus comes to him, and he has an encounter with Christ, and Jesus says to him, stay where you are, Paul. Keep preaching. Don't be silent because I have many people in this city. I want you to think about that statement for Paul to hear from Jesus in this encounter with him. I have many people in this city. I'm in control here. And there are some people, I know it may seem tough, but there are some people in this city who are going to come to faith in Christ. You stay here. So the next verse says Paul stayed and preached for a year and a half and many people came to faith in Christ. …
… In Acts 18, this is how I know that the response to fear is doing the opposite of what fear tells us in Acts 18 verses 9 through 10, Paul is afraid. Paul has been beaten. He's experienced the ridicule, the violence of being a follower of the way. And in a rare moment of vulnerability, we learn that Paul is considering silence at a time where his ministry could just be taking off and it says now the Lord spoke to Paul in the night by a vision and he says do not be afraid but speak at a time where you're tempted to be silent because you're afraid of what could happen if you use your voice. The Lord says, do not be afraid, but speak and do not keep silent. How, how, how, how am I supposed to do that? How am I supposed to overcome the fear? I'm afraid that something's going to happen to me. I'm afraid that they'll talk about me. I'm afraid that it'll all fall apart. And then the Lord says, for I am with you. …
"I aim with you." Acts 18:10. THE Apostle Paul was about to be placed in imminent peril. He was to be brought before the Roman governor, Gal-lio. The Jews, rank and rabble, were hopeful that they would get him condemned to death. In this threatening crisis the Lord Jesus would give him a word of comfort to strengthen him, that his courage might not fail. The best, the most assuring word that the Savior could speak to His servant was this, "I am with you." Nothing in Heaven or earth could be more fitted to cheer his tried spirit! To know that Jesus was with him, approving, supporting, defending him, was a safeguard against fear. Years afterwards, when Paul had to stand before the Roman emperor whose will was absolute, whose fiat could have put him to instant death, he had no man who dared stand by him. A poor despised servant of a despised Master, he was not, then, cast down or disheartened, for he said, "Nevertheless, the Lord stood by me." Under the worst circumstances, true Christians find the richest comfort if they do but know that Jesus is with them! When our Lord went away to Heaven and left His disciples on earth, they were like a flock of sheep surrounded with wolves. Just then He would surely give them, as a parting word, the most tender and the most encouraging sentence that could fall from His lips. What do you think He said? Why, one of His farewell words was this, "Lo, I am with you always"—a dear and blessed legacy to His children who are still in banishment below! And when John, in Patmos, had a vision of Jesus in His Glory, where, do you think, did he see Him? Did he see Him as standing before the Throne of God, or in any position of Glory? Yes, he did, but first of all he said, "I saw Him walking among the golden candlesticks." Now, he tells us, these golden candelabra represented the Churches—and Jesus Christ was pictured even as a glorified Savior, holding the seven stars in His right hand and walking among the seven golden candlesticks! Hence I gather that the truest comfort of the Church is for Christ to be with us—and that one of the highest joys of Jesus is to be with His people! …