That is the second verse where Paul shares a testimony of the positive outcome of what we can call a bad situation: his imprisonment.
He said that what happened to him has emboldened others.
That was unexpected. You would imagine that if the main guy was imprisoned, then other people would be silent and want to hide their heads, but the opposite happened.
One man was imprisoned, and many stood up in his place, not just men, but women also. Why? The reason was mixed, as we would see in the next verse.
Some wanted the role he was playing not to be empty; they tried to extend his influence to others, and others wanted to preach to hurt him.
The first one we can understand as the work of God in people's hearts, but what about the others?
Does it not surprise you that some people would preach the gospel to hurt people?
These are people pursuing their own aims, moving in their own direction that they have chosen.
And because we are sometimes as gentle as a dove and not so much wise as a serpent (Matthew 10:16), we are not quick to see through the deception.
Paul can see through the deception by the Spirit, and that is why he first prayed that our love would be equipped with knowledge and insight (Philippians 1:9-10).
With that, we could escape deceivers who come with claims of authority, who sometimes speak the truth, but that makes their lies even more dangerous because they are mixed with truth.
Confidence
But let's focus on the confidence in the Lord, which was lacking in the people when it came to speaking the word fearlessly in public.
There are all manner of fears that new Christians have (depending on the environment), as well as old Christians who find themselves in new, challenging situations.
So, you are not alone, and there is nothing wrong with you if you are not confident about sharing your faith.
Don't feel bad. That does not mean you are not a Christian, or that there is something wrong with you.
Paul did not shame those who were not confident to share the gospel. He probably remembered his past, where he was the intimidator-in-chief against those who identify with Jesus.
And he understood that God had specially called him to do what he was doing.
Hence, his level of boldness, confidence, and fearlessness, which he does not demand that everyone else exhibit, because he realizes he is a special one.
But sometimes, when God calls and equips some people for a specific ministry or devotional ability (because of that ministry), they make you feel guilty for not doing what they are doing.
We do not see Paul doing that. He did not say everyone should do evangelism, meet the neighbors, and share the gospel with them.
But you ask me, how then would the church grow? I hope you know that you cannot save anyone.
So there is room for shy Christians, is what I am saying.
People say that the people you lead to salvation will earn you crowns in heaven, serving as a motivating factor.
However, we do not find such a statement in the Bible. Everyone is called into different lines of spiritual labor. Let's discover and do them.
Paul mentioned fear and lack of confidence as something we can shed. He said the brothers and sisters received encouragement to shed their fear and gain confidence. His suffering emboldened them. That is the power of a positive example.
Hebrews 6:12: so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and perseverance inherit the promises.
When the apostles were threatened, the disciples decided to pray that the apostles would be empowered to preach the gospel with confidence.
Acts 4:29: And now, Lord, pay attention to their threats, and grant to your servants to speak your message with great courage,
Some things dampen your courage and confidence, while others strengthen them. Prayer will strengthen your courage, while threats, fear, and shame are meant to dampen it (2 Timothy 1:6-9).
2 Timothy 1:6-9: Because of this I remind you to rekindle God’s gift that you possess through the laying on of my hands. For God did not give us a Spirit of fear but of power and love and self-control. So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me, a prisoner for his sake, but by God’s power accept your share of suffering for the gospel. He is the one who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not based on our works but on his own purpose and grace, granted to us in Christ Jesus before time began.
Positive examples will boost your confidence.
The specially called ones, the apostles, were the people who were expected to preach the gospel, and the others were to pray for them.
But did that stop others from preaching? No, no, no. That was like an extra, and the extra sometimes grows powerful.
And what did Paul tell Timothy?
2 Timothy 4:5: ...do an evangelist’s work...
If it is automatic that everyone will do the work of an evangelist, why was Timothy specially asked to do it?
If Paul had to tell Timothy to do the work of an evangelist, especially, that means not everyone was doing the work.
He did not tell him to enforce that everyone speak to three people in a year, or make sure they preach to one person a week, or make sure they evangelize people in their workplace.
If they did, that would be fine, but not as a mandate. They don't have to bring people to church, either. There is a sense in which people specially called to specific roles have an inbuilt confidence that comes with the call to do some frontline public things.
And Paul asked that people should pray for him to proclaim the truth as he ought, with the boldness he needs (Ephesians 6:19-20).
He never said people must preach the gospel and bring in souls. Not everyone is called to be on the frontline, but everyone has their place.
We should not feel under pressure to be anything. We should not be driven by ambition or drive others with our ambition, but rather (as leaders) serve them in the will of God for them.
