The Proof Was in What God Did—Romans 15:17-19
"Therefore I glory in Christ Jesus in my service to God. I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentiles to obey God by what I have said and done— by the power of signs and wonders, through the power of the Spirit of God. So from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ." (Romans 15:17-19)
Imagine being able to say, at the end of it all, that everywhere you went you fully proclaimed the good news of Jesus—no hesitation, no holding back. That was Paul's life. He preached Christ boldly, took every bit of opposition on the chin, and ran his race clear to the finish. What a way to live.
But notice what he refused to brag about. Paul wouldn't take credit for a thing except "what Christ has accomplished through me." His calling was to lead the Gentiles to Jesus—he was set apart for exactly that from birth (Romans 1:1). And wherever he went, people came to the Lord, not just because of his words but because of the power that showed up alongside them. The Holy Spirit kept confirming, through signs and wonders, that Paul was speaking for God. He was simply the willing instrument; God did the heavy lifting.
That's a pattern worth catching: God backs up His word with a demonstration of His power. Jesus lived this way constantly. When people pressed Him to say plainly whether He was the Messiah, He'd answer, "The miracles I do in my Father's name speak for me" (John 10:25). He rarely leaned on His own testimony, because His works were the evidence—the credentials proving He was sent by God. Every miracle He performed was a prophecy coming true right in front of them.
This wasn't new, either. Look at the Old Testament. Moses stood before Pharaoh and backed his words with plagues, then parted the Red Sea, drew water from a rock, and led Israel by a pillar of fire while God rained down manna and quail. All of it proved Moses spoke for God. Elijah did the same—he soaked an altar with water and called down fire from heaven in front of the prophets of Baal, and the fire fell and consumed everything. He prayed and the rain stopped for three years; he prayed again and the skies opened. The words came first, and the miracles confirmed them. Joshua, Samson, Elisha, Jeremiah, Jonah—the list of people who saw God back His word is long.
So what does that mean for us? We're ministers of the same good news. And we can expect the same Spirit to confirm the message we carry. My hope is that at the end I'll be able to boast—not in myself, but in what Jesus accomplished living through me. I want to stay ready to share the gospel with anyone willing to listen, trusting the Holy Spirit to back it up. Because the gospel is still "the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes" (Romans 1:16).
A Few Honest Questions:
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When you share your faith, do you expect God to back up His word?
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Are you quietly taking credit for things only God could accomplish through you?
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Who is someone with "an ear to hear" that you could share the good news with this week?

