Pray the word with David Platt is a resource from Radical.net.

Acts chapter 14 verses 21 through 23,

when they had preached the gospel to that city, and it made many disciples,

they returned to Listera and to Econium and to Antioch,

strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith,

and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the Kingdom of God.

And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting,

they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed.

What a powerful summary of what just happened.

So we talked about in Acts chapter 13, this is the first missionary journey that Paul and Barnabas were on,

and they had gone from city to city, making disciples, gathering them together in the churches,

and then moving on to the next city and doing the same thing.

Now they're retracing their steps back, and they're going back to encourage these new disciples

and these new churches to continue in the faith and listen to this verse, verse 22,

saying to them, these new believers that through many tribulations we must enter the Kingdom of God.

Do you hear that? This is initial discipleship. Through many tribulations we must enter the Kingdom of God.

This is encouraging new believers that the road ahead will not be easy.

Exactly what Jesus told his disciples in this world, you will have tribulation.

And that's the first thing these disciples are hearing.

As followers of Jesus you will have many tribulations.

I just want to encourage you to let that soak in, whether you're a new follower of Jesus,

or you've been a follower of Jesus for years or decades even.

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