Return and Encouragement Pt. 1: Strengthening the Souls of the Disciples
- Baptist Daily Devotional
- Aug 9
- 2 min read
Rev Tetteh-Annor Larbi | August 9 2025 | Acts 14:21-28
KEY VERSE: “They returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith and saying, ‘Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.” Acts 14:21-22a (NIV)
MESSAGE:
After facing persecution and hardship, Paul and Barnabas did something remarkable—they went back to the very places where they had been mistreated. But their return wasn’t about revenge or self-protection. It was about strengthening the souls of the disciples. They knew that new believers needed encouragement, not just instruction. Following Jesus would come with trials, and Paul made that clear: tribulation is part of the journey toward the kingdom of God. Strengthening souls means preparing people for real life with real faith.
Their ministry shows that discipleship is more than just making converts—it’s about building resilience. New believers needed to know that opposition doesn't mean failure, and suffering doesn't mean abandonment. Paul and Barnabas equipped the disciples to endure, reminding them that hardship often confirms, rather than contradicts, the path of faith. Strength doesn’t always look like comfort—it usually looks like perseverance through pain.
Today, we’re called to do the same: strengthen each other’s souls. In a world full of pressure and discouragement, we need voices that remind us to press on in faith. Whether you're mentoring, parenting, leading, or just walking with a friend, your words can reinforce someone’s spiritual foundation.
FEET AND HANDS FOR THE MESSAGE:
Choose today to Speak life. Speak endurance. Help others see that God is still working—even in the tribulation. Be the one to strengthen someone’s soul today.
PRAYER:
Lord, teach me how to strengthen the souls of others. Help me encourage those who are weary and remind them of Your faithfulness in every trial. Use my life to build up lasting faith in others. For Your dear name’s sake. Amen.
THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING.
SHOWERS! BLESSINGS!!
The 365 DAILY BIBLE READING Day 221: 1 Chronicles 1–4 — Genealogies from Adam to Judah
DAILY word study: STRENGTHENING The word “strengthening” in Acts 14:22 comes from the Greek epistērizō, meaning “to support further,” “to establish more firmly,” or “to make stronger.”
Paul and Barnabas weren’t simply giving pep talks. They were helping the believers become spiritually stable—firm in truth, aware of trials, and ready to endure. This kind of strengthening wasn’t about comfort—it was about preparing disciples for hardship with clarity and courage.
Reflect on this:
When you strengthen someone in the Lord, you’re helping them stand when the shaking begins. Are your words and actions building stability in someone else’s faith?
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