For I Believe God
Scripture Focus: Acts 27–28
“Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me.” — Acts 27:25
There is something remarkable about the account of Paul's journey to Rome in the closing chapters of the book of Acts. Paul was on his way to stand trial before Caesar, having appealed to him concerning the accusations brought against him. What should have been a journey to Rome became an extraordinary series of trials, dangers, divine interventions, and unexpected opportunities.
As Paul sailed alongside other prisoners, soldiers, sailors, and passengers, a violent storm arose at sea. For many days, the ship was battered by the wind and waves. The situation became so desperate that the crew began throwing cargo and equipment overboard in an attempt to save the vessel. Eventually, they lost all hope of being saved. For fourteen days, they endured the uncertainty of the storm, struggling with fear, exhaustion, and prolonged deprivation of food.
Yet, in the middle of this seemingly hopeless situation, Paul stood before everyone on board and made a remarkable declaration: “For I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me.” (Acts 27:25).
Paul had received an assurance from God that although the ship would be lost, not a single life would perish. And just as God had promised, all 276 people on board eventually made it safely to land. One might imagine that surviving such a terrifying ordeal would have marked the end of Paul's troubles. Surely, after everything he had endured, there would be some relief. But the story takes another remarkable turn.
The survivors discovered that they had landed on an island called Malta, where the inhabitants welcomed them with extraordinary kindness. As Paul gathered sticks to help build a fire, a viper emerged from the heat and fastened itself to his hand.
The islanders, witnessing this, concluded that Paul must have been a murderer. In their minds, although he had escaped death at sea, justice had finally caught up with him. They watched, expecting him to swell up or suddenly fall dead. But Paul simply shook the viper into the fire and suffered no harm.
It raises a question many of us have asked at different points in our lives: Why do good people experience so much trouble? Why do those who love and serve God sometimes face seemingly endless trials, opposition, and difficulties?
Jesus never promised us a life without trouble. In fact, He told us plainly that in this world we would have tribulation. But He also gave us a reason to remain confident: “Be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). The assurance of our victory is not found in the absence of difficulties, but in the One who has already overcome them.
When we look closely at Paul's experience, we discover something beautiful: through every trial, God continued to demonstrate His faithfulness. There was victory over the storm. There was victory over the shipwreck. There was victory over the viper. And beyond these victories, there was an unexpected opportunity for God's goodness and power to be revealed to an entire community.
The book of Acts tells us that Publius, the chief official of Malta, owned an estate nearby and graciously welcomed Paul and his companions. His father was ill with fever and dysentery. Paul visited him, prayed, laid his hands on him, and God healed him. When news of this spread, others on the island who were sick came and were healed.
Consider this for a moment. Paul was travelling to Rome, but an unexpected storm had brought him to Malta. What appeared to be a disastrous interruption became an extraordinary opportunity for the power and compassion of God to be demonstrated. The very place where Paul might have expected only to recover from his ordeal became a place where he could minister to the needs of others. How often do we become so focused on the destination that we fail to recognise what God might want to accomplish through the journey?
Sometimes, the interruptions we experience, the challenges we face, and even the opposition we encounter become opportunities for God's grace to be revealed in ways we could never have anticipated. This does not mean that God authors the difficulty we experience. Rather, it reminds us that no difficulty is beyond His ability to redeem and use for His purposes.
In 2 Corinthians 2:14, Paul declares: “Now thanks be unto God, which always causes us to triumph in Christ, and makes manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.”
Our triumph is in Christ. We always win, not because every circumstance will look favourable, but because Christ has already secured our ultimate victory. This is the perspective we must carry into our workplaces, our responsibilities, our relationships, and every season of our lives.
As we approach the end of the year, some of us may be celebrating significant accomplishments, answered prayers, and remarkable breakthroughs. Others may be dealing with unfinished projects, challenging workplace relationships, unexpected setbacks, disappointments, or unanswered questions.
Whatever season we find ourselves in, we can confidently declare, like Paul, “For I believe God.” I believe God concerning His promises. I believe God concerning His faithfulness. I believe God concerning the work He has committed into my hands. I believe God that He who began a good work in me will carry it on to completion (Philippians 1:6). Our confidence must not be built on the predictability of our circumstances, but on the unchanging character of God.
There is another important lesson from Paul's experience that speaks directly to our calling as believers in the workplace. When Paul received God's assurance concerning the storm, he did not keep it to himself. He stood before everyone on the ship and shared the confidence he had received from God.
He encouraged them, gave them hope, and provided practical direction for their preservation. He even urged them to eat and regain their strength. Paul's confidence in God was not merely a private comfort; it became a source of courage and encouragement to everyone travelling with him.
And this is particularly important for us as Christians in the workplace. Our confidence in God should never make us indifferent to the circumstances of others. Instead, it should make us more attentive to their needs. We must learn to look beyond our own preservation, success, and advancement, and consider the well-being of everyone who is on the boat with us. Your colleagues matter. Your team matters. The people you supervise matter. Those who depend on your decisions, contributions, and leadership matter.
Could your presence become a source of encouragement to them? Could your words communicate hope? Could your integrity, kindness, patience, and excellence demonstrate something of the character of Christ?
As we draw closer to the end of the year, I want to encourage us to shift our attention from the storms we may be facing to the God who remains faithful through them. Let us also remember that our confidence in God is not merely for our own benefit. It should move us to pray for those around us who do not yet know Him, asking that their hearts and eyes might be opened to the truth of His Word.
Let us pray that God will open doors of opportunity, just as He did for Paul in Malta. That through our words, actions, service, and witness, others will encounter His love, experience His goodness, and come to know Jesus Christ.
And let us pray that God will use us as instruments of His grace, bringing healing where there is pain, encouragement where there is despair, and light where there is darkness.
As we step into November and approach the final weeks of the year, may our hearts remain anchored in this simple but powerful confession: For I believe God.
| The Scripture says that the god of this age has blinded the minds of those who do not believe. We are constantly surrounded by blind men and women. We walk with them, talk with them, exchange emails, and sit in meetings with them. |
| We all share the same great assignment: to bear witness to Christ, to make disciples, and to live as salt and light wherever God has placed us. David Isaac Arinze explores the subject of seeking God for the right method in our workplaces. |
| Walking with God often means walking against the current... Faith may be seen as private rather than transformational.
And yet, we are sent.
|
| As believers seeking to live out our faith in the workplace, our shared commitments should be clear and intentional |
| From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible is filled with miracles, moments when God's power visibly changed lives and transformed impossible situations. |
| We’re calling every Believer in the workplace to band together under this biblical principle:
choose three colleagues, commit to consistent, sacrificial prayer, and watch God’s transforming power
at work in their lives. |
| Transform Work have partnered with our Associate Anne de Leyser from Local Houses of Prayer (LHOP) to bring you a framework she developed for speaking blessings over your workplace or sphere of influence. |
| Workplace leaders have pre-recorded prayers for their specific sectors. Why not watch and pray along with them? Please do share these with your church and prayer networks. |
| Listen to these workplace testimonies and be encouraged. If you have a testimony please email us your video or story so we can share with others. |
| Below are 28 prayer points that you might like to use. Feel free to pick the ones relevant to your organisation... |
David-Isaac Arinze, 04/11/2026