Acts 18:9

"And the Lord said unto Paul in the night by. vision, Be not afraid, but speak and hold not thy peace" "Be not afraid" "Literally, 'stop being afraid'" (Robertson p. 298). "The Greek prohibits the continuance of something already going on" (Reese p. 645). "But speak" Keep on speaking. "Hold not thy peace" "And refuse to be silenced" (TCNT); "never stop" (Mof); "and do not give up" (Gspd). Such statements remind us that even the apostle Paul battled the same type of temptations and fears with which we struggle (1 Corinthians 9:27), see 1 Kings 2:4; Jeremiah 2:15 ff; and James 5:17. Thus the message being revealed through them to Christians is not an unrealistic standard or lifestyle for mankind (1 John 5:3). As older preachers were fond of saying,"'The gospel God gave is perfectly suited for the man that God made". Fear and anxiety are not acceptable reasons for giving up. After all, people still keep on trying when they have encouragement from human beings, how much more should Christians keep on trying, when we have Divine encouragement? (Hebrews 12:5). Christians can never allow themselves to be silenced. Souls are lost, and the gospel is the only message that can save them (Romans 1:16), and the church is the only body of people with that message (1 Timothy 3:15).