It’s Always Too Early to Give Up (Acts 18:1–11)

October 8th, 2025

When you’re weary and ready to quit, God is still at work—He provides people, opens unexpected doors, and speaks exactly when you need it most.

When You “Hit the Wall"

Marathoners call it hitting the wall—that moment your body says “no more.” Life feels like that too: the budget won’t balance, the fix won’t work, and your soul feels spent. Acts 18 meets Paul there—exhausted, discouraged, and alone—and shows us why it’s always too early to give up.

God Works Even When We’re Worn Out (Acts 18:1–3)

Paul arrives in Corinth—a glittering, gritty port city infamous for immorality—after mixed results in Athens. He’s tired. God meets him not in a sanctuary but in a workshop:

Aquila & Priscilla (tentmakers, fellow believers, newly displaced from Rome) become co-workers, friends, and a roof over Paul’s head.
Provision shows up in the ordinary: shared work, steady income, spiritual companionship.
Weariness doesn’t stop God; He threads help into your everyday—workplaces, neighbors, ordinary skills.

When you’re worn out, God is already weaving the support you’ll need next.

God Opens Doors Where We See Dead Ends (Acts 18:6–8)

Paul preaches; opposition escalates. He shakes out his garments—“Your blood be on your own heads… from now on I will go to the Gentiles.” A slammed door… and then:

He goes next door to Titius Justus, a God-fearer.
Crispus, the synagogue ruler, believes, and many Corinthians are baptized.
The “closed” synagogue becomes a revival next door.

Sometimes the clearest sign of the next assignment is a closed door on the current one.

God Speaks When We Need to Hear It Most (Acts 18:9–11)

Success rises—but so do threats. At night the Lord speaks:
“Do not be afraid; keep on speaking; do not be silent. For I am with you… I have many in this city.”

Presence: “I am with you.”
Protection: “No one will attack you to harm you.”
Purpose: “I have many in this city.”

Paul stays 18 months—teaching, planting deep roots—because God’s word steadied his heart.
The word you need most rarely arrives early, but it never arrives late.

If you’re staring at a wall today, remember Paul in Corinth: God provides partners, opens new places, and speaks courage. Don’t pack your bags yet—it’s always too early to give up.

Posted in Sermons
Posted in Acts