03/17/2026
Throughout history, governments have tried to legislate the Gospel away, critics have tried to mock it into silence, and darkness has tried to extinguish its light. But like the sunrise or the tide, the good news of Jesus Christ is an unstoppable force of nature — or rather, a force of heaven.
In the first century, if you wanted to see seemingly unstoppable power, you looked to Rome. Rome had the legions, the laws, and the swords. The early Christian movement, by comparison, looked incredibly weak. Its leader had been executed on a Roman cross. Its greatest missionaries and apostles were frequently beaten and imprisoned. To the casual observer, it looked like Rome held all the cards.
But the Apostle Paul knew a secret. He knew that the power of Rome was superficial — it could force compliance, but it couldn’t change a heart. The gospel, however, is the power of God (Romans 1:16). It works from the inside out.
Paul wrote to his fellow believer Timothy from a cold dungeon, saying:
“Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel, for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But God’s word is not chained” (2 Timothy 2:8-9, emphasis added).
Paul understood that you can lock up the messenger, but you cannot lock up the message. While Emperor Nero was busy trying to crush “superstition” about Jesus, the love of Christ was spreading like wildfire through the very heart of the empire.
This is our great hope today. When we look at the world and feel overwhelmed by darkness or hostility toward our faith, we must remember: The gospel has survived empires before. It has outlasted every tyrant who has tried to destroy it. We carry a message that cannot be stopped because it is powered by the resurrection life of Jesus. We can be bold — not because we are strong but because the Truth we carry is invincible.
-Kathie Lee Gifford
In what areas of your life do you need to be reminded that God’s power is greater than the obstacles you are facing?