22.Of what had Paul become confident?

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That it was more needful for him to live a while longer in his body so that the spiritual needs of the saints in Philippi and in other areas would be met.

Having become assured of this, Paul knew he would continue to live on the earth in order to promote the growth in Christ of the saints and their joy in believing.

We can be thankful that Paul did live another five or six years. After the Epistle to the saints in Philippi, Paul wrote Colossians, Philemon, Ephesians, I Timothy, Titus, and II Timothy. The Body of Christ would have been denied much growth and joy if Paul had been allowed to go to Glory at the time he was writing to the Philippians?

Paul had an understandable desire to be set free from his imprisonment in the military barracks and to once again pay a visit to his friends in Philippi. He trusted that his Presence among them would cause them abundant rejoicing in Christ.