Two Kinds of Deliverance
In the beginning of his ministry, during the book of Acts, Paul was a miracle worker, but then as his Christian life progressed, after Acts 28, the miracles stopped. Note that Paul left one brother sick at Trophimus and told Timothy to take wince for his stomach sake. This was because, after Act 28, with full revelation and “the word of God” for the Gentiles competed, he moved onto a more mature relationship with the Lord whereby he was supplied with God’s grace to endure difficult situations and circumstances.
What happened to change God’s miraculous delivering power in the Apostle Paul’s life?
To answer this, we need to understand what it may mean to be “delivered,” with regard to the difficult situations of life that we all face from time to time, whether health, financial, situational, or relational. We live in the new age of what Paul calls “the dispensation of the grace of God.” (Eph. 3:2).
As we will see, there are several degrees and kinds of “deliverance” or being “saved.”
Deliver, Deliverance, Deliverer [Verb] “rhuomai,” "to rescue from, to preserve from," and so, "to deliver," the word by which it is regularly translated, is largely synonymous with “sozo,” "to save." though the idea of "rescue from" is predominant in rhuomai (see Matt 27:43), that of "preservation from," in “sozo.”
The verb is used with ‘apo,’ "away from," in Matt 6:13; Luke 11:4 (in some mss.); so also in Luke 11:4; Rom 15:31; 2 Thes 3:2; 2 Tim 4:18; and with the Greek “ek,” "from, out of," in Luke 1:74; Rom 7:24; 2 Cor 1:10; Col 1:13, from bondage; in 2 Pet 2:9, from temptation; in 2 Tim 3:11, from persecution; but “ek” is used of ills impending, in 2 Cor 1:10; in 2 Tim 4:17, “ek” indicates that the danger was more imminent than in 2 Tim 4:18, where “apo” is used. Accordingly, the meaning "out of the midst of" cannot be pressed in 1 Thes. 1:10.
Deliver” in Greek can be “apallasso” meaning “removing one from the suffering situation”
Hebrews 2:15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
“Deliver” in this verse does mean to deliver one or remove one “from” suffering the fear of death.”
The Greek word used here for “deliver” is “apallasso,” defined as follows.
Greek 525, Strong’s ap-al-las’-so; from Greek 575 (apo) and Greek 236 (allasso); to change away, i.e. release, (reflexive) remove: - deliver, depart. This Greek word was used by the New Testament writers where the writer wanted to express “deliverance” as “removal from” a problem or having a “problem removed” from somebody.
“So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them (Gk. apallasso), and the evil spirits went out of them. (Acts 19:12)
Here the disease miraculously departed.
“And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.” (Hebrews 2:15)
Here the fear that bound them was miraculously departed.
So, one kind of “deliverance” is for us to be delivered “from” or “out of” our situation; that is to have us taken from the situation, or to have our situation relieved or taken away from us. This would be to be healed physically, raptured, or otherwise miraculously supplied.
A second kind of deliverance is quite another thing, it is to be “delivered while still in” our situation, being supplied with a supernatural ability to endure, cope and overcome, even while suffering within a situation.
The word “deliver” as seen in Scripture is transliterated from a different Greek word. Deliver does not always mean to “remove from us” or “remove us from” a suffering.
“Deliver” in the Greek can also be “rhuomai” which is deliverance of the hurt of a problem by “supplying one with the strength to endure… while remaining within the situation” The Greek word “rhuomai,” translated “deliver,” is used in several verses. It is defined as we see below in Louw & Nida’s Greek Lexicon.
“Deliver”- rhuomai, Greek 4506, Strong’s rhuomai, rhoo’-om-ahee; middle of an obsolete verb, akin to Greek 4482 (rheo) (through the idea of A CURRENT (flow); compare Greek 4511 (rhusis)); TO RUSH OR DRAW (FOR ONESELF), i.e. RESCUE: - deliver (-er). “Rhuomai” is used 17 times in 15v in the NAS - Matt. 6:13; 27:43; Lk. 1:74; Rom. 7:24; 11:26; 15:31; 2 Co. 1:10; Col 1:13; 1Th 1:10; 2Th 3:2; 2Ti 3:11; 4:17f; 2Pe 2:7, 9.”
“Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;” (2 Corinthians 1:10)
“Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: (Colossians 1:13)
The word “saved” in these verses; Romans 5:9-10; Romans 8:24; Romans 9:27; Romans 10:9; Romans 10:13; Romans 11:14; Romans 11:26, is the Greek word “sozo,”
Greek Word: σῴζω Transliteration: sōzō
from a primary sos (contracted for obsolete saos, “safe”); to save, i.e. deliver or protect (literal or figurative): - heal, preserve, save (self), do well, be (make) whole. Strong's Talking Greek & Hebrew Dictionary.
Considering this example above, let’s now look at a practical example. How will the Lord deliver us from temptation of watching an improper TV program? Will the Lord miraculously transport us to another room of our house to get away from the TV? No! But His indwelling Spirit does move (flow) within us (Col. 1:27) to give us the sense that lets us know we simply should not watch this program. Christ’s life within us leads us to work out the details of our life in righteous living.
So, to “deliver” here in this example as seen by the Greek word “rhuomai” is as the “flowing current of His life, warning us.” The Lord within will “rescue by a flow of the current of His life to empower us to endure sufferings and teach us how to live.” I believe the “rhuomai” or current that Paul writes of here below is the flow of Christ’s energizing resurrection life-supply - coming to believers as a RUSH OF CURRENT to supply them with the wisdom and also ability to endure, to overcome in the midst of a trial or a suffering. Such life is a glory to God working in us.
Philippians 2:1 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
We also see this use of the word “rhuomai” the “rescuing current” here.
2Thes 3:2 And that we may be delivered (Gk., rhuomai, rescue) from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith.
Consider that all life has a flow of life within. All mammals have blood flowing within; trees have sap flowing within; all of which is evidence of the life-flow within. Every Christian has the life-flow of “the spirit of life in Christ Jesus” within. Here Jesus spoke of such a life-supply of Christ’s Spirit that would one day come to the believers of Israel after the indwelling Spirit would be given. John 7:38-39 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water 39 (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.) This flow or current is the meaning of “delivered” used in the following verse. 2 Tim. 3:11 Persecutions, afflictions (Gk. pathema, sufferings), which came unto me (Paul) at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me. Here Paul was delivered by that is flow as “current” to lift Paul above “all” his sufferings. Christ flowed His rich supply as a “current” or flow of His supernatural overcoming resurrection peace-filled life to Paul in the midst of Paul’s “sufferings,” such that Paul could then “endure” until he was outwardly delivered.
We need to have “faith in the operation of God” (Col 2:12) whereby God raised Jesus Christ from the dead and dispensed His “life-giving Spirit” (1Cor 15:45) into our spirit... to be the new life that rescues us ion the midst of troubles. This verse below speaks of such a current or flow of “the Spirit of Jesus Christ” as “the supply” that brought deliverance to Paul.
Philip. 1:19 For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the SUPPLY OF THE SPIRIT OF JESUS CHRIST.