What happens when you preach or teach the Word of God?
Proclaiming or teaching Scripture does not make everyone your best buddy. It brings opposition and trials, including imprisonment, beatings, starvation, shipwreck, and satanic forces, as Paul experienced. Those who stand for the Word feel these opposing forces, but they do it to please God, not men.
Les explains that when you preach or teach the Word of God, you are not going to make everybody your best buddy—it just is not going to happen. For that reason, Paul endured trials and tribulations listed later in his letters: imprisoned, beaten, starved, shipwrecked, all for the sake of the gospel, and not only the effects of men but satanic powers. Les warns not to think for a minute it is not real. For every one of us, as we stand for the Word of God, we will feel these opposing forces. But we do not do it to please men; we do it to please God. This follows the earlier strong language that if any preach any other gospel than what was received, let him be accursed, and Paul's question whether he persuades men or God and seeks to please men, for if he still pleased men, he would not be a bond slave of Christ.
For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.