"25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to GOD, and the prisoners were listening to them,
26 and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone's bonds were unfastened.
27 When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped.
28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, "DO NOT HARM YOURSELF", for we are all here."
29 And the jailer called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas.
30 Then he brought them out and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"
31 And they said, "Believe in the LORD JESUS, and you will be saved, you and your household."
32 And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house.
33 And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family.
34 Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them. And he rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in GOD."
Paul and Silas were being imprisoned for ministering to a slave girl who had been freed from the demon that possessed her body. Her "owners", upset because of there revenue source had been removed, had Paul and Silas thrown into prison! Not just into prison, but Acts 16:24 reports they were "put into the INNER prison and fastened their feet in the stocks"! They were basically put into the dungeon with shackles on their feet. There was NO HOPE of escape!
Now what would I have done if I were BEATEN and IMPRISONED for setting a woman free from demonic influence? The last thing that would cross my mind would be "praying and singing hymns to GOD"! Finding a lawyer to help me get out of prison would probably be the first thing that I would attempt. But Paul and Silas, although unjustly beaten and incarcerated, knew that they were being used by GOD. They didn't focus on their trials and hardships, rather they began to pray and sing to the GOD who could change their circumstance!
When GOD miraculously freed Paul and Silas and EVERYONE'S captivity, the jailer knew that he was going to be killed by his superiors. He drew his sword and was about end his life. Paul cried out "DO NOT HARM YOURSELF"! Paul had to have remembered he had been delivered from his own captivity on the road near Damascus, and now he was being used to deliver the jailer from his captivity of hopelessness. But none of the prisoners escaped, they were all still there!
Many times I get beaten down and held captive through seemingly no fault of my own. The circumstances surrounding me can appear to be overwhelming and insurmountable. The words from the LORD can be heard saying "DO NOT HARM YOURSELF" as the circumstances are not as bad as they appear! Just as HE caused an earthquake in the darkness of that night, HE can deliver me from the darkest of situations. I just need to 'pray and sing to HIM' as Paul and Silas did!
One thing that must not be overlooked or minimized when reading this scriptural account. Paul was blinded on the Damascus road (Acts 9:1-31). The jailer was "in the dark" and could not see in Acts 16:25-34. Paul had to wait for a few days for his sight to be restored. The jailer didn't have to wait for just a few minutes to be able to see. When the sight of both was ultimately restored, they were able to see what GOD was doing in their lives! We too must wait until GOD reveals to us what HIS plan is for our lives to avoid hearing "DO NOT HARM YOURSELF"!!
No comments:
Post a Comment