November 10, Praise that Rocks
Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God. . . the foundations of the prison were shaken. Acts 16:25-26
The New Testament chronicles three missionary journeys by the Apostle Paul to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ throughout Asia Minor. During the second of these journeys, the Holy Spirit led Paul and a co-laborer Silas, into Macedonia. During their time in the city of Philippi, many people came to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, and a church was established.
One of the first converts to Christian faith in Philippi was Lydia. (Her story is told in Acts 16:14-15). Another movement of the Gospel in Philippi was the restoration of a demon possessed slave girl (who’s mastered monopolized on how the dark spirit had empowered her with the ability of fortune telling). Paul proclaimed the power of Christ over the slave girl and she was healed. However, her master became incensed against Paul for causing this money-making scheme to end, so Paul and Silas were seized and brought before the city officials. A mob-like crowd revolted against the missionaries, and Paul and Silas were beaten and thrown into the inner confines of the jail.
Do you see the shadowy prison cell? Can you imagine God’s servants with their feet in stocks? The place cold, dirty, and void of any hope. But listen closely to their dark confinement. From within, something is about to erupt.
I am not sure how it began, but I imagine one of the two missionaries started with a low hum of praise. And perhaps this jubilant sound quickened the faith of the other, and the quiet hum quickly turned into an amazing chorus of praise to the name of Jesus. Can you hear the sound? Unexpected. But powerful. Loud. And they not only praised. They prayed. They sought the face of God as they rendered choruses of praise unto Him. And, then it happened.
The prison began to shake. And this was not small tremor. The earth began to actually quake. And, although the shaking grew violent, a comforting presence came over Paul and Silas. The prison doors flung open, and the fetters of all those imprisoned fell off. This was indeed a divine deliverance from bondage. But not the type of deliverance that one might assume. Yes, Paul and Silas were free to go - to escape. But that wasn’t the will of our God entirely. Instead, Paul and Silas were used to offer a different type of deliverance on this particular night.
The jailer had been under strict orders to keep Paul and Silas guarded. The quake rendered that impossible, so the guard attempted to take his own life, as his superiors would have likely ordered his execution due to the prison break. But this was a prison shake, not a prison break. And Paul yelled out to the guard, “do not harm yourself, we are all here.” When the guard saw that no one had escaped he became overwhelmed at the miracle and understood that this occasion was actually God’s invitation for salvation. And then the deliverance happened (the real deliverance – the one God intended).
28 But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!”
29 The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” 32 Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. 33 At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized. 34 The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household. (Acts 16:28-34)
Do you see the miracle? Can you feel this moment? From confinement and desperation to praise, and onto rejoicing and celebrating what God had done. Yes, Paul and Silas seemed to be the focus of the story. But actually, the focus of the story was on a deliverance that far outshines any jail break. God used a crisis in the lives of His servants to bring salvation to an unsuspecting bystander and his entire household. And God will do the same in your crisis.
Have you ever considered that the very thing you are enduring at this moment, that crisis from which you desire deliverance, may be used by God to deliver someone else? Yes, although we desire deliverance from our own crises, God desires that our crises become an opportunity for someone to be delivered in a far greater way. God may be working in your crisis to present His saving power to another soul. I realize this is a hard truth. But don’t give up on God. You have not seen the full impact of why you are in the crisis. Trust Him. He does not waste opportunities in the lives of His children. So, trust Him. And while you are waiting to experience what God will do in your crisis, sing. Sing praises and pray. He will respond. Just keep praising and keep praying. And watch the walls of your predicament begin to shake for the glory of God and the announcement of His love manifested in Jesus Christ. Praise and pray.
Can you see the walls beginning to shake? Can you feel your jail house beginning to quake? Sing out. Praise the name of our Lord. God's deliverance is closer than you think.
Blessings.
