In Acts 16 – we learn how Paul and Silas's did that . . . even when their clothes were striped off, beaten and then thrown into jail.
I don't believe there is a person alive - and especially anyone walking out your God-calling - who is immune to this type of rejection from "others".. Here in this passage those "others" were the "religious leaders" or "the church folks". The ones who reject us because we bring healing and the Good News of Jesus Christ are "bound" . . . even if they are in ministry or in the Church.
Let's look at why Paul and Silas were thrown into jail in the first place:
Acts 16:16 – “As we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners much gain by fortune-telling”.
17 She followed Paul and us, crying out, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation.”
18 And this she kept doing for many days. Paul, having become greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the Name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And it came out that very hour.
19 But when her owners saw that their hope of gain was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before the rulers.
20 And when they had brought them to the magistrates, they said, “These men are Jews, and they are disturbing our city.
21 They advocate customs that are not lawful for us as Romans to accept or practice.”
22 The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders to beat them with rods.
23 And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them safely.
24 Having received this order, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.
As children of God, we are called to “be free” . . .
Galatians 5:1 - Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
And to “set others free” . . .
Luke 4:18-19 – “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because He has anointed me to preach Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."
Matthew 10:7-8 - Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. As you go, preach this message: 'The kingdom of heaven is near.' Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.
This is exactly what Paul and Silas did. They set this woman “free”! She was bound by a demonic spirit. She was not free in "who God made her".
I find much wisdom and revelation in knowing that when we "are setting others free" some who are also bound will accuse and attack us; similar to this very example of Paul and Silas.
But, oh, Praise God! Paul and Silas did NOT let their circumstances alter their Faith. And neither should we. It’s a choice. We get to choose how we respond.
Knowing “Who we are in Christ” is knowing God, His heart and The Word of God . . . therefore POWER! As Children of God we are Powerful!
We learn by Paul and Silas the first 2 steps we must take when we find ourselves in a similar situation. Notice I say “when”. Although we may not be “literally” in the same circumstance as Paul and Silas but most definitely we will, at some point in our lives, be figuratively.
Action #1 - Pray!
Action #2 - Praise!
See this action of Prayer and Praise as choosing to walk in the power and authority that we already have as Believer is Jesus Christ.
John 14:12 - Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.
And not works as “getting” God to move. We already have the Power. The action is our “Faith in motion”!
Mark 11:22-24 - And Jesus answered them saying, “Have faith in God. 23 Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. 24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
To me - one of the MOST profound things in this passage of scripture is their PRAISE!
They PRAISED while they were naked, cold and bloody! If they hadn't had the knowledge and revelation of Mark 11:22-24 then how could they have “Prayed” and “Praised”? I believe it is because they “Believed that they already received it” (Mark 11:24)!
Cha ching!!
Their circumstance hadn't changed . . . YET!!
Oh, Lordy, BUT . . .
Notice in verse 26!
You ever get a "suddenly"?
. . . "and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundation of the prison were shaken . . .
There's gotta be a "shaken" folks! You in a "shaken" right now? Do you feel naked, beaten and bloody?
Hang on! Keep Believing! Keep on keeping on! A “suddenly is coming”!
Let's "see" what happens!
:26 . . . And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were unfastened".
IMMEDIATELY!
You see that? "Immediately"!
After the "shakening" is an "immediately"!
God will work EVERYTHING out for good when we "Believe”!
Romans 8:28 – 31
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose. 29 For those whom He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, in order that He might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those whom He predestined He also called, and those whom He called He also justified, and those whom He justified He also glorified. 31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will He not also with Him graciously give us all things?
When God is for us! No one can win by being against us!!
Let's continue to study and see how Paul and Silas were used to bring salvation to the jailer and ALL his household!
Yeah, the very dude that was in cahoots with their beating.
It's a "turnaround"!
Verse 27 shows that the jailer was going to kill himself. I'm thinking a couple reasons here. #1, maybe because he feared Paul and Silas because of the anointing and power they possess. If when they "prayed" and "praised" and "suddenly’s” were happening . . . how much more "could happen" with this kind of power?
Or #2, the jailer feared the magistrates and police knowing that his responsibility was to make sure Paul and Silas stayed securely in prison. He lost control of the whole mess. Stuff was happening and he had no control! Walls were crumbling and chains were breaking! What could happen to him having failed at his "job"?
Let's see the GREAT that comes from Paul and Silas because they stayed in their calling and showed "Love". They Believed! They "Prayed" and "Praised" - even though their circumstances were still not good.
In verse 28, Paul says "DO NOT harm yourself, for we are all here"!
What?
Did Paul say, "Hey you piece of horse crap, let me sharpen your sword and help you end your life"?
Whoa!! Nope! No, he did not. Paul showed him "Love"! Do I show that kind of "Love"? Do you show that kind of "Love"? To our haters? Hmmmmmm . . . ?
Look what "Love" does!
Verse 29 is sooooooo key!
It's a very important message for us who are "Believers". We must get this, folks! We can share the Gospel - the GOOD News of Jesus Christ WHEN they are "ready"! When they are ready to “hear” the Gospel – the Good News!
The jailer didn't seem interested in hearing about "how to be saved" in verse 24:
:24 Having received this order, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.
But in verse 30 he was ready and inquired . . . "what must I do to be saved"?
"Believe", they say. "Believe in the Lord Jesus . . . ", says verse 31.
Verse 32 says, "And they spoke the Word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house".
Paul and Silas spoke, out of their mouth, God's Word! God's Word cannot return void! Ever!
Isaiah 55:11 - so shall my Word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.
Bam!
Boo yah!
Glory Hallelujah!
Talk about a "turnaround"!
Do you need a complete 360° TURNAROUND?
Hang on! It's coming!
After you have “Prayed” then “Praised”, keep "Believing"! Then speak God’s Word – the Gospel – the Good News!
Yes! If it was good enough for Paul and Silas then it’s good enough for you and me! Speak (out loud) God's Word in Faith Believing and watch you and your household be transformed!
♡
Okay, so let's wrap this up, you want to?
So, in verse 33 we see that "turnaround"!
The very dude who was in cahoots with their beating – is now loving on them and helping them "heal their wounds".
You got some "wounds" that need healed? Yeah, me too.
In that "turnaround" God offers healing.
In verse 34 we see "Rejoicing" because they had "Believed" in God!
That's worth some REJOICING!
This is my favorite part . . . "Rejoicing"!
You ever have someone mock your "Praise" or your "Rejoicing"?
Do you think this jailer cared if someone didn’t like the way he “Rejoiced”? Yeah, me either. So why would we? After what we've come through, and we know “WHO brought us through”? Ha! Yeah, so let us just go ahead and “Rejoice”, shall we!
Holy Spirit Happy Dance of Rejoice! Whoop! Whoop!
Verses 35 - 40 continue to show the boldness that God has called us to have. Some think "Christians" or "Believers" should be passive mats to be walked on.
When we are actually created, called and equipped for totally the opposite.
Acts 16:25-40
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.
35 But when it was day, the magistrates sent the police, saying, “Let those men go.”
36 And the jailer reported these words to Paul, saying, “The magistrates have sent to let you go. Therefore come out now and go in peace.”
37 But Paul said to them, “They have beaten us publicly, uncondemned, men who are Roman citizens, and have thrown us into prison; and do they now throw us out secretly? No! Let them come themselves and take us out.”
38 The police reported these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Roman citizens.
39 So they came and apologized to them. And they took them out and asked them to leave the city.
40 So they went out of the prison and visited Lydia. And when they had seen the brothers, they encouraged them and departed.
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