God Fights For Youনমুনা

PAUL and SILAS

Perhaps you have heard the adage: “he was at the wrong place, at the wrong time.” Of course, careless decisions can have a ripple effect and lead to undesired outcomes. But did you know that God can choose to position us in compromised situations to glorify Himself and teach us a valuable lesson? There isn’t a ‘test’ that God cannot turn into a ‘testimony’. As evidence, we present to you the prison break account of two faithful apostles.

In the Book of Acts, chapter 16, we see Paul and Silas spreading the good news to the nations, traveling from city to city and performing miracles in the name of Jesus. During one of their missionary trips, they are harassed for several days by a young woman with a spirit of divination. Paul becomes annoyed and decides to rebuke the spirit inside of her. This upsets her handlers, who were making great profits from the girl’s fortune telling. They proceed to seize Paul and Silas and drag them out of the marketplace to the authorities.

After being accused of disturbing the city, Paul and Silas are beaten and mercilessly thrown into prison. There, they are placed in shackles and secured deep within the fortified walls. What happens next is a supernatural display of the Almighty’s liberating hand! No chains can withstand the power of His saving grace!

The clock strikes at midnight and the jailed servants of God can be heard by the other inmates. It is a peculiar sound, something they are not used to hearing at this hour. Paul and Silas are praying to the LORD and singing hymns when suddenly their shackled feet feel a rumbling underneath. An earthquake rocks the prison, shaking its foundations, breaking open the doors and loosening all the prisoners from their chains!

The keeper of the prison awakens and, out of fear for the Roman authorities, almost takes his own life for failing to maintain everything in order. But Paul stops him and seizes the opportunity to share the message of salvation. The keeper of the prison and his household believe and are baptized that very night!

Nothing confuses the enemy more than the holy praises of an afflicted believer. God has not called us to be conditional Christians, easily shut down by adverse circumstances. Turn to Him in times of need. Freedom is at hand.