“About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.” Acts 16: 25
Paul was confused. Up until this point, their second mission trip had been predictable. They revisited Derbe, Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch in Pisidia. All were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers. In Lystra the team acquired a new disciple in Timothy. It was only logical that they proceed to the north-west province of Asia Minor, to Bithynia. But the “Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to go.” The same thing happened when Paul wanted to go to the south of Asia, most likely Ephesus; but the Holy Spirit stopped him.
It very soon became clear after Paul had a vision during the night. It was a vision of a man standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” The more incredulous thing that followed: "After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.” (16: 16)
The most obvious question is: How could Paul and the others know that it was the Holy Spirit keeping them from preaching in the provinces of Asia and Bitynia and directing them to Macedonia? Art Katz, a Messianic Jew, in his book Reality. The Hope of Glory, was insightful:
“They knew in the only way that men can: like Elijah before them, they were so familiar with the accents of the still small voice of God that they had no doubt who was speaking to them……”
There were needs everywhere. Paul knew the “need” is not “the call.” As the servant of the Lord, he was a voluntary prisoner to the will God. As His Lord before him said: “Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do Your Will.’ “ (Heb.10: 9)
So the missionary team set out for uncharted territory. They embarked from the port of Troas and sailed to Samathrace, and the day following to Neopolis. From there they arrived at the chief city of Philippi, of the district of Macedonia.
On the Sabbath, in lieu of a synagogue, the women gathered just outside the city by the river Gangites. Paul sat down and shared the gospel with the women there. They met a business woman named Lydia, a Jewish proselyte who was a worshipper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message. Then she and every member of her household were baptized in the river there. She made her household available to the entire missionary team!
What an exhilarating high, only to meet with a challenging affront from the enemy of our souls a few days later. Again at the place of prayer, Paul encountered a demon-possessed woman, who made a great deal of money for her owners by telling fortunes. She stalked Paul and the missionary team, crying “These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto you the way of salvation.” True words. Wrong spirit. There was mocking in her manner, and she kept this up for many days. Finally Paul, being grieved, said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And at that moment the spirit left her. One more prisoner set free.
The owners of the woman could only see that their source of revenue was gone, and dragged Paul and Silas into the marketplace to face the authorities. The crowd joined the attack against Paul and Silas, influencing the magistrates to order them to be stripped and beaten with rods.
After they had been severely flogged, they were placed in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.
About midnight, in spite of their raw, shredded backs, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. What do you think they were saying to themselves? What is my hope? What am I living for? Does God care about me? Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that all of the prison doors flew open and everyone’s chains came loose. The jailer was about to kill himself when he heard Paul cry out, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!” The jailer rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas, asking, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
Bob Dylan said, “You got to serve somebody.” Will we be the servants of the Lord, or will we live in prisons forged by our passions? The newborn church at Philippi were all former prisoners— of one type or another— born again to true liberty by which Christ has made us free.
Questions To Think About:
Paul was confused. Up until this point, their second mission trip had been predictable. They revisited Derbe, Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch in Pisidia. All were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers. In Lystra the team acquired a new disciple in Timothy. It was only logical that they proceed to the north-west province of Asia Minor, to Bithynia. But the “Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to go.” The same thing happened when Paul wanted to go to the south of Asia, most likely Ephesus; but the Holy Spirit stopped him.
It very soon became clear after Paul had a vision during the night. It was a vision of a man standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” The more incredulous thing that followed: "After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.” (16: 16)
The most obvious question is: How could Paul and the others know that it was the Holy Spirit keeping them from preaching in the provinces of Asia and Bitynia and directing them to Macedonia? Art Katz, a Messianic Jew, in his book Reality. The Hope of Glory, was insightful:
“They knew in the only way that men can: like Elijah before them, they were so familiar with the accents of the still small voice of God that they had no doubt who was speaking to them……”
There were needs everywhere. Paul knew the “need” is not “the call.” As the servant of the Lord, he was a voluntary prisoner to the will God. As His Lord before him said: “Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do Your Will.’ “ (Heb.10: 9)
So the missionary team set out for uncharted territory. They embarked from the port of Troas and sailed to Samathrace, and the day following to Neopolis. From there they arrived at the chief city of Philippi, of the district of Macedonia.
On the Sabbath, in lieu of a synagogue, the women gathered just outside the city by the river Gangites. Paul sat down and shared the gospel with the women there. They met a business woman named Lydia, a Jewish proselyte who was a worshipper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message. Then she and every member of her household were baptized in the river there. She made her household available to the entire missionary team!
What an exhilarating high, only to meet with a challenging affront from the enemy of our souls a few days later. Again at the place of prayer, Paul encountered a demon-possessed woman, who made a great deal of money for her owners by telling fortunes. She stalked Paul and the missionary team, crying “These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto you the way of salvation.” True words. Wrong spirit. There was mocking in her manner, and she kept this up for many days. Finally Paul, being grieved, said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And at that moment the spirit left her. One more prisoner set free.
The owners of the woman could only see that their source of revenue was gone, and dragged Paul and Silas into the marketplace to face the authorities. The crowd joined the attack against Paul and Silas, influencing the magistrates to order them to be stripped and beaten with rods.
After they had been severely flogged, they were placed in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.
About midnight, in spite of their raw, shredded backs, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. What do you think they were saying to themselves? What is my hope? What am I living for? Does God care about me? Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that all of the prison doors flew open and everyone’s chains came loose. The jailer was about to kill himself when he heard Paul cry out, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!” The jailer rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas, asking, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
Bob Dylan said, “You got to serve somebody.” Will we be the servants of the Lord, or will we live in prisons forged by our passions? The newborn church at Philippi were all former prisoners— of one type or another— born again to true liberty by which Christ has made us free.
Questions To Think About:
- Paul and Silas knew God’s voice because they were familiar with His “accents”. In your own life, how do you distinguish between your personal desires, the noise of the world, and the actual leading of the Holy Spirit?
- Scripture tells us “the other prisoners were listening to (Paul and Silas singing)”. Who is watching and listening to you when you go through hard times? How might your response to suffering serve as powerful testimony or a beacon of hope to the “prisoners” in your own life (coworkers, family members, or friends)?
- The devotional mentions the slave owners who were bound by greed, and contrasts them with the demon-possessed woman who was set free. What subtle “prisons forged by our passions” (like control, financial anxiety, or the desire for approval) are you currently battling?
- Paul and Silas experienced an exhilarating spiritual high with Lydia”s conversion and hospitality, only to be met days later with a demonic confrontation, a severe beating, and imprisonment. How do you handle the sudden shift from a spiritual victory to an intense spiritual attack? What does this teach us about the reality of spiritual warfare?
- When the earthquake struck, the physical chains fell off, yet Paul and Silas did not away; their presence saved the jailer’s life. When God miraculously delivers you from a trial or opens a door, do you immediately escape to safety, or do you pause to look around and see who else might need salvation in that moment?
Posted in Prisoners