The Prisoners Heard Them

The 16th chapter of Acts in the Bible tells the story of Paul and Silas’ trip into Macedonia to spread the Word of God. Paul had seen a vision of God that directed him to go to Macedonia and help the lost souls that were there. Once there, they had some initial success in converting souls to Christianity; but soon, through a series of events, the pair were seized by the town magistrates, beaten, and cast into prison.

The prisons of those days were usually dark, dank, and rat and insect infested. Because of the instructions that the jailor had received concerning Paul and Silas, however, they were also cast into the deepest prison, and secured in stocks.

This was a strange turn of events for the Lord’s chosen who had been divinely directed to this place. They would have had every reason to question whether they were really in the Lord’s will or not. They could have become discouraged, despondent, or even angry. Instead, they began to pray and seek God’s guidance and assurance; and then, they began to sing praises to God! In the midst of this dirty place, when everything around them seemed hopeless, they sang praises to God! Scripture then tells us, “. . .and the prisoners heard them.”

Of course, as I read the account of Paul and Silas’ adventures, I have to examine my own life and experience. There have been times when I have known that I was in the Lord’s will, and still, things appeared to go all wrong. It’s then that I have been tempted to become discouraged and think that I have missed God somehow. This is the time, however, when God can do His greatest work. These are simply trials of my faith to see whether I still believe Him even when things look bad; or whether I will give up, and grumble and complain. The thing is, the other prisoners are always listening. They see my response to adversity, good or bad; and either way I am testifying to them of my faith (or lack thereof).

Once Paul and Silas had prayed and praised, the prison was shaken by a great earthquake. All the prison doors were opened, and the stocks were loosened. God did not just set Paul and Silas free, though, but also everyone who heard them pray and praise God.

When the jailor rushed in, he was so amazed that he fell down before Paul and Silas and asked what he had to do to be saved and have what he saw in these two men of God. It was then that these two saints of God fully realized His plan for sending them there in the first place, and the reason for their trials: it was to reach these men in the prison, and their families as well.

How important it is to trust the Lord fully when we know that He has sent us. Sometimes things may get ugly, but it is for the greater glory of God. When Jesus was asked to come minister to His friend Lazarus who was very sick, He deliberately waited until Lazarus had died before going to him. He told His disciples that Lazarus’ sickness would be for the glory of God – He already knew that he would be raised from the dead – but Lazarus sisters, friends, and family only knew that their loved one had died, and they were broken-hearted. It wasn’t till Jesus came and called Lazarus from the tomb that they all understood that He was the Resurrection and the Life, and that He had power over even the very worst circumstances that life could deal out.

So, let us trust the Lord even when things look ugly. Let us learn to pray and seek God’s assurance and His will, and then learn to praise Him right in the middle of our trial. Let us remember that God has a plan about which we often don’t know the details, but we can be sure that He will be glorified in the end. Let us also remember that there are always prisoners around us who are watching and listening to our witness, and wanting to see and hear something that will tell them that they, too, can be set free!

Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:

That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:

Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls. 1 Peter 1:6-9