I prayed and begged for the situation to be different. I was listening to a worship song that was ministering to my heart, reminding me that Jesus was everything I truly needed. Collapsing to my knees with my face in my hands on the floor, I cried as hard as my body could push out the sobs. The tears were flowing, as well as the snot. It wasn’t important what I looked like – I was showing God my broken heart. I needed a miracle and a change, like, yesterday.
I remember after my moment in His presence, I felt immense peace. I felt a renewed hope that pretty soon, everything was going to be different.
As the time passed, the circumstances remained the same. The answer I prayed for and preferred did not come.
What did I do wrong?
ACTS 16
In Acts 16, Paul and Silas begin their ministry. They travel all over meeting old and new friends, preaching the gospel and growing the brand new church of Christ.
Paul and Silas arrive at Lystra and met young Timothy. They also planned to go to Asia but at the time, the Holy Spirit did not allow them to go there. Instead, Paul received a vision to go to Macedonia.
On the way, they made stops that including Phillipi. At Phillipi while searching for a place to pray, they came upon a group of women who had gathered, which included a wealthy woman, Lydia. Paul spoke to the women and Lydia and her household were saved. She became a resource for them.
In verses 16-40, we see a story that progresses with Paul and Silas’ imprisonment.
16 Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. 17 She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.” 18 She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so annoyed that he turned around and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” At that moment the spirit left her.
19 When her owners realized that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to face the authorities. 20 They brought them before the magistrates and said, “These men are Jews, and are throwing our city into an uproar 21 by advocating customs unlawful for us Romans to accept or practice.”
22 The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods. 23 After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. 24 When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.
25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose. 27 The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. 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.
STAYING BUSY
The Apostles were meeting with people, preaching, praying and encouraging. They were so in tune with the voice of the Holy Spirit, they even changed their plans and let Him guide their next steps before heading to Philippi.
Know this: we can be so very busy in growing the kingdom and doing things for God. It doesn’t insulate us from attacks. In fact, we might become targets. But should we be scared? No. Because God’s plan is BIGGER and GREATER than what we could imagine. We see some of that plan unfold in the verses above.
SILENCING THE WRONG VOICE
The young fortune-teller crying out told the truth about Paul and Silas. So, what was the problem? If they allowed her to go on day after day, there was a connection being made between darkness and the light.
Ephesians 5:11 says, “Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, rather expose them.” Having her declare their identity diminished God by equating him with a demonic voice, allowing the enemy to take credit and cause confusion.
We need to be careful who is speaking into our lives, even if it seems like there is truth in what they say. The Lord knows the hearts so let’s trust Him to give us discernment with the people that are surrounding us. We don’t need to accept messages from just anyone to feel good about what we are called to do. We need to know that our identity is in what He says about us.
THE FOUNDATION
Out of false imprisonment came the sound of worship. From this sound of worship, came an earthquake. This earthquake shook the foundations of the prison. When we worship, the very foundation on which oppression stands will crumble.
Your prison was built brick by brick but your worship to the Lord Jesus destroys the prison base, all the way back to its starting point. Whatever has impacted you from long ago can be destroyed in a moment of true surrender.
PURPOSE BEYOND YOUR FREEDOM
When the worship started, the other prisoners were listening. When the earthquake came, everyone felt it. When the chains were loosed and the doors flew open, it affected everyone. John 12:32 says: “If I am lifted up, I will draw all men unto me.” As our worships breaks chains in our hearts, we do not enjoy freedom alone – all who are within our reach have the potential to be set free.
Paul and Silas could have walked out. They were wrongly jailed. How many of us when we are delivered try to distance ourselves far away from the situation or people who have wronged us? In this story, that wasn’t what God wanted at the moment. The freed men stayed in the jail, saving the jailer’s life. He was going to kill himself because the alternative would have been his death with the city leaders.
He didn’t just save the jailer’s physical life, he also saved his eternal life and that of his family’s. Our worship of the one True God not only benefits us and those that are oppressed around us, but it even changes the oppressor!
WHAT CHANGES WHEN WE WORSHIP?
In verse 23, the jailer receive instructions to lock up Paul and Silas and guard them carefully. He had been given authority. The way these men were locked up in the stocks was reserved for the most violent and dangerous criminals. The jailer was so sure in the authority that had been given him and his execution of those instructions that he went to sleep.
When we worship Jesus, he shifts authority! When the praises went up and the name of the Lord was glorified, verse 29 says that the jailer “rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas.”
They were still inside the prison, within its walls. However, they were no longer trapped. They were in control of the situation.
A few weeks after I was on the floor crying, I realized that what I prayed for was not materializing. It made me momentarily question if the answer would come at all. But that didn’t feel correct. Truthfully, I felt different; more in control of my emotions and more accepting of the situation. I put a plan in place that even though it seemed like things were the same, I would not be by the end of the process.
I understand now what was happening then. I had felt the authority shift and I accepted what that meant for my heart. I let God change my perception of what He was doing in the middle of my mess. I accepted responsibility for my progress.
Ephesians 3:20 – God is able to do far more than we could ever ask or imagine. He does everything by his power that is working in us.
If you feel stuck in your situation, unable to move, take a moment. If you feel wronged and wanting to get far away from the people and things that are hurting you, consider this. Your worship is the key to unlock the chains. Even if your surroundings do not immediately change, the authority is given to you through Jesus. It may look like more of the same, but things can be very different if you allow it to be.
Raíces: Rooted in Faith, Familia, and Friendship 