Acts 16:16-40 Paul and Silas in Prison

It did not take very long for Paul to get in trouble again. This time, he meets a slave girl with a spirit of divination and he casts the spirit out of her. The powers that this spirit had upon this girl allowed her to see that Paul and Silas were serving God and that they preached the way of salvation. Unfortunately, the casting out of the spirit from this girl cost the owners a lot of money since they were into the business of divination. At times, I'm not certain of how annoyed God is at my attempts to know and understand my future. When I go to the horoscope, tarot cards, palm reading, etc I disobey God.

Paul and Silas were apprehended and taken before the magistrates. The accusation they drummed up against them was a conflict in customs between Jews and Romans that gets them beaten with rods before they are imprisoned - in the inner prison with their feet fastened in the stocks. Our cultural response to the Gospel is no different than the Romans' response in the days of Paul. Bottom line is: the Gospel is countercultural and I must be willing to preach it no matter the cost. The Gospel disrupts my way of life and calls my attention to conform to a heavenly culture I don't understand. To follow Jesus means to take up my own cross.

The preaching of a countercultural Gospel is affirmed by the power of the Holy Spirit. For one, the apostles were praying and singing hymns after being beaten and fastened to the stocks in prison. I am not one to feel in the mood of singing after a beating. This is an obvious manifestation of the Spirit's power upon his people in the midst of persecution. It is not the product of Christian stoicism in the face of opposition. Also, God takes care of his people to fulfill his purposes. The shaking of the prison until everyone was free is another manifestation of the Spirit's power on behalf of God's people.

Paul and Silas have an opportunity to witness to the jailer who was ready to take his life since he thought all his prisoners had escaped. A divine appointment produces an opportunity to share the Gospel and see a life surrender into the hands of Christ. Trials and tribulations are opportunities for the power of the Spirit to manifest. These manifestations of the Spirit produce opportunities to preach the Gospel. I need to be on the lookout for these opportunities in the midst of my trials and tribulations. Am I seizing those opportunities on a daily basis?

Another such opportunity to witness the Gospel of the kingdom came about as a result of their imprisonment. When the magistrates wanted to let them go silently, Paul refused to leave until they would come to them. They were Roman citizens (probably with dual citizenship) who had been beaten without charge and Paul intended to use the opportunity to speak to the magistrates about the kingdom. Injustice can become the conduit for witnessing opportunities. Am I focusing on the injustice or on the opportunity? I think that I would be a lot more focused on what happened to me than looking to use the opportunity that the situation has given me for the furthering of the kingdom of God.

Father, help me rely on you for all my future. Give me boldness and courage to preach a Gospel that is countercultural with valor to face the consequences. Teach me to make the best of every opportunity, even those granted me via injustice and persecution, to be a witness for the Gospel. Amen.