But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed. And the keeper of the prison, awaking from sleep and seeing the prison doors open, supposing the prisoners had fled, drew his sword and was about to kill himself. But Paul called with a loud voice, saying, “Do yourself no harm, for we are all here.” Then he called for a light, ran in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. And he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.” Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes. And immediately he and all his family were baptized. Now when he had brought them into his house, he set food before them; and he rejoiced, having believed in God with all his household. -Acts 16:25-34
When you look at the story of Paul and Silas in the book of Acts chapter sixteen there is so much to be seen. However, one of the first things that we notice of course is that they prayed and sang praises to God at midnight and that there was an earthquake which caused all the prison doors to be opened. I believe that they prayed and sang praises from a posture of being free, not from a stance of trying to obtain freedom. That’s right! They were already free in their hearts and in their spirits- that’s why they could pray and praise God in the midst of tragedy and misfortune. Nonetheless, I want to also pose to you the possibility that Paul and Silas were also able to pray and sing praises to God at midnight because they realized that there was a greater purpose for them being imprisoned. And I believe the greater purpose was for the Philippian jailer and his entire family to be saved. There is always a greater purpose! The scripture tells us that they prayed and sang praises to God at midnight and that there was a great earthquake that shook the foundation of the prison and all of the prison doors were opened and all of the prisoners chains were loosed. Sometimes the foundation has to be shaken to truly affect things. Sometimes things have to be shaken from the ground up to make us realize what truly matters. Moments like these should cause us to realign our perspectives and to readjust our priorities. I believe that in this moment Paul realized that there was a greater purpose in him being at this prison- confined in a situation that was undeserved. And when the earthquake came and the prison doors were opened and the prisoners chains were loosed- the Philippian jailer realizing what had happened assumed that the prisoners had fled, so he drew a sword and was about to harm to himself. But Paul yelled with a loud voice and said, “Do yourself no harm for we are all here!” The prison guard then ran in with a light and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” So Paul and Silas said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you and your household will be saved.” Thus, the greater purpose is now revealed.
For the jailer to ask this question, I believe that three things had to have happened: First of all, I believe that Paul had a divine revelation that there was a greater purpose to what he was going through- and that the greater purpose was for the Philippian jailer and his family’s salvation. That’s why I believe Paul and Silas remained in their cell even after the doors were opened and their chains had fallen off. Secondly, I believe that because they sang and prayed the place was now full of God’s presence. When we pray and sing praises- God inhabits our praises and where the presence of the Lord is there is freedom and liberty. And, in His presence there is fullness of joy! Nonetheless, It is also the presence of the Holy Spirit that convicts our hearts and leads us to repentance, giving us the ability through grace by faith, to receive salvation. And thirdly, I believe that the jailer had a revelation that caused him to remember Paul and Silas’ public beating and the unfair trial in the town square that led to their less than fortunate incarceration. They had been falsely accused, their backs had been beaten publicly, they were bound hand and foot by chains- now imprisoned behind closed doors and the jailer had witnessed it all! So, when the doors were opened and no one fled- the witness of these men’s actions and the presence of the Holy Spirit caused the Philippian Jailer to realize that he needed what they had, and what Paul and Silas had was Jesus! Paul and Silas prayed and sang praises to God, but they also had an awareness that there was a greater purpose in what they were going through and why they were in that Philippian jail that night. There is always a greater purpose! I don’t know what you may be going through, but I believe that there is always a greater purpose and I pray that you will have a revelation of what that purpose is and I pray that you will see the divine results of that greater purpose come to pass. As you read this scripture today in Acts 16:25-34, ponder on the thoughts below in regard to there being a greater purpose in what you are going through or in what you may be facing.
Here Are 7 Things to Consider When You Realize That There is a Greater Purpose to What You May be Facing or Going Through:
1. Be careful what you say and how you say it.
2. Don’t complain about what God may be using.
3. Your response could be a key to someone else’s future and freedom.
4. Pray and sing God’s praises, but don’t magnify the circumstance or situation.
5. Remember, God can use the natural to produce the supernatural.
6. Don’t allow your response to be based on assumptions.
7. The trial ends when God’s purpose is accomplished.
