- Joined
- Oct 26, 2007
- Messages
- 12,539
About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, Acts 16:25 ESV
When Paul cast out a demon from the slave girl in Philippi, his action upset her owners, who benefited financially from her fortune-telling. That led to Paul and Silas being tossed in jail for advocating religious customs that were not legal in Rome. The jailer fastened them into the inner prison and secured their feet in stocks. In response, they didn’t demand their rights. Instead, they prayed and sang hymns—presumably while still in stocks—while the other prisoners listened. And God moved in the form of an earthquake.
What is your initial response when someone tries to silence you from talking about Christ? Are you quick to point out your religious liberties? Where do prayer and hymns singing rank in your order of responses? Do you know enough hymns to sing a few by heart if you were in a similar situation to that of Paul and Silas?
Sometimes as Christians, it’s better to lay down your own rights and privileges for the Gospel’s sake, knowing that God can and will act on your behalf. And doing so is often a better witness to surrounding unbelievers.
Prayer: Father, the next time a situation arises in which my religious liberties are being taken away from me, remind me of Paul and Silas’s response. And show up in a mighty way!
When Paul cast out a demon from the slave girl in Philippi, his action upset her owners, who benefited financially from her fortune-telling. That led to Paul and Silas being tossed in jail for advocating religious customs that were not legal in Rome. The jailer fastened them into the inner prison and secured their feet in stocks. In response, they didn’t demand their rights. Instead, they prayed and sang hymns—presumably while still in stocks—while the other prisoners listened. And God moved in the form of an earthquake.
What is your initial response when someone tries to silence you from talking about Christ? Are you quick to point out your religious liberties? Where do prayer and hymns singing rank in your order of responses? Do you know enough hymns to sing a few by heart if you were in a similar situation to that of Paul and Silas?
Sometimes as Christians, it’s better to lay down your own rights and privileges for the Gospel’s sake, knowing that God can and will act on your behalf. And doing so is often a better witness to surrounding unbelievers.
Prayer: Father, the next time a situation arises in which my religious liberties are being taken away from me, remind me of Paul and Silas’s response. And show up in a mighty way!
