Our prayers reinforce our faithfulness in God. Paul and Silas knew full well that it would only be through the power of God that they would survive this episode. While the key verse explain that it was at the midnight hour when their prayers were answered, we can safely assume they had been prayerful and praising since they had been placed in the stocks. Sometimes, we have to wait until the midnight hour for the deliverance we seek. Sometimes it is the persistence in prayer that will result in the freedom we seek. Remember, worrying is the opposite of faith. Worrying indicates that you have a concern that you cannot turn over to God. Is your marriage bigger than God? Are your children? Your career? Is there anything you might encounter in this life bigger than the God you serve?
For with God nothing will be impossible." Luke 1: 37 (NKJV)
Whatever it is you find yourself worrying about today nothing is impossible with God. Whatever you find yourself shackled to today nothing is impossible with God. That is an expression of faith. Worry is an expression of doubt. And ultimately, when you boil it down to its simplest part it is doubting God. That is what the enemy wants. He wants you worrying instead of praising God. By doing so, he prevents the presence of God from being manifest in your tribulations. He wants you worrying instead of praying to God. By doing so, he prevents you from strengthening your faith and furthers the distance between you and God. We must remember the example of Paul and Silas. We must be praising in our pain and praying in our discomfort. It is a matter of our faith:
And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith? Matthew 6: 30 (NLT)
Notice two other things from the story of Paul and Silas. One, the Bible specifically mentions that the other prisoners were listening to them as they prayed and praised God. I want you to again picture the scene. Paul and Silas are brought in bleeding and beaten. Stripped of their clothing and humility. Open wounds dripping blood, bruises visibly forming on their bodies. Placed in that condition into the innermost dungeon and fastened into painful stocks. Yet in the midst of that bloody and painful scene, you start to hear praises coming from the inner dungeon... how great, is our God, sing with me how great is our God...
The people in your life need to see the same witness for Christ that Paul and Silas showed that day in prison. They need to see you in the midst of your battle on your knees. They need to see you in a situation where the world screams "worry" and instead you are praising how great your God is. Sometimes as Christians we can fall into the trap of thinking it is all about us. It is not. We are already saved. But there is a world out there dying for a reason to believe. That day in that prison, Paul and Silas spoke more with their actions than their preaching words had previously accomplished. How do we know that? Two reasons.
The jailer woke up to see the prison doors wide open. He assumed the prisoners had escaped, so he drew his sword to kill himself. But Paul shouted to him, "Stop! Don't kill yourself! We are all here!" Acts 16: 27-28 (NLT)
The guard was going to kill himself because he knew that death awaited him if he had lost his prisoners. But the part that can get overlooked here is that Paul assures him that "we are all here." The earthquake had loosed all of the prisoners yet despite that they remained with Paul and Silas after. They did not look to run away and flee. The Bible does not say why but considering the events it is safe to say that Paul and Silas had some positive effect on the other prisoners. When you praise and pray instead of worry in your life it too will make an impression on those imprisoned around you. They will want the freedom you have; the peace you have.
