16.Dec.2009 Taking the Presence to the World

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Ephesians 4:1-4 (NLT): Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future.

Acts 16:16-31 (NLT):One day as we were going down to the place of prayer, we met a demon-possessed slave girl. She was a fortune-teller who earned a lot of money for her masters. She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, and they have come to tell you how to be saved.” This went on day after day until Paul got so exasperated that he turned and said to the demon within her, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And instantly it left her.

Her masters’ hopes of wealth were now shattered, so they grabbed Paul and Silas and dragged them before the authorities at the marketplace. “The whole city is in an uproar because of these Jews!” they shouted to the city officials. “They are teaching customs that are illegal for us Romans to practice.” A mob quickly formed against Paul and Silas, and the city officials ordered them stripped and beaten with wooden rods. They were severely beaten, and then they were thrown into prison. The jailer was ordered to make sure they didn’t escape. So the jailer put them into the inner dungeon and clamped their feet in the stocks.

Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening. Suddenly, there was a massive earthquake, and the prison was shaken to its foundations. All the doors immediately flew open, and the chains of every prisoner fell off! 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!” The jailer called for lights and ran to the dungeon and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. Then he brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, along with everyone in your household.”

This is a fantastic story about how life can turn cold really quickly when you follow God’s will. Prior to these events, Paul was seeking God in order to discover what he was to do next. He was about to take the Gospel out of Palestine and into Europe. He sought God’s will as to the next step. God granted hm a dream which led him to Philippi. There, he met Lydia, a business woman, and through her, the church of Philippi is established. Things are looking great from Paul’s perspective.

And then, he meets a demon possessed girl and things turn sour. Suddenly, he is locked in the lowest level of the dungeon where there is no light, no place to sit, and the inmates are less than pleasant company. In just one day, things go from awesome to not so awesome. That is something that we as humans do not expect when we step out to obey God’s will. He grants us a dream; we take the courageous steps to follow it. Then, suddenly, life goes south. Our natural inclination is to look up at God and say, “What the hey? Not cool, man! I’m following Your will, here! Why is this happening? I did not sign up for all this trial and tribulation!” Sad but true; we never expect that following the will of God will be hard.

But it is in these times of trial that God’s grace abounds. He wants to see what we do next. Trials build us or break us depending on our attitude. Can we keep faith when all hell is breaking over our world? When the hour is darkest, what do we do?

Paul’s attitude in his circumstance is what makes this story so powerful. The story picks up at midnight, the darkest hour; and we find Paul and Silas singing. They are singing! In their darkest hour, when they would have every right to be angry and/or resentful of their circumstances, they sing to the One they love and serve. And what’s even better, the other prisoners are listening. You see, the world watches when Christians are in trial. Our attitude in the tough times reflects the God we serve. Paul sang his heart out that night thanking God for all He has done.

And the prison shakes! The power and the presence of God rushes through the lowest level of the dungeons, breaking ever lock and shackle and opening every door. God did not just free Paul and Silas; He freed everyone! He cannot help Himself. He loves to set people free! Miracles happen in people’s lives, and it flows out to those who are around the person receiving the miracle. If your life is going hard, surround yourself with people who praise!

God takes it one step further in this story. The jailer–a man who must be hard for he deals with hardened criminals and executions on a daily basis–comes running in to see that the doors are open. He panics. His greatest fear has been realized; he has failed in his duty, and now there is only one option left to him: death. Yet, God intervenes even then. Paul calls out to him in the knick of time. God’s presence was so strong in the prison that none of the prisoners had dared to move. The jailer falls to his knees and begs to get whatever it is Paul and Silas have. And all of this happened because they praised.

There are people around us who feel they have no option left and are ready to give into death. Their lives are in ruin. Everything has fallen apart. Their worst fears are realized. God wants to intervene. He wants to use us to intervene in their world. You see, our attitudes in our darkest hours allow us to carry the presence of God into the world, where it intervenes in the lives of others who are imprisoned, near death, ready to give up. Our miracles become theirs, and the captives are set free! Your worst hour is the moment God is waiting for to shake up the world!

God can unlock our lives and bring freedom, but it depends on our attitudes. Praise Him in the darkness, and see what He will do!