THE PRISON TEST

PRISON = A place of confinement or restrained of personal liberty as punishment for a crime. A place of confinement or restrained of personal liberty while on trial.

Throughout the Bible, we read about individuals who were placed in prison. These individuals (Joseph, Samson, Jeremiah, John the Baptist, Peter, Paul, Silas, and other nameless believers) were imprisoned for various accusations made against them and the length of time they were detained varied. These individuals had to suffer the hardship of imprisonment though they were innocent of the charges brought against them, and some of them even died while a prisoner. Unfortunately, life is not always fair, and believers are often innocent casualties.

The blog I am going to share today is about Paul and Silas, the events leading up to their imprisonment, and what they did while in prison. I will also share some nuggets that I gleaned from this event.

Paul was on his second missionary journey and accompanying him were fellow ministers of the gospel. They had reached the city if Philippi where Paul encounter a girl who was possessed with the spirit of divination. This girl followed the disciples for days, saying, “These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation” (Acts16:17). Her actions bothered Paul to the point that he commanded the spirit to come out of her. When her owners realized she would no longer be profitable to them, they caught Paul and Silas and brought them before the magistrate with charges of being troublemakers and disturbers of the peace with their new religious teachings. The magistrates acquiesced to the mob pressure and had Paul and Silas stripped, whipped, and placed in the inner prison with their feet placed in stocks.

The Bible states at midnight Paul and Silas were awake praying and singing so loudly that the other prisoners heard them. It also states this, “And 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 bands were loosed. And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled. But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here” (Acts 16:26-27). Paul and Silas did not try to escape out of prison, but they stayed put. When the jailer realized what had happened, he was convicted, and he and his household accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior.

Here are some nuggets that I gleaned from this prison test:
1. You can be imprisoned for ministering the Word.
2. There are people that don’t want to be delivered from the powers of darkness.
3. Your enemy wants to  immobilize you completely.
4. While imprisoned, you may not be able to move about, but you can still use your mouth.
5. Prayer and praise should continue to flow during periods of confinement.
6. God can move anywhere. and however. He chooses.
7. Your prayer and praise will lose others as well as yourself.
8. Even in prison, there is a ministry.
9. Your action in prison can saves lives.

Finally, Paul and Silas were great examples for us. They did not allow their difficult situation to hinder them from what God had called them to do. Whenever you are experiencing your midnight (darkest hour), pray, praise, and watch how God will deliver you.