Grace Under Fire

Grace Under Fire from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo.

In the book of Acts, the Apostle Paul and his group left their home church at Antioch, planning to visit some of the house churches they had established on their first missionary journey. However, soon after they began, the Holy Spirit stopped them.

(Acts 16:6–8 NKJV) Now when they had gone through Phrygia and the region of Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia. After they had come to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit did not permit them. So passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas.

Because of closed doors, the Holy Spirit drove them almost straight to a port city on the coast called Troas, where they spent the night clueless about what to do next.

During the night, Paul saw a vision of a man asking them to come to Macedonia, which was in Europe, and they decided that was where the Lord wanted them to go. They were confused, yet, they were right where they were supposed to be when the next word came. For He had brought them down to a port city so they could take a boat.

(Acts 16:9–10 NKJV) And a vision appeared to Paul in the night. A man of Macedonia stood and pleaded with him, saying, "Come over to Macedonia and help us." Now after he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go to Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the gospel to them.

So even the great Apostle Paul was not told at the start of his journey in Antioch where he was going. He thought he knew, for he had made plans to visit the churches they had established, but the Lord ignored those and sent him somewhere else, to Europe.

They set sail and sailed "straight for Samothrace," a nautical term meaning the wind was at their backs. They sailed the 156-mile trip in two days, while their return trip later would take them five. Certainly, they had divine favor with them.

Paul, Silas, Timothy, and now Luke landed in Philippi and spent several days there. On the Sabbath, they went down to the riverside. There was no synagogue in Philippi because there were not enough Jewish men. It was a requirement to have at least ten Jewish men to have a synagogue, and even nine men and fifty women would not meet their requirements.

Being there was no synagogue, Jews were to meet down by the riverside. So Paul knew that is where he would find them on the Sabbath. It turns out that the man calling for help in Paul's vision was apparently a woman named "Lydia." The Lord "opened her heart," and she and her household were the first Christian converts to be baptized in Europe.

Everything was going well. The missionary group had been driven straight from Antioch to Europe, and they were leading people to Christ. Then things took a turn for the worse.

(Acts 16:16–18 NKJV) Now it happened, as we went to prayer, that a certain slave girl possessed with a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much profit by fortune-telling. This girl followed Paul and us, and cried out, saying, "These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation." And this she did for many days. But Paul, greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, "I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her." And he came out that very hour.

Well, Paul kicked the hornet's nest. For when the slave girl's masters saw their golden goose had lost her demonic superpowers, they dragged Paul and his missionary team to the magistrates and had them stripped, beaten with rods, and chained in stocks in jail.

While sitting in a cold, damp, dark jail cell with their feet chained in stocks and their backs bloody for doing good, they had to have contemplated their circumstances. What did they do wrong to get here? Nothing. They were certainly on a mission from God. Yet, here we are. But it took more than a measly beating to stop Paul, for when the going gets tough, the tough get praying:

(Acts 16:25 NKJV) But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.

Praying, praising, and singing hymns invite the presence of God into your situation. His presence changes things, and it did that night for them.

(Acts 16:26 NKJV) 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.

I mean, an earthquake shaking the prison and all the doors opening is one thing, but everyone's chains falling off is God's signature, a really nice touch. The keeper of the prison saw what was happening and was going to kill himself. Under Roman rule, if you let a prisoner escape, you took his place. But Paul stopped him, and then the jailer came running in with one burning question on his mind:

(Acts 16:29–34 NKJV) 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.

The jailer wanted what Paul and Silas had. Though this all began around midnight, he and his family were baptized on the spot. He didn't want to wait until the following morning. He took Paul and Silas and washed their wounds, brought them into his house, and set food in front of them. He had a complete change of heart.

Paul's journey from Antioch had taken unexpected twists and turns, but now there was a small body of believers in Europe: Lydia and her household, the jailer and his household, and perhaps the slave girl.

Following the Lord is not always going to be easy, and He may crumple our plans and throw them in the trash. His plan is better, and He will support what He starts. Sometimes, we come under fire, and our faith is tested, but praying, praising, and blessing God instead of cursing men and what happened to you can often change your circumstances.

You can pray this with me if you like:

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for another day. I praise Your holy name and pray that You fulfill Your will in my life. I want what You want, and I don't have to understand the end from the beginning, for You do. Today has enough trouble of its own. Help me stand my ground one more day. In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen!