Acts 16:22-24 Then the multitude rose up together against them; and the magistrates tore off their clothes and commanded them to be beaten with rods. And when they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to keep them securely. Having received such a charge, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.(NKJ)
In the above passage, Paul and Silas just cast a demon out of girl. When the girls master saw that the demon had been cast out, they also saw that their profits were gone as well. The girls master then brought Paul and Silas into the market place, claimed that they were troubling the city and were teaching customs that were not lawful for them.
Paul and Silas were beaten and thrown into the inner prison with a guard posted outside the door.
These two men of God had just done an awesome deed, and they received punishment for it. I don´t think much has changed today. Many times we try to do good, and our words and actions can be taken out of context and we are judged incorrectly by others.
One thing is clear though. The attitude Paul and Silas had made the difference. These men may have been in prison, but in their mind and spirits they were not in prison. They began to pray and praise the Lord and the next thing they knew, the prison doors were opened.
Some of us may be in a prison. Our prison could be rejection, fear, feeling unworthy, low self esteem and many other things. Consider Paul and Slilas; beaten, feet in shackles, most likely bleeding, did not accept defeat.
We can draw from their example and not accept defeat in our lives and circumstances. We can make freedom our reality. With Jesus in our lives, we do not have to live in a prison. We do not have to accept living in fear or helplesness. Jesus has set the captives free.
Receive that freedom in Him today, and begin living your life outside the prison walls.
Stumble it!
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