Get The Chains Off !

In Acts 16, Paul and Silas are sitting in jail. They had been beaten with rods and locked into the stocks. It is dark and gloomy and really smells, because they are in the inner prison, the belly of the prison, the place where the raw sewage runs out of the building. The absolute worst part of the prison. This is as bad as it could possibly be. Do you get the idea?

But something bigger was about to happen. The Bible tells us they were praying and worshipping God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly, around midnight, there was an earthquake that shook the foundation of the prison and the doors of the cells began to open and everyone's chains began to unfasten! The jailer wakes up from it all and sees the doors opened, so he pulls out his sword to kill himself because he was sure the prisoners had already escaped. Paul yells out for him to stop and tells him everyone is still there, no one has left! The guard asks them what does he need to do to be saved! He then takes them to his own house and his the whole family gets saved! Great story! Really exciting to think of the power of God at work to do such a wonderful feat! But I want to point out something to you that might have been overlooked by many of us.

See, in verse 25, we see that the other prisoners were listening to Paul and Silas praying and singing. Then in verse 26 we see that everyone's chains were unfastened! All the prisoners! Not just Paul and Silas'! Everyone's!

Here is my point - our praying and worshipping of God might be what sets someone else free and opens up the way for them to experience God for themselves!

As Christions, we know that people are listening to, and watching our lives with a sharp ear and eye. Some to critize, some to encourage, some to laugh, some to scorn, some out of curiosity. Whatever the case, we are being listened to and watched. Our response can have a greater impact in the lives of others than we can possibly imagine!

I must come to understand that life is not about me! There is a bigger picture that I need to see. Many years ago, my pastor said, "If your vision is smaller than God's, it's too small". If my focus is always and only on my self, then I have a vision that is much too small. My deliverance can be someone elses deliverance! I never know all the needs of the people around my life. So I don't know what all is going on in their minds.

We all experience difficulties in this life. No of us are exempt. When others see me going through difficult times, and hear me singing and talking about how good and faithful my God is, in spite of what I am going through, it just might cause them to be set free enough from their prisons that they might be able to turn their hearts and minds to the goodness of our God!

So let me ask you? When you find yourself in a difficult time, or a "prison" of any kind, what do the other "prisoners" hear coming from you? Is it complaining, frustration, pity parties, stuff like that? Or do they hear you praying to God asking for help, strength, direction, and listening to you sing to God of how great and how faithful HE is in spite of what seems to be going on?

As your and my chains come off, others chains can come off too!