The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods. After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks. Acts 16:22-24 NIV
Paul and Silas were stripped and beaten with rods; “severely flogged,” the text reads. Beaten and bleeding, they were locked in the inner cell, their feet placed in stocks. What had they done to deserve such treatment? In the name of Jesus, they had commanded a demonic spirit to depart from a girl they encountered in Macedonia. You’d think that would be reason to celebrate, right? No longer could this demonic spirit torment the girl. But there was a problem. This girl was a slave, and she had earned a great deal of money for her owners with the fortune telling abilities of this demonic spirit. When her owners realized their hope of making money was gone, they incited the crowd against Paul and Silas, and dragged them before the authorities. Why were Paul and Silas in Macedonia in the first place?
During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them. Acts 16:9-10 NIV
Paul and Silas had been obedient to the Lord; they went to Macedonia and were preaching the gospel. Why would God allow them to be stripped and severely beaten when they were doing exactly what He had called them to do? This is a question many of us would struggle with, had we been in the same situation. But as Paul and Silas sat in the inner cell, wounded and chained, that was the farthest thought from their minds!
About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Acts 16:25 NIV
The situation was unfair, the pain undeserved, but as midnight approached, Paul and Silas chose to worship! And the other prisoners were listening. Life is a battle, our enemy is real, and even when we walk in obedience to God, we may find ourselves beaten and bruised, bleeding and chained. But what will you do at the midnight hour? That’s a matter worth settling now, because you can be sure when you reach your midnight hour, others, prisoners themselves, chained by sin, not yet set free, will most certainly be listening!
Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose. The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!” The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. He then 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—you and your household.” Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized. The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household. Acts 16:26-34 NIV
Think about how many lives were impacted that night. God had great plans for Paul and Silas in Macedonia, but his plans included some suffering on their part. If it means effectively reaching lost souls and sharing with them the love of Christ, so that they too can know the love of God, are you willing to suffer? Quite often, those who have the most impact are those who suffer the most. Is your goal to reach the most people or to have a carefree easy life?
For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. 1 Peter 3:17-18a NIV