Some years ago there was an award-winning movie entitled, “Cool Hand Luke.” In it the “hero,” Luke, was imprisoned and there suffered all kinds of torture in an attempt to break his will. No matter what the guards did to him, Luke always made a comeback. At a moment when it seemed Luke’s will was broken, he surprised everyone and pulled off a final escape.
Today we meet two men who surpassed “Cool Hand Luke” in their courage and resolve (Acts 16:22-36).
“The crowd in Philippi joined in the attack on Paul and Silas, and the magistrates had them stripped and ordered them to be beaten with rods. After afflicting many blows on them, they threw them into prison and instructed the jailer to guard them securely. When he received these instructions, he put them in the innermost cell and secured their feet to a stake.”
These two “rabble rousers” were under control at last. The magistrates did everything they could to break the spirits of Paul and Silas. Not only had they been attacked by the crowd, they were stripped and beaten with “many blows.” Then they were “thrown” into the worst part of the prison, the place where they kept the worst criminals, the innermost cell. In addition, their feet were chained to a stake.
How did Paul and Silas respond? Did they curse the unfair system that abused them, complain to God for not taken better care of them, or just curl up in a corner and fall asleep to help recover from the ordeal their ordeal?
“About midnight, while Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God as the prisoners listened…”
Imagine that! These two men of God turned the innermost prison into a chapel. They started singing and praising God in spite of their wounds and depressing circumstances. Hardened criminals listened to them, and some may well have been converted to Jesus. What kind of superhuman power enabled Paul and Silas to rise above the tortures and abuse and start giving praise to God?
These men were empowered by the Holy Spirit. If they were driven by purely natural power, they would have given up early on. Being filled with the Holy Spirit, however, the more they were beaten the stronger they became.
Then God decided to step in:
“…there was suddenly such a severe earthquake that the foundations of the jail shook; all the doors flew open, and the chains of all were pulled loose.”
The whole prison convulsed! Chains were broke, doors flew open, and prisoners were suddenly freed. God came to the rescue of his two faithful servants. Fearing the prisoners would escape, the jailer took up his sword and was preparing to kill himself. Paul assured him that no one would escape, and he wouldn’t lose his job. The jailer then invited Paul and Silas into his own home where their wounds were treated. Then, to top it off, the jailer and his family were baptized!
Those who give their lives to Jesus share, in some way, the treatment he received. None of us have to deal with the extreme torture that Paul and Silas went through. We all, however, must deal with some form of attack from the forces of darkness. How do we respond to such affliction? Run away, complain, crawl into a hole and lick our wounds? Or do we let the full power of the Holy
Spirit work through us and begin to praise God even in the worst of circumstances?
“I will send you the Spirit of truth” (John 16:7).
