Go Or Stay Acts 16:26

25But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. 26Suddenly 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.



Here is a great demonstration of the power of prayer. Paul and Silas are in shackles in prison. They have been beaten with rods and there is blood on their backs and every muscle in their bodies was no doubt pummeled with pain. But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns unto God and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was a great earthquake and the foundations of the prison were shaken and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone chains loosened.

We do not know what Paul and Silas prayed but we do know what happened when they prayed! Their chains were loosed and then were able to get out of that place. However, no one left! It is apparent that Paul and Silas' prayers were not for personal freedom but rather spiritual freedom for those who needed Jesus in their hearts!

When God opened the doors to the prison and loosed the chains around the feet of all those who were in the prison, He did not set them free to go; He gave them the ability to stay! Because of the faithfulness of Paul and Silas, there were people in that jail on that night that gave their hearts to the Lord Jesus and then were was the Philippian jailer who instead of taking his life found life as gave his heart to Jesus as well.

Has God given you the freedom to go, to test your resolve to stay? Maybe you have been looking for a new church and the opportunity to go has you thinking in that direction but the need to stay is still heavy on your heart! We must look to the Lord and ask Him for His direction and His guidance so that we can be like Paul and Silas and know when we need to go and when we need to stay! God will tell us what we need to do! Ask Him for the strength to do what He wants us to do!