At Midnight

King James Version (Chapter 16)

prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. 26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed. 27 And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew

To begin with brothers and sisters, christian friends well wishers and saints of God, as we glint, gleam, and gaze at this glorious text we find some glorious facts that simply can’t be ignored.

The story begins with Paul dealing with one of his sons in the Gospel named Timothy. Paul circumcise Timothy because Timothy’s father was a Greek. Timothy was a mixed breed.

Paul knew that Timothy was religiously trained in scriptures Paul liked Timothy and took him along on the journey. Eventually Paul put Timothy in charge of the Ephesian Church.

On his evangelical tours, Paul continued to teach and preach the Doctrine of Jesus Christ as it was establish at the First Ecumenical council in Jerusalem where Jesus’ brother James was the superintendent.

As a result the bible says in Acts 16:5 The church grew and churches were added daily.

1. The church grows when we are friendly, nice, Godly, and forward thinking.

2. The church grow when the parishioners follow the leadership of the pastor deacons and trustees. because Romans 10:17 says Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God.

3. The church grows when the word of God is rightly divided and goes forth all the time.

The next thing the text teaches, talks, and tells us is that Paul received “The Macedonian Call” in Acts 16:6-10 . Paul was forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach in Asia Minor. To that means that Psalm 37:23 is real because it says clearly that the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord. God gets the glory!!!!

Paul saw a vision in the night with a Man saying Come to Macedonia and help us. The word vision in the Greek vernacular is the word Horama. Horama literally means sight, something to gaze at, a spectical to behold. It was like a supernatural Movie that exclusively permitted only Paul to see and hear it.

Sometimes in life God has stuff that He only allow you to see. And no matter how you try too get other folk to see your vision they can’t see it.

Paul realized that this is a divine calling. And Immediately Paul set to do some extensive traveling Paul traveled the distance of about 150 miles as he set out for Macedonia.

When God put you on the path to preach His word you ought to get in a hurry to do God’s will. And if you want something you’ve never had , you’re going to have to do something you’ve never done.

Paul set sail and verse 12 says Paul arrives in Philippi the chief city of that part of Macedonia. Macedonia was a Roman colony and Philippi was it’s leading city.

1.Paul first of all rested because they had been on a long journey.

2.Paul needed to be prayed up before getting ready to do public preaching.

3. Paul stayed there several days observing the town the customs the culture.

4. Paul’s strategy was to organized before he could synthesize and actualize his plans for evangelizing the city. In other words Don’t just jump in the cool-aide without knowing what flavor it is. You can’t just take the lead of something without knowing something about it.

You’ve got to know that you’ve been born again

You’ve got to know that Jesus is your personal Lord and Savior.

You’ve got to know that Jesus is a burden bearer and a heavy load sharer.

You’ve got to know that Jesus is a healer

You’ve got to know that Jesus is a Rock in the wearied land, Shelter in the time of a storm.

That Jesus is the Lilly of the valley the bright Morning Star and the Rose of Sharon...

That was at least ten names of God right there. But the point is you’ve got to be prayed to minister to God’s people.

The next thing the text talk about is Lydia’s Conversion

The Conversion of the business woman named Lydia changed ministry for Paul in the town of Philippi. Lydia was a seller of purple. She was considered to be wealthy, healthy, and wise. And She heard Paul and Silas preach the word of God down by the river side.

Oh brothers and sisters don’t you see Paul and Silas delivering the word of God with Power. Paul prayed with them. Paul talked with the women. And Paul converted them and baptized Lydia’s whole household.

Brothers and sisters being converted means that things have changed in your lifestyle. Because Conversion is a change in my Lifestyle. Meaning the places I use to go I don’t go no more. The things I used to do I don’t do more. and Some of the bad company I use to keep I don’t keep no more. A change has to come over you.

Lydia got converted and the Lord opened her heart and to pay attention to Paul’s doctrine. Lydia told Paul in essence you’re the real deal. I’ve heard other preachers but you are the anointed God sent proclaimer of the word of God. In Acts 16:15

KJV 1900 And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us.

When you preach what God tells you mighty things happen. But! as sure as you live and breathe trouble will show up. And sometimes trouble looks like a man, sometime trouble look like a woman, sometimes trouble look like a boy, and sometimes trouble looks like a little damsel. And the bible says in Act 16:16-17 this little damsel came down by the riverside saying

King James Version (Chapter 16)

16 And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying: 17 The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation.

She would say this day in and day out until Paul got tired of it. She got on Paul nerves and Paul talked to the demon inside of her and said I command you in the name of Jesus to come out of her. And the bible says he came out of her the self same hour.

Ephesians 6:12 Tell us For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Watch this 2x Paul has cast the demon out of the little damsel and now verse 19-& 20 says when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the marketplace unto the rulers,and brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city. Paul and Silas upset the whole town we know this because Acts 16:21 says that Paul’s accusers said they are teaching customs that are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe being Romans.

When people want to get you they know how to get you, when to get you, and where to get you at. Things got ugly real quick They had a mob crowd with them and the magistrates rip their clothes off and the painful part of the text for the preacher is that they commanded that Paul and Silas were beaten. The bible says they whipped Paul and Silas with many stripes. verse 23 says After they beat Paul and Silas they cast them in prison.

Paul and Silas is in prison

Then the magistrates told the jailer you better keep them from escaping, or you’re dead. Now that Paul and Silas are in prison they are not in the general population no no no they are thrust into the inner jail..

I’ve got to close 2x But tah Paul and Silas are chained to the wall, And the walls are wet and leaking, the floors and slimy and Paul and Silas are in a bad situation

Great God And Around Midnight Paul began to pray and Silas began to sing. I imagine in my mind that Silas sang Amazing Grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretched like me . I once was lost but now I’m found, I was blind but now I see.

And I heard that Paul got down on his knees and began to call on the Lord. Oh don’t you hear Paul saying Now Lord , Now Lord now now now Lord I need you Jesus. Father I stretch my hand to thee, no other help I know. If thou withdraw thy self from me whether shall I go..

And then I heard that God heard their prayer

because prayer changes things

Prayer changes conditions,

Prayer changes the circumstances on our lives and

prayer changes the situations

That old jailhouse began to reel and rock and God caused an earth quake to come and shake the prison up. God had the earth to shake the door . The door shook the lock, the lock shook the hinge. The hinge shook the chains. The chains shook off Paul and Silas. Paul and Silas shook the prisoners.

And the jailer ran in and was about to kill himself and I heard Paul saying do thyself no harm for we are all here.

The jailer said Sir 3x Oh What must I do to be saved?

Paul said Only believe on the Lord Jesus and thou shall be saved.

The Jailer said I believe and he took Paul and Silas to his own house clean their wounds up and Paul baptized the jailer and his whole house.

I’m so glad that the Lord saved me from my sins.

I’m so glad that the Lord saved me from a low bottom hell when I didn’t have no weapon in my hand and no God on my side.

Ain’t God alright.

Ain’t He Alright 3x