REVIVAL AT THE MIDNIGHT HOUR

Acts 16:22-34

Do you have a need in your life that demands an answer? Do you have a burden that is too much to bear? Do you have a loved one that needs to be saved or restored? Do you have a friend that has a problem with sin that seems insurmountable? Do you have some sin in your life that needs to be overcome.

Perhaps it needs to be now, tonight, as soon as possible, before it is tool late, then we need this passage and this encouragement tonight.

Revival is needed but remember - If revival does not come within the church, it will not come!

If revival does not come in us as individuals, it cannot come to our church.

Revial comes through people that are saved because within them is the fire of God already. But too often we only have embers left in the first place.

Revival does not mean to be saved all over again. Revival means that the fires of spiritual fervor, having become only hot embers, are again set burning with fervent, flaming heat.

This world needs revival - we can see that - we can see the fact that God is almost finished with this world that these are the end times, but that does not mean he is finished with us.

Tonight we are going to see that God send the revival, at the right time and even at the last minute - at the midnight hour.

I. IT MATTERS NOT WHERE YOU ARE

The place they were at was a terrible one. They will in a hopeless situation by man’s estimate. They were in a jail cell.

Jail revivals are great, but revivals are great anywhere and everywhere.

God wants to send revival where we are - where people are, so it doesn’t matter where.

II. IT MATTERS NOT THE WHO THE PARTICIPANTS ARE

Paul and Silas were the ones involved this time. It could have been Peter & Andrew, John and Matthew, it could have been Barnabus and Apollos - and yea, God may have done such things for such men in their lives that we will never no about.

Don’t get hung up on whether you are good enough or what your name is or how well versed you are at praying.

Just pray.

III. IT WAS THE MIDNIGHT HOUR

The day was past, there was no more light - things had transitioned past the time of hope. The midnight hour has long been a foreboding hour. Nothing good happens at the midnight hour.

It is an hour that is related to sorrow, hopelessness, evil, and misery. The things that happen at night - are usually never mentioned because they are often unmentionable.

There was a street in Yokosuka I did not walk and would definitely not take my family down. Well, there were a couple streets like that. But this street was one of the main streets in Yokosuka, a place of commerce and activity stores, and shops, even people living in the floors above the businesses - the buildings getting to 9 and 10 stories in that part of town. Nothing negative or questionable above any other street in Yoksosuka. But owe if you go down it after dark, it transformed into a street of wickedness and debauchery.

It was the midnight hour and nothing good comes after that.

IV. THE BELIEVERS NEVER GAVE UP HOPE AND NEVER STOPPED PRAYING

They believed in and prayed to their God - he was their hope. They depended on Him for all things.

The followed the Lord and obeyed Him not matter the costs irregardless of circumstances.

Charles Finney said, “Whereas mind and conscience may assent to the truth, when revival comes, obedience to the truth is the thing that matters. Revival is nothing less than a new beginning of obedience to God.”

Dennis J. Hester, ed., The Vance Havner Notebook: Sermon Excerpts and Illustrations (Baker Book House, 1989), 268.

V. THE BELIEVERS NEVER DESPAIRED AND NEVER STOPPED PRAISING

2 Corinthians 4:8–9 KJV

We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;

2 Corinthians 4:10 KJV

Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.

VI. THE RESULTS OF THE PRAYERS AND PRAISE

There are some bonafide results to when you and I pray to and praise the Lord in and with our lives.

A. The prisoners heard

The prisoners were those in the prison. But also the prison guards heard, the prison keeper himself hear. The fact is that people can hear many ways.

They can hear it with our lives

They can hear it in Scripture

They can hear it in conversation.

That is both our lifesytle, our lives, and the words we use.

They can hear it when praise God, sing unto God and when we simply tell it to them.

Romans 10:14–15 KJV

How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!

B. Something happened that was greater than they could comprehend

It was an earthquake. It was something that was no doubt scary and invigorating at the same time.

Many things happen when revival comes:

In Acts 2 there was a rushing might wind and tongues of fire.

In Acts 7-8 it was the slaying of Stephen that brought about the scattering of many of the Believers and many churches being established.

C. Foundations were shaken

The application I’m making here is concerning being shaken not so much on the outside but on the inside - truths we thought we might have known have now been shaken to the foundation. That is how we were saved. We finally understood, against our own reasoning of going to heaven and how to get there.

The jailer and the other prisoners were in no doubt shaken to the foundation and core.

D. Bands were loosened

That is what Christ does, he loosens that bands of sin and at salvation our guilty sentence.

Romans 8:2 KJV

For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

Galatians 5:1 KJV

Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

E. People were awakened from their slumber

Ephesians 5:14 KJV

Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.

Romans 13:11 KJV

And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.

F. People humbled themselves

The jailer was convicted - he sprang in, ran in and was trembling and fell down before Paul and Silas.

He knew his condition and humbled himself.

What a good place to be for all of us to have revival or to see salvation.

James 4:10 KJV

Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

H. They were preaching

vv.31-32

1 Corinthians 1:18 KJV

For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.

1 Corinthians 1:21 KJV

For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.

I. People did right

v.33

I saw something that I had never really noticed, or considered, perhaps I just passed over in my reading making assumptions, but it is interesting because I always in the back of my mind wondered how the prison keeper explained this. But he never let them go and they never demanded to leave.

They left when it was right, when the magistrates allowed it. You see, whether Paul and Silas were in jail or not - they were already free. They were already blessed, they were already provided for.

VII. The aftermath

A. Freedom

John 8:36 KJV

If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

B. Salvation

the jailer and his family were saved

VII. Where and with whom will our revival start?

AMG Bible Illustrations When Will Revival Start?

Gypsy Smith was once asked how to start a revival. He answered, “Go home, lock yourself in your room and kneel down in the middle of your floor. Draw a chalk mark all around yourself and ask God to start the revival inside that chalk mark. When he has answered your prayer, the revival will be on.” Why not covenant with God to draw that private circle?