Day 25: Acts 16:19-40

At midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly 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. (Acts 16:25-26)

Did you hear about the recent earthquake in Chile that measured 8.2 on the Richter scale? Thankfully, the loss of life and damage to property was minimal, considering the magnitude of the quake. However, there was one unexpected consequence that caught everyone off guard.

It was reported that the earthquake caused all doors to be opened at a women’s prison in Iquique and all 293 inmates escaped.

The connection with the earthquake in today’s reading could not be ignored. An earthquake hits a prison in Philippi nearly 2000 years ago. Another one hits a prison in Chile earlier this week. The result is the same. No prisoner is held by chains anymore. Every one of them is free. In the case of Philippi, none escaped. In Chile, they all escaped.

What preceded the earthquake in Philippi? Prayer and Praise by Paul and Silas. Having just suffered a severe beating with rods, experiencing excruciating pain, they choose not to cry or complain about their predicament. They lift up their eyes to heaven, focus on Jesus and offer a sacrifice of prayer and praise.

Anyone in Paul and Silas’ condition would have prayed any one of the following prayers:

“O God, please look upon your servants with favour.”

“O God, please make this pain go away.”

“O God, please send an angel to get us out of here as you did for Peter.”

But, Paul and Silas do not stop with prayer alone. They add praise. And, all of a sudden, great power is released. The earthquake follows.

Notice that “the foundations of the prison were shaken” as a result of the earthquake. Not only were Paul and Silas now free from their chains, but so were the rest of the prisoners.

That, my friends, is the power of prayer and praise—a very potent combination.

This power is so great that it does not simply set individuals free, it shakes the very foundation of the structure that keeps them bound. When the foundation is compromised, the structure comes tumbling down.

When we began this 40 Day Fast, it was with a dual purpose. Firstly that our hearts would become more like that of our Father whose will is that “none should perish” (2 Peter 3:9).  Secondly, to quote Lou Engle: “Prayer is the Air Force that softens the enemy defenses for the ground troops to move in and take the land.” In other words, we pray that Holy Spirit will soften the hearts of those who have not yet made Jesus the Lord and Saviour of their lives, so that they will be ready to surrender their lives to Jesus when they encounter a member of the ground troops.

The magnitude of the Great Harvest which is about to be reaped is so huge that territory will be taken in large chunks. It is not only individual conversations and corporate gatherings that will result in conversions.

But, like the earthquake in Philippi, the very foundations of the structures that keep people bound and blind to the truth will be shaken.  Watch for the present scientific presuppositions that declare many addictions to be “diseases” or “unalterable conditions” to simply crumble in the very near future. We too will see “prisoners” set free in very large numbers at one time.

What are you and I called to contribute to this coming harvest? If Paul & Silas’ example is any indication, we too are called to simply add Praise to Prayer. The power that is released from heaven when this happens is nothing short of earth-shaking and the results will be earth-shattering!

Will you do your part? I hope so. I pray so. Let it be so. Amen.