Paul and Silas in prison for disturbing the economic peace of a materialistic society.

Acts 16:16-40

• Demon cast out of servant giving false prophecies to amass wealth for her masters.
• Negative impact to the economy causes the whole community to come against Paul and Silas to imprison them.
• Singing praises to God, the earth quakes, and chains of prisoners are loosed.
• Salvation experienced by the keeper of the prison.
• Paul and Silas were to be released secretly, but Paul insisted on release openly by the community leaders.
• Return to Lydia’s house.

Servant gives false prophecies to amass wealth for her masters
“Now it happened, as we went to prayer…” Acts 16:16a

This verse is picking up from Acts 16:11-15, where Paul, his companions, and Lydia have gone to prayer after Lydia’s whole household came to say “Yes” to Jesus Christ.

While they were in prayer, it is written, “…that a certain slave girl possessed with a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much profit by fortune-telling.” Acts 16:16b.

“Slaves” do the work of those who employ them, if they don’t, they are fired, terminated, and in other ways reprimanded. As followers of Jesus Christ, we know how much our fellowship with other Christians, our time of prayer with God through Jesus Christ, our “devotional” time, our Bible study time, and our time of sharing our born-again testimony with others are disrupted. Distractions come in many various forms, and with uncanny timing to disrupt our fellowship with Christ in the Holy Spirit. They come through house pets, animals barking from outside, people loudly talking beyond our front door, telephone ringing, someone knocking on the door, intrusions by family members, and the list goes on.

Intrusions into our fellowship with God through Jesus Christ [in the presence of the Holy Spirit] and with other Believers are by design. They are instigated by the entity that has power over physiology, works through technological devices, etc. This is the same entity that gives people what to say, do, feel, and think which despises anything or anyone to do with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The purpose of this entity is to give breath/life to the image of the beast to speak and live through people everywhere, while opposing God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. People are groomed to the mark of the beast by what they are given to say and do.

A “soothsayer” is the word originally used and replaced by “fortune-telling” which means to foresee the future, which relates to the “spirit of divination”. The slave woman made predictions in ways that brought much wealth to her masters. In today’s culture, local community leaders, state government leaders, national politicians, and global leaders are “soothsaying” in ways designed to make the global government and its global culture wealthy. They work for their master by emphasizing economic prosperity, which is the message put forth by the global goals of the United Nations through the “Sustainable Development Goals”. Nowadays, that is about the only issue in campaign “debates,” including the handling of money, tax-payers money. I can quote their predictions by heart, “lower inflation,” “higher wages,” “global prosperity,” “economic equality,” “lower unemployment,” “attracting more business,” “economic development” etc. They include the war on crime as being the pathway to economic prosperity, to cut away “liabilities” on their financial balance sheet.

The master that the local, state, national, and global leaders work for is the atheistic entity that gives them what to speak, do, think, and feel. They thirst for economic dominance of wealth worldwide, and plan to be the one world government with a global economy. The formation of the global government is described in Revelation 17, and Daniel 8:1-14. The destruction of the global economy that they build is described in Revelations 18.

“This girl followed Paul and us, and cried out, saying, “These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation.” Acts 16:17

The slave girl with false prophecies was not a believer in God, did not have any interest in Jesus Christ, and was not living in the presence of the Holy Spirit. She was working for her masters who lived their life to amass wealth and materialism. This is like those of today’s culture, which is global, who turn away from faith in Jesus Christ to focusing on physical needs instead of spiritual needs. They realize that their financial success in this life depends on pleasing their master who has power over their physiology to give them what to feel, think, speak, and do. These are those who are like Judas who sold out Jesus Christ for thirty pieces of silver, Matthew 26:14-16 and also read Matthew 27:3-5.

Jesus says to us, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:19-21

The slave girl was following Paul and his companions saying, “These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation.” She was not praising them for being messengers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, but was more like a warning to everyone in Philippi that Paul and his companions were not serving according to the will of her masters to focus on the accumulation of wealth. In fact, Paul and his companions converted Lydia to the way of Jesus Christ, and she was a very wealthy and influential woman in Philippi [Acts 16:11-15]. Lydia would have begun using her wealth and influence to establish the Philippian Church [where she was living] and the Church in Thyatira [her hometown].

In today’s atheistic culture, the word has been put forth that the followers of Jesus Christ serve God through the Holy Spirit. We do not serve wealth and materialism by making the master of our life the entity that is given breath/ life to speak and live through us. We want our resources to be used in the presence of the Holy Spirit in our service to Jesus Christ

“And this she did for many days. But Paul, greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And he came out that very hour.” Acts 16:18

When a person gives prophecy through the Holy Spirit, He does not come to agitate, annoy, and provoke someone to more ungodliness. For many days, the servant girl was annoying, agitating, and rubbing the nerves raw of Paul by constantly yelling out “These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation.” It was obvious she was possessed by a demonic spirit and not the Holy Spirit at all. In today’s culture, as we live and speak for the Gospel of Jesus Christ, those of today’s atheistic culture will constantly harass and cause agitation towards us. Their assault on Christianity is brought on by their worldly values as they allow their words and behaviors to be guided by the entity that is given life to speak and live through them.

Paul spoke to the demon in the woman, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And he came out that very hour.” Today’s culture live by the “666”, which is denial of God [6], scoffing at the need for the forgiveness of sin through Jesus Christ [6], and oppressing the presence of the Holy Spirit [6]. In the name of Jesus Christ, the demonic activity of “666” can be cast out. The bond of people to the “666” is broken when there is belief in the Living God, acknowledgement is present for the need of the forgiveness of sin through Jesus Christ, and the presence of the Holy Spirit is embraced.

At this point in Philippi, Paul and his companions converted a very wealthy and influential woman named Lydia to Jesus Christ [[Acts 16:11-15]] and cast out a demon from a woman who was giving predictions to increase the wealth of her masters. The economic masters in Philippi became very angry as described in the verses of the next section.

Negative impact to the economy causes the whole community to come against Paul and Silas.
“But when her masters saw that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to the authorities.” Acts 16:19

In the previous section of Acts 16:16-18, a servant woman was giving false prophecies for the purpose of driving wealth to her masters. Paul cast the demon out of her and the financial profits of her masters disappeared. It was then that the masters of wealth grabbed hold of Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to the authorities.

In today’s atheistic society, Christianity is considered a financial liability and drain to the economic profits of the community culture. That’s because the resources we have are spent in the will of God, through Christ, in the presence of the Holy Spirit. If we were wealthy and influential, we would not invest into the atheistic culture of today. We live by the words of Jesus who says, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:19-21

The economists of today’s culture, which is global, understand the secular meaning of Jesus’ words who knows their thoughts, “But Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand.” Mattthew 12:25 In an atheistic economy, dividing resources to a culture of Christianity is considered to be depleting the profits that they intend to go to their atheistic culture. The more people who come to Jesus Christ the more impoverished the atheistic culture becomes. Therefore, the spread of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is dragged to the authorities to complain about the effects of Christianity on the economy.

When Paul and Silas were dragged into the marketplace to the authorities, the marketplace was diving towards a recession. The masters of wealth were no longer able to keep the marketplace afloat. The authorities at the marketplace saw how much of an economic decline was about to happen and Paul and Silas were those held responsible. At this point, Paul and his companions converted a very wealthy and influential woman named Lydia to Jesus Christ [[Acts 16:11-15]] and cast out a demon from a woman who was giving predictions to increase the wealth of her masters. An economic recession had befallen the marketplace

“And they brought them to the magistrates, and said, “These men, being Jews, exceedingly trouble our city; and they teach customs which are not lawful for us, being Romans, to receive or observe.” Acts 16:20-21

Paul and Silas were sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ and converting wealthy, influential, and profit-making people. They were brought to the magistrates for “troubling the city” and driving the economy into a recession. Magistrates were community authorities or judges responsible for maintaining order and administering justice. In today’s world, we all know how much local, state, national, and global authorities rely on the economy to maintain law and order in communities. In their belief, social and economic policies are the key to the salvation of humanity, but they oppress the presence of the Holy Spirit who restrains lawlessness. They do not feel a need for Jesus Christ who gives the Holy Spirit but rely on economics for law and order. Their god is rooted in the prosperity of this world as they deny the Living God.

Paul and Silas were teaching that faith in Jesus Christ is all that is needed to be reconciled to God and that the laws of Judaism are not needed to live for God. Converts began investing into the culture of the way of Christ and away from the worldly culture. Today, we followers of Jesus Christ believe that faith in Jesus Christ makes our body the temple of the Holy Spirit. We do not teach that we need to serve the god of this world that makes our body the temple of the entity that speaks and lives through people everywhere. By today’s atheistic culture, Christianity is considered to cause social and economic trouble within communities. We come apart from the values of today’s culture, and we are not focused on the social/economic prosperity of this world. As Jesus taught us, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:19-21

“Then the multitude rose up together against them; and the magistrates tore off their clothes and commanded them to be beaten with rods.” Acts 16:22

In unison, the multitude of people rose up against Paul and Silas. This is happening today against the followers of Jesus Christ. Those of the community are synchronized in what they say and do by the entity that governs through their words, thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. From place to place in the community, from city to city, from nation to nation, the global culture rises up in unison against Christianity. That’s because we put faith in Jesus Christ above materialism and above the god of this world that speaks and lives through people.

The governing authorities, who are charged with keeping law and order, are outraged at the followers of Jesus Christ who refuse to adapt to the customs and culture of today’s atheistic society. We are being beaten with the rods of demeaning words, aggressive attitudes, hostility, social disapproval of all types, and even physical aggression. Our Lord Jesus says to us, “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also.” John 15:18-20

“And when they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to keep them securely. Having received such a charge, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.” Acts 16:23-24

The hostility of today’s community culture, that comes against the followers of Jesus Christ, is to imprison the Gospel of Jesus and to oppress the presence of the Holy Spirit. We are put into the “inner prison” by the entity that has power over physiology and controls thoughts and feelings. The purpose is to beat our thoughts and feelings to the point of not wanting to, or not being able to, speak and do for the way of Jesus Christ. Our feet are put in stocks to prevent the spread of the testimony of Jesus. “It is the sword that slays, the sword that slays the great men, that enters their private chambers”. Ezekiel 21:14 Click here for a post on Ezekiel 21. 

A time of literal imprisonment is coming for all Christians as the United Nations progresses in becoming the one world government of the beast. China has already imprisoned Christianity by declaring it a crime to spread Christian “propaganda” on the internet, social media, and to have “religious” gatherings outside the state sponsored church. Christians are given seven-year prison terms for being a leader of the way of Christ. At the same time, countries are forming warmer relationships with China in the name of economic prosperity, law, and order. What China is doing is happening in places around the world. Nations and people [including the United States] are being governed by the one “…who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.” 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 The “he” in this verse is the “man of sin”. Click here for a post on the “man of sin”.

Singing praises to God, the earth quakes, and chains of prisoners are loosed.
“But 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

Paul and Silas were thrown in prison for being disruptive to the social/economic system by teaching others to live for Jesus Christ and not for social and economic advantages. Around midnight, while in prison, Paul and Silas were praying and singing praises to God when suddenly there was an enormous earthquake, the foundations of the prison was shaken, and the doors opened as the chains of all the prisoners were loosed.

As followers of Jesus Christ, we know that our brothers and sisters in Christ will be living on this earth at the hour of “Midnight”, the hour just before the return of Jesus Christ [Click here for a post on the faithful witnesses]. While we Christians of today are imprisoned to keep the Gospel of Christ from mainstream society, some Christians in other countries are suffering literal prison, persecution, and literal death. In the “Midnight” hour, Christian imprisonment, persecution, and death will be the norm in every city around the world. The world will be living under the global government, nations and people will be one global culture, and everyone united by the entity giving them what to speak, do, think, and feel. This entity gives life to the image of the beast to speak and live through people everywhere. People are groomed to the mark of the beast by what they are given to say and do.

“And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.’” Revelation 12:17. Click here for a post on revelation 12. “And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. And all that dwell upon the earth will worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” The “him” in this verse is the beast of the image and mark of the beast.

As followers of Jesus Christ, now and in the future, we have to keep the praises of God alive, in the name of Jesus Christ. Today, there are imprisoned with us, other prisoners of today’s atheistic system who are listening and watching us. May we let our light shine to reveal the Light of Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit living in us. May we be the lampstand holding the Light of the Candlestick of our Lord Jesus and may the olive tree bloom within us to produce the oil of the Holy Spirit. In the “Midnight” hour, may our brothers and sisters be praying and singing hymns to God, and may the prisoners be listening to them. 

Our Lord Jesus Christ will be returning in the “Midnight” hour, and there will be a great earthquake. “Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, “It is done!” And there were noises and thunderings and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such a mighty and great earthquake as had not occurred since men were on the earth.” Revelation 16:17-18 This will happen about the time of the return of Jesus Christ. The chains of death will be loosed, and all Believers will arise from the grave to live eternally with Jesus Christ. The Believers who are still alive at His coming will be lifted up to Jesus Christ with the resurrected Believers. We will all meet with Jesus at the very same time of His appearing.

The destruction of the global economy is described in Revelations 18. Also, the events of the Seven Trumpets of Revelations 8, 9, and 11 as well as the events of the Seven Plagues devastates the global economy.

Our born-again experience in Jesus Christ is similar to what is mentioned above. The “Midnight” hour is when we lived in the chains of sin and death, imprisoned to the social/economic values of this world. When we come to Jesus as Christ and our Lord and Savior, we begin praying and singing praises to God from the secret places of our heart and soul. People around us take notice that the presence of Jesus Christ in our life gives us different values than what is found in the atheistic culture of materialism.

The foundations of our earthly body undergo an earthquake, an earthquake that breaks apart the sin that was grounded in our mind, heart, and soul. The door into the presence of God opens to make our body the home of the Holy Spirit as the chains of sin and death fall off. God gives us eternal life by the forgiveness of sin through Jesus Christ. This is for everyone who believes in Him, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16

Salvation experienced by the keeper of the prison.
“And the keeper of the prison, awaking from sleep and seeing the prison doors open, supposing the prisoners had fled, drew his sword and was about to kill himself.” Acts 16:27

Today, the “keeper of the prison” can be anyone who lives and governs by the entity giving them what to speak, do, feel, and think. This entity opposes belief in God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Every person of today’s culture is a “keeper of the prison” because by what they say and do they oppose Christianity. The “prison doors” are those doors which today’s atheistic culture ritualistically cannot allow to be open. This is the door leading into the presence of God to make us the home of the Holy Spirit by our faith in Jesus Christ.

When the “keeper of the prison” sees the door is open to release the Good News, the assumption is that the prisoners [who are every follower of the way of Christ] has fled. The “keeper of the prison” assumes Christianity has fled into the community network, which is unacceptable to the entity that governs through what people say and do. This entity fills the thoughts and feelings of the failed “prison keeper” with guilt, regret, sense of failure, and humiliation, to lower esteem, dignity, and all sense of honor and self-worth. “Name calling” is part of the beat down. Social disapproval and scrutiny plague the failed “prison keeper”. The degradation of the human being can lead to suicide and all sorts of self-destructive behaviors because the will to live diminishes. Massive amounts of suicides happen nowadays under the stress of living under an unGodly, uncaring, and ruthless system where love has gone cold.

“But Paul called with a loud voice, saying, “Do yourself no harm, for we are all here.” Then he called for a light, ran in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. And he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” Acts 16:28-30

Paul called out to the prison keeper, “Do yourself no harm, for we are all here.” As followers of Jesus Christ, we live with the prison doors open and the chains loosed, referring to our freedom from sin and death. Even in the freedom of the Holy Spirit, we have no desire to roam freely in the atheistic community where the Good News of Jesus Christ is not welcomed. As our Lord Jesus says, “And whoever will not receive you nor hear your words, when you depart from that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet. Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!” Matthew 10:14-15

To those “prison keepers” who feel degraded, useless, and of no worth because they are not able to shut out the Holy Spirit from living within us, we say from the Holiness of the Spirit, “Do yourself no harm, for we are all here.” We are here, in our private quarters, as we have shaken off the dust of our feet and departed from the atheistic community culture who rejects Christianity.

The “prison keeper” was in the dark and couldn’t believe that all the prisoners were freed from their chains but still in their quarters. He called for a light, ran into the quarters, and saw all the prisoners still where he left them. Today, the failed “prison keeper” is in the dark as to why the followers of the way of Christ are not trying to leave their quarters when obviously we are free within our spirit. When they grab a light and are able to see by the Light of Christ, they see we have no desire to cause an uproar among the atheistic culture. The Holy Spirit teaches us, “…to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men.” Titus 3:1-2

The prison keeper fell down before Paul and Silas and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” In today’s culture, there are those who realize they will never be able to perform according to the entity that gives them what to speak and do. For one reason or another, they will always be beaten down in their thoughts and feelings. They see the life of a Christian living in the Holy Spirit by faith in Jesus Christ, and they say, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” As followers of Jesus Christ, we are eager for an opportunity like this to arise, to present the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We may be confined to our quarters, discouraged by the community population, but when that one opportunity arises, we are ready with the testimony of Jesus.

Sometimes, when I receive a call from a telemarketer, I use that as an opportunity to market the Good News of Jesus Christ. I figure they called me, not me them. I also have a 4-foot x 4-foot banner on my wall that reads, “Normal Isn’t Coming Back, Jesus Is”, with an 18″ tall Cross. If I do have visitors [usually for apartment inspections] they can read that. Usually, they purposely avoid looking at it which means they probably caught a glimpse of the Cross.

“So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.” Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house.” Acts 16:31-32

When the prison keeper asked Paul and Silas what he must do to be saved, they replied, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved.” That should be our reply to anyone who asks us what they must do to be saved. Paul and Silas knew by the Holy Spirit that the whole household of the prison keeper would also be saved. Salvation is to be forgiven of our sins of rejecting God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. As Christians, our desire is to share the message of the Cross with those who have receptive hearts, those whose soul is good soil for the seed of the testimony of Jesus.

“And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes. And immediately he and all his family were baptized. Now when he had brought them into his house, he set food before them; and he rejoiced, having believed in God with all his household.” Acts 16:33-34

The same hour the prison keeper said yes to Jesus Christ, he took Paul and Silas and washed their stripes [stripes were the wounds suffered from the beating they received]. Beating with rods left bloody stripes where the rods struck. A good sign that someone has received Jesus as their Lord and Savior is that they want to do good for Christians. They show their repentance by desiring to serve God, to live according to the way of Jesus Christ, and to live in the presence of the Holy Spirit. We want to heal the spiritual wounds we caused to Jesus Christ in all the years we lived against Him and His people [Christians].

Immediately after the prison keeper washed the wounds on the back of Paul and Silas, he and all of his family were baptized. When someone begins making amends to Jesus Christ by showing goodwill and kindness to His followers, they will be baptized in the Holy Spirit. Holy Spirit filled people desire to have the family of Jesus Christ within their home, to feed them with fellowship in the Spirit, and to feast on the word of God. There is rejoicing in the Holy Spirit within the fellowship of members of the family of Jesus Christ. That rejoicing comes by believing in the Living God.

Paul and Silas were to be released secretly, but Paul insisted on release openly by the community leaders.
“And when it was day, the magistrates sent the officers, saying, “Let those men go.” So the keeper of the prison reported these words to Paul, saying, “The magistrates have sent to let you go. Now therefore depart, and go in peace.” Acts 16:35-36

In the previous section of Acts 16:27-34, an earthquake opened the prison doors, and the chains fell off the prisoners. The prison keeper was terrified, and Paul and Silas led him to Salvation through Jesus Christ. When morning came, the magistrates decided it would be OK to let Paul and Silas go. Magistrates were community officials and judges responsible for maintaining law and order. The warden of the prison was sent by the magistrates to release Paul and Silas and to let them go in peace.

On the surface, we would assume that this was an act of goodwill on the part of the city officials to release Paul and Silas and let them go in peace. However, as the next verses reveal, this was far from an act of goodwill towards those who follow the way of Jesus Christ. Worldly freedom and peace are far from the peace and freedom given to us in the Spirit through Jesus Christ. As our Lord Jesus says, “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” John 14:27

“But Paul said to them, “They have beaten us openly, uncondemned Romans, and have thrown us into prison. And now do they put us out secretly? No indeed! Let them come themselves and get us out.” Acts 16:37

Whenever government officials do something publicly to someone it sets an example for the whole population of people to follow. Paul was not enthused whatsoever about being told to “go in peace”. That’s because the city officials made a public show of punishing Paul and Silas for all the community residents to see. The city officials made an example of Paul and Silas about what would happen to anyone who brings people to Jesus Christ and away from the social/economic system. In today’s atheistic culture, people are well aware of the consequences of living for Jesus Christ instead of living for community values. Social disapproval and scrutiny are upon anyone who lives in the presence of the Holy Spirit instead of living for the entity giving them what to speak, do, think, and feel.

The city officials were releasing Paul and Silas into a population of people that saw them as being cursed and deserving of punishment [approved publicly by the governing authorities]. This was the community leaders’ idea of “going in peace”, not the peace that Jesus Christ gives to us. Paul demanded that they not be sent away in secret, meaning not to be sent away without the city officials acknowledging to the community population that they were not deserving of punishment. As followers of Jesus Christ, we know there is a huge difference between the flattery and smooth words wishing us peace and the reality of what exists in the atheistic culture of today [which is global]. Christianity is met with social disapproval and scrutiny, regardless of deceitful flatteries and pats on the back. Paul said, like all of us Christians are saying within our heart, “No indeed! Let them come themselves and get us out”.

We know Paul was a Roman citizen [Acts 22:25-29], and Paul speaks for Silas also when he said, “They have beaten us openly, uncondemned Romans, and have thrown us into prison.” Roman citizens were not subject to the same brutal beatings and other such punishments as non-Romans. Paul used every resource within his reach to further the Gospel of Jesus Christ. As followers of Jesus Christ, whatever influence we have in this world, if any, must be used to the glory of God in the name of Jesus Christ.

“And the officers told these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Romans. Then they came and pleaded with them and brought them out, and asked them to depart from the city.” Acts 16:38-39

Because Paul and Silas were Roman citizens, the city officials pleaded for forgiveness for beating them and then brought them out in public and released them. The public already knew Paul and Silas were beaten and imprisoned for bringing people to Jesus and away from the atheistic values of the social/economic system. So when the city authorities released them in public, it was somewhat of a public apology to Paul and Silas and a victory for the way of Jesus Christ. Even then, Paul and Silas were asked to depart from the city.

In today’s atheistic culture, the despise that governing authorities have for the spread of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is not being publicly acknowledged. Even so, we are asked to depart from the social network. Today’s churches have abandoned the message of the Cross, government lawmakers no longer integrate the values of the Bible in laws, policies, and executive orders, the educational system prohibits the teaching of the bible in classrooms, and Christianity is not wanted in any sector of society. Click here for a post on the extinction of Chrisitan births from Revelations 12.

Return to Lydia’s house.
“So they went out of the prison and entered the house of Lydia; and when they had seen the brethren, they encouraged them and departed.” Acts 16:40

Lydia’s house was in Philippi, the same city where Paul and Silas were asked to depart [Acts 16:39]. Paul and Silas did depart from Philippi and went to Thessalonica, but not before encouraging fellow believers.

Paul and his companions met Lydia in Philippi, where she said “Yes” to Jesus Christ through the ministry of Paul, Silas, Timothy, and Luke. Before being born-again, Lydia was a wealthy and influential businesswoman, as described in Acts 16:11-15. Before coming to Jesus Christ, Lydia was an important part in the social/economic system of Philippi. After becoming part of the way of Jesus Christ, she used her wealth and influence to ground the Churches in Philippi and Thyatira. Thyatira was Lydia’s hometown.

As followers of Jesus Christ, whatever difficulties, afflictions, and tribulation we suffer, we always have the desire within us, through the Holy Spirit, to encourage fellow Believers. When one door closes to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, we wait for the Holy Spirit to open a new opportunity. Patience is something we need, “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” James 1:2-3

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“….to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets,“
‘I will not impose any other burden on you, except to hold on to what you have until I come.’”
“I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.”
Revelation 2:24-25, 3:11