About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everybody's chains came loose. The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. But Paul shouted, "Don't harm yourself! We are all here!"
The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. He then brought them out and asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved- you and your household." Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his family were baptized. The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God- he and his whole family.
When it was daylight, the magistrates sent their officers to the jailer with the order: "Release those men." The jailer told Paul, "The magistrates have ordered that you and Silas be released. Now you can leave. Go in peace." But Paul said to the officers: "They beat us publicly without a trial, even though we are Roman citizens, and threw us into prison. And now do they want to get rid of us quietly? No! Let them come themselves and escort us out." The officers reported this to the magistrates, and when they heard that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens, they were alarmed. They came to appease them and escorted them from the prison, requesting them to leave the city. After Paul and Silas came out of the prison, they went to Lydia's house, where they met the brothers and encouraged them. Then they left Acts 16:25-40 NIV.
God used an earthquake to shake things up. When Jesus was on the cross, there was an earthquake. The Father will use everything at his disposal as he wills. When we are in a fiery trial, just know the Lord will bring you out. Stay calm! Never loose your praise! The trials we go through is not for us alone, it will cause others to believe in God and to be encouraged. The Father will give you an open door, go through it before it closes. He will give you the exact words to say when you need to say them and to whom you need to say them to. Do not fear, for greater is he that is in you. Paul's claim were, they were Roman citizens and were treated without just cause. We can claim our heavenly citizenship and that all of heaven backs us! We have the whole counsel of God at our disposal the Bible. We have prayer, praise, other witnessess who have gone before us, worship, the Holy Spirit and fasting. We have the power of Almight God to declare his works and words with power. USE IT!
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