“The crowd joined in an attack against them, and the chief magistrates tore their robes off them and to order them to be beaten with rods. When they had struck them with many blows, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to guard them securely; and he, having received such a command, threw them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. Now about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them; and 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 unfastened.” (Acts 16:21-26 NASB)
This coming Sunday, I am going to start a new sermon series entitled, “Opening Closed Doors.” As I was searching through passages in the Bible, waiting for the Lord to show me where to preach from first, I came across a biblical account that I have already preached before. The account about Paul and Silas in the Philippians jail. That was not what I was to preach, but it was made known to me that it is okay to teach from this passage in today’s meditation. Furthermore, I was assured that a brief meditation would be applicable and profitable for you, especially when you encounter closed doors. We all face them at some time or the other in life. So, let me just share a few points of emphasis pulled from the passage above to start your Wednesday.
Looking at the opening verses, I saw the following:
- We will face opposition to our kingdom work, and sometimes it is painful. Perhaps not physically, but mentally and possibly spiritually because we want our witnessing to work for the benefit of others.
- We will be thrown into figurative prisons, simply because we are talking Jesus.
- Also, there are all kinds of other doors that will be closed in our face. Doors to peace in relationships, doors of opportunity in the workplace, doors of rejection and refused reconciliation attempts, and even in this day and time, we will face closed doors of equal opportunity. We face economic-related, closed doors due to rising costs. Our communities face closed doors of peace because of closed minds that don’t accept the truth that God is still relevant, still real solution to halt the ever-increasing crime rate, and God the Son, Jesus is still the way, the truth, and the life.
- Closed doors, at times, will seem like they can never be opened. Well, let me remind you that we serve a God who opens doors we cannot see.
- Faith in God will open doors, but we must continue to demonstrate our faith, knowing that our perseverance in faith and our trusting God to make a way out of no way will benefit others. Weren’t everyone’s chains unfastened in the passage above? Before it happened, it was unsuspected, but after God stepped in, it was undeniable.
- We need to keep praying, and singing hymns of praise to God, demonstrating once again our faith, and realizing that our God answers prayers and regardless of how long it takes for doors to be opened, the Lord is worthy of our praise. Don’t be a “downer” because of your closed door(s)! Be an upper, uplifting the spirit for others who may be going through the exact same thing you are going through. Use your past experience with God, to ensure that He is still in the opening closed doors business.
- Closely related to what I just said in the observation above, make sure you apply what I told you yesterday, “Make sure your faith is bigger than your fear.” Paul and Silas did!
- When you are experiencing closed doors, acknowledge that God may have placed you in your “closed door situation” for a short time so others will be influenced by your unchanging trust in the Lord in the midst of what you are going through. Look! Unbelievers, or shall we say, those who have not yet been converted, they are watching what you, looking at how you handle challenging situations, and listening to what you say when you are waiting for your closed doors to be opened.
- What Joseph said in Genesis 50:49 is detected in our text above and applicable anytime that we face closed doors. Joseph told his brothers, “And as for you, you meant evil against me, but God mean it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.” God will allow you to go through something at times, for the purpose of saving others while you are in the “something” and then, in accordance with His timing and by His power, He will open the closed door, and make something better.
- As was the case with Paul and Silas, remember when you face a closed door, it ain’t over! The door will be open. Focus on waiting on the Lord and maintain your Christian work ethic. Let’s be real! You worked before the closed door showed up, and during the closed door. So, afterwards, keep praying, keep singing, and keep working for the Lord. In regard to all that, “it ain’t over.”
Well, “ten” takeaways are my limit this morning. May something that I provided you to read today encourage you and lift you up, even if you are facing a closed door of any type at the present time. Trust in the Lord! Be blessed!
“When you can’t see your way, and you feel that you have gone astray, doing all you know to do. God had not forgotten you, hold your head up and be true, for God will open doors for you. Fight on through your darkest days even though you’re heavy laden and can’t see your way; (God will open doors) He will open doors, God will open doors) He will open doors, (God will open doors) open doors for you.” (Lyrics by Walter Hawkins)
Mark L. King