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.” (Acts 16:35-36a)
The magistrates were angry with Paul and Silas for interfering with their malevolent customs. They retaliated by having Paul and Silas beaten, placed in jail, and threatening the jailer’s life if they escaped. It looked as though the lives of Paul and Silas were over. They would stop spreading God’s love and building new churches.
Like Paul and Silas we have dreams and goals. Sometimes it looks as though we’ll never get a promotion, heal from sickness, see our child change direction, get out of debt, meet the right person, or have a child or grandchild. When someone stands in our way, it can look as if our dreams and goals won’t come true.
Deuteronomy 28 tells us if we honor God by following his commands, we’ll be blessed in the city and in the country and when we come in and go out, that God will make us the head and not the tail, and that we will always be at the top and never at the bottom. He will bless the fruit of our wombs, everything we have stored in our homes, and everything we put our hands to. He will grant us abundant prosperity so that we will lend and not borrow.
Jesus gave us one command: to love God and love others. Paul and Silas honored that by praising God when they were wounded and by loving the jailer when the was about to take his own life. Because they honored God, God blessed them and changed the minds of the magistrates. The next day the magistrates ordered that Paul and Silas be released.
When we honor God, he will bless us also. God will promote us, heal us, bless and change our children, find us the perfect spouse, give us children and grandchildren, and do more for us than we can ask for or imagine. When God blesses us, people will change their minds like the magistrates did for Paul and Silas, and new doors will open.
Father God, I praise you for your many blessings. Help me to honor You by loving and praising You, even during adverse times. Release me from people and situations keeping me from achieving my dreams. Open doors for me so I can do Your will. I pray in Jesus’ precious and holy name, amen.