“Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God.” Acts 16:25
Coronavirus fears are now pandemic. Tsunami-sized anxiety is washing over our world. How do we possess muscular faith when our faith feels flabby? Paul and Silas show us how to develop strong confidence in God during a time of crisis and viral anxiety.
In Acts 16, a female slave was making boatloads of money for her owners by fortune-telling. She also disrupted Paul and his friends as they served Jesus. (Acts 16:16-17) After Paul rebuked the evil spirit in her (Acts 16:18,) the owners were angry as ‘fortune telling’ stock plummeted that day. Furious, they seized Paul and Silas, dragged them before the authorities and accused them of throwing the city into an uproar. (Acts 16:19-20) The crowd joined the attack and the rulers had them stripped, beaten with rods, and thrown into prison. The jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. (Acts 16:22-24).
Paul and Silas demonstrate four ways to develop strong faith during a time of crisis.
First, they prayed. If I were in a smelly, germ-filled, cell with prisoners, prayer would not be my first choice! Paul and Silas were in a dungeon, which was a dark, damp, foul-smelling place for outcasts. But, “about midnight, Paul and Silas were praying …” (Acts 16:25) They knew, “God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble” (Psalm 46:1). Since God is a prayer-hearing God, (Psalm 18:6) and a burden-bearing God, (I Peter 5:7) we can pray and defeat worry.
Second, they sang. Picture the scene. They were black and blue from being beaten and “singing hymns” in a dirty prison. (Acts 16:25) A happy heart can sing in all circumstances because it trusts the promises of the Word of God. (Colossians 3:16). One sign of people trusting God is they sing. (Ephesians 5:18-19)
Third, they defeat anxiety with love. Within the dark dungeon, the prisoners were “listening” to Paul and Silas sing and pray. (Acts 16:25) After a violent earthquake, the prisoner’s “chains came loose” (Acts 16:26), and the startled jailer “woke up” and was ready “to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped.” (Acts 16:27) But Paul, full of love, shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!” (Acts, 16:28). Paul loved and had compassion for the jailer IN his trials. He knew that “perfect love casts out fear” (John 4:18) and reaching out in love helps raise our confidence and compassion.
Fourth, they shared the love of Jesus. Fearful, the jailer fell trembling before Paul and Silas and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved.” (Acts 16:30-31) Instead of being consumed with the fog of worry, Paul and Silas experienced the joy of seeing the jailer embrace the love of Jesus (Acts 16:34).
Friends let’s follow Paul and Silas’ example. Though we don’t have a cure for the Coronavirus yet, we can still demonstrate strong faith by praying, singing, loving, and sharing the love of Jesus. Living that way displays strong faith and cures any anxiety that tries to go viral.
Digging Deeper
- In what ways can we replace worry over the Coronavirus, with prayer? Singing? Sharing the love of Jesus?
- List 3 people God wants you to share Jesus.
