“And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.” (Acts 16:25)
Paul and Silas were cast into prison. They had been beaten, bound, and were barely making it. They were sitting in this cold, dark prison at the midnight hour, the darkest part of the night. Sometimes, we find ourselves in a trial that is so overwhelming we don’t think we will make it, either. It is OUR midnight hour.
But even though they could not get out, God could get in! He came into that prison and performed four miracles at midnight. Let’s look at them.
Miracle #1—The SAINTS Were SINGING.
The Bible says they “prayed, and sang praises unto God.” What? They were singing after all they had been through? How could they do that? There is only one way…GOD! Only God can give you the grace and the strength to sing when you feel like weeping. Only God can give you the peace to serenade the Lord when you’re not sure how your trial will turn out.
Miracle #2—The STRONGHOLD Was SHAKEN.
(v.26) says, “And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken:” The jailer needed to be saved, but he was no doubt a hardened man. So God had to produce a shake-up for the jailer to wake up!
Miracle #3—The SUICIDE Was STOPPED.
(v.27) says the jailer “drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled.” He knew his life was at stake if the prisoners were gone. Paul saw what he was about to do and “cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.”
Miracle #4—The SINNER Was SAVED.
(v.30-31) says the jailer “brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.” Had Paul and Silas not prayed and sang during their trial, this jailer (and his family) never would have been saved.
Listen, God may have you in a midnight hour of your life so that He can use your testimony to reach someone else. So, keep on praying and praising. You might be surprised what miracles God might do!