October 17.
Serious About Soul Winning

Acts 16:23

And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailer to keep them safely

The rulers took Paul and Silas and put them in the dungeon saying these were the men bringing trouble to their city and teaching things they did not want to hear. It was not enough to lock them up; they had also torn off their clothes. They could have told Paul and Silas to undress, but they wanted to embarrass them more by tearing off their clothes. Then they took whips platted with pieces of metal and dried bone and whipped their backs until blood gushed from Paul and Silas.

Paul and Silas stood in jail for preaching the gospel. However, this was not enough so the accusers decided to put them in the inner dungeon, what is called now a lock down. It was a place with no light, no food, no nothing. They said, “Well, even this is not enough.” They had already stripped them and beat their backs, but now they put shackles on their hands and shackles on their feet.

Why are they there? There are there because they love the Lord and trusted in Him. When the Lord sends you, he did not promise you wouldn’t have any trouble. As a matter of fact, he said, you will have it. John 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. Since I’m going to have trouble, how does God want me to handle it?

God says, “Be of good cheer” That’s something. With their backs whipped, they’re in chains in the inner jail and the Lord says, “Be of good cheer.” It’s rough enough to go through something, but it’s even rougher to go through and try to have a good attitude. Yet neither Paul nor Silas said a mumbling word. It is amazing! They’re going through all of this for winning a soul. And we will give up just because it looks like it’s going to rain!