Do Not Harm Yourself

“When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped.But Paul cried with a loud voice, ‘Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.’” [1]

He had a family. He had a job. His wife, his children, his parents, his siblings, his coworkers and his friends would have experienced pain and bewilderment if he had ended his life. Yet, he was ready in a moment to do so because of a crisis.

Thank God for God’s servant Paul who was there and said to him with a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself!”

May God help us to be “there” for people who have reached a point of what they consider to be a point of no return.

Jesus Christ was there for me in August 1979. I was about to end my life and He spoke to my conscious saying, “Don’t do that! Give your life to Me and I will use it to touch many people.” I replied, “I have only messed it up, but if You can do anything with it is Yours. I won’t try to take it back again.”

Jesus Christ received that prayer, and birthed me anew unto Him by the power of His Holy Spirit.

Fast forward 45 years later, and I am standing in a church that two of my sons-in-law pastor. One just preached a Scripture-loaded Christ-exalting message from Jeremiah 6:16-21. The other led us in beautifully composed and played songs of worship. The church was full of people including people from Africa, Ukraine, Russia and Asia. Members tell me after the service how both of my daughters have meant so much to their spiritual development in Christ. 

Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord! Glory to God!

God has been so gracious, long suffering and generous towards me. And I am just one of a multitude of individuals who have had a similar experience with Jesus Christ.

“The jailer called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas. Then he brought them out and said, ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’ And they said, ‘Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.’” [2]

The magistrates expected the jailer to keep prisoners from escaping. He probably had never once disappointed them or himself in this regard. Now, due to an earthquake, the prison doors are open. He assumed that he had failed his main mission in life. There was nothing more worth living for, but Paul cried with a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.” Those words stopped him from plunging his sword into his body. And he wanted something more after that. He wanted what he saw that Paul and Silas had.

Our Lord Jesus Christ had revealed His glory in that prison via His servants Paul and Silas. 

Let’s go back to where this edition of the jailer’s salvation story started… 

“The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders to beat them with rods. And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them safely. Having received this order, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.” [3]

When the jailer received these two prisoners, their clothes had been torn off. They had been beaten many times over with rods. The jailer had been given strict orders to keep them safely so he locked them in an inner cell and shackled their feet.

But the kingdom of God entered that prison that night when God’s servants entered there.

“About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns 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 bonds were unfastened.” [4]

In God’s Kingdom there is intercession for others and there is worship of the One who hears and answers prayers. The jailer got a glimpse of this kingdom via the lives of Paul and Silas, and then, the earth began to shake, bonds fell off and prison doors opened.

Barlow Girl produced a music video for their song, “Never Alone.” In the video, a man is bound with ropes from which he cannot escape, but he continues to pray and trust the Lord against the odds and at the end of the song, he is free. The lyrics of the song are meant to encourage the person who is in a hard place to keep trusting God, keep praying, deliverance will come.

“I waited for You today

But You didn't show, no, no, no

I needed You today

So, where did You go?

You told me to call, said You'd be there

And though I haven't seen You

Are You still there?

I cried out with no reply and

I can't feel You by my side so

I'll hold tight to what I know

You're here

And I'm never alone

I know I cannot see You

And I can't explain why (why)

Such a deep, deep reassurance

You've placed in my life

Whoa, we cannot separate 'cause You're part of me

And though You're invisible, I'll trust the unseen.

I'll hold tight to what I know

You're here

And I'm never alone.”

The jailer experienced salvation that night. He and his family!

“And they spoke the Word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family. Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them. And he rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in God.” [5]

Rather than grief there was rejoicing thanks to Jesus Christ!

What about the jailer’s job? Did the Lord take care of those misguided magistrates who mistreated Paul and Silas? Those evil authorities who execute those who fail them? 

“When it was day, the magistrates sent the police, saying, ‘Let those men go.’ And the jailer reported these words to Paul, saying, ‘The magistrates have sent to let you go. Therefore come out now and go in peace.’ But Paul said to them, ‘They have beaten us publicly, uncondemned, men who are Roman citizens, and have thrown us into prison; and do they now throw us out secretly? No! Let them come themselves and take us out.’ The police reported these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Roman citizens. So they came and apologized to them. And they took them out and asked them to leave the city. So they went out of the prison and visited Lydia. And when they had seen the brothers, they encouraged them and departed.” [6]

 

Thanks to Jesus and His servants Paul and Silas, the jailer and his family were saved. When Jesus showed up, miracles happened and his life improved. He was born anew. He enjoyed a relationship with God and so did his family members.

Rather than being executed by his bosses, the jailer saw his bosses apologize to his prisoners. 

God takes what was meant for evil and turns it around for the good. [7] We just need to believe in Him and ask Him to help us. Not be our own savior! No one can save themselves from sin and its consequences. That’s the Savior’s role! Jesus Christ alone is Savior. With Him there is forgiveness of sin, and there is power to live a new life.

“We know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” [8]

Don’t harm yourself! Love God! Surrender your life to His purpose for you. Be patient! It is better to give your life to Jesus Christ than to destroy it. You will never be able to measure how much He has done and will do through your life.

[1] Acts 16:27-28

[2] Acts 16:29-31

[3] Acts 16:22-24

[4] Acts 16:25-26

[5] Acts 16:32-34

[6] Acts 16:35-40

[7] Genesis 50:20

[8] Romans 8:28