They gained Lydia
Acts 16:40”They went out of the prison and entered the house of Lydia, and when they saw the brethren, they encouraged them and departed.”
Imagine your spiritual mentors, the pastor whom you love or someone whom you love walk …no…no…limp into your home because they were beaten with rods, blood stains, shirt torn, swollen faces and hands- how would you react?? What exactly happened to Paul and Silas, read:
22 “.they.tore their robes off them and proceeded to order them to be beaten with rods. 23 When they had struck them with many blows, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to guard them securely;……threw them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.” Did you read that? Lydia and her household were not scared to welcome Paul and Silas into their home.
What caught my attention is that directly out of the prison, in that horrible state they walk to ‘Lydia’s house” by then it was a small church, where believers had gathered and prayed for Paul and Silas. Despite the blows that they received, in that town of Philippi they gained LYDIA! All that pain did not go in vain because they found Lydia! Yes, Lydia was a gold mine for God, a sincere worker, passionate lover for Christ, love for God’s servants. her value is incomparable, unsurpassed to the Body of Christ Ah, Clap hands for God! Paul and Silas had an extraordinary call to Philippi; and yet, when they have come there, they saw little of the fruit of their labors; yet, nothing was in vain. Hallelujah!
Though the beginnings here were small, the latter end greatly increased; now they laid the foundation of a church at Philippi, (Lydia’s home) which became very eminent, had its bishops and deacons, and people that were more generous to Paul than any other church, as appears by his epistle to the Philippians, read: Philippians 1: 1 Paul and Timothy, bond-servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, including the overseers and deacons.’ Wow, what a growth!
Every church needs a Lydia, every ministry needs a Lydia, every Christian work needs a Lydia who will be used for the kingdom of God. Alas, There are few women today in the church staff, who destroy and divide the church, the tares are to be removed. A young girl along with her entire family attended our meetings, the entire family got saved and were also water baptized. This young girl, last in her family married a believer whom she met in our prayer meeting, later after few years both surrendered their lives for full time ministry and now they run a church. We are glad to have raised a ‘Lydia’ for the kingdom of God. Amen. Are you a blessing for the Kingdom of God?
Quote from Christine Caine: There is a fight worth throwing all your energy and emotion into. This fight is crucial to every aspect of your life. It’s the good fight of faith. And at the end of the day, that’s the fight the Enemy is after because he knows if you don’t have your faith, he has the power to take you out. Pick the best fight. Fight the good fight of faith.”
Charles Swindoll says, “When God is in your circumstances and you come to a
dangerous place, He magnificently delivers. He delivers wisdom, right when you need it.
He delivers protection, but if you run away you nullify faith. You panic and cut God short.
You short-circuit His opportunity to do what man cannot do. Stand firm! Believe Him!”
To an untrained eye, the forest is a vast expanse of green and brown. But ask the guide,
he would patiently open up the treasure trove of herbs, medicine, balms and even fuels.
Sometimes when going through struggles, it looks like a journey in the forest. But hang
on, God would reveal the benefits that would come out of the forest experience! You
would learn to be more patient, more kind, compassionate, loving, forgiving, long
suffering, faithful and honest. Such Christ-like qualities do not grow on trees, we get
them through Jesus Christ, as we gladly accept the fiery trials that come our way.
GOD’S PROVISION IS SUFFICIENT WHILE WE ARE INEFFICIENT!
Walter B. Knight tells of an American tourist who had just seen the Passion Play, approached Mr. Lang who played the part of Christ, he asked, “May I be photographed with you while I lift your cross?” The tourist stooped to lift the cross but he couldn’t. He exerted more energy, but still could not lift it. Looking at Mr. Lang, he said, “Your cross is certainly heavy!” Mr. Lang said, “Sir, I cannot represent Christ with a light cross!”
