On Purpose

Acts 16:^27-28 “The jailer woke up to see the prison doors wide open. He assumed the prisoners had escaped, so he drew his sword to kill himself. But Paul shouted to him, “Stop! Don’t kill yourself! We are all here!”

Why did Paul and Silas not walk out of prison after all, they had been freed and it was dark, so why didn’t they run? The first reason they did not escape is because their assignment was not done. The second reason is, God must take maximum glory. Acts 16:^35-36 “The next morning the city officials sent the police to tell the jailer, “Let those men go!” So, the jailer told Paul, “The city officials have said you and Silas are free to leave. Go in peace.” You can almost sense the excitement in the jailer’s voice when he tells Paul and Silas the good news. Acts 16:³⁷ “But Paul replied, “They have publicly beaten us without a trial and put us in prison—and we are Roman citizens. So now they want us to leave secretly? Certainly not! Let them come themselves to release us!”

Acts 16:³⁹ “So they came to the jail and apologized to them. Then they brought them out and begged them to leave the city.” Sometimes as Christians, you have to stand your ground and insist on honour. Some people want to trample on your head because you are a Christian. Sometimes, you need to say, ‘No, not this time!’. However, you have to do it well because if you do not do it well, you will face the music. Paul and Silas refused to walk out even though the prison doors were open. The third reason, which also explains the first two is, even though they were physically in prison, Paul and Silas were never imprisoned in their minds. These men never saw themselves bound. So, when the physical freedom came, they did not see it as something to jump at because they were not really bound in their minds.

On my way back from Netherlands, I met a Nigerian at the airport, and we got talking. All he was saying to me was, ‘How can you be going back to that country?’ He said if he has his way, he will to stay in Netherlands. And in my mind, I was thinking; I am not bound in Nigeria, I prosper anywhere I go to the glory of God, The Father. So, I do not see being in Netherlands or any country as something to rejoice about. Some people are shortchanging their destiny by emigrating. You think your life cannot be fulfilled until you leave your home country? Paul and Silas were not imprisoned in their minds. Most times, it is a mental limitation people have.

I think it was Archbishop Benson Idahosa that said, ‘if you are lizard in Nigeria, you are not going to become an alligator in the United States’. You are not going to get to the U.S. and transform all of a sudden and become a crocodile. It is who you are in your mind that determines how your life actually plays out. So, it really does not matter where you are, if you are carrying God’s blessings you will prosper. The proof that you are carrying God’s blessings is not the hostility or pleasantness of your environment. The proof that you are carrying God’s blessings is the capacity to prosper regardless of your environment. You need to get this!

Prayer: Father, I ask for the wisdom and discernment to stay where You have placed me. Father, please let Your hand be with me always, in Jesus Name. Amen!