An Open Door

But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. 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 chains were loosed. And the keeper of the prison, awaking from sleep and seeing the prison doors open, supposing the prisoners had fled, drew his sword and was about to kill himself. But Paul called with a loud voice, saying, “Do yourself no harm, for we are all here.”
Act 16:25-28

There was no lawful reason that Paul and Silas should be imprisoned in our text today. Rather than committing a crime, they had actually aided a young woman by setting her free from the demon which possessed her. We are becoming increasingly aware in this present day that, in a fallen world, the righteous may be held captive for doing good while the wicked go free; however, though these men were in physical bonds, it’s clear that their souls were at liberty! As they prayed and sang praises to God, the Lord sent an earthquake to loose their chains and fling the prison doors open. But, did you notice the valuable lesson we learn from their reaction to this event?  Just because God opens a door doesn’t mean we should walk through it! Paul and Silas did not flee when the door opened because their focus was not upon themselves. They had prepared their hearts in prayer and praise, and they were more concerned about God’s glory and the souls of those around them than their personal discomfort.

Over the years, I’ve seen men remove their families from solid gospel ministries saying, “God opened a door. We don’t know where we’ll go to church, but this is just too good of an opportunity to turn down.” Ever heard something like that? Sometimes, the “open door” is not there because it’s best for us to embrace that opportunity but rather to test our hearts to see if we want God’s will or our own. Lot had an open door in Gen 13 to choose the well-watered plain of Jordan, but we never read of him inquiring of the Lord as to whether it was best for him and his family to dwell in that plain and pitch his tent toward Sodom! You see, too many fail to ask why they would walk through the open door. What’s the motivation? Is it for God’s glory? Is it best for the souls affected by that decision? In 2Ch 32:31, Hezekiah had an opportunity to reveal the greatness of his kingdom to the “ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, whom they sent to him to inquire about the wonder that was done in the land”, but it says that “God withdrew from him, in order to test him, that He might know all that was in his heart.” In Isa 39, we find out that Hezekiah in his pride showed these ambassadors all the treasures of his house. Isaiah said the result would be that eventually every bit of it would be carried away to Babylon and that Hezekiah’s sons would be eunuchs in the palace there.

Let me warn you, when an open door presents itself, Satan will always encourage self-centeredness and whisper that God has provided this for you. After all, you ought to have it, right? Don’t you deserve it? My advice is, when God opens a door, don’t presume. Ask Him if you should walk through it. Will walking through it best honor Him?  When King Saul wandered into a cave in which David and his men were hiding, his men in essence told David, “God’s given you an open door! He’s delivered your enemy into your hand.” (1Sa 24:4) Hadn’t God promised David he would be king? Hadn’t God rejected Saul? But instead of taking Saul’s life, David was more concerned about glorifying God and respecting this man God had placed in authority over him than he was about his own personal suffering. He said, “The LORD forbid that I should do this thing to my master, the LORD’s anointed, to stretch out my hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the LORD.” (v. 6) This selfless act had a tremendous effect upon Saul who for a season stopped pursuing David and even confessed to David, “You are more righteous than I; for you have rewarded me with good, whereas I have rewarded you with evil.” (v. 17)

When we don’t walk through that open door which would relieve our suffering because it’s more glorifying to God and better for the souls of others, men are affected by such a witness. Just because we have liberty to do something, doesn’t mean we should. The apostle Paul wrote in 1Co 9:19: “For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more.” We’d have no hope at all if Christ had gone through the open door offered Him in Mat 26:53. Jesus rebuked Peter, who had tried to rescue Christ from the mob sent to take Him, and then revealed, “Or do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels?” Christ had an open door to escape the suffering of the cross, but He cared much more about His Father’s will and our souls than to walk through that door! In like manner, Paul and Silas, knowing the jailer would lose his life if they escaped, cared more for him than their own freedom. What an affect this witness had upon the jailer and his entire house who were saved as a result of their selfless act of love! Let us likewise prayerfully consider every door the Lord opens.

Jamie

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