Acts 16 - That was no Coincidence
Acts 16 NLT
This chapter is full of coincidences, chance meetings, and lucky breaks. Oh wait. NOT! This chapter is full of divine appointments.
Remember Lystra where Paul was stoned and left for dead? (Acts 14:19) Paul decided to go back there again to encourage the believers. While he was there he "happened to meet" Timothy (divine appointment) and ended up inviting him to join their team. (vs 1-3)
Interestingly, it turns out Timothy had probably witnessed Paul being stoned the last time he was visiting Lystra. Writing to him years later Paul wrote: "You, however, know all about my...sufferings - what kinds of things happened to me in... Lystra, the persecutions I endured..." (2 Tim 3:10-11)
Timothy ended up being one of Paul's most beloved disciples and was someone that he invested a lot in and counted on (and was the recipient of TWO of Paul's letters in the Bible). "To Timothy, my dear son...the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses, entrust to reliable men who also will be qualified to teach others." (2 Tim 1:2 & 2;2) This is discipleship. It's what Jesus called us to do: "go make disciples" (Matt 28:19)
Have you ever found yourself traveling, and along the way, one night you didn't have a place lined up to stay? (Neither did Paul's missionary team have a place to stay in Philippi.) It would be a good idea to pray and let the "Spirit of Jesus" (vs 7) guide you and lead you. He will provide in the most unexpected ways sometimes. Look how the guys "randomly" met Lydia down by the river and she ended up inviting them to stay at her house. (vs 13-15) So cool. I wonder what they would have done had they not met her. (Divine accommodations)
But my favorite story of their stay in Philippi is their divine encounter with the jailer. (vs 23-36) They had been thrown in jail after being flogged but nonetheless were still "praying and singing hymns to God and all the other prisoners were listening to them." (vs 25) I believe the Lord brought Paul & Silas there to that jail for those prisoners to hear the good news, but especially for the jailer.
When the Lord caused an earthquake and "the prison doors flew open and everybody's chains came loose" (vs 26), the guard was ready to kill himself rather than face the shame of being executed as punishment for his failure. Instead, no one left the prison and Paul "spoke the word of the Lord to him". (vs 32) "...he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God..." (vs 34) This was a consistent consequence in the book of Acts when people found Jesus - just as it is still to this day.
Prayer: Lord help me to see every encounter with people as a divine appointment - always looking for those opportunities to be used by you. Lord, I want to be like these guys: bold, confident, unashamed, trusting you for direction & provision, filled with joy & listening to the Spirit of Jesus. AMEN!!!
