When the Jailor Gets Set Free

The problem many of us face is that we trust God with some things some of the time, when we were designed to trust God with all things all the time. Read that again. When we don't fully trust God, we either try to aggressively control situations or self-seekingly manipulate them. But what would happen if we learned to trust God completely?

What Does It Mean to Trust God Completely?

Trusting God means relying on Him with every job, every job search, every interview, every circumstance, every sleepless night, every anxiety, every family member, and every challenge we face. It means surrendering control and manipulation, and instead placing our complete faith in God's plan.

The story of the Philippian jailer in Acts 16 provides a powerful example of what happens when someone moves from control to complete trust in God.

Who Was the Philippian Jailer?

We don't know much about the jailer's background, but we do know that in ancient times, it was common for battle-hardened Roman soldiers to retire into positions like his. He had likely seen and done many difficult things - intimidation, torture, battles, and pillaging. He was simply a man doing what he was told when Paul and Silas were thrown into his prison.

What Happened in the Philippian Prison?

After Paul and Silas were severely flogged and imprisoned, they didn't manipulate or try to control their situation. Instead, they trusted Jesus completely:

"About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone's chains came loose." (Acts 16:25-26)

When the jailer saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword to kill himself, assuming the prisoners had escaped. But Paul shouted, "Don't harm yourself! We are all here!"

This moment reveals something profound: God's presence is never late. Whether you're in a self-made prison or literally thrown into the inner chamber of a dungeon, God is there with you. Whatever you're facing right now - decisions about your children, relationships, your future, or anxiety keeping you awake at night - Jesus is there.

What Must I Do to Be Saved?

The jailer's response to this miraculous event is perhaps the most direct question about salvation in the Bible:

"He then brought them out and asked, 'Sirs, what must I do to be saved?'" (Acts 16:30)

Notice that the jailer didn't ask what he needed to stop doing. He asked what he needed to do. And Paul and Silas didn't throw a bunch of stumbling blocks in his way. Their answer was beautifully simple:

"Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved—you and your household." (Acts 16:31)

What Does It Mean to "Believe" in Jesus?

The Greek word for "believe" (pisteuo) means more than just acknowledging Jesus existed. It means to entrust yourself to Him, to submit to Him as Lord. You can believe in Jesus without entrusting yourself to Him, but true saving faith involves submission.

This simple statement emphasizes that belief is the only condition for salvation. There's no demand to turn from sins first or to submit to Jesus as master of your life before being saved. Each person who would be saved must first trust in Jesus for eternal salvation. Then, having experienced the grace of God, those who believe begin to submit more areas of their lives to God.

How Did the Jailer Respond?

The jailer's response was immediate and transformative:

"At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized. The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household." (Acts 16:33-34)

Think about this: the jailer washed the wounds of the very people he had wounded. That's how freed he was! He changed kingdoms, going from Rome to Jesus, from Caesar to Christ. He brought Jesus home with him and shared his new faith with his family.

What Keeps Us from Believing?

Several stumbling blocks can prevent us from fully believing:

• Our past life and sins

• A hard, numb heart

• Fear

• Feeling our faith is too small

• Not experiencing the joy others seem to have

• Continually falling back into sinful patterns

• Doubts

But remember, it's not the size of our faith that matters, but the size of God's love, grace, and salvation that we trust.

Life Application

The time to trust the Lord Jesus is now. The day of salvation is here. All moments are this moment.

Ask yourself these questions:

• What areas of my life am I still trying to control rather than trust to God?

• Who is "my one" that I need to reach for Jesus?

• What stumbling blocks are keeping me from fully believing?

• Am I bringing Jesus home with me, or is my faith compartmentalized to Sunday mornings?

This week, identify one area where you've been trying to manipulate or control outcomes, and intentionally surrender it to God. Then watch how He works when you trust Him completely. Remember the jailer's question and the simple answer: "Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved."

The road to God is open and cleared by the blood of Jesus, by His sacrifice, by His love. You don't need to do anything to earn salvation - you simply need to believe and receive what Jesus has already done for you.