A Praise That's More Powerful Than Predicaments

A Praise That's More Powerful Than Predicaments

Acts 16:22-25 [NKJV]

22 Then the multitude rose up together against them; and the magistrates tore off their clothes and commanded them to be beaten with rods.

23 And when they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to keep them securely.

24 Having received such a charge, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.

25 But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.

When GOD'S Plan Differs from YOUR Plan

All too often in life we miss God's will in light of our will. We forget that God's will is always about God - and we live surrendered to this idea - even when bad things appear to happen, we don't have to lose heart or faith.

George Müller said:

Trials are food for faith to feed on.

Throughout the Bible we find amazing accounts of God entering into the human condition to do incredible, destiny changing things. From the parting of the Red Sea, to David slaying Goliath, to Jonah and the whale, and to Daniel in the Lion's den - whenever God shows up - He shows out! Whenever God shows up - lives are changed. And in every instance, whenever God shows up, He leaves conclusive evidence that He was present.

This was absolutely the case in Acts 16. In inexplicable circumstances, God moved in a great way in/thru Paul/Silas. When they had every reason to call it a day, or even better, blame God for their circumstances -

Our sermonic spotlight shine on, {Acts 16} begins as though nothing could go wrong. It seems as though everything is going to go right.

In v20 They’ve been sinfully blame.

In v22- They've been stripped bare.

In v23- They've been severely beaten.

In v24- They've been securely bound.

But In v25 - They Are Still Blessing His Name.

THEY NEVER LOST THEIR PRAISE!

Paul and Silas found themselves in a difficult prison of oppression and suffering. In that prison they experienced the great grace of God. They received everything they needed transform a prison of pain into a prison of praise. I would like to examine their experience for a little while today. It may be that someone here is locked away in a prison of pain. I want you to see that God can take your pain and turn it into praise for His glory.

Let’s notice some of the facts pointed out in this passage as we think on:

"A Praise That's More Powerful Than Predicaments"

1. Their Praise Could Be Released At Midnight.

v25 But at midnight Paul and Silas were prayed and sang praises unto God, "

Notice the lesson that Paul and Silas teach us in their ''Midnight Hour''. Look at {16:25}- ''And at midnight Paul and Silas PRAYED, and SANG PRAISES UNTO GOD.''

Paul and Silas were also singing hymns of praise to God while in prison. The tense (imperfect) of the verb singing subjects that Paul and Silas began singing in the past and they never stopped singing, even while locked in prison. Paul and Silas never stopped bragging on God, even while in prison.

Paul and Silas teach us that there is Praise at midnight.

Paul and Silas are examples that a Christian can praise God at the Midnight hour.

Midnight Doesn't Just Speak Of The Time.. Midnight Speaks Of The Trial!

They were in prison ''At midnight''. Midnight is the hour of darkness. Midnight speaks of difficulty. Midnight speaks of disappointment.

You may be wondering; ''Pastor; how can I Praise God at my midnight hour? What is there to Praise God for? How can I Praise God when my 'midnight' has lasted so long?'' Paul and Silas teach us that we can Praise God in the Midnight hour when we look at our Midnight hour from the right perspective. It all depends on how you look at the situation you're going through.

Paul and Silas commenced singing, Their feet were locked in the stocks, their bodies were bleeding and aching, their outlook was dark and forbidding, but they prayed and sang praises to God. They were not asking for deliverance; they were giving thanks to their Lord.

God taught me a wonderful lesson about why they were Singing and Praising God. They WERE NOT Singing and Praising God because of their situation. THEY WERE SINGING AND PRAISING GOD BECAUSE OF THEIR SALVATION!

They were not looking at their hardship - they were looking at the Hand of God. Paul and Silas They were showing that no matter where God leads them - they were going to stay faithful to Him; and they knew that He would always be faithful to them.

They knew that it is better to be in a difficulty WITH GOD than living on easy street WITHOUT GOD! They turned their Prison into Praise. They turned their difficulty into Delight. They turned their Confusion into Celebration!

Don't let anybody tell you that Christians are exempt from Midnight experiences. Don't let anyone tell you that Christians don't have ''Midnight Experiences''. In fact, being a Christian will cause you to have certain difficulties you never experienced without Christ.

Anybody Can Praise At Mid-day...The Question Is Can You Praise Him At Midnight?!

Charles H. Spurgeon, "It is easy to sing when we can read the notes by daylight; but the skillful singer is he who can sing when there is not a ray of light to read by...Songs in the night come only from God; they are not in the power of man."

Job 35:10, But no one says,'Where is God my Maker,

Who gives songs in the night."

Psalms 42:8 The LORD will command His lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night His song shall be with me. A prayer to the God of my life."

We Need To Manage The Midnight Moments Of Life.

God’s love turns—

Our troubles into triumphs

Worries into comforts

Defeats into victories

Heartbreaks into hallelujahs

Difficulties into praises

Sorrows into songs.

If Paul and Silas lived in our day, as they were on their way to prison after being beaten with rods, they would have said what Charles Wesley said.

Father I stretch my hands to Thee,

No other help I know;

If Thou withdraw Thy self from me,

Ah, wither shall I go?

1. Their Praise Could Be Released At Midnight

2. Their Praise Caused A Radical Manifestation

v26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and every one's fetters were unfastened.

Acts 16:26 (MSG)

"Then, without warning, a huge earthquake! The jailhouse tottered, every door flew open, all the prisoners were loose.

Your praise should be powerful enough to make doors start flying open!

Think about this: YOUR PRAISE MAY BE THE KEY TO GETTING YOU OUT OF YOUR PRISON!

As a result of their praise...

Every Pathway That Was Blocked Was Eliminated.

Every Person That Was Bound Was Liberated.

Earthquake came: Foundations were shaken, doors were opened, chains were loosed.

QUESTION: Did God open the doors for Paul and Silas to get out or for the guard to get in?

QUESTION: Did God remove the stone on Easter Sunday morning to let Jesus out or to let us in?

It is apparent that God sent an earthquake to shake the foundation of the prison. This earthquake was on a divine mission. The divine mission was to set Paul and Silas free. They were locked in prison but the prison could not lock out the power of God. As the walls of the prison swayed back and forth from the earthquake, the stocks of the prisoners were loosed and the doors of the prison came open.

God sent the earthquake to shake the prison because he was affirming Paul and Silas as his servants. God was saying yes to the work of Paul and Silas. God moved in heaven to say yes to the work of Paul and Silas on earth. The fact that the earthquake set Paul and Silas free means God was assuring them that he was a part of their ministry team.

God sending the earthquake to set Paul and Silas free was a symbol of the freedom God gave the slave girl from demon possession. It is also a symbol of the freedom God gives in Jesus Christ. Regardless of the hold Satan may have on fallen humanity, God has the power to set us free.

Although all of the prisoners were loosed from the stocks, only Paul and Silas left. The reason for this was that God only wanted Paul and Silas free. They had not done anything to deserve imprisonment. So God was validating them.

God spoke in favor of Paul and Silas through the earthquake and the deliverance of his servants from prison. You will notice that man locked the doors of the prison in an effort to secure these servants of God. But God sent an earthquake to unlock the doors. God can open doors no man can shut and he can shut doors no man can open.

Acts 16:26 (MSG)

"Then, without warning, a huge earthquake! The jailhouse tottered, every door flew open, all the prisoners were loose.

1. Their Praise Could Be Released At Midnight

2. Their Praise Caused A Radical Manifestation.

3. Their Praise Created A Roadway For Ministry.

v27 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.

v30 And he brought them out and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"

It appears that the jailer did not hear the praying and singing that came from Paul and Silas. However, he was awakened by the earthquake. The movement of the prison, the sound of the doors clanging, and the wooden stocks falling off the feet of the prisoners, awakened the jailer.

We are told in 29 that the Philippian Jailer fell down at the feet of Paul and Silas ''trembling''. His life was at stake because he was responsible for all the prisoners.

In fact, in 27 we are told that the Prison keeper drew a sword to take his own life. His reaction was that he didn't want to live and face the horrible consequences of prisoners that got away. But something strange happened. 28 says that Paul immediately spoke up and told the Philippian Jailer not to do himself any harm. Paul told him to look around; no one had left the prison. No one had escaped.

I can hear Paul now; ''Don't fear Mr. Jailer: Everything is all right. We were just having a Glorious time in the Lord and the Lord was so pleased that He shook the place. But no one has left. God has seen to that.''

Whatever happened around this man - something happened in this man. 30-31- He said; ''Sirs; what must I do to be saved?'' Paul, as he was picking him up off his knees, said; ''BELIEVE ON the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.'' The word ''believe'' means ''to cast yourself upon the Lord in total surrender; totally depending upon Him.'' The Philippian Jailer believed and his whole house also believed.