Praising God will Break Every Chain

Nobody respects a fair weather fan.

Being a Detroit Tiger Fan in 1984, 2006, in 2012 when they were heading to the world series is easy.

Being a Lions fan after last season was easy but when they are bad, it’s not as easy, it’s actually painful. A true fan is a fan, regardless of the season.

Following Jesus means that we worship Jesus no matter what trials we face.

Being a fair weather fan never works when following Jesus because bad things just happen, whether we are serving Christ or not.

The Book of Acts shows Paul’s life as full of many highs and lows. Full of challenges, debates, and persecutions.

Last week, in Chapter 14 at the Jerusalem counsel, the apostles and elders decided that the Gentile believers were not required to obey the traditions and the laws of Moses or be circumcised.

As a compromise, they gave them these requirements: avoid sexual immorality, do not eat food sacrificed to idols, do not consume blood and refrain from animals that have need strangled. These requirements were set to keep the unity between the Gentile and Jewish believers within the church. So they sent delegates to the new gentile churches to explain the decision and the churches received it with joy.

At that time, Paul and Barnabas had a sharp disagreement about John Mark which caused a separation between the two. So Barnabas went with John Mark to the churches he and Paul went to previously and Paul and Silas started their mission in Derbe and Lystra.

Remember Lystra… it was the place where Paul was stoned to death and then resurrected from the dead.

Let’s get our Bibles and turn to chapter 16…

PRAY

In Chapter 16, while they were in Lystra and Iconium, they met a young man, a disciple by the name of Timothy who’s mom was a Jewish believer and his dad was Greek. So after Timothy was circumcised, He joins Paul and Silas.

Acts 16:5 ESV

5 So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and they increased in numbers daily.

Things were going well, people were being added to the church, and the churches were growing in the faith.

Yet Paul was trying to determine where God was leading him to go next and that’s where the Holy Spirit came in.

Acts 16:6–7 ESV

6 And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. 7 And when they had come up to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them.

The Holy Spirit closed those doors for Paul to go to Asia, Bithynia, and Mysia.

When God closes a door, another door will open. We must learn to wait on the Lord, listen for God to speak, and step out in faith. God still has a door to open, a mission accomplish, when our plans don’t work out the way we think they should, don’t be discouraged. Keep seeking the Lord and wait on HIS perfect timing.

So the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision…

Acts 16:8–10 ESV

8 So, passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas. 9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing there, urging him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10 And when Paul had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.

God called Paul and Silas to go to Macedonia so they headed to Philippi.

If God has called us to go, then we must respond in faith.

When Paul didn’t know he sought the leading of the Holy Spirit. Paul wanted to be in the center of God’s calling and after he had that vision of the man from Macedonia, Paul did not delay. Paul headed to Philippi, one of the leading cities of the district of Macedonia.

As they were there for a few days, the Sabbath came around and they were looking for a synagogue but they couldn’t find one.

Acts 16:13 ESV

13 And on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to the riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, and we sat down and spoke to the women who had come together.

This place had no Synagogue or Jewish presence so found a place of prayer. There was some women gathered there to pray.

Acts 16:14–15 ESV

14 One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul. 15 And after she was baptized, and her household as well, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” And she prevailed upon us.

We are now introduced to a woman named Lydia. She at the place of prayer so we can assume that she was already seeking the Lord when Paul arrived. She listened to Paul’s teaching and received Christ. She got baptized, her family got baptized, and then she opened up her home to Paul and his team as they ministered.

A church was started right away in Philippi. God confirmed HIS calling right away.

Things were going well, families were getting saved and God continued to do wonderful things in Philippi… so let’s keep going…

Acts 16:16–18 ESV

16 As we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners much gain by fortune-telling. 17 She followed Paul and us, crying out, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation.” 18 And this she kept doing for many days. Paul, having become greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And it came out that very hour.

Because Paul was annoyed, this slave girl was set free from a demon.

This demon gave her the ability to do fortune telling. This is how her master made money but she was bound up and enslaved because of this demon. But, Jesus set her free.

This was a happy day because she was set free but her master was angry at Paul. His way of making money from his slave girl was gone. That demon that gave her that ability was no longer possessing her, Jesus set her free.

Remember, God called Paul and Silas to go to Philippi. God confirmed HIS power through mighty works but just because God calls you someplace, it doesn’t mean it’s going to be easy.

Things turned bad quickly.

Acts 16:19–24 ESV

19 But when her owners saw that their hope of gain was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before the rulers. 20 And when they had brought them to the magistrates, they said, “These men are Jews, and they are disturbing our city. 21 They advocate customs that are not lawful for us as Romans to accept or practice.” 22 The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders to beat them with rods. 23 And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them safely. 24 Having received this order, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.

Serving God is never boring. For Paul and Silas, things went from wonderful to being, stripped, beaten and thrown into prison.

Living for Jesus is a faith journey with ups and downs, highs and lows because that’s where life is sometimes, that’s where people are.

But… God is always faithful, good, kind, loving no matter what people do God will never change who HE is.

If God has called us to go, then God will equip us for the Journey

When we step out in faith and watch God’s plan unfold, it is an exciting journey to be on.

It’s easy to think that as long as ministry is going well, God is in the middle of it.

It’s easy to think that as long as the walls of resistance are protecting us, then God is in the middle of it.

The truth is that whenever a great work is taking place… whenever the light of Christ is penetrating through the deepest darkness, then the enemy will take notice and he will always bring resistance.

Remember… God is taking us on a journey…

Keep following Jesus in every season, God is leading us.

Don’t just praise God when things are comfortable… When the message of the Gospel is received well.

Don’t just praise God, when everything is funded, the economy is strong, when our kids are healthy.

God is always present with us no matter what so we must praise HIM.

When God calls, He also equips us for the journey. Even in moments of resistance and persecution. Keep your eyes on Christ. Never give up on Jesus because He isn’t done equipping you for the journey.

If God has called us to go, the enemy wins when we give up.

It’s easy and exciting to start something, but carrying it though requires commitment.

Serving Christ is the same way but Paul and Silas knew that God was not finished with them.

Things started off great in Philippi but now they were in a jail cell. Everything quickly came to a screeching halt.

Paul and Silas were suffering greatly in prison because God set a slave girl free and people got greedy.

Paul and Silas were stripped, nearly beaten to death, thrown into solitary confinement and shackled to a prison wall. They were in the darkest lowest place in the jail cell. This would be a great time to give up.

This was their moment to wave the white flag… to throw in the towel.

This wasn’t Paul’s first set back so why would they give up on God now.

Don’t give up on God when we encounter resistance. Respond like Paul and Silas, keep your focus on Jesus.

Jesus didn’t throw in the towel when facing the cross. HE knew HIS Father was faithful, HE loved HIS Father enough to complete the work HE was called to do.

God called Paul out of darkness for the privilege of proclaiming the Good News, even when the enemy was raising cain.

If Paul would have given up, the new believers who Paul and Silas reached would have probably given up too. When we give up it impacts the people who look to us for encouragement and leadership.

God called Paul and Silas to go to Philippi and HE was not done yet. More people needed to be reached so their joy wasn’t in the pathetic circumstances… their Joy was in the Lord.

They saw suffering for Christ as an honor.

This Holy Spirit empowered determination to spread the Good News was supernatural. Whether well received or violently rejected. They were committed to the cause of Christ.

In the natural, things were not good but they never lost hope.

If God has called us to go, our victory will outlast our circumstances

Our victory is not limited to a lifetime because our victory goes beyond our life.

Romans 8:28 ESV

28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

When we are living out the purpose that God has called us to live, everything is going to work out just fine regardless of our present circumstances. That’s why Paul and Silas could respond like this after being stripped, beaten, bloodied, chained, and locked up in solitary confinement.

Acts 16:25 ESV

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

There wasn’t music, there wasn’t words on the screen, there wasn’t a worship leader encouraging people to sing along. Only darkness was all around, physical and spiritual darkness.

They were surrounded by people who were hurting, confused, lost, hopeless. This was the lowest; darkest place in the city… the city where God called them to go.

Bruised, beaten and in shackles.

Their pain was real but their joy was just as real. They had joy that went beyond their circumstances. Their joy was knowing that God was present with them so they worshiped the Lord.

When we worship the Lord, we are acknowledging that God is bigger than our circumstances.

God is bigger then our deepest, darkest place, even those placed that God has called us too.

As we worship God through painful moments, you never know who’s listening. You never know who will be impacted.

Around midnight the other prisoners were listening. They didn’t hear sounds of groaning or cursing but of prayer and singing songs of praise. That’s when God showed HIMSELF mighty and able to bring freedom.

Acts 16:26 ESV

26 and 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 bonds were unfastened.

Wow God turned things around by setting everyone free.

This could have been God’s answer in the situation.

This could have been there big break for freedom.

This could have been God’s way to a “happily ever after” ending… but that wasn’t the end of the story.

God had more people to rescue.

Acts 16:27–34 ESV

27 When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.” 29 And the jailer called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas. 30 Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” 32 And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. 33 And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family. 34 Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them. And he rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in God.

God had one more family to reach through a potential prison break, God wanted to reach this Roman soldier, who was ready to kill himself.

Paul and Silas led him to Jesus but also reached his entire household.

God did a work in this man and this man’s family but God called Paul and Silas to prison so this family could be reached. He went from hopelessly suicidal to saved and baptised and full of the Joy of the Lord.

God gave victory that outlasted their circumstance.

Here in Chapter 16, God reached families for Jesus. Timothy, Lydia and her household, and now the jailer.

You may be thinking that your family is unreachable. God knows your family, HE loves your family no matter how lost they may be so don’t give up.

Keep praying, keep worshiping God and being thankful because God’s victory will outlast our circumstances. The Lord is still present in those dark places that God has called you to be in.

Let Jesus be the light when things are at their darkest. Don’t be a fair weather fan when it comes to Jesus.

Praising God will break every chain so that God get’s all the glory, and honor, and power as we find joy in HIS kingdom.

Take Away:

Be open to waiting on the Lord and allow the Holy Spirit to lead.

Step out in faith trusting God’s leading and calling.

No matter what, never give up on God because HE will never give up on us.