Acts 16:23-26

Paul and Silas were put into the inner dungeon.  Their hands were bound.  Their feet were shackled with chains.  The Bible says around midnight, the very darkest time of the night, they began to sing and praise God.  When everything was stripped away, and they were left alone in a cold, dark cell, they still poured themselves out to the Lord.  Because He was still King.  He was still worthy.  It didn’t matter the trial they were facing or the confinement, Jesus was still on the throne and reigning in their lives. 

They didn’t curl up in a ball and whine about how hard life was; how lonely they were, how life was so challenging.  No, they didn’t focus on darkness and despair. They didn’t focus on the chains.  They didn’t focus on the restrictions.  They didn’t focus on the problem.  They focused on praising.  Your perspective can either be on your prison or it can be on your praise.  It can’t be on both. 

They began to praise God regardless of their situation, regardless of their feelings.  They lifted up their voices, and they began to sing.  They began to declare the greatness of God, and the foundation of the prison began to shake, the chains fell off, and the prison doors flew open.  They weren’t trying to break out, but God broke into that jail cell, because “the Lord inhabits the praises of His people” (Psalm 22:3).  Their praise made space for the supernatural to take place.  

We are all dealing with the implications of the coronavirus.  There are still uncertainties with jobs.  There are tensions in families.   Our mental and emotional health is under attack like never before.  Alcoholism is up.  Suicides are up.  Domestic violence is up.  The spirit of heaviness is rampant.  This is spiritual warfare, and you need to fight to praise.  You need to do everything and anything to lift up your voice and praise God.  You may be one praise away from a breakthrough.  Be committed to praising your way through this pandemic.  

Whatever situation you find yourself in, put your perspective onto Jesus.  Place your praise on Him and invite Him into your situation. You may need to lock yourself in a room or go for a hike or take a drive… whatever you do, put on some worship music and praise him with all you have.  

Spend 10 minutes today listening and singing along to worship music.  You can find our current Sunday setlist here.