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SCRIPTURE: ACTS 16:16-34 “But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. 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 chains were loosed.” (v25-26)
OBSERVATION: Amongst the hysteria of the time, there were those who were profiteering of the miracolous works that Jesus and his disciples had demonstrated. Paul and Silas had been sent to prison for calling out one of these such charlatan by using the name of Jesus Christ to free a girl from demonic possession, and removing the income source this girl was able to provide.
APPLICATION: Things happen in life that bind and restrict people. The girl in this story was demon possessed, Paul and Silas were bound in chains along with other prisoners. The sentence given saw them placed ‘into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.’ (v24) This makes prisons in our modern western culture seem luxurious. The smells wouldn’t have been fresh, and the lack of natural light could have added to the depresive environment.
Paul and Silas had a chioce – be bitter and angry about the miscarriage of justice, and the circumstnaces they found themselves in; or remember that the God whom they love and served is bigger than anything this world could throw at them. We read that at midnight, when it always seems the darkest, when things are coming to an end that they were found to be ‘praising and singing hymns to God.’ (v25) It was their choice to celebrate life and the freedom that they knew they had in God, that could not be taken away from them that changed their environment. Their spritual focus created a natural response that led to an earthquake that impacted everyone around them. Their declared words of faith and hope brought them a freedom that impacted those around them.
We can all make a choice in our lives, to focus on how big God is and not how big our problems can appear. Our praise and breakthrough can overflow into the lives of others. Do you keep your praise and thanksgiving to God to yourself or do you shout it out and declare it for all to hear? People are listening, so continue the celebration of praise that Passover represents and see how many people around you receive some of your overflow breakthrough.
PRAYER: God I am so thankful for who you are and praise you despite what my circumstance say, beacuse you have the last say. AMEN
