DIVINE CONNECTION DAILY DEVOTIONAL BY OLADELE T•E
THEME: ACTIVATING THE MOVE OF GOD WITH PRAISE!
TEXT: [NKJV] ACTS 16:25-26
"But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. [26] 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."
There are moments in life when everything around you seems to suggest that there is nothing left to praise God for. There are seasons when your circumstances may look contrary to God's promises, your prayers may appear unanswered, and your environment may give you every reason to complain. Yet, one of the greatest expressions of faith is the decision to praise God in the middle of an unpleasant situation. Paul and Silas found themselves in prison, not because they had committed a crime, but because they had faithfully carried out the work of God. They had been beaten and severely persecuted before being thrown into prison and placed in the inner cell with their feet fastened in stocks. Humanly speaking, that was a perfect environment for discouragement. But at midnight, instead of complaining, they prayed and sang praises to God. And something remarkable happened. “Suddenly there was a great earthquake…” Their praise did not merely change their mood; it became part of the atmosphere in which God manifested His power.
Praise is more than singing a song. Biblical praise is an intentional acknowledgment of God's greatness, faithfulness, goodness, sovereignty, and power. When you praise God in difficult circumstances, you are declaring that your circumstances are not greater than your God. Paul and Silas were in chains, but their God was not in chains. Their bodies were confined, but their worship was not confined. Their feet were restricted, but their voices were free. And their voices became instruments through which they glorified God in the middle of their adversity. Sometimes, the greatest praise is not the praise you offer after the breakthrough; it is the praise you offer while waiting for the breakthrough. Anyone can praise God when everything is working according to plan. But there is a deeper dimension of faith involved when you can say, “Lord, even here, I will still praise You.”
There is another remarkable dimension to the story of Paul and Silas. Their praise was not only heard by God; the prisoners were listening to them. Their response to suffering became a testimony to people around them. Imagine being imprisoned and hearing two men who had just been beaten singing praises to God at midnight. Their worship preached a message. It said: “Our circumstances have not changed our confidence in God.” Sometimes, God allows you to pass through difficult places not because He has abandoned you, but because your response in that place can reveal Him to others. Your praise in adversity can become somebody else's encouragement. Your faithfulness in the waiting season can strengthen someone else's faith. Your worship in the midnight hour can become a testimony before those who are watching. Do you want to activate the move of God concerning your present situation? Praise Him and that act will activate a major move that will settle you.
PRAYER POINTS:
Father, I thank You because You are good, faithful, powerful, and worthy of all praise.
Lord, give me the grace to praise You in every season of my life. When circumstances are favorable, let my heart praise You. When I am waiting, let my heart praise You. When I am facing adversity, let my heart praise You.
Father, Deliver me from the spirit of murmuring, complaining, fear, and discouragement. Teach me to magnify You above every challenge confronting me.
Father, let my praise become an expression of genuine faith in You. As I worship You, let every atmosphere contrary to Your purpose be transformed.
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