Acts 16:25-26 (NKJV) And toward midnight Paul and Silas prayed and praised God in a hymn. And the prisoners listened to them. And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened and all the bonds were loosened.
While many would cry out to God in the midnight hours of their distress, Paul and Silas chose to pray and praise God instead while being locked up in an inner prison, the darkest and most secluded part of the prison cell. They were praising God so loud that even other prisoners could hear them.
The situation may have seemed like a setback for Paul and Silas who got beaten up, thrown into jail and suffered agonizing pain. They must have been in pain from the whipping on their backs. They should have felt angry, disappointed, depressed or have moaned, complained or cried but they were not. Instead they had a positive attitude.
Deliverance then came immediately while they were praising God; it didn’t happen while they were complaining and blaming God for bringing them into this situation in the first place. God heard their praises and literally shook the prison house with an earthquake and immediately the doors miraculously opened and their shackles were loosened. God orchestrated their escape leading them to leave from the inside of the cell and the roof did not collapse on them; they were safely led out of prison. Paul and Silas were walking in the will of God, therefore God blessed and protected them. The battle is not ours, but God’s!
If the breakthrough does not come immediately after we praise and worship God, we need to stay focused so that the Lord can infuse grace into our hearts in those difficult moments. The Bible tells us that it is through faith and patience that we inherit the promises of God. It is through praise and worship that we are able to keep our focus on God, His almightiness and His faithfulness that will help us to be patient.
Vibrant praise is a declaration of faith in God. It is singing out of our hearts conviction regarding the God whom we worship! It is placing our faith in the maker of heaven and earth. It reminds us that He is the maker of all flesh and there is nothing too difficult for Him. We are also reminded that His love for us will never change and nothing in this world will ever separate us from His love. We sing out of our conviction of who God is! We are singing of His goodness, faithfulness and victory. And the enemy flees when he hears our praises to God.
The intentional vibrant praise helps us to shift our soul where the mind is distracted by the circumstances and the challenges in life and gets us to focus on God who is faithful, powerful and righteous! We celebrate His victory and sing of His goodness. It is a powerful reminder for ourselves. It is also a choice for us to choose to praise God than allow the devil to steal our joy and peace in our hearts. We need to intentionally praise Him until our soul is ready to worship Him. The spirit of worship will come into our hearts when our soul is refocused on God.
John 4:23 (NKJV) “But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. ”
Worship is the act of paying honor to God. It is a feeling and expression of high adoration, love and reliance to God. It is a privilege that we have a direct link to God now. It is an unbroken link to the Father so our worship is spirit to Spirit. Let your praises bring God’s power down to change and shake your situation, and break the chains to set you free from bondage. Proclaim victory through your praise!
Sermon Series: Stuck Between the Rock and a Hard Place
藉着赞美得胜
使徒行传 16:25-26 约在半夜，保罗和西拉祷告唱诗赞美上帝，众囚犯也侧耳而听。忽然地大震动，甚至监牢的地基都摇动了，监门立刻全开，众囚犯的锁链也都松开了。
当人们陷入困境时，会在半夜时分会向上帝呼求，但保罗和西拉却选择祷告和赞美，即使他们被关在监狱，待在最黑暗和最偏僻的牢房里。他们的赞美声却大到足以让其他的囚犯听见。
那时的情况对保罗和西拉来说似乎是个挫败，他们被毒打、下到监狱，并且承受难忍的疼痛。他们因为背部被鞭打而承受剧痛。他们本应愤怒、失望、沮丧、呻吟、抱怨或哭泣，但他们没有。反之，他们带着正面的心态。
就在他们赞美上帝的时候，拯救及时来到了；突破并不是在抱怨或责备上帝让他们陷入困境时发生。上帝听到他们的赞美就以地震来撼动牢房。结果，牢门奇迹般地打开了，他们的镣铐也被解开。上帝策划了脱逃计划，带领他们离开牢房，房顶并没有塌陷在他们身上。他们安全地被引领出监牢。
保罗和西拉走在上帝的旨意中，因此上帝祝福、保护他们。争战不属于我们，是上帝的。
如果我们敬拜赞美上帝以后，突破仍然没有马上来临，我们需要集中心志，以便上帝让恩典浇灌在我们内心。圣经告诉我们，唯有藉着信心和忍耐，我们才能承受上帝的应许。藉着信心和忍耐，我们得以定睛在神，祂的大能和信实会帮助我们忍耐。
生气勃勃的赞美是一种信心的宣告。那是从我们的内心唱出来对我们所敬拜的神的坚信！我们的信心建立在造天地的创造主。这提醒我们祂是所有生灵的创造主，在祂没有难成的事。这也提醒我们，祂的爱永不改变，世上没有任何事物能让我们与祂的爱隔绝。我们把对上帝的确信唱出来！我们歌颂祂的美善、信实和胜利。仇敌一听到我们对上帝的赞美就逃跑了。
当我们的心思分心于生活中的挑战和困难，刻意而又活泼的赞美则会帮助我们转移心志定睛在神，祂是信实、强大、公义的！我们欢庆祂的得胜并歌颂祂的美善。这对我们是强而有力的提醒。我们可以选择赞美上帝，或让魔鬼偷走我们心里的喜乐和平安。我们需要刻意地赞美祂，直到我们的魂也准备好敬拜祂。当我们的魂再度聚焦于上帝，敬拜的灵便会临到我们的内心。
约翰福音 4:23 时候将到，如今就是了。那真正拜父的，要用心灵和诚实拜他，因为父要这样的人拜他。
敬拜是将荣耀归于神的行为。敬拜是向上帝表达我们对祂崇高敬仰、爱慕和依靠的感受。我们能与上帝直接联系是一种特权。这个与天父的连结不会破裂，因此敬拜是我们的灵对着圣灵。让你的敬拜带下上帝的能力，来摇动并改变你的境况，解开锁链，将你从束缚中的释放吧。藉着你的赞美宣告胜利！
讲章系列：陷入进退两难的处境
Image Source: pixabay.com