After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. Upon receiving such orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks. About midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everybody’s chains came loose. The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!”. The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved- you and your household.” Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his family were baptized. The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God- he and his whole family. Acts 16:23-34
There are moments in life, when it feels like the midnight hour has come. It would seem all is lost, and you are tired and war weary. Maybe you’re feeling broken and trapped in the inner cell, so to speak. It’s what we do in these moments that separates the overcomers from the overcome.
We worship.
When all seems lost and we don’t know how to escape, we worship. When we need breakthrough, but one has yet to come, we worship. When we are being accused wrongfully, and don’t know how to be delivered, we worship.
It should become so ingrained within us that it is an almost involuntary response. I’ve learned, especially over this last few months, that worship is my default.
When I don’t know the answer, I worship. When I’m scared, I worship. When I am wrestling with the arm of anxiety and trying to avoid it’s choke hold, I worship. When my husband and I need to be led by the Spirit and not by fear, I worship.
It may seem crazy, but when I take a stand on earth and stop in the middle of the madness to simply worship God, it changes all the momentum around me and again refocuses me and my surroundings on the things above. Either I believe God is my All in All or I don’t, and how I respond in times of stress and trouble is a true revealer of where my heart and my hope really lies.
What’s also very important to point out is that the worship of Paul and Silas, not only freed them, but everyone else around them. And then it brought salvation to the very one charged with confining them. That’s the true power of worship. It should release freedom into the atmosphere surrounding us.
Prayer Moment: What have you found your default to be? My worship default didn’t just happen on accident, no it happened from many times of doing it simply because I knew it was the right thing to do. You can start today and retrain your heart and mind to stop and re-focus on the things above when times of trouble come. Or even just in the day to day. Daily life is a training ground for our souls. When the earthquake of your deliverance comes, where will you be found? I want to be found worshiping.
365 Days in the Presence 