Friends' Favorite - Earth-Shaking Power of Praise

Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening. Suddenly, there was a massive earthquake, and the prison was shaken to its foundations. All the doors immediately flew open, and the chains of every prisoner fell off! 
Acts 16:25-26 NLT

Paul and Silas had been falsely accused, then stripped and beaten (verse 23 states severely beaten), then locked into stocks in the inner dungeon... BUT at midnight, they were praying and singing hymns and their very captive audience was listening. 

No one in that prison wanted to be there! They all wanted out, but there was nothing they could do - especially in the inner dungeon with their feet locked in the stocks. There were no lights, it was filthy. Historians tell of the deplorable conditions and yet, there sat Paul and Silas - in the midst of it all - praying and singing hymns to God. The Bible tells us that God inhabits the praises of His people. Matthew 18:20 reads,  For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them. (NKJV) And everyone around them was listening. 

When the earthquake happened, the Bible tells us that the chains of EVERY prisoner fell off. EVERY prisoner. They were ALL set free. Plus, the jailer and his entire household learned and embraced the Good News that very night. So even those who were bound by chains that could not be seen were set free.

What is it that binds us? What keeps us from praying and singing to God? What do we allow to keep us from praising our God and getting into His presence? Whatever it is can be broken by the very act of worship to our God! IN the midst of the trial, when life seems so dark and no way out, we must be disciplined to pray and praise. It has earth-shaking power to get us into God's presence and to be set free.

Prayer:

Father,
          Keep us accountable to discipline ourselves to pray and praise You in, during, and through the storms of life. For our circumstances do not change who You are and how worthy of praise You are. Thank You for coming to see about us, God. Help us to remember that our words, our actions, can cause us to be bound or can set our deliverance through the earth-shaking power of praise. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen