SCRIPTURE READING: ACTS 16: 16-39
FOCUS: “And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.” (Acts 16: 25)
MEMORY VERSE: “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,” (2 Corinthians 6: 17)
Our Focal Scripture speaks of how Paul and Silas prayed and sang praises unto God at midnight. At a time when other prisoners were comfortable enough to just keep silent, they chose to praise. Everything was not alright, but they chose to praise. Everything was not praise worthy, but they chose to praise. Others didn’t join them to praise, but it didn’t stop them from praising. They didn’t keep silent because other prisoners were silent.
Friend, there will be times when other ‘prisoners’ would choose to be silent about their faith; don’t join them to be silent. There will be times when everyone around you will see no sense in speaking right; still go ahead and speak right. There will be situations that will cause others to do what heaven does not expect; don’t join them. There will be circumstances that will test your faith and confidence in God; don’t conform to others.
Other prisoners may have accepted their chains and simply chose to keep silent, but Paul and Silas roared in the prison until an earthquake from heaven broke every chain and opened every prison door. They did not accept the status quo. Even if everyone has accepted negativity, reject it. Even if everyone has chosen to be silent in the face of battles and negative cycles, be the odd one that will not accept the verdict of the enemy.
There may have been normal prisoners in that prison, but Paul and Silas had the mandate of heaven and had an assignment to fulfill, and they refused to act like other prisoners. There are times when the mandate of heaven on your life should ordinarily stop you from acting like everyone around you. You can’t afford to sleep even if everyone has gone asleep; you can’t afford not to pray even if everyone is prayerless.
Refuse to conform to your chains; rather, break out of conformity and use your voice to terminate every negativity against you.
FURTHER READING: 2 CORINTHIANS 6
DECLARATION:
- I refuse to conform to my chains, in Jesus’ name!
