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: “He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.” (John 7: 38)
Our Focal Scripture speaks of how Paul and Silas prayed and sang praises unto God at midnight. They were thrown into prison, and they simply prayed and sang praises unto God. They were not even necessarily praying for their chains to be broken, or for the prison gates to be open. They simply followed their normal routine of praying and singing praises. They simply allowed the flow of what had been in them to continue whilst in prison.
Friend, no matter what happens around you, never let it get in the way of your devotion to God. Don’t let whatever has happened to you to break your covenant with God. Don’t allow your misfortunes or even mistakes to take you away from your devotion to God. Don’t allow any negative experience to stop you from doing what God expects you to keep doing. Don’t allow the enemy to take your eyes away from your assignment because of offense.
Isn’t it intriguing that the same things that have capacity to usher you into your new season are the very things the enemy wants you to stop doing while in ‘prison’? The same prayers, devotion, consecration, etc. that have the capacity to make all the difference are usually the first casualty that the enemy wants to destroy in your life through crisis. When the enemy attacks your health, finances, etc. he is simply targeting your devotion.
Remarkably, Paul and Silas were both in prison, but their prayer point was not about the prison. Don’t allow any prison experience to stop you from keeping your focus towards the things that matter. Embarrass the enemy by maintaining your devotion to God despite the negative experiences you may be going through. Don’t allow the prison experience to blind your eyes towards the things that matter more than your challenges.
There will be prisons here on earth, but don’t let your prison stop your prayer and praises to God. Don’t even allow your prison to determine your prayers. Remain focused despite your ‘prison’ experience.
FURTHER READING: JOHN 7
DECLARATION:
- My prison experience will not distract me from my devotion, in Jesus’ name!
