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: “But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.” (Malachi 4: 2)
When Paul and Silas found themselves in prison, they opted to pray and to sing praises to God. The tide was against them, and it would have been understood if they felt dejected and depressed because of their prison experience; but they still prayed and praised. One would think they were praising because they had no issues, but they praised even in prison. They moved against the reaction the enemy would have wanted from them.
Friend, move against the tide. Go against the confessions that the enemy wants you to make. Whatever is the reaction that the enemy wants from you in response to your challenges, go in the opposite direction. When the enemy wants you depressed because of your challenges, shock him by exuding and radiating the joy of the Lord. When the enemy wants you to be all complaints, shock him by celebrating God’s goodness.
Shock the enemy by doing the opposite of what your situations elicit. When your situation elicits pain, shock the enemy by being in high spirits. When your situation calls for mourning, change it to dancing. When your situation calls for bitter tears, turn it to worship and praise to God. When your situation makes a call for you to give up on God and give up on life, make a commitment to go in the opposite direction and push harder.
If you ever allow the enemy to use a situation to change your posture towards God, then you are the greatest loser when the chips are down. Don’t say what the enemy wants you to say. Say what the Lord would have you say. Say what the word of the Lord says about you. Say what the Lord says about you. Say what is in line with your prophecy. Say what is in line with your destiny mandate. Say what God is saying to you.
Don’t reinforce the plan of the enemy by speaking and reacting in line with his efforts. Shock the enemy by doing what the Lord would have you do. Don’t react according to the expectations of the enemy.
FURTHER READING: MALACHI 4
DECLARATION:
- I will not react according to the expectations of the enemy, in Jesus’ name!
