January 22.
Praise Under Pressure

Acts 16:25

And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.

Paul and Silas were out doing missionary work when they met a little girl who was notorious for fortune telling. When the little girl got saved, the community fell out with Paul and Silas. The proceeds were no longer coming in because the girl stopped her fortune telling business. We see even today there are lots of people in the world who do not want certain people to get saved. Income sources would be cut off. A lot of corrupt business practices would stop So it is no wonder how much difficulty is thrown at the person who is trying to win folk for the Lord. The devil will throw fiery darts at you to try to dampen your spirit; he will try to get you to sit down and shut up. But I am convinced that if you honor the Lord, in spite of what the devil doesn’t want, Jesus will be with you always.

So Paul and Silas were arrested. Their backs were beaten; they were put in jail with shackles on their hands and on their feet. A rack was put around their necks. They were thrown in an inner jail and stripped of their clothing. And the devil thought he had them. But they didn’t sit down and give up. At midnight Paul and Silas started praying and singing praises unto God. We can worship under pressure. When trouble comes, pray your way through and while you’re praying, go on and praise. Don’t wait until God answers your prayer. Praise him while you are praying. Pray and praise, praise and then pray. But the story doesn’t end here. God used an earthquake to set Paul and Silas free and then more people got saved. The prison guard and all his household believed on the Lord Jesus. Paul and Silas were not defeated. I like to take my lesson from Paul and Silas and praise at all times. Something takes place every day of my life to make me want to praise him.