Month of Praising - Day 12

Acts 16:25-34

25 But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed. 27 And the keeper of the prison, awaking from sleep and seeing the prison doors open, supposing the prisoners had fled, drew his sword and was about to kill himself. 28 But Paul called with a loud voice, saying, “Do yourself no harm, for we are all here.”

29 Then he called for a light, ran in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 And he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

31 So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.” 32 Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. 33 And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes. And immediately he and all his family were baptized. 34 Now when he had brought them into his house, he set food before them; and he rejoiced, having believed in God with all his household.

We saw in the scriptures today that the praises from Paul and Silas in the prison changed the whole situation. The triumph of praise is spiritual. I believe that Paul and Silas experienced the power of God not just at the moment when the doors were opened, but right as they started praising God. Praise and worship is a powerful weapon in our spiritual warfare arsenal. Satan cannot stand our praises so he will do everything to make us unable to praise.

The chains were loosed and the prison doors opened in praises. God not only delivered who already believed in Him, but also He would reveal Himself to those who hadn't believed yet. Paul and Silas made such great testimony of God by praising Him in very tough situation. As is in the scripture, the prisoners were all listening to them - who on earth, with lots of wounds and in the deep darkness, would sing praises in prison? Paul and Silas touched and changed the hearts of those around them by praising God in adversity. The keeper of the prison supposed Paul and Silas had fled seeing the prison doors open, but they did not. As a result, the keeper and all his family believed, got baptized immediately, and received the amazing grace of God's salvation.

Let's all be very diligent in praises. Learn and experience the power of praises today - not only will our praises bless us, but also bring blessings to people around.

徒16:25-34

25 約在半夜，保羅和西拉禱告，唱詩讚美神，眾囚犯也側耳而聽。 26 忽然地大震動，甚至監牢的地基都搖動了，監門立刻全開，眾囚犯的鎖鏈也都鬆開了。 27 禁卒一醒，看見監門全開，以為囚犯已經逃走，就拔刀要自殺。 28 保羅大聲呼叫說：「不要傷害自己！我們都在這裡。」 29 禁卒叫人拿燈來，就跳進去，戰戰兢兢地俯伏在保羅、西拉面前， 30 又領他們出來，說：「二位先生，我當怎樣行才可以得救？」31 他們說：「當信主耶穌，你和你一家都必得救。」 32 他們就把主的道講給他和他全家的人聽。 33 當夜，就在那時候，禁卒把他們帶去，洗他們的傷，他和屬乎他的人立時都受了洗。 34 於是禁卒領他們上自己家裡去，給他們擺上飯，他和全家因為信了神都很喜樂。

這段經文讓我們看見保羅和西拉在監獄中的讚美，帶來了整個局面的反轉。讚美乃是屬靈的誇勝，我相信保羅和西拉經歷神的拯救不是從監獄門打開的那一刻，乃是一邊讚美，一邊已經在經歷神的大能。讚美，是屬靈的爭戰，是撒但所最忌恨的事，因此牠要盡牠所有的力量使我們不能讚美。 在讚美中，鎖鏈被打開，監門也被打開，神不僅拯救祂的百姓，也要使那不信的人看見神所做的大事。在任何環境中都能發生讚美神的聲音，這本身就是一個見證。經文裡提到囚犯們都側耳聽保羅和西拉的讚美，因爲他們不能夠相信在夜深的時候，地牢的裏面，滿身傷痛的人，居然還可以發出讚美的聲音。而正是這樣逆境中的讚美給周遭的人帶去了生命的影響和改變。當監門全開时，囚犯竟沒有逃走！后来禁卒全家和看守的人都一同領受救贖的大恩。

讓我們正視讚美的力量，它不單給我們帶下祝福，也給身邊人帶去祝福。