God's Deliverance from Bondage
"And this she did for many days. But Paul, greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And he came out that very hour...But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. 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." (Acts 16:18,25-26)
Here are the FACTS behind the ACTS: God goes before us. God leads us. God allows us to encounter difficulty. God prepares our good works. God provides the grace needed during our time of need. God hears when we call upon Him. God delivers on time...in His way...for His glory! What an awesome God we serve!
On this second missionary journey, the Lord went before Paul and led him to several divine appointments once he arrived in Philippi. They met some very unlikely people that were in need of God's grace and they let the Lord guide them. With each person and situation they encountered, they witnessed the power of God to deliver them and others.
First, they encountered a girl with a spirit of divination, a python-like spirit that deceived people in getting them to believe their future could be made known. Evil spirits do not know the future but they love to have false stories purported about them so that they can discreetly use or control the lives of people who are bent toward greed and selfish gain to give them a false sense security and to speak lies to them and through them.
Paul discerned that it was an evil spirit inside this girl even though what she spoke out loud was actually true and affirming to their ministry saying, "These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation." But since this evil spirit was interrupting their gospel ministry, Paul finally had enough and "turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her." The result was that this girl, who made much profit to her masters, was delivered from this evil spirit and came under the power of a new Master, the Lord Jesus Christ.
This angered the mastered who made money from this girl and so they led out Paul and Silas into the marketplace to stand before the authorities. They were falsely accused and then publicly stripped down and beaten and taken to a prison.
But God never leaves nor forsakes His beloved children. This was all being orchestrated by Him for His greater purpose of deliverance. As Paul would later write, "Yes, we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead, who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver us; in whom we trust that He will still deliver us..." (2 Cor. 1:9-10)
So Paul and Silas while in the midst of the inner prison began to pray and to sing praises to the Lord.
What about you? What do you do when you are in a dark situation and you feel that things are working against you? Do you believe the Lord is there to help you and deliver you? Can you rejoice in the Lord before your deliverance comes?
Their persecution led them to a prison, their pain led them to pray, their prayer led them to praise, and their praise led them to see the power of God unfold. God chose to send a great earthquake which shook the foundations of the prison and caused their chains to be loosed. Darkness turned into light...the spirit of heaviness was replaced with the garments of praise...and the jailer and his household were saved! What an awesome God we serve!
Whether it was Joseph being rescued from his prison to bring about a great deliverance for his people Israel or Daniel being thrown into the lion's den, our God is able to deliver us from whatever hardship we are facing. Jeremiah the prophet said it well, "Do not be afraid of their faces, For I am with you to deliver you,” says the LORD....They will fight against you, But they shall not prevail against you. For I am with you,” says the LORD, “to deliver you.” (Jer. 1:8,19)
When all was said and done, this would allow the first church to be established in Europe leading to the first Christian continent and central base for missions for centuries to come. What an awesome God we serve!
ACTS IN ACTION CHALLENGE POINTS
Recognize the spiritual side of the battle.
Remember the authority we have in Christ.
Rejoice before the breakthrough occurs.
Here are the FACTS behind the ACTS: God goes before us. God leads us. God allows us to encounter difficulty. God prepares our good works. God provides the grace needed during our time of need. God hears when we call upon Him. God delivers on time...in His way...for His glory! What an awesome God we serve!
On this second missionary journey, the Lord went before Paul and led him to several divine appointments once he arrived in Philippi. They met some very unlikely people that were in need of God's grace and they let the Lord guide them. With each person and situation they encountered, they witnessed the power of God to deliver them and others.
First, they encountered a girl with a spirit of divination, a python-like spirit that deceived people in getting them to believe their future could be made known. Evil spirits do not know the future but they love to have false stories purported about them so that they can discreetly use or control the lives of people who are bent toward greed and selfish gain to give them a false sense security and to speak lies to them and through them.
Paul discerned that it was an evil spirit inside this girl even though what she spoke out loud was actually true and affirming to their ministry saying, "These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation." But since this evil spirit was interrupting their gospel ministry, Paul finally had enough and "turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her." The result was that this girl, who made much profit to her masters, was delivered from this evil spirit and came under the power of a new Master, the Lord Jesus Christ.
This angered the mastered who made money from this girl and so they led out Paul and Silas into the marketplace to stand before the authorities. They were falsely accused and then publicly stripped down and beaten and taken to a prison.
But God never leaves nor forsakes His beloved children. This was all being orchestrated by Him for His greater purpose of deliverance. As Paul would later write, "Yes, we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead, who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver us; in whom we trust that He will still deliver us..." (2 Cor. 1:9-10)
So Paul and Silas while in the midst of the inner prison began to pray and to sing praises to the Lord.
What about you? What do you do when you are in a dark situation and you feel that things are working against you? Do you believe the Lord is there to help you and deliver you? Can you rejoice in the Lord before your deliverance comes?
Their persecution led them to a prison, their pain led them to pray, their prayer led them to praise, and their praise led them to see the power of God unfold. God chose to send a great earthquake which shook the foundations of the prison and caused their chains to be loosed. Darkness turned into light...the spirit of heaviness was replaced with the garments of praise...and the jailer and his household were saved! What an awesome God we serve!
Whether it was Joseph being rescued from his prison to bring about a great deliverance for his people Israel or Daniel being thrown into the lion's den, our God is able to deliver us from whatever hardship we are facing. Jeremiah the prophet said it well, "Do not be afraid of their faces, For I am with you to deliver you,” says the LORD....They will fight against you, But they shall not prevail against you. For I am with you,” says the LORD, “to deliver you.” (Jer. 1:8,19)
When all was said and done, this would allow the first church to be established in Europe leading to the first Christian continent and central base for missions for centuries to come. What an awesome God we serve!
ACTS IN ACTION CHALLENGE POINTS
Recognize the spiritual side of the battle.
Remember the authority we have in Christ.
Rejoice before the breakthrough occurs.
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