Power of Worship
Theme: Show the power of worship
Text: Acts 16:16-34 read 16:16-24
Introduction
Things started out well for Paul and Silas. Being led by the Holy Spirit through a vision into the Macedonia area they soon came to Phillipi. There was no doubt that the Spirit of the Lord was with them. They were truly being led by the Lord. Upon their entrance into the city Paul carried on his usual tradition of preaching on the Sabbath. This time it was by the river side which was a place of prayer for the people. Here God brought great results. People were saved including a lady named Lydia who would play a great role in starting a church in Phillipi.
But it seems that over night things changed. As Paul and Silas began to preach in the streets they picked up a stranger. The Bible describes her as “a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination”. In other words she was a demon possessed girl. She would cry out “These men are the serve ants of the most high God, which show unto us the way of salvation.” She not only did this once or twice but for many days she followed them. Over and over again she would proclaim, “These men are servants of the most high God, which show unto us the way of salvation.” It finally got to a point where it grieved Paul’s spirit. This is a fancy way of saying, “It got on his nerves because it irritated the spirit of God.”
Why did Paul get upset?
You may ask, “Why would Paul get so upset? She was proclaiming the praises of God.” Sure she was speaking truth but Paul was more concerned with the messenger than the message. The devil has no right to proclaim the praises of God. This is important. Paul knew that the devil was only trying to confuse people. The devil knew that if he could get people to associate Paul & Silas with this “demon possessed slave girl” then their message would be weak and unaccepted.
But let me tell you the devil always forgets the power of God and the anointing of God in those who walk in obedience to his word. The devil has been telling this world lies for along time. He has been trying to associate all kinds of trash with the work of God. He will do anything he can to discredit Gods work. It is time that we took the gall and stood up to him. It is time that we quit letting him tell us what God can’t do in our lives and start believing the impossible.
The Devil has no Power
The devil has no power. He is a toothless lion whose bark is worse than his bite. Oh he is powerful. And powerful than any human being alone but I know that “Greater is he that is in me than he that is in the world”. Romans 8:31 tells us “If God be for us, who can be against us”. I know that he is a thief and a liar and only comes to “kill, steal and destroy”. I know that he has a destiny. You see I have read the end of the book and guess what the good guys win. The devil will be cast in the lake of fire. I won’t stand for the lies of the devil.
Well praise the Lord.
Paul casts out the demon
Finally, Paul looks at the girl and says, “I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ (remember that name that every knee shall bow and every tongue confess) come out of her.” And the Bible said, “And he came out the same hour or “immediately”.
One translation helps us see the force in the saying of Paul it reads, “She did this for a number of days until Paul, finally fed up with her, turned and commanded the spirit that possessed her, “Out! In the name of Jesus Christ, get out of her!” And it was gone, just like that.
When God works he works immediately.
You would think that these men would have been happy for this girl. She was set free. But in this era people believed that a person who had lost their wits were being controlled by the gods (small g). Luke here actually says this woman had a spirit a python. The idea came from the Greek mythology of the god Appollo who embodied a snake at Delphi. So you see why these men were so upset. They were using this girl for profit. They cared nothing for her welfare.
We know the story. They called a meeting of the town and brought Paul and Silas before them. The judges or magistrates of the town held a mock trial. Without a defense or anything Paul and Silas were beaten and thrown into jail.
Now quickly let us review what has happened.
A. Paul & Silas receive & respond to a vision to go to Macedonia.
B. They arrive, preach a little, and have a quick deliverance service for a slave girl.
C. The slave’s masters get very upset.
D. They are beaten up severely.
E. No trial...Thrown into a maximum security prison.
Paul & Silas could easily get upset with God
It would be easy for Paul & Silas to get upset with God. They were doing his work and his will. They were helping people. Lives were being changed. This new church needed mentoring. How could they help in jail? But on top of that they were beaten. They were badly beaten. Locked in chains in the inner cell.
For some this is the end of the line. They can take so much but this is the final draw. Oh its alright to be a Christian when things are going our way but let there be any hint of persecution or trouble and they start packing.
Let me tell you the Bible is plain that we as Christians will suffer persecution and trials in this life. It is clear that all is not a bed of roses. 2 Cor 4:17 tells us, “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.” In other words what we face here is small and insignificant compared to what we receive in glory.
Let me tell you I am not going to let any trial or any tribulation steal away my eternal rewards. You may say, “But Bro. Hardee you don’t know what I am going through. You may be right but I know that if you give up what you will be missing.
Listen to what happened. We know the story.
After a tired and wearisome day. Paul & Silas sat in the captivity and bonds of prison. Couldn’t you just imagine what was going on. All around them was the suffering. Their back hurt. Their head hurt. Their body ached. All for doing God’s work. Yet you could hear. As Paul & Silas laid there you could hear that faint sound. I don’t know what they were singing but let me just give you my version.
They were probably faced with doubt
I believe they were faced with doubt. Oh the devil was on their mind. Telling them what God had done. Telling them that look at all they had done but God had abandoned them. Oh let me tell you surely they were faithful Christians. Yes they were men of strength and character but them whips were real. God didn’t miraculously cause them not to feel them. And the devil knew this. Over and over in their mind the devil kept trying to take their zeal and their joy.
Oh I could just imagine. Laying on their backs their mind begins to focus. Listen, “Well I went to the enemies camp and I took back what he stole from me.” Maybe it was Paul who sung first. Then Silas joins in. “Took back what he stole from me, took back what he stole from me”. I went to the enemies camp and I took back what he stole from me”. Then louder, “He’s under my feet He’s under my feet, He’s under my feet, He’s under my feet, He’s under my feet, He’s under my feet, Satan you’re under my feet.” At midnight this singing began to fill the prison. The prisoners were waking up. What was going on. They keep singing over and over again. They didn’t care about the pain, don’t care about the stocks, don’t care about the prison they sang.
Then it happened. The a great earthquake. The prison shook, the walls shook, the bonds were lose. Was it a coincidence? You can believe that if you want but I know my God don’t work in coincidences. Oh you can see his power all over this.
There is power in praise.
Let me just stop here and tell you there is power in praise. Oh if you could just stop and look past you trial. If you could look past your financial need. If you could look past your aches and pains. If you could look past your hurt. If you would just praise the Lord no matter how you feel God will bring a bond breaking, prison opening experience.
Oh don’t miss this. There is power in praise. God says there are some of you that need to get lose of the bonds that are binding you. These are the chains that are holding your hands in worship. It may be pride, it may be hurt, it may be sickness. It may be fear. I don’t know but if you would just began to praise the Lord God will break these binds.
Some of you are being held captive by the devil. He has placed you in the walls of doubt. He has told you all kinds of things.
Some of you feel the pains of this body. It is like stripes on your back. You can’t praise him for the pain. God says praise him in spite of the pain.
Let me tell you, if we let it:
Praise and worship will break the bonds that fasten us
Praise and worship will open the prison that captures us
Praise and worship will remove the stripes of pain from our back
We need to praise the Lord.
Let me give you one last thought before I close.
You never know who is listening to you praise the Lord
You never know who is listening to you praise the Lord. You never know who is watching you. You never know who needs that hope of Christ and if one godly Christian would just show the joy of the Lord in their life then they would give to the Lord. This is what happened to the Philippian jailer. When he came in he was ready to give up? Standing there with his sword drawn and no hope he was ready to die? Yet Paul cried out. Oh the grace of God./
God knows your need but he also knows the people around you. Don’t under estimate the power of worship in your life and in the life of others.
Conclusion
Let me ask you. Where has your focus been? God spoke to me a few Sunday’s back and told me to tell the people, “Sometimes a healing comes when we get our mind off our healing.” This is the same for any other miracle we have been praying for. It can become a distraction. It can lead us not to praise the Lord. Yet God desires our praise. He covets our praise. And we know he “inhabits” our praise. Or he dwells in that.
I don’t know what you are facing but I don’t know God. This is what God says. Some of you are facing turmoil and trails but he wants you to praise him. I am not going to ask you to stand and bow your heads. God says if you understand what Paul & Silas went through and you are facing this bondage and captivity in your life. Maybe the devil has been trying to steal your joy. Notice the progression of the verse I read earlier, he knows that if he can steal from you then it will kill you and then finally destroy you. Oh the devil is fighting but the Lord says praise him.
Don’t you want the bondage broken then I say stand to your feet and praise him.
