During our New Testament reading ... we heard a story concerning Paul's adventure ... in Greece.
Paul and Silas were on a missionary journey ... in the area of Philippi ... and initially things seemed to be going ... pretty well.
One day, however, ... things began to change.
A certain woman, ... who was a fortune teller, ... began to follow Paul and Silas declaring, BIBLE "These men are slaves of the Most High God, who proclaim to you a way of salvation." END (Acts 16:17)
Now, at first ... this may have seemed like a good thing ... free advertising.
But this did not just happen once or twice; ... we are told she kept up this chant for ... "many days." (Acts 16:18)
What might have appeared at first ... to be a good thing ... was becoming a nuisance ... a distraction.
Finally, ... Paul cast the demonic spirit from her ... and she was delivered.
Of course she also lost her powers ... of telling the future.
This woman was being used by certain influential men in the community ... to make money.
When her masters saw what Paul and Silas had done ... they seized them ... and dragged them ... to the marketplace.
And things just go from bad to worse for Paul and Silas.
They were brought before a makeshift court ... were stripped, ... beaten severely ... and thrown into the inner prison ... where their feet were fastened in stocks.
This turned into what you may call ... a bad day.
Have you ever had ... "one of those days?"
One of those days; ... when there was a hint ... that things were not going to go .... well?
One of those days ... when one bad thing after another ... seems to hit you?
One of those days when you have just told someone, ... "Well, at least things can't get any worse." ......... But they did?
Let me share some true examples ... of what I am talking about.
And some of these people probably earned the right to a bad day.
1.A man in London, Ontario, ... was so mad after being given a speeding ticket ... that he raced away from the officer, ... rubber burning.
The officer nabbed him a second time for speeding ... and added a third ticket ... for making unnecessary noise.
2.Surprised while burglarizing a house in Antwerp, Belgium, ... a thief fled out the back door, ...... clambered over a nine-foot wall ... and dropped down ....... into the city prison.
3. A woman came home to find her husband in the kitchen, ... shaking frantically .... with what looked like a wire running from his waist towards the electric kettle.
Intending to knock him free from the deadly current ... she found a large piece of wood and whacked him on his arm, ... breaking his arm in two places.
What a shame, he had only been listening to some tunes ... on his IPhone.
The text in Acts clearly indicates that the Apostle Paul and Silas were having .... "one of those days."
Beloved ... Bad days only get worse ... for those who do not know Christ
What about you?
Have you ever had a bad day? A bad week? .... I have!
In fact, ... if I am not serving Christ ... or if I am not in His will, ... those days ... can get to be pretty stressful.
But thank God, ... if we confess our sins, ... He is faithful to forgive us ... and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)
Yet an unrighteous man ... really does not have much hope ... of things ... getting significantly better.
The Prophet Amos describes an unrighteous man: BIBLE "An Unrighteous man is one who runs from a lion meets a bear, and then when he gets to house, he leans on the wall in exhaustion, only to have a snake bite him." END (Amos 5:19)
Now that's ... a bad day.
And for those who are not ready to meet the Lord, .... days will be ... even worse.
The Scriptures state in Revelation: "they will be tormented day and night forever and ever." (Revelation 20:10)
While it is true ... that even a Child of God ... can have a bad day, ... a bad day ... will not have the last word.
God has the last Word ... and His Word says in Psalm 30: BIBLE "weeping may last for the night, but a shout of joy comes in the morning." (Psalm 30:5)
Again, ... in Romans we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love Him, to those who have been called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28)
So how do you turn around a bad day
How did Paul and Silas handle it
The Scriptures state; BIBLE "About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them." END (Acts 16:25)
The victory in overcoming bad days ... comes down to this simple equation:
"Prayer plus Praise Equals Deliverance."
"Prayer plus Praise Equals Deliverance".
First we must begin with Prayer.
Start by calling upon the Name of the Lord.
A Simple prayer from the heart, ... a time one on one with the God that loves you so very much.
Then listen, Remember Christ's promise to us ... "My Sheep hear my Voice." (John 10:27)
"My yoke is easy and my burden is light. Saith the Lord" (Matthew 11:30)
Have you ever used the term "take it easy on yourself?"
You know, ... as Christians ... we need to do that!
Have you ever been in a situation ... which caused you such great distress ... that you did not know where to turn?
"My yoke is easy and my burden is light says the Lord." (Matthew 11:30)
Give your burdens to Jesus... He has already made the Sacrifice ... He has already paid the price.
Sometimes our bad days .... are bad days .... simply because we did not take it to the Lord ... in prayer.
Joseph Scrivens became keenly aware of the power of prayer.
It sustained him when all seemed lost in his life.
You see, Joseph's fiancée drowned the night before their scheduled wedding.
Soon thereafter, ... when his mother was ill, ... he wrote his mother a letter and enclosed the lines of a new poem he had written.
We know the words of this poem as the Hymn, ... "What A Friend We Have in Jesus."
In the first verse Joseph expressed this ironic truth:
O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear, All because we do not carry Everything to God in prayer.
Prayer is our open line to God's presence, .... an open line in time of need. (Pause)
There's the story of the son that went to jump on the bumper of his dad's truck in order to hitch a short ride across the yard.
His dad did not see him.
He slid down and was being dragged for several yards before his dad heard him screaming.
The father ran around behind the truck where his son was still holding on to the bumper
He could see that he was OK ... just a little scraped up on his knees and legs, .... but he just had to ask .... the obvious question, ....... "Why didn't you let go?"
God must be looking at us and wondering, ...... "Why didn't you let go?"
Beloved .... Do not let Satan drag you through life battered and scarred.
How do you turn around a bad day? ....... Pray.
When a storms comes ......., pray and God will sustain you.
Secondly, ....... Continue with Praise.
After Paul and Silas prayed .... they began to sing hymns of praise to God.
They prayed and trusted God ... so what else is there to do .... but speak the language of faith.
Praise ...... whether it is in song or in word ....... praise is that language of faith.
The eyes of man would have tried to convince Paul and Silas ... that their situation had not changed ... and there was nothing to sing about.
But through eyes of faith ... they saw that God had not forsaken them.
Beloved .... Prayer plus Praise ...Equals ... Deliverance.
Even though it had been a bad day up to this point, ... even though they were in prison ... chained in the stocks, ......... God was with them.
It takes faith to praise God .... when the day has been bad.
It takes faith .... to sing praises to the Lord for what He has done ... while to those around you ... it does not look like the Lord ... has done anything.
But once we have prayed ... and put our problems in God's hands, .... what else is there to do ... but praise him?
To do anything less ... is to suggest that either God did not hear, ... or God does not care.
If you believe He hears, .... and you know He cares, ... then praise Him!
There is a song that I often sing after I have lifted my burdens to the Lord that seems to strengthen me.
Wherever I am I'll Praise Him Whenever I can I'll Praise Him For His love surrounds me like a sea.
I'll Praise the name of Jesus Lift up the name of Jesus For the Name of Jesus lifted Me.
As Paul and Silas sang, ... the prison was shaken, ...... the doors were opened .... and they were delivered. (Pause)
Now Beloved, ... that's .... a Pretty Good Day!
God was truly working .... all things together for good. (Romans 8:28)
Please hold on to this supernatural truth.
Prayer plus Praise Equals Deliverance.
The life of a Christian embodies this simple truth.
Please stand with me .... and let us Praise Him together .... in the precious words of the Doxology.
Praise God from whom all blessings flow, Praise him all creatures here below, Praise him above ye heavenly host; Praise Father Son and Holy Ghost.
Amen
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