Stand FirmSample

God Gives Us Prayer and Worship to Stand Firm

Picture this: Two leaders, Paul and Silas, in a bustling city, living their lives following God, and they are called to heal a girl. Despite their good heart and intentions, they find themselves humiliated, beaten, bruised and locked away in the innermost part of a prison.

Sometimes life can feel like a prison - whether that be emotionally, spiritually or even physically, by our relationships, anxiety, fear or a physical illness. We can all experience moments where we feel trapped.

Paul and Silas knew very well the feeling of being trapped - here and on other occasions. However, despite appearing seemingly powerless, they chose to pray and to praise God, because they knew that even in our prisons the best thing for us to do is to worship God.

Their prayers and praises were about connection, because when we pray, we encounter God’s presence and invite him into our situation. He might not respond like it’s a wishlist, which can feel tough, but he responds with what we need, which is first and foremost his love and presence.

Paul and Silas chose to fix their eyes on him, not because it was easy, but because he is worthy. And when they praised, the very foundations of the prison shook and their chains and even the chains around them loosened - even bringing salvation to their jailer and his household.

No matter what it is you bring to God, he doesn’t just leave us in our situations. God can shake up our prisons and be in our circumstances when we pray, giving us his love and freedom. Not only does he free us, he uses us to impact the people around us.

Questions

Do you have any “prisons” in your life?

How do you make space to invite God into your situations?

Prayer

Lord, thank you that you still see us in our prisons and that we can call on you to feel your presence. I ask that you bring freedom and healing to my situation. Amen