Hi Everyone,

I believe we’ve stepped into a new season, a time when we are going to see the power of God in action, right before our eyes. God has always been ready and wanting to do this but we, the Church, have not. We’ve chased this evangelist, this preacher, that teaching, we’ve even thought we could use formulas to manifest salvation, healing and deliverance, but now it’s time to see the real thing!

Just like when Jesus walked the earth and shared the good news of the Kingdom and laid hands on the sick and saw them healed and delivered, He then gave that authority to the disciples who continued but now it’s our turn to take up that authority and continue. (Matthew 10:1, Mark 16:15-20, Luke 9:1-3, John 14:12)

When Jesus died on the cross, He broke every curse that we were under and so we are free but many still don’t know that, so they are still living in a prison with the doors wide open! So, it’s time for us, the Church to give them the good news about Jesus, Our Saviour and Lord.

We don’t need to try and make things happen we just need to step out in faith and allow the Holy Spirit that Jesus spoke about to work through us! (John 14:15-17, Acts 1:8, John 16:5-15)

Now have a read of Acts 16:25-34. This is about Paul and Silas in prison. Acts 16:25-26 tells us that even in a prison, beaten and hungry, chained and cold, they were still praying and praising God!

It’s great to sing praises when all is well… but to sing in the dark, at midnight, when you can’t see a way out? Can we still praise God then?

Hebrews 13:5 says to offer up a sacrifice of praise. Psalm 141:2 the psalmist speaks about the evening praise, when we’re tired, when we don’t have the answers, or don’t feel well. Well, that’s a sacrifice of praise and that touches God’s heart, blesses Him and exposes the heart of a true believer!

There is so much power in praise! It opens prison doors, it empowers us, pushes back the forces of darkness and glorifies God.

Read 2 Chronicles 20:1-25. When they praised, the enemy was thrown into confusion and they killed each other!

Note in Acts 16:25 when Paul and Silas were singing all the other prisoners were listening. Other people around us are watching and listening to see how we deal with, cope with and respond in the dark times of our lives. Do we run to God or from God?

In vs. 26 it says “Suddenly”. We could be praying for a long time but then suddenly God steps in and the prison doors swing open and the chains come loose!

Notice also that not just their chains came loose, but everybody’s chains! That’s what will happen when people see that Jesus is real in our lives, that we can still praise and have the joy of the Lord in the dark times.
So, let’s let our lives be a praise to God! That’s so important, not just share the good news with people but let them see it in action, and let’s see the prison doors fly open and peoples’ chains come loose!

Let me leave you with this:
“When we pray, we come into His Presence but when we praise, He comes into our Presence!” (Anon)

More Scriptures: Acts 2:47, Psalm 149:6, Psalm 42:11, 43:5 and many more! Psalm 16:7-8, 9:1-2, 35:27-28, 71:7-8, 116:17, 119:62.

God bless you all and have a great week!

Love Giovanna!