One Praise Away

You Are Closer Than You Think – One Praise Away

Main Text: Acts 16:16-34 (AMP)

GOD IS NOT GOING TO ASK YOU TO DO WHAT HE HAS NOT EQUIPPED YOU FOR

GOD IS NOT GOING TO ASK YOU TO DO SOMETHING OUTSIDE OF YOUR ABILITY TO PERFORM

GOD WILL NEVER ASK YOU TO DO SOMETHING THAT HE HAS EMPOWERED YOU TO DO

GOD WILL NOT ASK YOU TO DO WHAT HE DOESN'T ALREADY KNOW THE END OF IT

• What God Has Called He Has Equipped FOR
• Remind Yourself That You're Just A Vessel Being Used by God

Let's Review who you are in Christ:

Genesis 1:26 (AMP) Then God said, "Let Us (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) make man in Our image, according to Our likeness [not physical, but a spiritual personality and moral likeness]; and let them have complete authority

Psalms 139:14 (AMP) I will give thanks and praise to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well.

Psalm 82:6 (AMP) I said, "You are gods; Indeed, all of you are sons of the Most High

John 10:34 (AMP) Jesus answered them, "Is it not written in your Law, 'I said, you are gods [human judges representing God, not divine beings]'?

There will be times in your life when taking a risk is the safest thing you can do. I have learned that many people will have opinions on things that they have never been through.

Today we will be dealing with a woman, who was sick and tired of being sick and tired. I'm going to bust a move.

The Slave Girl with a Spirit of Divination

Acts 16:16-18 (AMP) It happened that as we were on our way to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave-girl who had a spirit of divination [that is, a demonic spirit claiming to foretell the future and discover hidden knowledge], and she brought her owners a good profit by fortune-telling. She followed after Paul and us and kept screaming and shouting, "These men are servants of the Most High God! They are proclaiming to you the way of salvation!" She continued doing this for several days. Then Paul, being greatly annoyed and worn out, turned and said to the spirit [inside her], "I command you in the name of Jesus Christ [as His representative] to come out of her!" And it came out at that very moment.

• This young slave girl had an evil spirit, and she made her masters rich by interpreting signs and telling people their fortunes.
• What the slave girl said was true, although the source of her knowledge was a demon.
• Demons fight to drag as many people away from God as they can and to diminish the image of God in each person.
• They know God exists and has the power to destroy them.
• Satan always seeks to twist the truth of God's Word.
• Allowing the slave girl's demon to keep announcing their purpose would damage the communication of Paul's message about Christ. Truth and lies from Satan do not mix.

Paul and Silas Arrested

Acts 16:19-21 (AMP) But when her owners saw that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them before the authorities in the market place [where trials were held], and when they had brought them before the chief magistrates, they said, "These men, who are Jews, are throwing our city into confusion and causing trouble. They are publicly teaching customs which are unlawful for us, as Romans, to accept or observe."

• Faced with the loss of their slave girl's fortune-telling ability, the Philippian entrepreneurs were furious.
• Never mind that Paul and Silas were speaking eternal truths.
• Never mind that the poor slave girl had been delivered from an awful existence; her owners could only bemoan their economic loss!
• Check your heart and motivations the next time anger overtakes you.
• Falsely accused

Paul and Silas Imprisoned

Acts 16:22-24 (AMP) The crowd also joined in the attack against them, and the chief magistrates tore their robes off them and ordered that Paul and Silas be beaten with rods. After striking them many times [with the rods], they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to guard them securely. He, having received such a [strict] command, threw them into the inner prison (dungeon) and fastened their feet in the stocks [in an agonizing position].

Praying and Singing at Midnight

Acts 16:25 (AMP) But about midnight when Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them;

• Notice they didn't focus on their problems they focused on their praise
• Praise draws God close
• Praise releases a frequency that heaven must respond t
• Despite this dismal situation, they praised God, praying and singing as the other prisoners listened.
• No matter what our circumstances are, we should praise God.
• Others may come to Christ because of our example.
• Going through chemo and praising God through with my hands up

The Earthquake and Open Doors

Acts 16:26-27 (AMP) suddenly there was a great earthquake, so [powerful] that the very foundations of the prison were shaken and at once all the doors were opened and everyone's chains were unfastened. When the jailer, shaken out of sleep, saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, thinking that the prisoners had escaped.

• Usually, a jailer would be put to death for failing to keep the prisoners locked up (see, for example, 12:19).

Paul Stops the Jailer

Acts 16:28-30 (AMP) But Paul shouted, saying, "Do not hurt yourself, we are all here!" Then the jailer called for torches and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas, and after he brought them out [of the inner prison], he said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"

• Could it be that Paul and Silas had to go through what they went through to save the Jailer and his family
• Could it be that Job had to go through what he went through to save his friends
• Could it be that Jesus had to go through what he went through to save the world
• The Bible says unless a seed falls to the ground and dies, there is no new life John 12:24

Believe in the Lord Jesus

Acts 16:31 (AMP) And they answered, "Believe in the Lord Jesus [as your personal Savior and entrust yourself to Him] and you will be saved, you and your household [if they also believe]."

• Paul and Silas's reputation in Philippi was well known.
• If you have never trusted in Jesus to save you, do so quickly. Your life can be filled with joy, just like the jailer's (Acts 16:34).

The Jailer's Household Saved

Acts 16:32-34 (AMP) And they spoke the word of the Lord [concerning eternal salvation through faith in Christ] to him and to all who were in his house. And he took them that very hour of the night and washed their bloody wounds, and immediately he was baptized, he and all his household. Then he brought them into his house and set food before them, and rejoiced greatly, since he had believed in God with his entire family [accepting with joy what had been made known to them about the Christ].

• Paul and Silas took the family unit seriously, so the offer of salvation was extended to the jailer's entire household—his family and servants.
• The jailer's faith is not what saved them; they all needed to come to Jesus in faith and believe in him in the same way the jailer had.

WISDOM KEYS

WISDOM KEY #1 - PRAISE HIM AT ALL TIMES

PSALM 34:1-3 (AMP) I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul makes its boast in the Lord; The humble and downtrodden will hear it and rejoice. O magnify the Lord with me, And let us lift up His name together.

WISDOM KEY #2 - PRAISE HIM FOR IT'S HIS WILL FOR YOU

1 THESSALONIANS 5:16-18 (AMP) Rejoice always and delight in your faith; be unceasing and persistent in prayer; in every situation [no matter what the circumstances] be thankful and continually give thanks to God; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.

Discussion Questions

1. Paul and Silas were beaten, imprisoned, and placed in stocks, yet they praised God at midnight. What does your response to suffering reveal about your faith?
2. The passage states, "Notice they didn't focus on their problems they focused on their praise." What problem are you currently focusing on that you need to shift toward praise instead?
3. Paul cast out a demon from the slave girl even though she was speaking truth about them. Why do you think Paul refused to allow even truthful statements from a demonic source?
4. The slave girl's owners were angry about losing profit, not concerned about her freedom. How do financial concerns sometimes blind us to what God is doing?
5. The message suggests that "praise releases a frequency that heaven must respond to." Have you experienced a breakthrough that came through worship and praise?
6. Other prisoners were listening to Paul and Silas praise God in their suffering. Who might be watching how you respond to your trials, and what testimony are you giving them?
7. The earthquake opened all the doors and unfastened everyone's chains. How might your praise in difficult times bring breakthrough not just for you, but for others around you?
8. Paul asked: "Could it be that Paul and Silas had to go through what they went through to save the Jailer and his family?" What if your current trial is ultimately about someone else's salvation or breakthrough?
9. The jailer and his entire household were saved and baptized that same night. How does this story challenge you to share the gospel with urgency, even in unexpected circumstances?
10. Psalm 34:1 says "I will bless the Lord at all times." What would change in your life if you made this your daily practice, regardless of circumstances?

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