Acts 16:25-26 But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose.

The year was approximately A.D. 52, Paul was on his second missionary journey and the Holy Spirit had called him and those traveling with him to Macedonea. Their travels took them to Philippi, a Roman colony and on the Sabbath we find Paul, Luke who wrote the book of Acts, and Silas walking by the river outside of the city gates, seeking a peaceful place for prayer. A slave who was possessed and being used by her masters to make money, was following the group and yelling, “These men are bond-servants of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation.” While her words were true, God does not need Satan to speak for Him, and a true servant of God does not revel in the flattery of attention. So Paul turned and cast out the evil spirit but her master got mad because Paul’s ministry cost him money. The Holy Spirit directed Paul to Macedonea, so he changes his travel plans and goes there in obedience to God. They come to Philippi and receive no great welcome, they are apparently ignored except by a small group of women who meet down by the river to pray. They are hounded by a demon possessed slave-girl until, led of the Holy Spirit, Paul delivers her from bondage, and for that they are stripped, beaten “with many blows”, and chained up like dangerous criminals. So how do they respond to prison and pain? Prayer and Praise! Persecution produced Praise in their life. It was Paul who wrote to the Ephesians, “…be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to God, even the Father;” For Paul these were not just principles but practices. How about you how do you respond to being wronged, do you Worship or whine? Today we get bummed out over a bad hair day because for many of us our worship is held hostage by happiness. Yet for Paul he not only made a decision to praise but he also directed his praise, the bigger the problem the bolder the praise. Worship that wins involves:

• Witness

Those that worship witness, Paul’s work was to preach the Word, to be a witness. Prison didn’t stop the preaching, Paul pushed through with the vehicle of worship. Often we let our circumstances govern our celebration yet we will never find hope looking at our circumstances but in looking to the One who is in charge of our circumstances. If we were put in prison would we pursue praise? So often we focus on where we are instead of whose we are, we lose perspective on what really matters. We can also be limited in our view of the purpose to praise. It goes way beyond just our provision, it’s farther-reaching than just giving us comfort and encouragement in trouble. We’re told in verse 25 that “the prisoners were listening to them”. Praise doesn’t just comfort it also confronts and convicts those who hear it. Today through technology our audience isn’t just our little group, it is global.  Anything from a President’s speech to a jeans commercial can be broadcast to places we don’t even think about by a simple entry on the internet. Today the world is constantly broadcasting their problems because that’s all they have, history has shown us that they have no solutions, but are we broadcasting our praise? Praise is the antidote to the problems, will you broadcast with boldness what you believe? What will the world hear from you, worship or whining? Paul’s praise echoes through eternity not just globally but generationally. Paul’s suffering was a result of serving, today we want serving to result in a pat on the back not persecution. Often our motivation to serve is rooted in the selfish desire to be seen and to succeed.  But the success for Paul was not in the results but the relationship. An Earthquake resulted but we don’t always experience the power of praise. We miss the whole thing if we think that when we are in prison an earthquake will always come. A few years later Paul was in a prison again, this time in Rome, and while he was in prison he wrote to the church where we find him still singing. He sang not because the earth was going to be moved because Christ was bigger than his circumstances. In 2 Timothy 4:5-8 he said “you should keep a clear mind in every situation. Don’t be afraid of suffering for the Lord. Work at telling others the Good News, and fully carry out the ministry God has given you. 6 As for me, my life has already been poured out as an offering to God. The time of my death is near. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. 8 And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing.”

Paul’s worship was not based on the wonder or the wow factor but on the One he worshipped and witnessed about. What about you, are you going to focus on the problems or the praise, what will others witness, worship or whining?

2 Chronicles 20:17-22

17 You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you.’”18 Jehoshaphat bowed down with his face to the ground, and all the people of Judah and Jerusalem fell down in worship before the Lord. 19 Then some Levites from the Kohathites and Korahites stood up and praised the Lord, the God of Israel, with a very loud voice. 20 Early in the morning they left for the Desert of Tekoa. As they set out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Listen to me, Judah and people of Jerusalem! Have faith in the Lord your God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will be successful.” 21 After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the Lord and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying: “Give thanks to the Lord, for his love endures forever.” 22 As they began to sing and praise, the Lord set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated.

What battles are you facing today? Sooner or later we will all face something that we can’t handle, a battle bigger than our brilliance and brains. When we think of war we don’t often think of worship but that is exactly what God wanted King Jehoshaphat to discover. There is tremendous power in praise so in your problems have you tried praising God? The praise of the Almighty is what “ambushed” his enemies. When we start worshiping God, it’s amazing what starts happening. Worship that wins involves:

• WAITING

Today we live in a “go get something done” world and we view waiting as wasting. Yet the focus is not on the waiting but the who or what we are waiting on. Why does our Worship need to involve waiting, because in the waiting we are reminded that:

1. The battle isn’t yours.

God reminds them in verse 17“You will not have to fight this battle” So often we want to focus on the fight when we need to focus on the Father. It’s really about being faithful but we make it about feelings. It’s only as we wait on God that we are reminded of whose battle it really is, we do the waiting and He does the winning. The young shepherd boy David knew this and said in 1 Samuel 17:47 “All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.” Waiting is never wasted when we are waiting on God.     

1. Do not be afraid

This is God speaking to us, it’s a command, we are waiting not hiding, and there is a difference between waiting and wetting your pants. As we wait we need to focus on the Father not fear, this is where our faith comes from. Over 350 times the word fear is mentioned, over 60 times the Bible says, “Fear not” one for every second of every minute. Fear will never change your circumstances and fear tolerated is faith contaminated. Fear doesn’t conquer the enemy it only conquers us. God speaks to his children over and over again in His Word and in Isaiah. 41:10 He says “Fear not for I am with you” in Isaiah 41:13 He says “Fear not for I will help you” in Isaiah 43:1“Fear not for I have redeemed you, I have called you by thy name and you are mine.” As we wait on the Lord we learn to trade our fear for faith.

1. Do not be discouraged

So often the battle is lost because in our discouragement we give in, yet God wants us to know that we don’t have to be stressed out and distraught over the danger.  Courage is not found in the changing of our circumstances but in our unchanging Creator.

• WATCHING

Verse 17 says “see the deliverance the Lord will give you” As we slow down and wait we get to watch. Today we spend too much time working and not enough time watching God. Do you believe that God is working on your behalf? Our Worship need to involve watching and that means we need to:

1. Position ourselves

In verse 17 they are told to “take up your positions; stand firm” Where is our position? Where should we be positioning ourselves? This was not a fixed position hiding at the back but the position of praise headed straight at the enemy’s location. Verse 21 says “After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the Lord and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying: “Give thanks to the Lord, for his love endures forever.” Leading the parade of praise is the position of the worship warrior. As you face the battle would you take your place on the front line leading not with the sword but with singing to the Savior? Once in position we are to remain there, we are called to “stand firm” we must not leave the fight, Ephesians 6:13 says “When you have done everything STAND.

1. Face the enemy with confidence

vs. 17 “…tomorrow go out against them; for the Lord will be with you.”

Verse 17 says “Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you” There is a difference between being confident and cocky and it has to do with who we are relying on. We are called to face our fears and when God’s speaks He speaks prophetically, we can believe His many promises, over7000 of them in the bible.  Worship warriors know the One who has won the war. Where are you at, will you wait and watch, will you worship? Praise is a powerful weapon of warfare.