Mensa Otabil - Praise Brings Breakthrough
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Welcome, my friends. Today is number 39 of our 40 Days of Power. Thank God for how far He has brought us. To God be the glory; great things He has done. One more day to go, and to Him belongs all the praise. Today, we are talking about praise that brings breakthrough, and the text is Acts of the Apostles, chapter 16, verses 25 and 26.
At midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly, there was a great earthquake, so the foundations of the prison were shaken, and immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s chains were loosed. Paul and Silas were imprisoned for preaching the good news of Christ and for doing the works of God in a city called Philippi. The passage tells us that they are now prisoners, so the passage takes us into their prison cell at a certain time that the passage says is midnight.
There are two important concepts I want you to pay attention to: where they were— in prison— and the time— midnight. These two ideas give you the impression that this is a bad time for Paul and Silas. They’re in prison, and their hour is dark; it shows a very difficult season of their lives. Then the Bible shows us their spiritual state and their natural state: they’re in prison, and it’s midnight. Their spiritual state is that they are praying and praising God, so it’s possible to be in a bad state and still be praying and praising God.
What they’re doing is totally opposite to the state they are in. As they were praising God, the Bible introduces us to observers; the prisoners are observing. They’re watching what will happen to these crazy people who are praising God in a prison at midnight. Would something happen? Then the Bible says «suddenly.» Suddenly means without warning, without preparation; out of nowhere, God shows up, and He shows up through an earthquake.
The earthquake represents God using the natural elements, the natural forces, to work out His purposes. Because God can use the sun, the sea, and everything He has created to favor you, God uses the earthquake to work a miracle. How do we know God uses the earthquake? It’s from God! Normal earthquakes are very dangerous to people who are indoors. During an earthquake, you have to be outdoors. They are in prison, and these prisons were dungeons, so they are in the most vulnerable place.
If it is a natural earthquake, it should crush them; it should kill them. But the earthquake does something that earthquakes don’t do. The earthquake shakes the foundations of the prison; that’s normal. But then it opens doors; that’s not normal. And it looses chains; that is abnormal. If an earthquake can open doors and loose chains, it’s not a natural earthquake, it’s a supernatural act of God using the natural elements to achieve this, and God breaks through. The doors are open, and the chains are loose.
So today, I believe that before we end 40 Days of Power, God will send you help, and every chain will be broken, and doors will be opened. I speak breakthrough to you in the name of Jesus. May the God you have spoken to during these 40 days, in prayer and having waited on, cause the elements, nature, circumstances, and situations to visit you wherever you are. May the doors be opened, and may the chains be loosened. May God give you a testimony so that those around watching can see that the God you serve is a mighty one in the midst of the storm.
Let’s pray. Say with me: Heavenly Father, I praise You for who You are. You are wonderful in all Your ways; Your glory exceeds all glories. You are matchless, without compare. I thank You, Father, in Jesus' name. Amen and amen. Well, tomorrow is the final day. I will see you again, I’m Pastor Mensa Otabil. Shalom, peace, and life to you.