Day 7: The Power of Prayer and Praise
Intention
Prayer and praise have immense power as we seek a breakthrough for life.
Scripture
“But 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 that the foundations of the prison were shaken; immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed.”
Acts 16:25-26
Reflection
For preaching the Gospel and for standing up for righteousness and justice, Paul and Silas were going through cruel injustice and illegal beatings at the hands of Roman soldiers — and all this, having previously been attacked by mobs and unbelieving crowds. Those situations caused them to be stripped off their clothes, severely beaten, chained, and thrown into jail with criminals.
The enemy was using various tactics and unbelievers to silence Paul and Silas from preaching the Gospel and doing what the Lord had called them to do (John 10:10b). It was a spiritual attack manifested in the physical realm in various ways as they released the fortune-telling slave girl from demonic forces (Acts 16:16-21).
Paul and Silas realised that their fight was not against flesh and blood but the rulers, authorities, dark powers and spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms who manifested itself in various ways (Ephesians 6:10-18). In their darkest hour, still chained and nursing blood-stained injuries and the psychological torture of having been beaten — it was in this moment that they decided to raise their voices to pray and praise the Lord.
They used spiritual weapons against the forces of darkness who came to steal, kill and destroy them and also try to sabotage the plans of God in that region. As Paul and Silas prayed and praised God, God heard their prayers, and the presence of the Lord came down. The foundation of the prison was shaken, all chains were loosed, and the prison gates were opened. Later, the jailer and his family even got saved and baptised.
Because Paul and Silas were released from prison with honour and dignity, they also had their legal rights restored. When we pray, praise and worship the Lord in unity, then breakthrough and change will come in every sphere — from the spiritual to the physical and the social. With God, everything is possible.
When we pray, God hears and answers our prayers according to His promises (2 Chronicles 7:14). When we sing praises and worship the Lord in Spirit and truth, then His presence comes down with the rain of blessings (Psalm 22:3). And where the presence of the Lord is, there is fullness of life and liberty (2 Corinthians 3:17).
Prayer
Dear Lord, we pray for a breakthrough for life, specifically the end of abortion and euthanasia in our nation. We humble ourselves and seek Your face. We pray and also raise our voices with praises and worship. We invite Your presence Lord, to come down and bring deliverance, healing, restoration, freedom, provision, and salvation to our personal lives, our beloved ones, the people around us, those in authority, and our nations. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
Prayer Points for October 2020
1. Pray for a Breakthrough for LIFE, specifically an end to abortion and euthanasia in our nation. Exodus 20:13
2. Pray for a Breakthrough for INDIGENOUS LIFE, specifically an end to high youth suicide and premature death due to ill health. 3 John 1:2
3. Pray for new POLITICIANS for LIFE, especially pray for the upcoming elections in Queensland (31st October), ACT (17th October) + USA (3 November) & New Zealand (17 October). Proverbs 29:2
4. Pray for the Revitalisation of SPIRITUAL LIFE, namely repentance, renewal & transformation, that our nation might return to God. 2 Chronicles 7:14
Aschallew Robelie is a pastor and missionary of Foursquare Churches, Western Australia.
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