Introduction
- Whatever’s in you is coming out when you’re squeezed
- Acts 16:22-26: The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods. After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks. About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other 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.
- Paul and Silas were squeezed by their circumstances, and they squeezed out praise.
- When doubt, unbelief, vain words, etc. are inside of you, your circumstances didn’t create them, they were already inside of you and it just activated the squeeze.
- If praise is inside you, it doesn’t matter how hard you’re squeezed or what kind of pressure is on your life, the harder the squeeze, more praise is coming out.
- Acts 16:22-26: The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods. After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks. About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other 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.
Four Things About Praizy Faith:
- 1.) Praizy Faith is the kind of faith that offers up visible, vocal, and victorious praises unto God while waiting in the strangest situations.
- You don’t let the situations dictate to you how you’re going to give glory to God.
- 2.) Praizy faith flows from your relationship with God; you can’t brag about someone you don’t know.
- Once you start bragging about God, He’ll start bragging right back to you.
- 3.) Praizy faith keeps your attention on God celebrating who He is over what He’s doing or what He’s already done.
- You don’t need manifestation to give God glory.
- EX.) When you have praizy faith, you might not have the money and you still praise Him.
- You don’t need manifestation to give God glory.
- 4.) Praizy faith has a preset pattern.
- Psalm 34:1-3: I will extol the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips. I will glory in the Lord; let the afflicted hear and rejoice. Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt his name together.
- There’s peace about praizy faith.
- How do we get praizy faith on the inside? Look at 2 Corinthians 4:18 – you have to walk by faith and can’t let what you see rob you of victory.
- 2 Corinthians 4:18: So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
- When you’re walking by faith, you’re walking by a system that lasts forever. To build that faith you’re walking by, you need the Word of God.
- Psalm 34:1-3: I will extol the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips. I will glory in the Lord; let the afflicted hear and rejoice. Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt his name together.
Lesson From Paul and Silas
- Lesson: When Paul and Silas were thrown in the dungeon, they were thrown in there for doing the will of God. Not only that, but they were beaten and thrown in the lowest of dungeons.
- The guards messed up because the lower dungeons also consisted of a tunnel, which amplified and spread Paul and Silas’s praises to God.
- The lower you feel, the louder the praise better get! Hallelujah!
- The guards messed up because the lower dungeons also consisted of a tunnel, which amplified and spread Paul and Silas’s praises to God.
- The Stocks: The stocks the guards put on Paul and Silas’ feet were like yolk; it bound them to where they were.
- Just because a part of you may be bound (e.g. your legs, by an accident or any other circumstance) doesn’t mean another part of your body can’t give God praise (e.g. arms and/or mouth)
- Due to the way Silas and Paul were beaten and stripped of their dignity as well as clothing, they could’ve given up or complained to God, but at midnight (where the day is new but it still looks like yesterday), they gave God glory for another opportunity.
- With each new day, God is giving you another chance, even when you still feel like the day/situation/pain hasn’t changed. We have to look at this new day like yesterday never happened and give God glory for the new day.
- It’s important that you got the right company of faith; pick people who will push you through and been through it.
Conclusion
- The Challenge of Your Faith
- Don’t let the challenge of your faith keep you from God. Don’t let circumstances wipe the praise from your mouth! You can’t be waiting around for people to lift you up to praise. The praise should be continually in your mouth.
- Your faith should shake everything that is holding you!
Tinsai Worke
Hi! My name is Tinsai Worke, but you can just call me Tina. I am a young, devoted Christian and a part-time note-taker for different online sermons.
