How Heaven Answers When We Worshipনমুনা

Day 4: Worship Unlocks Freedom and Salvation

We have already looked at so many powerful examples of worship and the blessings that it can release, and today, I want to tell you about the freedom that it will provide in your life and the lives around you.

There is probably no better example of this than the apostle Paul. When he and Silas were in Philippi, they freed a young girl from an evil fortunetelling spirit, and her masters were so upset to lose the money she had been making for them that they caused a riot. The Romans believed that if there was a ruckus in the city, the gods would withdraw their blessing on that city, so they naturally wanted to punish the ones who caused the riot: Paul and Silas.

They were beaten with rods and thrown into the deepest part of the prison. They had their feet fastened in stocks, so their legs were in irons and were spread uncomfortably apart. Paul and Silas were bleeding, hurting, tired, and uncomfortable, locked up in the lowest dungeon, but in the middle of it, they began to praise. They were praising God and singing so loud that the other prisoners could hear them, even from the lowest prison.

That should be an example to us, friend. When the enemy comes against you, start singing. Just start singing. Maybe it's just a song that you learned at church, and you don’t even know all the words, or maybe you don’t have a good voice, but it doesn’t matter. Just sing anyway and give glory to God. Your heartfelt praise is like a sweet fragrance to Him, so even if your voice isn’t pretty, your praise will bring His presence right there with you.

Just look at what it did for Paul and Silas. After this horrible, painful day, they sang in worship to God, and He sent a supernatural earthquake that opened all the doors in that prison and loosed all the prisoners’ chains. God's power is so mighty, friend, and when we start praising Him, He comes with that power to lose us from our bonds!

Through worship, God freed Paul and Silas from their physical bonds in that prison, but He did even more that night. The guard who was on duty was so shaken and terrified by what happened that he was about to kill himself, but Paul and Silas stopped him. They saved his life on this earth, and then they preached to him and saved his eternal life and those of his entire family. And all this came from a song of worship.

For Your Consideration

• Do you have a worship song that you can start singing whenever you’re in a difficult position? Take some time to find one if you don’t.
• What do you need freedom from right now?
• By choosing to worship in difficult situations, you will strengthen yourself, but consider also the people around you. Whose life could you save today simply by choosing an attitude of worship?