Overcoming In The Midnight Hour

August 13, 2012

But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them; and suddenly there came a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison house were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were unfastened. Acts 16:25-26

There is power in praising God—chains come loose and situations change. Paul and Silas were put in a dark and rough situation. Instead of yielding to fear and caving to self-pity, they lifted their voices and prayed and praised God out loud. Like Paul and Silas, every follower of Jesus is called to be a praiser, to have songs of deliverance and victory.

You are my hiding place; You preserve me from trouble; You surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah. Psalm 32:7

This may be your midnight hour. Your mind might feel so numb that you can’t figure out any strategies for moving forward. But it’s worth it to fight through the numbness. How? Read the Word, pray, sing praises, and declare victory over the situation. There is a beginning, middle, and end to the battles you’re facing. The bottom line is that God always causes us to triumph (2 Corinthians 2:14).

The world around you is looking to see how you are going to react in tough situations. The voice of your praise is a tribute to a faithful God and makes Him known to others. The prisoners were listening to Paul and Silas (Acts 16:25), and the jailer (and his entire family!) got saved as a result of his encounter with them.

During dark times, it can be tempting to murmur or to enter into fear. Instead, acknowledge that you are called by God (2 Timothy 1:9), that He has restored authority to you in the name of Jesus (Luke 10:19), and that when you draw near to Him in worship and praise you can expect breakthrough in your life (Psalm 100:4-5).

Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why have you become disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him for the help of His presence. Psalm 42:5

Press on,
Pastor Jeff Perry

Copyright © 2012 St. Louis Family Church. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reprinted or distributed in any form without prior written permission of St. Louis Family Church. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation.