HOW DO YOU FEEL? (part-14)

DO YOU FEEL RESTRAINED?
DO YOU WANT TO EXPERIENCE TOTAL FREEDOM?

BIBLE PASSAGE:
And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises
unto God: and the prisoners heard them. And suddenly
there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of
the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors
were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed,
(Acts 16:25-26)

MEDITATION:
Do you ever feel that extenuating circumstances prevent you
from being a witness for the God who has saved you? Do you
live two separate lives: one when you are around other believers,
and a different one when you are not? Are you ever embarrassed
for others to know that you are dedicated to the Lord?

Do you feel that the opinion of others prevents you from celebrating
and praising the Lord in words and songs? Are you allowing anything
to control you such as alcohol, drugs, wrong attitudes, gambling, lying,
pornography, stealing, dishonesty, bitterness, unforgiveness, selfishness,
anger, cynicism, being judgmental, etc.?

If any of these apply to you, then you may feel that you are caught in
a living prison. No person wants to live in this kind of prison (or any
other kind of prison for that matter). Freedom is available for all, but
it requires a change of heart, attitude, words, actions, and spiritual
maturity.

In the scriptures, we see that Paul and Silas were not only in prison,
but they were in the inner prison (the most secured area) with their
feet in stocks. We know that at night bad things can be magnified
and yet, at one of the most depressing times (the midnight hour) they
were praying and singing praises to God, and the other inmates were
listening to them! What an awesome testimony of a lives that were
totally surrendered and dedicated to God!

Do you think all believers would react like them in these kind of
circumstances? Being imprisoned because of their faith in God
could cause some to say,
    “God, why have you allowed this to happen to me?”
Hopefully all believers would respond the same way as Paul and
Silas, but would they?

When our lives are totally focused on God and not on ourselves,
God is able to shake the foundations of the world through us. As
Paul and Silas sang and praised God, the foundations of the jail
were shaken and the doors were opened.

They were set free – free to accomplish God’s will. As a result of
their faith, actions and obedience, the jailer and his household
were saved; the lives of other people were changed by God.

When our lives are in the same place as Paul and Silas;
when we have allowed God to prove Himself to us;
when we have total confidence in Him;
when our circumstances are not about us,
but about our obedience to God;
when our faith is centered on God and not in our circumstances;
when we know we will not be imprisoned
or bound any longer than God wants us to be;
when our life is not our own, but belongs to God;
when our singing is a result of our faith and desire
to give all praise, glory and honor to God for all things,
then, we open the doors for God to shake the foundations of our world.

The effects of this type of life causes a release of our control of the
natural in us, and results in God’s supernatural power living in and
through us.

ACTION:
Do the circumstances of life have you bound in some way? Do you want
to be set free? When we feel this way, we need to give our circumstances
and life to God. We need to worship and praise Him in all things, and to
know that He will prove Himself faithful.

Pray,
“Heavenly Father, thank You for being faithful in all things!
Forgive me for any times that I restrain myself from praising
You. Teach me to be more concerned with how You perceive
me, than I am about how others perceive me. Thank You for
the Holy Spirit You have given me, to help and guide me in
all things, including my praise and worship of You. Help me
to release the Holy Spirit fully in my life, so He can teach me
how to change my heart, attitudes, words, actions, habits, and
priorities. I am confident that I can, and will experience a new
and different kind of freedom when I give up more of myself
while seeking more of You.”

BLOG: utvolwoody.com