HopeLives365

Mark Finley: Learn to praise God in the challenges of your life. Learn to trust God's power and learn to hold on to God's promise that He will do something special in your trials if we embrace His promises.

The Apostle Paul didn't get annoyed easily, but he was being pushed to his limit. He couldn't take it much longer. Have you ever had a small pebble in your shoe? For a while, you simply ignore it. But then, say I can't take this much longer, I've got to sit down and get that thing out of my shoe. That's how the Apostle Paul was feeling.

Here's the situation. Paul's preaching to the throngs of people in Philippi. His message was touching hearts and changing lives. A young slave girl, possessed with evil spirits, who was the local fortuneteller and psychic seer, began to follow Paul shouting, "These men are the servants of the Most High God who proclaim the way of salvation." (Acts 16:17)

Somebody says, "What's wrong with that? Sounds pretty good to me. Paul's getting free advertising." There's some advertising you don't even want if it's free. Suppose I'm holding a public evangelistic meeting in the local high school and a group of well-known psychics show up and begin screaming at the top of their lungs, "We recommend these meetings! Come here and you'll hear the truth!"

And suppose they did it night after night. I'd be pretty distressed with these psychics. They wouldn't be good advertising for my meetings. In fact, they'd drive people away. The local fortuneteller was following Paul, shouting as he preached, making mockery of his message. Paul had enough. This had gone just too far.

So in Acts 16:18, the scripture says, "And she did this for many days. But Paul, greatly annoyed..." I always smile when I read that in Acts 16:18. "But Paul, greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, 'I command you in the name of Jesus Christ, come out of her.' And he came out that very hour."

You would think her masters would have been delighted. The girl was free. Her sanity returned. She could now live a normal life. But look at what verse 19 says: "But when her masters saw that their hope of profit was gone..." Some people sell their souls cheap, my friends. It's amazing what people do for money.

Her masters were making money off her fortunetelling and they were angry that their source of income dried up. They were more concerned about their money than about the girl's sanity. This greed led them to a further step in their compromise with sin. Paul and Silas were dragged to the Roman authorities. They were falsely accused, they were lied about, they were slandered, they were beaten, and thrown into prison.

Once a person proceeds down the road of compromise, they'll end up in places they have no idea of, and they'll end up doing things they deeply regret. Let's continue with Acts 16:22-24. The Bible says that these disciples had their clothes torn off. It says that they were shamed, humiliated, ridiculed.

They were beaten with rods. The Roman magistrates had what they called lictors who carried bundles of rods as a symbol of their office. These bundles of rods had four or five twenty-two to two-thirds inch elm rods that were tied together. Now imagine it. You've got this bundle of rods, they are four or five of them tied together, they are elm rods, they're long, they're tied with a single cord.

The prisoner is forced to kneel down on their knees, their clothes are stripped, and they are given one stripe after another. And they call out: "Another! Another! Another!" Backs are whipped, flagellated, skin ripped open. The prisoners are bleeding.

One historical source puts it this way: "Beating with rods was a Roman punishment inflicted by the civil authorities. It was usually executed by the lictors. These lictors are professional whippers, professional people who know how to flagellate the back, who were in constant attendance with the principal magistrates going before them as they went.

The insignia of their office as well as the dignity of the magistrate on whom they attended consisted of a number of elm rods bound with a thong into a bundle, which they carried on their shoulder. An axe was bound up in the bundle and its head jutted forth from it. Within the city of Rome, however, the axe was omitted out of respect to the Roman people."

I continue to read: "The bundle in fact comprised of the apparatus of the lictor as the executioner of the magistrate's sentence. The thong served him to bind the criminal with the rods he inflicted beatings. And in capital punishments with the axe, the prisoner was beheaded."

After Paul and Silas were beaten, their backs lacerated, torn apart, their bodies battered, their strength gone, weakened and bloodied, they were cast into the inner prison. But not just any place in prison. Did you catch the significance in Acts 16:24? It says they were cast into the inner prison. Where the jailer placed them?

Roman prisons often had an outer and an inner section. In the first was the guardroom where light and air could enter. Beyond this was the inner prison where light and air were excluded. The inner prison was a dark, damp dungeon with no windows. Conditions in such a cell were fearful and inflicted terrible punishment upon the prisoner.

They were also placed in stocks. Now what were stocks? They were a wooden board with holes for the head, arms, and legs. Evidently, here only the legs were placed in the stocks. There were multiple holes to stretch the legs to create maximum pain.

So, you know, they could put the legs in two holes on either side that were closer together. They could put the legs in holes that were further apart, or further apart, and the further apart you get, the more the legs stretch and fire runs up and down the legs. Here are Paul and Silas, falsely condemned, ridiculed and mocked. Their backs bloodied, bruised, and still bleeding. Cast into a dark, damp dungeon, lying on their backs with their feet stretched out in pain.

And what are they doing? Let's read this amazing passage in Acts 16:25: "But at midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them." What did they sing? Why did they sing? Who heard them sing?

The original Greek language of the passage continues that they were continually singing. What were they singing? Did you hear that? Did you hear it? Here's what we know. The first-century church didn't have an official hymnbook. So all they could be singing were the Psalms because all Jewish children learned the Psalms.

So they're singing praises to God in the Psalms. And who hears them sing? The prisoners, of course. How could they sing under such terrible circumstances? What transformed their attitudes? I can't prove it to you, but you know, I really believe they were singing the Psalms.

Because the Psalms were written to be sung. Imagine this scene. Paul and Silas are in prison singing. And let's suppose they're singing Psalm 145:1-3. And here as they sing the Psalms, Psalm 145:1-3: "I will extol You, my God, O King; I will bless Your name forever and ever. Every day I will bless You, and I will praise Your name forever and ever. Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; and His greatness is unsearchable."

Can you imagine it? They're in prison. It's dark and it's damp there in prison. They're in prison, their backs are bloodied, their feet are swollen, and they're singing praises to God! Or Psalm 147:1-5: "Praise the Lord! For it is good to sing praises to our God; for it is pleasant, and praise is beautiful. The Lord builds up Jerusalem; He gathers together the outcasts of Israel. He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. He counts the number of the stars; He calls them all by name. Great is our Lord, and mighty in power; His understanding is infinite."

I mean, just think about it. They're singing these amazing praises to God at this time of tremendous crisis. Praise prepares us to receive the miracle that God has already planned. Praise opens our hearts to receive the mighty working of the Holy Spirit. Praise is the channel through which the rivers of God's blessings flow.

Praise also releases positive chemical endorphins in the brain to produce a healing balm in our bodies. There's a science, according to Dr. Carol Ryff, psychology professor at the University of Wisconsin. He says there's a science that is emerging that says a positive attitude isn't just a state of mind. It also has linkages to what's going on in the brain and in the body.

In the book *Ministry of Healing*, page 251, written by a prominent health educator in the 19th century, we find this fascinating statement: "Nothing out-tends more to promote the health of body and of soul than does a spirit of gratitude and praise. It is a positive duty to resist melancholy, discontented thoughts and feelings as much as it is a duty to pray." Is diet important? Certainly. Is exercise important? Definitely. Is rest important? But notice what this text said, this sentence said: "Nothing tends to promote health of body and of soul than does a spirit of gratitude and praise."

Guest (Male): We'll be right back with Pastor Mark Finley. We thank you for listening and hope you're enjoying today's message. Our mission is to attractively present the Christ-centered biblical truth of scripture in a practical, relevant way to people around the world so that they may experience the abundant life that Christ offers and effectively share with confidence His life-changing truths with others. You can support this ministry and help us reach even more by going to HopeLives365.com/donate. And now back to Pastor Mark Finley.

Mark Finley: Praise turns a dungeon of despair into a palace of rejoicing. The early church father Tertullian made this fascinating statement: "Though the body is shut in, though the flesh is confined, all things are open to the spirit. The leg that does not feel the chain when the mind is in the heavens."

The leg does not feel the chain when the mind is in the heavens! In other words, praise, and praise, and praise God in your difficulties. Here's three things that praise does. Praise prepares us to receive a miracle from God. Secondly, praise releases positive chemical endorphins in the brain to bring health to our bodies. Thirdly, praise liberates us from the immediacy of negative circumstances and lets our spirits soar to heavenly places.

Paul and Silas were chained, but their minds were anchored in heavenly places. They were in prison, but their spirits were free. They were behind bars, but their hearts were fixed on eternity. Come with me to Inner Mongolia. Meet a woman I'll call Mrs. Chao. Her remarkable story was reported to us a number of years ago when I was speaker of *It Is Written* television, when one of our staff members visited China.

Mrs. Chao secretly met with a small group in her home to study the Bible. She was warned by the authorities to stop, but she persisted. Eventually, Mrs. Chao was arrested and sentenced to one year in prison. In prison, she sang praises to God, attracting other prisoners. Eventually, she shared God's word in this women's prison. Scores of women accepted Christ and were converted.

After six months, the prison warden desired to pardon her and send her out of the prison lest the entire prison become Christian. She refused and said, "No, warden. I was sentenced to one year here by Chinese law. I must serve one year. I must stay here till my job is done." Mrs. Chao discovered a vital eternal truth: the living Christ shows up in some very unusual places.

There are three things that caused Paul and Silas to sing in prison, and they'll cause us to sing in every circumstance of our lives too. First, Paul and Silas experienced the presence of Christ. Paul and Silas had the assurance of the presence of Christ in all life's circumstances. And we can have that assurance too.

Even in prison, they sensed the abiding presence of Christ. The living Christ turns the prison of our lives into the abiding dwelling place of His presence. When we praise God in the presence of God, something remarkable happens. Listen to this ringing assurance from Psalm 139:7-12.

Psalm 139 is a magnificent song about the presence of God. And it reveals that God's presence is there in the most unexpected places. Psalm 139 starting with verse 7: "Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there Your hand shall lead me, and Your right hand shall hold me.

If I say, 'Surely the darkness shall fall on me,' even the night shall be light around me; indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You, but the night shines as the day; the darkness and the light are both alike to You." Now look at verse 17 and 18: "How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand; when I awake, I am still with You."

I want you to think about this today. I don't know where you are in your life's journey. You may be on the mountain peak of joy or you may be in the valley of despair. You may be going through some of the best times of your life or the worst times of your life. You may be experiencing the greatest marital joy or the greatest marital agony. I don't know.

You may be in the flower of health or you may be very sick. But here is the incredible good news. Whether you have financial resources or you don't, whether you have health or sickness, whether you have joy or sorrow, whether you're on the mountain peak or in the valley, here is the incredible good news: Christ has not left you. Christ has not forsaken you. Christ is with you.

In Luke chapter 2, verses 9 through 11, it says, "For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord." "There is born to you this day." Christ was born in human flesh. He lived the life we should have lived. He died the death we should have died. He's interceding in heaven for us. He is present with us. The angels declared Christ has come. He is forever with us, forever with us.

In a book on the life of Christ called *Desire of Ages*, page 48, I read: "Then the joy and glory could no longer be hidden. The whole plain was lighted up with the bright shining of the hosts of God. This is when the shepherds beheld the glory of God as they're out in the fields. Earth was hushed, heaven stooped to listen to the song: 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men.'

Oh, that today the human family could recognize that song! The declaration then made, the note then struck, will swell to the close of time and resound to the ends of the earth." Paul and Silas recognized this eternal truth. Through the Holy Spirit, Christ is forever present with us. They were filled with joy and rejoicing. Whatever circumstances we experience in our lives, if we open our eyes to Him, Christ is there. Filled with praise, singing at midnight, sensing they were not alone, living in the presence of Christ, they were prepared for a miracle. They were prepared to experience the power of Christ in a remarkable way.

Here's a second eternal truth Paul and Silas understood: that an attitude of praise prepared them to receive the power of Christ. As they sang praises, there was a powerful earthquake. In Acts 16:26, it says, "Suddenly there was a great earthquake." Doors were opened, chains were loosed.

You see, the power of Christ threw open the prison doors and broke down the chains of bondage that had shackled them. I think of Darlene Deibler Rose. She was a missionary in New Guinea, and when the Japanese attacked, she was taken prisoner.

The prison guards were mean. She lived in deplorable conditions. And she prayed one day: "Jesus, I'm so hungry. Jesus, just one banana. One banana." And as she was there in that prison, when she heard the feet of the prison guards in their boots and their footsteps coming down the corridor of the prison, she trembled because she knew that there would be another beating and another beating.

She was beaten continually. She lay often on the floor of that prison writhing in pain. But she praised God. She trusted God. She believed in the God of all power. One day, she heard the footsteps of one of the guards coming down. He was the sergeant, one of the worst commanders in the prison. He opened the prison door. She expected another beating. She had been praying, "Oh God, I praise You even in this dark place, even in this ugly place, even in this place of despair. God, I praise You."

The commander opened the door. Said, "I thought you might like these," and handed in a bunch of bananas! She looked at them and said, "God, thank You. I've been praying for one banana, and You've given me a whole host of these bananas." You know, I love that old song "Amazing Grace." And there's a verse that's been added to it, a more contemporary version, that says—it's called "Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone)" and it says:

"The Lord has promised good to me. His word my hope secures. He will my shield and portion be as long as life endures. My chains are gone, I've been set free. My God, My Savior has ransomed me. And like a flood, His mercy reigns. Unending love, amazing grace."

Wherever I find myself in life, God is incredible and He's present with me and He's all-powerful. If we open our eyes to see Him, Christ is there. Filled with praise, singing at midnight, sensing they were not alone, living in the presence of Christ, they were prepared for a miracle. They were prepared to experience the power of Christ in a very, very remarkable way.

You know, when Darlene Deibler Rose, the missionary to New Guinea, was in prison there in that Japanese prison camp, she writes about that prison and wanting that banana. And let me just read her words. She says, "Everything inside of me wanted a banana. I could see them. I could smell them. I could taste them. I looked up and pleaded, 'Just one banana, Lord.'

Then I began to rationalize. How could God possibly, how could God possibly get a banana to me through these prison walls? There was more of a chance of the moon falling out of the sky than one of those guards bringing me a banana. I bowed my head again and prayed, 'Lord, there's no one here who could get a banana to me. There's no way for You to do it. Please don't think I'm not thankful for the rice and porridge. It's just, well, those bananas look so delicious. But Lord, I trust You. Lord, I trust You.'"

And here's a woman that was praising in her heart. When she got those bananas, she said, "Oh Lord, oh Lord, thank You. Thank You. Thank You." Ninety-three bananas! You know, it's amazing. In Job 35:10, Job says, "Where's God my maker, who gives songs in the night?" What does God do? He gives us songs in the night. He did it for Paul, He did it for Silas, He did it for the shepherds in the field. The night burst forth with song because the all-powerful Christ was ever present with an overriding purpose.

Guest (Male): You've been listening to HopeLives365 with Pastor Mark Finley. We hope you've enjoyed today's message and remind you that you can find more in our many ministry resources at HopeLives365.com. And you can support this ministry by going to HopeLives365.com/donate. And now a final thought from Pastor Mark.

Mark Finley: There's somebody listening to this broadcast that's going through a great trial. Maybe a health challenge. The lump in your breast has been diagnosed as malignant. The cancer has spread through your body. The doctors don't give you much hope. It may be a marriage that's gone wrong. Your wife has left you for another man. Your husband's left you for another woman.

You cry yourself to sleep at night. Maybe there's been a conflict in the family and your children won't speak to you anymore. Maybe you've lost a job and can't pay your bills. Maybe despair has swept over you. But here's the incredible good news: in the prison of life, God is the one that opens prison doors. God is the one that sets us free. You can believe, you can trust in the God that will set you free.

As we pray: Father in heaven, thank You so much for Your love. Thank You that You're the God that sets us free. You're the God that gives us songs in the night. You're the God who, when we praise You, You're the God gives us the power. You're the God who gives us the promise of a better future. And Lord, You never waste a trial. You never waste a difficulty. You use it for the accomplishment of Your glory. And we praise You for that. In Jesus' name, Amen.