Chain Breaker!

Gospel recording artist Tasha Cobb has a beautiful song called “Break Every Chain.” The lyrics begin, “There is power in the name of Jesus to break every chain!” This song rings true to my heart every time I hear it. Acts 16 tells us the story of two powerful biblical praisers, Paul and Silas.

After casting a demon of divination off a young girl, they accused of teaching unlawful customs and imprisoned. They were stripped naked, beaten, and chained. Have you ever been there. “Stripped naked” or humiliated before your family, co-workers, or peers? “Beaten down” by financial despair or other circumstance beyond your control? “Chained” by depression, worries, or doubt?

Despite the fact that they were chained in stocks, Paul and Silas still had a heart of praise and worship. They began singing hymns to the Lord and their praise shook the foundation of the prison. They worshiped and praised with such convection, compassion and authority that they got God’s attention. Is your praise bringing forth results? When you pray and when you praise, are you getting God’s attention? Or are you praying out of routine without adoration and praising out of habit without reverence?

Verse 26 says, “Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed.” Paul and Silas’ praise was so powerful others received benefits from it. Now that’s a powerful praise that can not only bless and set you free but also can set free those in your midst! This is the type praise God craves every Sunday morning at every church on the planet. He is worthy to be praised in this manner every day, not just Sunday. Imagine if every true Christian on earth would lift their voices and praised God with all their hearts more often. Think about how many souls would be saved and lives would be changed.

In verse 30, the jailer falls before Paul and Silas and asks, “What must I do to be saved?”  Their praise caused him to want salvation for himself and his family. What a powerful witness a praise like this can be. If we just stop listening to music in our cars and on our computers or i-Pods and send forth praises to God that alone can cause others to want to be converted.

When they see how praise moves God in our lives, they won’t be able to help but to want it for themselves.   So let us always carry a ready praise in our hearts and not just praise or prayer in times of adversities. Let us send forth chain-breaking praise daily!

Think about it!