"Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening." Acts 16:25 (NLT)

Paul and Silas had been thrown into jail as they were out witnessing for the Lord. Being thrown into jail they were stripped of their clothing and beat. But, they refused to be discouraged, and instead encouraged themselves in the Lord by seeking Him out in prayer and singing praises to His wonderful name! It is this combination of prayer and praise that causes the very foundations of the prison to shake, for all the doors to swing open, and for every chain on every prisoner to fall off! Paul and Silas could have chosen to feel sorry for themselves and to sit back and sulk. But instead they chose to release the power of Heaven into their situation through prayer and praise!

There is incredible power released when we seek God out in prayer and then turn to Him with praise and worship! So much power that it can cause any door to open to us! It can cause the greatest of chains to fall off! The prayer of faith and heartfelt praise can shake the foundations of any prison! Regardless of what your need may be, if you will seek the Lord out in prayer and offer up a sacrifice of praise, you will see the mighty hand of God moving in your life! Refuse to focus on your troubles, instead, turn to the Lord in prayer and draw near to Him through praise! Don't just lay your problems before the Lord, exalt Him as well! Charles Spurgeon once wrote, "There should be a parallel between our supplications and our thanksgivings. We ought not to leap in prayer, and limp in praise." Prayer and praise go together! And, when they are combined they set-up a powerful release of God's overcoming power into our lives!

"Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life." Philippians 4:6-7 (MSG)