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Tuesday 22 May 2012

YOU'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR REACTIONS

 Acts 16:22-24
"The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods. After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks." 

Let us just consider for a minute the incident in Philippi, desccribed in Acts 16. The magistrates handcuffed Paul and Silas to a scourging pole and ordered them to be severely beaten with rods. As if that wasn't enough, the Philippian authorities then took the bruised and lacerate missionaries and placed them in a stinky and a wet dungeon in the inner city jail. At this stage, I can only imagine how weak and faint they must be. With every bone aching and their fresh wounds oozing with blood and almost infected. Yet as we recall in the story, they did something incredible and amazing. At midnight, in the darkest and loneliest hour; they began  praying and singing praises to God. Listen to this, they weren't just humming along lightly or mumbling their prayers in between moans and groans. No! The bible says that in spite of the thick walls and the heavy doors, the other prisoners could hear them (Acts 16:25). 


From this account it clearly shows that their words won the battle against Satan in the mid-hour. The Psalmist  also says in Psalm 106:47, "Save us, O Lord our God, and gather us. That we may give thanks to your holy name and glory in your praise " (emphasis added). When we are accused, mistreated, betrayed, it is easy for us to whine, grumble, fret, murmur, complain or lament. However we are told by doing so we would be inviting defeat unto ourselves even though we are the victims here. Rather, we are told from the account of Paul and Silas's experience that they didn't succumb to defeat with thoughtless, ill-tempered words - instead they triumphed in victory with their praise. Wow, what a testimony and an encouragement to you and I as Believers. 

This got me thinking about my spoken words. Do we actually fully understand their power? Can any of us really grasp the mighty force behind the things we say especially in or time of distress? I realised, I have to stop and think before I speak and consider the potency of the phrases I utter. No wonder the book of James took time to explain to us the power and the danger of the tongue. How can we bless at one moment and curse at another? Today if you and I are looking for victories over our circumstances,we need to praise. No matter how much any one offences us at work, how often we feel stepped on by others, either in church or in a family gathering; victory in Christ is possible when we hold our spiteful tongue and win it with words that bless our Lord.

 MEMORY VERSE
 "For our present troubles are small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!"-- 2 Corinthians 4:17

2012 By Enyonam Gbekle. All rights reserved.

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