Power Through Prayer and Praise

Baptist Daily Devotional
Sep 19
2 min read

Rev. Charles Oppong-Poku | September 19 2025 | Acts 16:22-34

KEY VERSE: “About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God…. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose.” Acts 16:25-26. (NIV)

MESSAGE:

In the darkest of hours, Paul and Silas turned to prayer and praise rather than despair. Their worship became the key that unlocked God’s power. This passage reminds us that prayer and praise are not only acts of devotion but also weapons of spiritual breakthrough. God responds to His people when they lift their hearts in faith, even when they are in chains.

The passage teaches us that prayer and praise change the atmosphere. Paul and Silas were in prison, beaten and chained, yet their focus was on God. Their worship lifted their hearts above the pain and drew the attention of all around them. True prayer and praise shift our perspective from problems to God’s power. Secondly, it teaches us that prayer and praise release God’s power. The earthquake was no accident - it was heaven’s response. Prayer and praise invite God’s intervention into impossible situations, proving that He inhabits the praises of His people (Psalm 22:3). And thirdly, we learn from the passage that prayer and praise can set people free. Not only were Paul and Silas loosed, but every prisoner’s chains came off. Your worship can become a testimony and a channel of freedom for others. God uses our faith in adversity to touch lives beyond our own.

FEET AND HANDS FOR THE MESSAGE:

Even in life’s darkest night, prayer and praise invite God’s power to break chains and open doors. When we worship in faith, God not only sets us free but also touches those who witness our testimony.

PRAYER:

Father, teach me the power of prayer and praise in the darkest times of life. Help me to look beyond my chains and see Your greatness. May my worship invite Your power into my struggles and bring freedom, not only for me but also for those around me. Let my voice in prayer and song be a testimony of Your presence and a channel of deliverance. In Jesus’ mighty name, Amen

THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING.

SHOWERS! BLESSINGS!!

The 365 DAILY BIBLE READING Day 262 Isaiah 13–17 — Judgments on the Nations

DAILY word study: EARTHQUAKE The word earthquake in Acts 16:26 translates the Greek seismos, meaning a shaking, quaking, or violent movement.

It is the same word used in Matthew 28:2, where an earthquake accompanied the angel rolling back the stone from Jesus’ tomb. In Scripture, earthquakes often signal divine intervention. In Philippi, the seismos was not just a natural event — it was God’s direct response to prayer and praise. The quake shook foundations, broke chains, and opened doors. What human strength could not accomplish, God’s power achieved in a moment.

Reflect on this:

Where do you need God to shake the foundations and set you free? Trust that His power can break any chain when you pray and praise.