When it came to giving thanks and praise to God, Paul didn’t just talk the talk. He walked the walk. And he did it in the midst of some very tough circumstances.
In the city of Philippi, for example, where he went to preach the Gospel in obedience to the instruction of the Lord, he and his ministry partner, Silas, ran into trouble. An angry mob tore the clothes off them, beat them with rods, and then threw them in prison with their feet in stocks.
Did they complain? Did they cry about how badly they were treated?
No! They practiced what Paul preached.
As they sat in prison, wounded and bleeding at midnight, they held a prayer and praise meeting. They sang hymns and gave thanks to God.
What happened next is very significant. As they were singing and praising, “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” (v. 26). The jailer came running in, fell down in front of Paul and Silas, and before the night was over, the jailer’s whole household was saved.
That proves it’s not only scriptural to give thanks and praise to God in your midnight hour—it’s just plain smart. Why?
Because praise is the language of faith.
Thanksgiving and praise is faith expressed, and faith expressed releases the power of God. At the midnight hour—in fact, at any hour!—that power is what we need.
Scripture Reading: Acts 16:16 – 40
On the chilly March night in 1972 when Lynne Hammond took her first step into a life of Spirit-led prayer, she had no idea what was about to happen. All she knew was the hunger in her heart for God wouldn’t let her sleep. In the few short months she’d been born again, her desire to fellowship with Him had grown so strong she could hardly contain it. “Help me, God!” she cried. “I want to know you. I want to be able to talk to you. Please, teach me to pray!”
Suddenly, a heavenly presence flooded the room. Lynne sensed waves of spiritual fire sweeping over her and a beautiful language began to flow like a river from within her. Although she’d never heard of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, she knew instantly, without a doubt—this was God!
What began that night soon blossomed into a life of prayer that ultimately became a ministry of prayer when, in 1980, Lynne and her husband, Mac, founded Living Word Christian Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Under Lynne’s leadership, the prayer ministry at Living Word has become an internationally recognized model for developing effective pray-ers in the local church.
A teacher and an author, Lynne publishes a newsletter called Prayer Notes, has written numerous books, and currently serves as the national prayer director for Daughters for Zion. Her passion for inspiring and leading others into the life of Spirit-led prayer continues to take her around the world to minister to believers whose heart cry, like hers, is “Lord, teach me to pray!”