SAT Prep Midnight Prayer and

Praise

Passing your SAT's (Storms and Tests) Sermon Series

Acts 16:22-30

A storm stops everything

Tests can be nerve racking Storms and tests can bring out

God’s best Our worst

Testing is a prerequisite to promotion

Storms and tests come at the worst times

We feel abandoned Not now

Not again Not me

But what if God had a greater purpose in

mind?

Bottom line

The right response to the storm allows God to reveal His POWER

and PURPOSE

22 The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders to beat them with rods.

Acts 16:22–30

23 And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them safely.

Acts 16:22–30

24 Having received this order, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.

Acts 16:22–30

25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them,

Acts 16:22–30

26 and 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 bonds were unfastened.

Acts 16:22–30

27 When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped.

Acts 16:22–30

28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.”

Acts 16:22–30

29 And the jailer called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas.

Acts 16:22–30

30 Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

Acts 16:22–30

Paul and Silas Beaten Thrown in jail Chained in the stocks Earthquake

Paul’s S.A.T. Hacks

Praise in the storm Pray for God’s greater glory

I’m sure that Paul experienced doubt

Fear crept in Am I ever going to get out of here? Am I ever going to get a job? Will my marriage ever get better? Will I ever be healed?

Your REVELATION determines your RESPONSE

God is not surprised by this

God has not abandoned me in this God has a greater plan for this

God’s greater plan

To show His power over EVERY circumstance

To save the jailer

This isn’t time for praise and worship

the right response

When the storm comes

The power of praise

Extinguishes the fear and doubt Ignites your faith in God

Paul and Silas were likely PRAYING for the people

who jailed them

When I praise When I pray Things may get worse before they get better But things are breaking down

The pain you feel today can become the strength

of tomorrow

The person who is hurting you

can become your sister in Christ

How do you respond to your

midnight?