Advancing Encouragement By:
Bishop James Jr. Hairston

Acts: 16:25: And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.

In life the enemy will always have someone put in charge in his scheme to watch you fail at whatever it is God has you to accomplish in your life and for the Kingdom of God. There are people right now waiting for you to fail while the enemy gets the victory. Why, when you are going through something instead of being a help to you some people become a hindrance and may even mock you while you are going through. Paul and Silas were inflected with many wounds and thrown into prison, (verse 23) for preaching, teaching, healing and delivering people in Jesus name. There was a keeper of the prison left in charge over Paul and Silas while waiting for their further punishment or trial, verse 24. This has nothing but evil written all over it when you set back and watch people go through something anticipating failure or defeat. Just because you are going through something does not mean God is punishing you or something is not right with your life. You can be doing what is right especially while living for Jesus Christ to glorify Him and you still go through pain, hurt, trials and tribulations in your life no matter how hard you try not too. Look at Paul and Silas life in all that they went through living for Jesus and instead of throwing their hands up to say woe is me; they throw them up to praise God in the mist of their trial and tribulation! Not only that, God gave them favor over their enemy or the one left in charge to watch them fail, verses 28,29. The one left in charge did not cause the trial but he was put in position to help the men of God through the trial and with that same trial cause away of escape, verses 30,31, 1Corinthians 10:13! The same people that are in your life standing by to watch you fail knowing that you need help are some of the same people that are suppose to be helping you in Jesus Name! Yet, it took the miraculous power of Jesus Christ to intervene in order for the person that was left in charge not to be a hindrance but of help (verses 30, 31, 33 and 36), too witness God’s power in the escape of Paul and Silas being delivered from their trial and tribulation, verses 26- 27. Today my friend, it is God that will deliver you from whatever you are going through because you decided to give God praise, honor, and glory in the mist of your trial and to continue to tell people how good God is in-spite of your situation. Watch God show all your naysayers His power that is manifesting in you and will bring you deliverance and victory in the Kingdom of God, shutting the mouths of the lions for the purpose of winning a soul to Jesus Christ. Your life has favor over the enemy in Jesus Name…

James Jr. Hairston