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FREE WITHIN

“About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them,” Acts 16:25 ESV. Were they praising God so He would deliver them from jail or praising God for their inner freedom no matter the circumstances? I believe the latter. It seems clear from their following actions that they were already free within. When the shackles fell off and the doors opened, they stayed right where they were...the praise service was not over! Astonishingly, none of the other prisoners wanted to leave either! Such is the effect of praise flowing freely from a grateful, God-praising, fully surrendered heart! This is the promised “oil of Gladness” that comes when we are filled with the Joy of the Holy Spirit: “And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit,” Acts 13:52 ESV. LORD, You are great and greatly to be praised!

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