Victory in praise

Did you know that the devil does not know what you are thinking until you speak?

He will put all sorts of thoughts in your mind and keep waiting to hear which one you will empower through your words. I find this exciting. Why? It means that praise is a powerful weapon against the enemy. Because when you praise God, especially during those times when he is bombarding you with lies, you baffle him.

1 Thessalonians 5:18 declares that God’s will for us is to give thanks in ALL things. Now, this sounds unrealistic. Because most times, when someone asks us what we are thankful for, our minds go blank. And why is this? I think most of the time we are searching for something “spectacular” in our lives, and most other times, we have honestly just not turned our minds to being thankful.

But we need praise. We need to be thankful. Especially in the bad times, in the midst of chaos. Why? First, because it scares and confuses the enemy. And second, because it causes our perspective to shift more to what God is doing instead of what that little lying loser is doing. And once we focus on God, victory is only a matter of time!

There are many stories in the Bible about how praising God literally brought victory; from Acts 16:16-28, the story of Paul and Silas singing praises in jail, to 2 Chronicles 20:1-17, the story of an army that won a battle through praise. If you consider it, most of these people were facing hard times, and were probably struggling in their minds to trust God. But they overcame the lies of the enemy by focusing on God through praise.

How do we praise in the midst of tough times?

So now we know that praise is good. It is a good thing. But then how do we get our praise on in the midst of hardship? We REMEMBER! We intentionally stop and REMEMBER what God has done for us. We stop and name our blessings amidst the pain and fear.

I challenge you to try it out. Right now. You will be surprised to find that there are many things to be thankful for, most of which seem very obvious. And as you make mention of them your heart will start to be filled with faith and joy. You will realize how might blessed you are. From family, friends, life, health, work, food, education, children, a place to stay; there’s a lot to be thankful for. But we must REMEMBER!

Psalm 77:11-12 “I will remember the works of the LORD; Surely I will remember Your wonders of old. I will also meditate on all Your work, and talk of Your deeds.”

Praise is NOT accidental. It involves our will: I WILL remember. I WILL meditate and talk. These are all intentional actions. So, my friend, don’t wait to feel like or for something spectacular to come around. Be thankful now. Confuse the enemy now. Call some friends together just to talk of God’s good deeds for a change. Give the enemy NO attention and he will go find a more “entertaining” option. Don’t allow your mind to forget the God that you serve. Create a culture of thanksgiving. THERE IS VICTORY IN YOUR PRAISE.