LET THE PRAISE BEGIN

By: Dennis Harworth

          Have you ever had a day where it seems like everything is going wrong?  I have had many such a day, but this one particular day I learned a very valuable lesson.  It was at the beginning of my first year of a union job as an auto transport truck driver.  I was assigned a truck that had been sitting for a quite a while.  In doing the pre-trip inspection, I discovered it was low on oil, had a flat tire, and it needed to be jump started.  At least while I was waiting for assistance, I had time to wash the dirt off the windows and mirrors.  Once I finally got up and running, I drove to the loading yard; only to have the hydraulic system fail. 

I was then assigned another truck.  Unfortunately, a somewhat similar scenario happened with the second truck; and then third; and then the fourth.  (Talk about Murphy’s Law!).  By the time I was loaded and leaving the yard with the fifth truck nearly six hours later, I was so tired, frustrated and stressed out I was almost in tears.  To make matters worse, I still had a 4-drop delivery in Los Angeles in which I didn’t know any of the drop locations.  I knew it was going to be impossible to get in the second mandatory load; my job now was literally on the line.

          Once I finally got on my way, it didn’t take more than a couple of minutes to realize my unhappy emotional state was the direct result of my focus on my circumstances.  The Lord lovingly reminded me that God inhabits the praises of His people. (Psalm 22:3).  Praise?  Are you kidding me? The last thing I felt like doing was praising God.  I truly did not want to by the way my day was going.  It was then for the first time I really understood what it meant to “offer a sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.” (Hebrews 13:15).  So, by faith I began with a weak whimper, thanking the Lord for all He had done in my life.  Soon I couldn’t help myself as I started singing and shouting praises without reserve as my heart was filled and overflowing with ecstatic joy. (Psalm 9:2). 

Although my circumstances did not immediately change, praise released the very presence of God into my life.  Complete joy bubbled up in my being (Psalm 16:11).  God’s strength burst forth with the fortitude for me to face my day (Nehemiah 8:10).  Those distressing setbacks of my morning suddenly became a distant memory.  Now I had a fresh new start for a day of delight.  And then in a surprising twist the next morning, rather than being in trouble; my dispatcher gave me a very rare compliment on my great effort and “timely delivery”.

By learning the power of praise, I realized it is one of the most powerful spiritual weapons that you have.  Praise releases the very presence of God Himself into your life and your circumstances. When God’s presence comes on the scene, your enemies are turned back and defeated.  Just look at the story of Jehoshaphat in 2 Chronicles chapter 20.  Although he was greatly outnumbered facing a massive army, he appointed singers to praise the Lord as they went out before the army.  The Lord gave Jehoshaphat a complete victory.

In the New Testament, Acts chapter 16, Paul and Silas were stripped, severely beaten, and had their feet secured in stocks in the inner dungeon.  In spite of their dreadful situation, they prayed and loudly sang praises at midnight in the prison.  This resulted in their supernatural deliverance as well as the salvation of the jailor and his entire family.  What do you do when facing adversity and challenges in your life?  Remember, God inhabits the praises of His people. 

When you are experiencing overwhelming fiery trials and tribulations…

LET THE PRAISE BEGIN!

When you are anxious about reports of political and social unrest…

LET THE PRAISE BEGIN!

When you are being treated unfairly on your job or by your employer…

LET THE PRAISE BEGIN!

When you are facing opposition or conflict in your family, friends or relationships…

LET THE PRAISE BEGIN!

When you are fighting depression or sickness and disease in your body…

LET THE PRAISE BEGIN!

When you are battling fatigue and physical weariness from life’s busy schedule…

LET THE PRAISE BEGIN!

Do you get the picture?  No matter what you are going through or what kind of pressures are coming against you, never underestimate the importance of praise.  It is the most fitting thing you can do as a believer because God deserves all praise. Praise the Lord with your whole heart (Psalm 9:1) and experience the praise that does something for your whole being.  Emotional, mental, and physical fatigue has to flee when it’s faced with genuine joy-filled praise.  Sickness, disease, and affliction cannot continue in your body.  Even poverty cannot limit your potential.  By praising God, it is like the old Christian song, “the things of earth will grow strangely dim…”  Therefore, decide in the midst of your challenges to release joyful and uninhibited praise to know and enjoy God’s presence in your life to empower you in spite of your circumstances.

LET THE PRAISE BEGIN!