Praise is a powerful spiritual antioxidant, keeping your spiritual immune system strong. It destroys spiritual toxins before they have a chance to do damage. Praise changes your focus, fixing your eyes on the Supply rather than the need. Just try to remain discouraged or hurt in the midst of genuine praise. You can’t do it. As you praise, you are releasing tremendous spiritual power. Praise dispels the enemy’s troops. Praise lays the groundwork for the display of God’s power.
Scriptures for Reflection:
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:6-7).
“All my springs of joy are in you” (Ps. 87:7, NASB).
“Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth” (John 4:23-24).
“My mouth is filled with your praise, declaring your splendor all day long” (Ps. 71:8).
“He who sacrifices thank offerings honors me, and he prepares the way so that I may show him the salvation of God” (Ps. 50:23).
“Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised” (Rom. 4:20-21).
“I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation” (Phil. 4:12).
Challenge:
What situations are causing you anxiety? Make a list in your mind for a moment. Big and little. Major and minor. Now, go back through your list and practice offering the sacrifice of thanksgiving as an act of obedience. First, thank God for allowing the circumstance in your life because you trust Him to bring about a good and beneficial outcome from it. Then, let the Spirit bring to your mind things that you can be thankful about in that circumstance – ways that you already see God’s hand.
