Praise God in EVERY Season and Circumstance
July 2014
For the last 5 years I have been in an uncomfortable season, one that has both matured and stretched me. This last year I would have to say has been the hardest, but there has been three things that have kept me going in spite of my circumstances and that is:
Listen, I'm not sure what season of life this post finds you in, whether it's a barren season, an "alone" season, a waiting season, or an uncomfortable season, but friends I want you to be encouraged today. Don't let the enemy discourage and deceive you! God is good ALL the time and although your current season might not be your favorite season.....it’s just a season and seasons always change. Today, God has laid it on my heart to talk about the third point and that is: PRAISE!
Friend, I'll be honest and say that there have been many days when I thought I had nothing to really praise God for and there has also been days when I sho' nuff didn't feel like praising Him. On those days I can assure you that my focus was on my problems and not the Problem solver! But then one day I ran across a familiar scripture........
Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:18 NLT
I noticed that the Word says to be thankful IN all circumstances not FOR all circumstances! (Side note: The Lord also reminded me that although I may not be thankful for my circumstances, that there is still many things like life, health, etc. to be thankful and praise Him for. Sometimes we fail to be thankful for the good things because we are too focused on and upset about the bad things). Listen friend, all circumstances are not from God, some are directly from the enemy himself to discourage, hinder, and stop you from doing what God called you to do and from being who God called you to be. BUT one thing is for sure, no matter the season or circumstances that surround you.....you are to praise and thank God in the midst of them because it is what you were created to do and also because God is worthy! I have learned in this season that as the song proclaims that I can, "Live through it, grow through it, get through it, pray though it" and let me add PRAISE through it!!! You see, praise is focus, praise is power and strength, praise will set you and those connected to you free, praise will get you through "it" whatever your "it" may be, and yes, praise confuses and defeats the enemy!
Though the fig tree does not blossom and there is no fruit on the vines, (though) the product of the olive fails and the fields yield no food, though the flock is cut off from the fold and there are no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will exult in the (victorious) God of my salvation! The Lord God is my strength, my personal bravery, and my invincible army; He makes my feet like hinds' feet and will make me to walk (not to stand in terror, but to walk) and make (spiritual) progress upon my high places (of trouble, suffering, or responsibility)! ~ Habakkuk 3:17-19 AMP
"Habakkuk vowed to rejoice in the Lord no matter what adversity befell him. Habakkuk 2:4 says ".....the just shall live by faith." Why could he rejoice in the midst of such problems and troubles? Because he was living by faith. We too can live by faith and praise God even in the midst of the storm----barren, alone, hard, or uncomfortable season-----because we know that in times of great difficulty, we can rejoice in the Lord and expect great victory" (Kenneth Hagin). Today, let's take a quick walk through the Word.....
1. I'm sure you are familiar with Leah. She was the sister who was unwanted, overlooked, rejected, unaccepted, and not celebrated. You see, Jacob worked for 7 years with the expectation that he would be able to marry her sister, Rachel. Well, as the story goes....he got Leah instead and was not happy about it. He then worked a whole 7 years more just to marry Rachel. Unfortunately Rachel was barren and Leah, the unwanted one was not. So Leah did what many do today when they feel unwanted, overlooked, rejected, unaccepted, and not celebrated: she tried to produce/perform in order to be seen, heard, and loved.
And Leah became pregnant and bore a son and named him Reuben [See, a son!]; for she said, Because the Lord has seen my humiliation and affliction; now my husband will love me. [Leah] became pregnant again and bore a son and said, Because the Lord heard that I am despised, He has given me this son also; and she named him Simeon [God hears]. And she became pregnant again and bore a son and said, Now this time will my husband be a companion to me, for I have borne him three sons. Therefore he was named Levi [companion]. Again she conceived and bore a son, and she said, Now will I praise the Lord! So she called his name Judah [praise]; then [for a time] she ceased bearing. ~Genesis 29:32-35 AMP
Each time she gave birth to a son she named him based on what she wanted from her husband. First, she wanted to be seen. Second, she wanted to be heard. Third, she wanted a companion. Put all of these together and what she wanted more than anything was to be loved! For many, although in this season you may be "producing" you are not yielding the harvest that you THINK you want. You think you need to be seen by so-in-so, accepted by that group, heard by that leader, or a companion to that person. All of these thoughts have caused you to feel down, and be distracted. But as I said before praise is focus. As we can see, when Leah gave birth to her fourth child, she just like Habakkuk said in a nutshell "...yet I will praise the Lord!" She called him Judah and ceased bearing. Whew! You see, when you begin to praise God you get out of your feelings! You begin to realize that you don't need so-in-so's approval, friendship, validation, or promotion.....you stop striving, bearing, and producing to get it.....and instead you praise God setting your affection and gaze on HIM.....looking to and expecting HIM to do "it"!
2. We all also know the story of Paul and Silas. Paul and Silas were beaten and arrested because of their desire to share the Gospel. Right in the midst of being bound and hurt they started to sing praises to God. They too, like Habakkuk were saying, ".....yet I will praise the Lord!" As their voices were lifted to God, He responded to their praise, sending an earthquake that shook the very foundation of the prison cells and freed not only them but......
But about midnight, as Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the [other] prisoners were listening to them, Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the very foundations of the prison were shaken; and at once all the doors were opened and everyone’s shackles were unfastened. ~ Acts 16:25-26 AMP
Friend, when you're bound in a hard, uncomfortable season, praise will set not only you free, but also those who are connected to and around you! BUT it doesn't stop there.....
When the jailer, startled out of his sleep, saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was on the point of killing himself, because he supposed that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul shouted, Do not harm yourself, for we are all here! Then [the jailer] called for lights and rushed in, and trembling and terrified he fell down before Paul and Silas. And he brought them out [of the dungeon] and said, Men, what is it necessary for me to do that I may be saved? And they answered, Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ [give yourself up to Him, take yourself out of your own keeping and entrust yourself into His keeping] and you will be saved, [and this applies both to] you and your household as well. ~Acts 16:27:21 AMP
You see, this thing is bigger than you! When you praise, not only does it free up others to praise God, but it becomes one of the most effective forms of ministry/witnessing. Many people can praise God when things are going well, but when it comes to a true blood bought believer no matter how bad the circumstances that stare them in the face may be, they will never let it dictate their praise. When others see you praising God in your hard season, they will know that you are not just one who goes to church and reads her Bible, but one that believes that God is who He says He is and can do what He says He can do! Just like Paul and Silas, those who are watching you not only praise in it, but get through it/delivered from it will want to know what they need to do to be saved!
3. Gideon----> one of my favorite men in the Word. Gideon and the Israelites were going through a hard season too. It was so hard that when the angel of the Lord approached Gideon and called him a mighty man of valor and told him that God was going to use Him to defeat that which was coming against the Israelites.....He doubted not only what God called Him to do (his purpose), what God could do, but also God's presence (Judges 6:11-16)! Once Gideon finally accepted His calling, God gave him some specific instructions. Two words: separate yourself.
Then Jerubbaal, that is, Gideon, and all the people who were with him rose early and encamped beside the spring of Harod; and the camp of Midian was north of them by the hill of Moreh in the valley. The Lord said to Gideon, The people who are with you are too many for Me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel boast about themselves against Me, saying, My own hand has delivered me. So now proclaim in the ears of the men, saying, Whoever is fearful and trembling, let him turn back and depart from Mount Gilead. And 22,000 of the men returned, but 10,000 remained. And the Lord said to Gideon, The men are still too many; bring them down to the water, and I will test them for you there. And he of whom I say to you, This man shall go with you, shall go with you; and he of whom I say to you, This man shall not go with you, shall not go. So he brought the men down to the water, and the Lord said to Gideon, Everyone who laps up the water with his tongue as a dog laps it, you shall set by himself, likewise everyone who bows down on his knees to drink. And the number of those who lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, was 300 men, but all the rest of the people bowed down upon their knees to drink water. And the Lord said to Gideon, With the 300 men who lapped I will deliver you, and give the Midianites into your hand. Let all the others return every man to his home. ~Judges 7:1-7 AMP
You, just like Gideon may be in a season where nothing seems to make sense. God told you to separate yourself, to do something that naturally speaking does not give you the advantage! Note that God told him to not go to war with those who would take the credit for the victory----PRIDEFUL FOLKS, those who are fearful, and those who were not focused. But in this season, God may be calling you to separate from the pride, fear, and lack of focus that you posses yourself. Once Gideon "downsized", he then did what God instructed and went to war with just 300 men by blowing trumpets and shouting praises to God. Together they were saying, ".....yet we will praise the Lord!" The Midianites were not only confused by this "war tactic," but fled in fear of it AND were utterly defeated. You see friend, praise will make you look better and stronger in the battle. Praise will not only confuse the enemy, but will defeat him as well!
4. Last, but certainly not least. Some seasons can have you thinking that you are all alone. BUT friend, once you start to praise God you will find that that is far from the truth.
God inhabits the praises of His people. ~Psalms 22:3
When you praise God, you are reminded that He never has left you and He never will. You are reminded that God is FOR you, WITH you, and IN you. You are reminded that, "When you go through deep waters, He will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you" (Isaiah 43:2 NLT). You will also be reminded that.....
......The Lord God is my strength, my personal bravery, and my invincible army; He makes my feet like hinds' feet and will make me to walk (not to stand in terror, but to walk) and make (spiritual) progress upon my high places (of trouble, suffering, or responsibility)! ~ Habakkuk 3:17-19 AMP
Friend, whatever season you are in, have a "yet I will praise the Lord" attitude! Listen, it may be hard and uncomfortable, but GOD has never been defeated and will never be defeated and as long as you are walking with Him you won't be either! Remind yourself daily that God loves you and that.....
.....despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. ~ Romans 8:37 NLT
Today, keep calm and get your praise on! If you praise Him in a dance, DANCE. If you praise Him in a song, SING. If you praise Him by lifting your hands and declaring, "I trust YOU, God"....DO IT! Your praise will get you through "this".....whatever your "this" may be!
Love ya'll! Be encouraged and get our praise on!:)
- God is good ALL the time.....even when my circumstances are not.
- Seasons ALWAYS change.
- My circumstances should not and will not dictate my praise.
Listen, I'm not sure what season of life this post finds you in, whether it's a barren season, an "alone" season, a waiting season, or an uncomfortable season, but friends I want you to be encouraged today. Don't let the enemy discourage and deceive you! God is good ALL the time and although your current season might not be your favorite season.....it’s just a season and seasons always change. Today, God has laid it on my heart to talk about the third point and that is: PRAISE!
Friend, I'll be honest and say that there have been many days when I thought I had nothing to really praise God for and there has also been days when I sho' nuff didn't feel like praising Him. On those days I can assure you that my focus was on my problems and not the Problem solver! But then one day I ran across a familiar scripture........
Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:18 NLT
I noticed that the Word says to be thankful IN all circumstances not FOR all circumstances! (Side note: The Lord also reminded me that although I may not be thankful for my circumstances, that there is still many things like life, health, etc. to be thankful and praise Him for. Sometimes we fail to be thankful for the good things because we are too focused on and upset about the bad things). Listen friend, all circumstances are not from God, some are directly from the enemy himself to discourage, hinder, and stop you from doing what God called you to do and from being who God called you to be. BUT one thing is for sure, no matter the season or circumstances that surround you.....you are to praise and thank God in the midst of them because it is what you were created to do and also because God is worthy! I have learned in this season that as the song proclaims that I can, "Live through it, grow through it, get through it, pray though it" and let me add PRAISE through it!!! You see, praise is focus, praise is power and strength, praise will set you and those connected to you free, praise will get you through "it" whatever your "it" may be, and yes, praise confuses and defeats the enemy!
Though the fig tree does not blossom and there is no fruit on the vines, (though) the product of the olive fails and the fields yield no food, though the flock is cut off from the fold and there are no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will exult in the (victorious) God of my salvation! The Lord God is my strength, my personal bravery, and my invincible army; He makes my feet like hinds' feet and will make me to walk (not to stand in terror, but to walk) and make (spiritual) progress upon my high places (of trouble, suffering, or responsibility)! ~ Habakkuk 3:17-19 AMP
"Habakkuk vowed to rejoice in the Lord no matter what adversity befell him. Habakkuk 2:4 says ".....the just shall live by faith." Why could he rejoice in the midst of such problems and troubles? Because he was living by faith. We too can live by faith and praise God even in the midst of the storm----barren, alone, hard, or uncomfortable season-----because we know that in times of great difficulty, we can rejoice in the Lord and expect great victory" (Kenneth Hagin). Today, let's take a quick walk through the Word.....
1. I'm sure you are familiar with Leah. She was the sister who was unwanted, overlooked, rejected, unaccepted, and not celebrated. You see, Jacob worked for 7 years with the expectation that he would be able to marry her sister, Rachel. Well, as the story goes....he got Leah instead and was not happy about it. He then worked a whole 7 years more just to marry Rachel. Unfortunately Rachel was barren and Leah, the unwanted one was not. So Leah did what many do today when they feel unwanted, overlooked, rejected, unaccepted, and not celebrated: she tried to produce/perform in order to be seen, heard, and loved.
And Leah became pregnant and bore a son and named him Reuben [See, a son!]; for she said, Because the Lord has seen my humiliation and affliction; now my husband will love me. [Leah] became pregnant again and bore a son and said, Because the Lord heard that I am despised, He has given me this son also; and she named him Simeon [God hears]. And she became pregnant again and bore a son and said, Now this time will my husband be a companion to me, for I have borne him three sons. Therefore he was named Levi [companion]. Again she conceived and bore a son, and she said, Now will I praise the Lord! So she called his name Judah [praise]; then [for a time] she ceased bearing. ~Genesis 29:32-35 AMP
Each time she gave birth to a son she named him based on what she wanted from her husband. First, she wanted to be seen. Second, she wanted to be heard. Third, she wanted a companion. Put all of these together and what she wanted more than anything was to be loved! For many, although in this season you may be "producing" you are not yielding the harvest that you THINK you want. You think you need to be seen by so-in-so, accepted by that group, heard by that leader, or a companion to that person. All of these thoughts have caused you to feel down, and be distracted. But as I said before praise is focus. As we can see, when Leah gave birth to her fourth child, she just like Habakkuk said in a nutshell "...yet I will praise the Lord!" She called him Judah and ceased bearing. Whew! You see, when you begin to praise God you get out of your feelings! You begin to realize that you don't need so-in-so's approval, friendship, validation, or promotion.....you stop striving, bearing, and producing to get it.....and instead you praise God setting your affection and gaze on HIM.....looking to and expecting HIM to do "it"!
2. We all also know the story of Paul and Silas. Paul and Silas were beaten and arrested because of their desire to share the Gospel. Right in the midst of being bound and hurt they started to sing praises to God. They too, like Habakkuk were saying, ".....yet I will praise the Lord!" As their voices were lifted to God, He responded to their praise, sending an earthquake that shook the very foundation of the prison cells and freed not only them but......
But about midnight, as Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the [other] prisoners were listening to them, Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the very foundations of the prison were shaken; and at once all the doors were opened and everyone’s shackles were unfastened. ~ Acts 16:25-26 AMP
Friend, when you're bound in a hard, uncomfortable season, praise will set not only you free, but also those who are connected to and around you! BUT it doesn't stop there.....
When the jailer, startled out of his sleep, saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was on the point of killing himself, because he supposed that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul shouted, Do not harm yourself, for we are all here! Then [the jailer] called for lights and rushed in, and trembling and terrified he fell down before Paul and Silas. And he brought them out [of the dungeon] and said, Men, what is it necessary for me to do that I may be saved? And they answered, Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ [give yourself up to Him, take yourself out of your own keeping and entrust yourself into His keeping] and you will be saved, [and this applies both to] you and your household as well. ~Acts 16:27:21 AMP
You see, this thing is bigger than you! When you praise, not only does it free up others to praise God, but it becomes one of the most effective forms of ministry/witnessing. Many people can praise God when things are going well, but when it comes to a true blood bought believer no matter how bad the circumstances that stare them in the face may be, they will never let it dictate their praise. When others see you praising God in your hard season, they will know that you are not just one who goes to church and reads her Bible, but one that believes that God is who He says He is and can do what He says He can do! Just like Paul and Silas, those who are watching you not only praise in it, but get through it/delivered from it will want to know what they need to do to be saved!
3. Gideon----> one of my favorite men in the Word. Gideon and the Israelites were going through a hard season too. It was so hard that when the angel of the Lord approached Gideon and called him a mighty man of valor and told him that God was going to use Him to defeat that which was coming against the Israelites.....He doubted not only what God called Him to do (his purpose), what God could do, but also God's presence (Judges 6:11-16)! Once Gideon finally accepted His calling, God gave him some specific instructions. Two words: separate yourself.
Then Jerubbaal, that is, Gideon, and all the people who were with him rose early and encamped beside the spring of Harod; and the camp of Midian was north of them by the hill of Moreh in the valley. The Lord said to Gideon, The people who are with you are too many for Me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel boast about themselves against Me, saying, My own hand has delivered me. So now proclaim in the ears of the men, saying, Whoever is fearful and trembling, let him turn back and depart from Mount Gilead. And 22,000 of the men returned, but 10,000 remained. And the Lord said to Gideon, The men are still too many; bring them down to the water, and I will test them for you there. And he of whom I say to you, This man shall go with you, shall go with you; and he of whom I say to you, This man shall not go with you, shall not go. So he brought the men down to the water, and the Lord said to Gideon, Everyone who laps up the water with his tongue as a dog laps it, you shall set by himself, likewise everyone who bows down on his knees to drink. And the number of those who lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, was 300 men, but all the rest of the people bowed down upon their knees to drink water. And the Lord said to Gideon, With the 300 men who lapped I will deliver you, and give the Midianites into your hand. Let all the others return every man to his home. ~Judges 7:1-7 AMP
You, just like Gideon may be in a season where nothing seems to make sense. God told you to separate yourself, to do something that naturally speaking does not give you the advantage! Note that God told him to not go to war with those who would take the credit for the victory----PRIDEFUL FOLKS, those who are fearful, and those who were not focused. But in this season, God may be calling you to separate from the pride, fear, and lack of focus that you posses yourself. Once Gideon "downsized", he then did what God instructed and went to war with just 300 men by blowing trumpets and shouting praises to God. Together they were saying, ".....yet we will praise the Lord!" The Midianites were not only confused by this "war tactic," but fled in fear of it AND were utterly defeated. You see friend, praise will make you look better and stronger in the battle. Praise will not only confuse the enemy, but will defeat him as well!
4. Last, but certainly not least. Some seasons can have you thinking that you are all alone. BUT friend, once you start to praise God you will find that that is far from the truth.
God inhabits the praises of His people. ~Psalms 22:3
When you praise God, you are reminded that He never has left you and He never will. You are reminded that God is FOR you, WITH you, and IN you. You are reminded that, "When you go through deep waters, He will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you" (Isaiah 43:2 NLT). You will also be reminded that.....
......The Lord God is my strength, my personal bravery, and my invincible army; He makes my feet like hinds' feet and will make me to walk (not to stand in terror, but to walk) and make (spiritual) progress upon my high places (of trouble, suffering, or responsibility)! ~ Habakkuk 3:17-19 AMP
Friend, whatever season you are in, have a "yet I will praise the Lord" attitude! Listen, it may be hard and uncomfortable, but GOD has never been defeated and will never be defeated and as long as you are walking with Him you won't be either! Remind yourself daily that God loves you and that.....
.....despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. ~ Romans 8:37 NLT
Today, keep calm and get your praise on! If you praise Him in a dance, DANCE. If you praise Him in a song, SING. If you praise Him by lifting your hands and declaring, "I trust YOU, God"....DO IT! Your praise will get you through "this".....whatever your "this" may be!
Love ya'll! Be encouraged and get our praise on!:)