16 May 2010
Giving Thanks and Praise
May/17/2010 09:21 AM
I heard Bro. Kenneth Hagin say many times that if we would just balance the scales of asking God for things in prayer with praise we would see more answers to prayer. I must say that I agree with him. I have not only experienced this first hand but there are so many scriptures about thanksgiving coupled with prayer. This makes giving thanks and praising God ahead of time, before the answer manifests, an important key in prayer.
I Thess. 5:16-18 says, “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
I Timothy 2:1 lines up with that: “I urge, then, first of all that requests, intercessions and thanksgiving be made for everyone….”
Here’s a third witness over in Col. 4:2 : “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.”
These are New Testament instructions. However, even in the Old Covenant, we see that before the Israelites would go into battle, they sent the praise team out ahead of them! The singers and those on instruments went out before the army because they knew that praising their God first brought them victory in those battles. I think we have to really hand it to those praisers because they didn’t go out to battle with a sword or shield, but with a shout and song of praise! This showed their complete trust and faith in the great I AM! If that was the Old Testament and we are living in the New, founded on better promises, then how much more should we make giving thanks and praise a part of our everyday life?
When we face the enemy head on, what are we armed with? Praise and thanksgiving, or fear, doubt and worry? Are we pacing the floor and speaking defeat, or do we lift up our hand and declare with our mouth the greatness of our God? What are our weapons? They are praying the word in the name of Jesus sealed up with praise and thanks!
“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal (of this world, worldly, carnal or fleshly) but mighty in God to the pulling down of strongholds...”
The word of God also promises that if we couple prayer with thanksgiving, we can walk in the peace of God and our hearts and minds will be guarded and kept strong.
Phil. 4:6: “Do not be anxious about anything, but 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.”
Have you ever noticed that worry and fear seem to be magnified at midnight when we are laying in bed trying to sleep? Our mind is going like a freight train and scenarios of the worst possible outcomes swirl about in our heads. Many turn to food to ease their nerves. I have to admit, I have done that as well. I think to myself, “ a big bowl of cereal or a big slice of cake would make me feel much better and help me fall asleep.”
There is a better solution. Instead of turning to a midnight snack, try a midnight praise and thanksgiving session! That’s what Paul and Silas did when they were chained up in a prison cell. We’ve all heard the story, but it’s one of my favorite.
Over in Acts 16:21, Paul and Silas were arrested for preaching the gospel. They were then beaten and thrown into the darkest, most secure part of the prison with their feet bound in shackles. They had a really bad day, to say the least, and they had every reason to feel ungrateful and feel like a victim. They could have said “God, why did you let this happen to us? How could things get any worse? I guess God has abandoned us and we will probably just rot in this stinking prison.” But that is not what they did. Instead they had a midnight praise session!
In Acts 16:25 it says: “And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed and sang praises unto God and the prisoners heard them.”
They obviously were not praising under their breaths, but out loud where everyone could hear. The power of God came on the scene and the prison was shaken by an earthquake. The prisoners were all released and the guard got right with God that night!
Giving thanks and praise is not only a key to prayer and peace but it’s also a key for deliverance!
kimconnor@whwc.org
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