Praise Precedes Deliverance
Praise is a central theme throughout the Bible. We are instructed to praise God in all circumstances of life. We are also encouraged to recognize and affirm whatever is honorable, excellent, beautiful, and worthy of praise. In other words, we should be looking for opportunities to sow the seeds of praise into our own lives and into the lives of those around us.
The Apostle Paul instructs us to intentionally focus our attention on what is praiseworthy.
Philippians 4:8
“Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things.”
What we choose to dwell on matters. Our thoughts influence our attitudes. Our attitudes influence our faith. And our faith influences our decisions and actions. When we continually focus on everything that is wrong, disappointing, frightening, or discouraging, it becomes increasingly difficult to see what God is doing. But when we deliberately look for what is praiseworthy, something changes within us. Praise redirects our attention from our circumstances to our God.
And there is another powerful principle throughout Scripture: Praise often precedes deliverance.
Think about the stories we know so well. Daniel praised God and remained faithful even when he was thrown into the lions’ den. The Hebrew young men refused to bow to the image of Nebuchadnezzar, trusting God even when they faced the fiery furnace. The walls of Jericho fell after Israel followed God’s instructions and lifted their voices in obedience. Paul and Silas prayed and sang hymns to God while sitting in a prison cell, and God sent an earthquake that opened the doors and broke their chains.
Their praise did not come because everything was going well. They praised God while they were still waiting for the outcome. That is the difference between praising God because of what He has done and praising Him because of who He is.
Anyone can praise after the battle has been won. Faith learns to praise while the battle is still being fought. Praise does not deny our circumstances. It declares that our circumstances are not greater than our God.
There may be things in your life today that you would love to see changed. There may be prayers you are still waiting to see answered, circumstances you cannot control, or battles you cannot seem to win.
Begin with praise. Look for what is true. Look for what is good. Look for what is honorable. Look for what God has already done. Look for His faithfulness. Look for His presence. Look for His promises. Then praise Him!
With Gratitude, Pastor Jesse
