Praise Defeats the Enemy, Breaking the Silence and God Is Great—Still!
Praise Defeats the Enemy
I will declare Your name to My brethren; in the midst of the assembly I will praise You.
Psalm 22:22, nkjv
One way to drive Satan to distraction, and to overcome him, is through praise of Jesus. Regardless of whether the enemy is a visible foe in front of us like the Scribes and Pharisees or an invisible foe outside of us like the devil himself or an invisible foe inside of us like depression, praise drives the enemy away. In the very prophecy that describes Jesus’ inmost thoughts and feelings as He hung on the cross, tortured, bleeding, and dying, the psalmist declared, “But You are holy, enthroned in the praises . . .” of Your people (Ps. 22:3, nkjv). In other words, He is enthroned—He rules in power, authority, and supremacy—through our praise.
In some supernatural way, praise ushers the authority of God into any given situation. One practical way to maintain your praise is, every time you pray, to begin your prayer with praise. First praise Him for Who He is. Then praise Him for something He has done for you. Start now!
Breaking the Silence
You have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit.
1 Peter 1:22, nkjv
Is God silent in your life? Could it be that He has given you Truth to which you have not responded obediently? Has He given you truth through a Bible study, or your pastor’s sermon, or your daily devotions, or an inspirational book, or a godly friend, that you have yet to apply and obey? Have you been frustrated because the Bible doesn’t seem to make sense to you? And when you pray, is it as though your prayers hit the ceiling of your room and bounce back? Have you felt as though God has abandoned you? If so, you need to go back to the last thing you can remember that He told you and act on it. If you can’t remember, just return to the Cross by faith. In prayer, confess your sin of disobedience whether it was willful or not. Ask God to break His silence in your life.
Just Give Me Jesus
God Is Great—Still!
The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way.
Psalm 37:23, nkjv
Before the Flood, God had said, “Come into the ark” (Gen. 7:1, nkjv). The clear implication was that God was already inside, inviting Noah to join Him there. After the Flood, when God said, “Come out of the ark” (Gen. 8:16, niv), the implication is that He had left and was asking Noah to follow. The great God of the Exodus Who led His people out of bondage to slavery in Egypt, parting the Red Sea to allow them to pass on dry ground and so escape the armies of Pharaoh—that same great God led Noah, his wife, his sons, his sons’ wives, and all the animals out of the ark!
God’s greatness has not been diluted in any way over the years of time. He is just as great today as He has been in the past. So why do you think He cannot lead you out of trouble? Why would you think He cannot lead your entire life so that you find peace and fulfillment? Why do you think He is unable to lead your children in the right direction that will be pleasing to Him and good for them? God is great!
