JESUS CHRIST IS LORD.
THEME: THE POWER OF PRAISE IN ADVERSITY.
Beloved, before anything else, let us clarify that the law of sowing and reaping no longer applies to us when we are under grace in Christ. But, we nevertheless suffer the consequences of what we do or sow, and this is evaluated in time. Because, we reap what Jesus sowed. The law (seed and reaping) only applies in the context of finances.
Furthermore, we must not confuse gratitude to God and praise. We are exhorted to be grateful as indicated in 1 Thessalonians 5:18.
Therefore, praising God is telling others (the spirits) and God himself his great deeds. We who are of the new alliance (grace), the best way to praise God is to recall to his memory, the work of the cross, accomplished by Jesus, his beloved Son.
We must therefore understand that praise is the fact of telling God his benefits, in our life and the way to express it in a more excellent way is to recognize the work that Jesus Christ accomplished on the cross for us; because, it is in this that our GOD and our Father takes pleasure and, according to what is written in Isaiah that it is the work of his soul (of Christ) which has satisfied the eyes of the Father (the Eternal GOD).
In other words, in the face of adversity, we must say what God has done for us before (salvation), and say to the present situation, that it is therefore nothing before GOD. In other words, praising God is a powerful weapon when we are in adversity.
So, we will consider the case of King Jehoshaphat in 2 Chronicles 20. The king (Jehoshaphat) is confronted by another king, who rises up against him to destroy him and his entire kingdom. The word of GOD reveals that after fasting, he turned to the Lord, but fasting in the Old Testament allowed us to break down the barrier that opposed the one who calls on him; but, in the new alliance it allows us to remove unbelief in order to allow faith to act effectively.
In the current context therefore, turning to GOD is raising praises to GOD, in a specific situation by reminding him of what he has already done in this type of case by relying on what Jesus Christ has already done for us. And the Bible reassures us that GOD sits in the praise of his people (Psalms 22:3). So, it is when we are in a situation of distress that we must rather praise the Lord Jesus; and, not close our mouths. Spoken praise, can be accompanied by music to give a melody because the role of music is to carry the words of praise. But, what makes the power of praise is the one who intervenes while we praise and for us Christians, it is our GOD, JESUS CHRIST OF NAZARETH.
In conclusion, let us know that we must always praise the Lord in the face of adversity in order to see him rise up as a hero in our favor for his glory in our lives.
May the name of Jesus Christ be glorified in our lives!
Amen
Apostle OLIVIER FOANZ
BIBLE VERSES
- 1 Thessalonians 5:18
- 2 Chronicles 20:1-2
- Isaiah 58:2
- Psalms 22:3
- 2 Chronicles 20:7-25
- 1 Samuel 17:32 and 49-51
- Acts 3:1-8
- Psalms 34:1.
