The Power Of Effective Praise
I had an experience with this stupendous GOD and it was really a wonderful one. Almost everyone has heard about the story of Jehoshaphat King of Judah how three kingdoms (Children of Ammon, Moab and mount Seir) came to battle him and GOD helped him(2 Chronicles 20:1-25); this has been a passage mostly used when encouraging people to praise GOD who can (due to their praising HIM) turn the tides around for his beloved. Well! Good to know because it actually happens; but I'm going to share my personal experience with you, how this method worked for me.
Sometimes ago, I was in a Para-Military Organization here in Nigeria and they have an annual contest among all battalion from the local division up to the national level. That same year I joined my division, we were invited to join the competition, we therefore started preparing for it. The competition was about quiz (general knowledge about our organization, the church, the word of GOD, first aid treatment and the likes) and march-past; by GOD’s Grace I was heading the quiz section and was also a member of the march-past. In my division by GOD’s Grace, I came out as the better candidate of those representing our division and we advanced to the local government level. In this level, our division came out best of all and we are to represent our battalion in the state level. One thing I did as we kept advancing higher, for every time I was in the hot seat during the quiz, I kept singing praises unto GOD in my mind. My lips could at times be moving and you could hardly hear me, but I kept my focus on GOD and HE kept on helping me as I was answering the questions correctly. Well, others might say ‘that's not GOD, it’s just normal logic, you knew the answers’ and so on, even I wasn’t deep in glorifying GOD because the questions to me were cheap and I felt that it was just a normal thing for me to get them correctly; but I had challenges in the next round i.e. the state competition. I was in for some real competition while facing the best of the best and I was struggling to answer the questions correctly with the extremely limited time given. I noticed this and started praising and Glorifying GOD within me. The questions became tougher by the time and my opponents seem to be unyielding. Soon the competitors were cut off till my battalion and another was left; I kept singing and Glorifying GOD as we moved to the elimination stage. In this stage, whatever you say will be your final answer and no options were given. When I was given my question (in which I had no idea of the answer), I requested that the question be relayed again and it was relayed for me like twice. I thought that was the end, and with a glance I looked at my opponent battalion as their faces seem to be brightening, I looked at where my battalion was and they were as if trembling, everyone was expecting me to say something; I kept on singing praises in my heart and I gave my answer. The judges looked at me and confirmed it was the correct answer. I was extremely glad, I had no idea how that happened but all I could think of was that it is GOD indeed at work. The same thing happened to me the second time and it was worse than the first; the question was relayed to me even to the third time and it was like all hope was lost, I could almost see jubilation in the eyes of my opponent because I almost ran out of time. The next word that came out of my mouth was confirmed to be correct. There was uproar amidst jubilation from my battalion as everyone witnessing was amazed because it was really obvious I didn’t know the answer. But I knew that it was GOD who put the words in my mouth and I kept on praising HIM. We won the state competition and I alongside other best candidates, was chosen to represent our state battalion in the national level. Well I guess you know the outcome of the National level; but that was my very first time of winning all round even to the extent of winning in the National level; all because I KEPT PRAISING AND GLORIFYING GOD even IN THE MIDST OF TRIALS.
This proved to me that THIS GOD is real and that HE inhabits our praise. HE goes to the extreme in favouring HIS beloved when they praise HIM. I have since then been using this method which hardly fails anytime I face challenges and GOD indeed has been faithful in delivering to the uttermost end.
I don’t know what it is you are going through that's giving you though time right now, you probably might have tried all best possible to be relieved but have you tried EFFECTIVE PRAISE; it sounds foolish to some but don’t forget that GOD thrives in using the foolish things of this world to confound the wisdom of men “But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;” (2Corinthians 1:27). In the midst of that trial, you need to praise GOD; even when everyone is complaining and indirectly saying there is a casting down, you need to trust GOD among the people like the psalmist said “I will greatly praise the LORD with my mouth; yea, I will praise him among the multitude”(Psalm 109:30) and boldly say there is a lifting up for you. Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil. (Proverbs 3:5-7). Why don’t you just try this out; clear your mind and truly connect to GOD by worshipping HIM in SPIRIT and in TRUTH, because HEs the way out of that problem for YOU.
Sometimes ago, I was in a Para-Military Organization here in Nigeria and they have an annual contest among all battalion from the local division up to the national level. That same year I joined my division, we were invited to join the competition, we therefore started preparing for it. The competition was about quiz (general knowledge about our organization, the church, the word of GOD, first aid treatment and the likes) and march-past; by GOD’s Grace I was heading the quiz section and was also a member of the march-past. In my division by GOD’s Grace, I came out as the better candidate of those representing our division and we advanced to the local government level. In this level, our division came out best of all and we are to represent our battalion in the state level. One thing I did as we kept advancing higher, for every time I was in the hot seat during the quiz, I kept singing praises unto GOD in my mind. My lips could at times be moving and you could hardly hear me, but I kept my focus on GOD and HE kept on helping me as I was answering the questions correctly. Well, others might say ‘that's not GOD, it’s just normal logic, you knew the answers’ and so on, even I wasn’t deep in glorifying GOD because the questions to me were cheap and I felt that it was just a normal thing for me to get them correctly; but I had challenges in the next round i.e. the state competition. I was in for some real competition while facing the best of the best and I was struggling to answer the questions correctly with the extremely limited time given. I noticed this and started praising and Glorifying GOD within me. The questions became tougher by the time and my opponents seem to be unyielding. Soon the competitors were cut off till my battalion and another was left; I kept singing and Glorifying GOD as we moved to the elimination stage. In this stage, whatever you say will be your final answer and no options were given. When I was given my question (in which I had no idea of the answer), I requested that the question be relayed again and it was relayed for me like twice. I thought that was the end, and with a glance I looked at my opponent battalion as their faces seem to be brightening, I looked at where my battalion was and they were as if trembling, everyone was expecting me to say something; I kept on singing praises in my heart and I gave my answer. The judges looked at me and confirmed it was the correct answer. I was extremely glad, I had no idea how that happened but all I could think of was that it is GOD indeed at work. The same thing happened to me the second time and it was worse than the first; the question was relayed to me even to the third time and it was like all hope was lost, I could almost see jubilation in the eyes of my opponent because I almost ran out of time. The next word that came out of my mouth was confirmed to be correct. There was uproar amidst jubilation from my battalion as everyone witnessing was amazed because it was really obvious I didn’t know the answer. But I knew that it was GOD who put the words in my mouth and I kept on praising HIM. We won the state competition and I alongside other best candidates, was chosen to represent our state battalion in the national level. Well I guess you know the outcome of the National level; but that was my very first time of winning all round even to the extent of winning in the National level; all because I KEPT PRAISING AND GLORIFYING GOD even IN THE MIDST OF TRIALS.
This proved to me that THIS GOD is real and that HE inhabits our praise. HE goes to the extreme in favouring HIS beloved when they praise HIM. I have since then been using this method which hardly fails anytime I face challenges and GOD indeed has been faithful in delivering to the uttermost end.
I don’t know what it is you are going through that's giving you though time right now, you probably might have tried all best possible to be relieved but have you tried EFFECTIVE PRAISE; it sounds foolish to some but don’t forget that GOD thrives in using the foolish things of this world to confound the wisdom of men “But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;” (2Corinthians 1:27). In the midst of that trial, you need to praise GOD; even when everyone is complaining and indirectly saying there is a casting down, you need to trust GOD among the people like the psalmist said “I will greatly praise the LORD with my mouth; yea, I will praise him among the multitude”(Psalm 109:30) and boldly say there is a lifting up for you. Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil. (Proverbs 3:5-7). Why don’t you just try this out; clear your mind and truly connect to GOD by worshipping HIM in SPIRIT and in TRUTH, because HEs the way out of that problem for YOU.
