Though the fig tree may not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines; though the labor of the olive may fail, and the fields yield no food; though the flock may be cut off from the fold, and there be no herd in the stalls — Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength; He will make my feet like deer’s feet, and He will make me walk on my high hills (Habakkuk 3:17-19).
Praise is the language of faith. When life turns sour, turn up the praise! James tells us to count it all joy when hard times arrive (James 1:2). Paul tells us to rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice (Philippians 4:4)!
Praise brings a manifestation of the presence of God that will give inward strength and that will attack the problem and bring a solution. Enemy armies had surrounded the people of God in 2 Chronicles 20. King Jehoshaphat and the people began to seek the Lord. Through the prophet God told them that He would fight their battle for them. All they needed to do was to send the praise team to the front line of the battle and God would do the fighting for them.
They obeyed and the praise team began to sing; praise the Lord for His mercy endures forever. As they sang, the presence and power of God manifested and the enemy army was slain before they could lift a sword!
God will undertake to bring you out of the hard place if you will choose to put on the garment of praise. Listen to Isaiah: To console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified (Isaiah 61:3).
Look at this again. To put on praise as a garment is to wear praise like you would a coat or a sweater on a cool day. It keeps you warm and comfy, and keeps the elements from making you chilled. Praise as a garment will keep the circumstances of life from getting into your inner person and discouraging you.
There is no feeling in this; it’s a total act of faith! When your flesh is screaming at you and the problems pile up, the best thing to do is to praise! Paul and Silas were set free from prison because they chose to pray and to sing praises to God while sitting in a dungeon. So the jailer put them into the inner dungeon and clamped their feet in the stocks. Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening. Suddenly, there was a massive earthquake, and the prison was shaken to its foundations. All the doors immediately flew open, and the chains of every prisoner fell off (Acts 16:24-26-NLT).
Stop the complaining and begin to praise God in the troubles of life. God is not partial. He helped His Old Covenant people and fought for them. He helped Paul and Silas. And He will do the same for you. Put Your coat on!
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