Then said Jesus to those Jews (and to each of us as well) who believed in Him, “If ye continue in My Word, then are ye My disciples indeed.
John 8:31
A few decades ago, Ann and I were living totally defeated Christian lives. Nothing really turned that around for us until, out of desperation, we decided to become “doers” of the Word. We had heard some teaching about battling the devil and how others were becoming victorious in their lives by doing the Word.
If there is one thing I want to leave everyone with, it’s to become “doers” of the Word…And, to keep going in the Word and following Jesus into all the freedom He has for us in this life.
Thanking and praising God in all things is a large part of being a doer of the Word.
Many today do not do the Word because they’re afraid to enter the spiritual battle God calls Christians to – I’ve heard them express it. I was that way until Ann and I got so sick and tired of getting pushed around by not doing the Word that we finally came out of our miserable corner swinging and began pushing back against the darkness that was ruining our lives.
In these end times, the delusion is going to be so strong, and it will be so easy not to obey God’s Word, not to apply His ways to our life as hearts (yes, even the hearts of Christians) grow colder and colder, as more and more fear is unleashed upon the world.
There was a time when I thought I’d have to be crazy or commit theological and intellectual suicide by praising and thanking God in all things because nothing in my life was working out the way “I” wanted it to. I could see no point in always praising God until I saw a real turn around in my everyday circumstances. I was being rebellious and stubborn and I was not willing to change. I was deceived, the enemy knew it and was making sure I stayed that way.
But God was stronger…☺
And whatever you do, in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
Colossians 3:17
But you (God) are holy, you who inhabit the praises of Israel.
Psalm 22:3
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
We praise God in church, at times when we’re home alone and things are going our way, and sometimes when we get together with other believers. But we don’t praise God all the time in our everyday life. Kind of funny isn’t it.
The devil does not want us to get the victory God knows we can walk in if we’ll praise and thank God in all things so Satan keeps us from praising God outside church, and from thanking God in all things. When we finally see this in our spirit, we become convinced of what the devil’s up to and it’s easier to see why God wants us to praise and thank Him in all things.
God knows the spiritual freedom and breakthrough we’ll have when we decide to stop listening to the devil and walk in obedience to God’s command to thank and praise Him in all things.
Believe me when I tell you that the devil wants you to live in the no man’s land of not being able to trust God in all things. Satan wants you to live in the misery of being double-minded as you trust God sometimes, but not at others. Satan loves inconsistency in our Christian witness and walk. There’s no way the devil wants you to be set free by believing Romans 8:28, and he’ll do all he can to make sure that doesn’t happen.
Don’t let the devil rob you of the blessing/victory God wants to give you as you praise and thank Him in all things.
Praise and thank God in all things…And keep at it. You will see the purpose for it and walk in the spiritual victory God wants to bless you with.
But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
1 Peter 2:9
Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.
Hebrews 13:15
Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;
Ephesians 5:20
God bless,
Mark