“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.”
Philippians 4:6
Prayer is powerful because we are inviting God to move in our life. Prayer is based on a real and tangible relationship with God. When we experience the awesomeness of His presence in prayer, we just can’t help but want to express how we feel about His greatness. It is humbling to sense the waves of His manifested glory. It feels like we are being engulfed by His strength, carefully swooped up in His strong arms. It makes me want to praise Him, acknowledging His majestic power and His tender mercy.
There are other times when there is a stillness in prayer. Our faith causes us to begin to thank God for who He is and what we know He will do. Other times, whether we feel like it or not, the Holy Spirit will prompt us to begin to lift up the Lord in praise for the answer to the prayer we just prayed, and when we do, our praise causes a release from our hand to God’s hand, and God is free to move.
Praise makes a way for God to move in the supernatural. Paul and Silas are examples of praying and praising while they were imprisoned in Acts 16. In verse 25, at midnight, in jail, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God. Suddenly there was an earthquake that opened the doors and loosed the chains. God moved when they prayed and praised. That’s supernatural!
People who praise God have chosen to act on what they believe. Their faith goes into action, and they start to declare the goodness of God and the promises of God. Our prayer goes from, “God, I ask You work on my behalf” to our praise, “God, thank you for working on my behalf!” When we believe God, even before we see an answer, we begin to thank God. Our active faith in praise will make the way for God to come in and move. Breakthroughs can happen in the spirit when we praise.
When we praise God in prayer, we take the Word of God and begin to declare it. For example, we believe the scripture, “All things work together for good to those who love God.” When we praise, we say it is so, “God, You are working for my good!” When we allow faith to rise up in our prayer, our praise causes a freedom for God to move. Praise will give God the liberty to change things and prayers are answered!
Application: Is there something you have been praying about that it’s time you start PRAISING about? Start praising God now!