God is saying the same thing to you that He said to Israel in 2 Chronicles 20:15-17: "Don't be afraid! The battle is not yours, it's Mine! Stand on My Word and praise Me. I'll take care of you, if you will trust Me!"
The Language Of Faith
Realize trials can be overcome and victories can be gained through praising and worshipping God. You can receive healing by praising and worshipping God, because praise and worship is the language of faith.
Plus, God's Word says healing has already been provided for us (Isa. 53:5; 1 Peter 2:24; Matt. 8:17). You can receive from God whatever the Word promises you by simply acting in faith on the Word by praising and thanking God.
In today's world, it seems that many Christians are talking about the devil and magnifying what he's doing more than they are magnifying God and what He is doing! They magnify and exalt the devil by constantly telling what the devil is doing in their lives! I don't care what the devil is doing; he has already been defeated by Jesus Christ. I want to know what God is doing on the earth today.
Other Christians are so devil-conscious and fearful of the enemy that they're always trying to tiptoe past the devil, so to speak. And if they ever do praise the Lord, they whisper because they're afraid the devil will hear it! But he's just the one who should hear God's people praising the Lord! We need to tap into the power that is released in praising the Lord!
The Christian's "Canaan Land" is taking possession in this life of what is already rightfully ours in Christ. Taking possession of our inheritance in Christ is much the same spiritually as taking Canaan land was in the natural for the children of Israel.
In other words, natural giants opposed the children of Israel; spiritual "giants" try to oppose us. However, those "giants" have already been defeated in Jesus' triumph over them at the Cross (Col. 2:15).
Canaan land is not a type of heaven because there are no battles or giants to fight, no cities to take or kings to overthrow in heaven. Canaan land is a type of the Christian's life down here on earth. In this life there are battles to win and giants to overcome. But there's no power of the enemy that can stand against you when you learn how to stand on God's Word and praise God!
Go forth with the praises of God in your mouth! Don't look at the "giant" that may be standing in your way - the test or trial that tries to threaten you to keep you from possessing the promises of God for your life. Look only to God and to His Word. Give Him praise because what He has promised you, He is also able to perform (Rom. 4:21).
Praise God in Spite of Circumstances
We need to learn to give praise and glory to God in the face of every obstacle before we see the victory. If we'll learn how to praise God, we'll see victory every time, no matter how bleak the circumstances may look.
I'm not saying we are to praise God for the trial or for the sickness or for the test Satan may be trying to bring against us. I don't believe the Bible says we are to praise God because we don't have money to pay our bills or because we can't feed our families.
You don't praise God for the evil circumstances; you praise God in spite of the circumstances. The focus isn't to be on praising God for the sickness or disease or the test or trial; the focus is on praising God no matter what may occur because your trust is in Him to see you through to victory.
You are to praise God in faith because He's already delivered you. Faith is praising God before you see God's delivering power actually demonstrated in your behalf. That's exactly what the children of Israel did, and that's why they were successful.
But when the children of Israel went out to face the enemy, they just praised God; they didn't ask for anything. You see, when your life is on the line, you'll make sure you're doing exactly what God told you to do, and you'll make sure you do it with your whole heart! And God had told the Israelites their victory was in praise!
Many Christians today think praising God consists only of mouthing "Praise God," "Praise God," a few times. Then almost immediately they're demanding again, "Lord, gimme, gimme, gimme!" But that's not the kind of praise that moves God!
A Way Out Of Depression
The next time depression tries to come upon you or circumstances begin to pile up round about you and try to overwhelm you, don't bow down and accept defeat! The best way to get rid of depression is to sing praises to God.
You don't have to keep asking God to deliver you. The Bible says the promises of God are yea and amen (2 Cor 1:20). So just begin to praise the Lord when circumstances try to overwhelm you. Depression and the enemy's oppression can't stay in your life when your heart is full of praise.
Sometimes in dire circumstances you hear people say, "Let's call a fast! We need to pray all night so God will hear us!" No, you don't. Just call a "praise meeting," even if you're just by yourself, and begin to wholeheartedly praise the Lord.
If God could rout the enemy in the Old Testament with the praises of the children of Israel - people who were not born again - think what He can do with the praises of His born-again children!
Learn the lesson of praise! Look at this battle the Israelites won by praise, and take a lesson from it.
Learn to sing God's praises when the enemy tries to come against you. Certainly, you should take authority over the enemy in the Name of Jesus, but then focus all your attention on the Lord by praising Him. As you do this, the devil will have to flee from you.
I believe there is a "cure" we can receive from God through praising and worshipping Him. In fact, I believe we can attain to the highest level of faith and victory as we learn how to continually praise and worship God as a lifestyle, regardless of our circumstances because praise keeps our attention focused on God.
Excerpt permission granted by Faith Library Publications
Kenneth W. Hagin, President of Kenneth Hagin Ministries and pastor of RHEMA Bible Church, ministers around the world. Known for calling the Body of Christ to steadfast faith, he seizes every ministry opportunity to impart an attitude of “I cannot be defeated, and I will not quit.”
