The Power of Praise
What comes out of your mouth is vitally linked to whether or not you have victory. Your words, when spoken, can be a powerful weapon against the enemy or they can doom you to failure. Words of praise and thanksgiving are devastating to the devil. When you speak in this manner, it can speak life to yourself and death to his plan of destruction. This is what motivates me to ignite my faith by worshiping God. Here are three powerful effects praise will produce in your life:

1. Praising God Drives the Devil Crazy. When I think how desperately Satan is trying to stop me from pursuing my dreams and goals, it makes me want to fight back. He’s the one who wants to keep me stagnant and discouraged by trying to wedge a foothold of doubt into my life. He’s the one who tries to drag me down and get me to give up on what I am here to do. And I can’t stand it! So how do I get him back? How do I make him pay for what he’s done to me? By praising, worshiping and thanking God. These are weapons of mass destruction that drive the devil crazy. When you take time to sing praises, it confuses Satan. Your efforts to lift up the Lord are an aggressive means to attack him. And it works!

2. Praise Helps You Give God Control. Here’s what else praising God will do—it solidifies your commitment to fully surrender yourself to God. When you finally give God your all, He takes control. He is waiting for you to put your complete trust in him, especially as it concerns your vision, dreams, and goals. Matthew 33:6 says, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you” (KJV). Note the Scripture says “all” these things, not some of them or one thing—”all these things” will be yours. I want you to understand that as you seek God, as you spend time with Him, and as you worship Him, you are making an investment in your future. You are trusting that He has already done what you are believing Him for. Doing this will open the door for God to begin moving in your life.

3. Praise Is an Atmosphere in Which God Works. Worship creates an atmosphere where God begins to work. Remember, the Bible is full of stories of people bowing down and worshiping God before they got their breakthrough. Worship Him first and foremost on your journey to fulfill your vision. Don’t thank Him after your dreams come true and you reach your goals. Sure, it’s easy to thank somebody after they’ve done something nice for you. But worshiping God before you see results shows Him that you wholeheartedly believe in the vision He has given you and that you are going to give it everything you’ve got.

You may have tried this in the past and gotten discouraged. You may be thinking, Terri, I have been worshiping God that I’m free from debt, that my bills are paid and that I have money in the bank, but nothing has changed. I know it might be hard and it requires a lot of faith, especially when the natural dictates the opposite of what you believe; but you’ve got to do it. And you’ve got to keep doing it.

If you are on the verge of giving up right now, be encouraged that you are close to victory. You are close to your dream. My dad believes that feeling as if you have no choice but to quit is always an indication that your breakthrough is right around the corner. Don’t give up. Determine in your heart that no matter how impossible your dreams may look at this very moment, you will hang in there.

Paul wrote, “For in due season we shall reap, if we faint not” (Gal. 6:9, KJV). Persevering when things get tough is a long-term commitment. You don’t try to dig in your heels to see how it goes. You can’t treat it like a test run; if you don’t get results immediately, you go back to your old ways. You must determine that you will not quit. You will not give up. You will faint not, and reap your dreams.

What are you thankful for? My dad says, “The depth of your praise determines the magnitude of your breakthrough.” Being grateful is a habit you must practice regularly. Get into the routine of thanking God for anything and everything. Right now, when you’re done reading, take some time and think of about 10 things for which you are grateful.

Include things you are enjoying right now and dreams and desires that have not yet come to pass. Write them all done. When you are done making your list, tell God out loud how thankful you are for His past, present and future provisions and manifestations in your life.