2 Corinthians 4:16-18 [MSG] ‘‘So we’re not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace.’

BIBLE READING:
Ecclesiastes 9-12, Psalms 10
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Arabella Katherine Hankey was an English missionary and nurse who is best known for writing the popular hymn “I Love to Tell the Story”. She wrote this hymn during a serious spell of sickness while on a mission in Africa.
Reading through her hymn one would never suspect the great battles she fought over her health. But despite the numerous challenges she faced, she decided to continually give God worthy praise. She refused to focus on the problems but rather focused on God’s promises of healing and deliverance.
Katherine Hankey was born in 1834, the daughter of a wealthy English banker. Early in life Katherine caught the evangelical passion from her father and she began organizing Sunday School classes for the rich and poor throughout London.
When Katherine was thirty years of age, she experienced a serious illness. During the long period of recovery from the sickness she wrote a lengthy poem on the life of Christ.
Later that same year, while still recovering from her sickbed, she completed the second part of her poem on the life of Christ. From these verses came the text for “I Love to Tell the Story,”
She always sought to glorify God and bring joy to others in any way she could. She ensured that all of the royalties received from her hymns were directed to a foreign mission projects to preach the Gospel and help the poor.

Katherine Hankey, had every reason to have focused on her health challenges rather she chose to give God praise instead.
Often times, we may have a good reason to feel down and discouraged, but we have to make a decision not to follow our feelings. Depression will only give room to the oppression of the enemy.
The ‘sacrifice of praise’ is praising God even when our circumstances dictate the contrary.

Hebrews 13:15 says ‘By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name’

“sacrifice of praise” is unusual and uncommon praise. It is praising God despite the pain. It is praise that costs you something, because you are deliberately going against your feelings. Though you feel like throwing in the towel you choose rather to throw up your hands in adoration and judge God faithful.
You refuse to acknowledge whatever the devil may be doing but rather praise God for who He is and what He is able to do.
That kind of praise gets Heaven’s attention and attracts the prison-breaking, earth-quaking power of God. It was this kind of praise that delivered Paul and Silas.
Praising God beyond your feelings means putting your faith to work. That’s when praise becomes your weapon. Like King Jehoshaphat you are going to fight your enemies with praise..
Despite the negative reports, you are dancing and glorifying God and declaring Him mighty. As you do so, God is going to surround whatever is surrounding you. He is going to ambush your enemies and give you the spoil of war.
The enemies of affliction, sickness, poverty, evil attacks etc. that came against you will all fail and you will surely prevail. As you continue to praise God despite negative circumstances you will soon break forth into a season of overflow. Every breakdown will be converted to your breakthrough, the stumbling blocks will become your stepping stones and every battlefield will turn into your blessing field.

PRAYER; Lord, I thank You for fighting my battles and giving me the victory. Please help me to maintain a praise-full lifestyle, no matter what comes my way. Surely You are faithful and I know You will cause all things to work together for my good in Jesus Name,

QUOTE;
The tests you are going through in life today is not for your destruction, it is for your testimony. – WORDBITE 222

Shalom!

@GOODHEART- EKWUEME .
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