Habakkuk 3: 17-18 says ‘Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation’.
DAILY READING • Revelation 8; Nehemiah 11; Psalm 103
The book ‘A Wandering Jew in Brazil’ is the true story of a very courageous Jewish missionary named Solomon Ginsburg. He was born to a father who was a Jewish Rabbi who intended Solomon to follow in his footsteps and trained him to also become a Rabbi.
However, when Solomon was still a young boy, one day he overheard some Jewish men discussing chapter 53 of the book of Isaiah, raising questions about whom the prophet was referring to.
Solomon became curious, but when he later asked his father whom Isaiah 53 was referring to, his father replied him with a resounding slap.
His father’s reaction only ignited greater curiosity in young Solomon.
His question was eventually answered years later when he met a Jewish Christian who explained to him that Jesus was the Messiah prophesied about in Isaiah 53. This encounter with the Gospel made Solomon to surrender his life to Christ.
However, his conversion infuriated his family and friends in the Jewish community, and they even made attempts to kill him.
One day, Solomon went with some Christian friends to hold an open-air meeting in the Jewish community. As the crowds gathered, some of the Jews identified Solomon as a Jewish renegade. They then drove his friends away, but caught Solomon and beat him until he was almost dead. They then threw him into a garbage box with his skull cracked and his body all covered with bruises.
He was later rescued by a passerby. When Solomon regained consciousness, rather than be bitter he began to praise God that he had been permitted to suffer for His Name’s sake!
Solomon continued to count his trials as joy, even when he later went to serve as a missionary in Brazil and was jailed for preaching the Gospel. As he remained joyful despite the persecutions, he eventually triumphed over every opposition and was used mightily by God for thirty-five phenomenal, fruitful years of service in Brazil. Through him many lives were transformed, several churches were planted and multitudes were led to Christ.
Habakkuk 3: 17-18 says ‘Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation’.
Not many people have experienced what David felt when his own brethren and friends turned against him.
When he and his men returned to their home in Ziklag to discover their property destroyed and their wives taken by the Amalekites, his men reacted by speaking of stoning David.
It must have been a heartbreaking experience for David. Yet, rather than become bitter, in the midst of all these, he chose to praise God.
1 Sam 30:6 says David “encouraged himself in the Lord his God”.
When David decided to trust God even in the midst of despair, God gave him victory and full restoration of all he had lost. Eventually, David was able to pursue, overtake and recover all.
In our journey through life, sometimes we can be confronted by deep betrayals or adverse situations even while we are trying to obey God.
However, in every trial we must always choose to bless the Lord at all times.
We must learn to count it all joy and continually judge God faithful.
In the midst of persecutions and oppositions, when we lift our hands in praise and worship, we are breaking spiritual alabaster boxes of oil at the feet of Jesus. The sweet fragrance of our sacrifice of praise creates the conducive atmosphere for God to do the miraculous.
As we make the choice to praise God, He arises in His might and power to cause a forceful turnaround of every contrary situation in our lives.
Therefore let us quit worrying about people that may oppose us or contrary circumstances that may sometimes confront us. Rather let us resort to praise and watch as God arises to scatter every enemy of our destiny.
Certainly, it takes Praise to engage God’s Presence for our deliverance.
Always remember that the battle is not yours; the battle belongs to the Lord. And as we focus on giving Him high praises, He will certainly take us to our high places in life.
PRAYER: Father I choose to bless You at all times. I choose to set the tone to receive Your favor, grace and mercy by praising You in every situation. I thank You Lord, for giving me a positive change of story and granting me supernatural harvest of blessings in this season in Jesus Name.
QUOTE
Praise always guarantees you power for a raise, learning to praise God in season and out of season is key to fulfilling destiny. – WORDBITE 222