By Benjamin H. Liles
Have you ever felt so on edge due to things happening all at one time? Take heart, don't fear, for the Lord your God is with you. God promises us in His word, "And they overcame (the accuser, Revelation 12:10) because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death" (Revelation 12:11, New American Standard).
David prayed to God, "You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever" (Psalm 23:5-6, New King James). We can have confidence God will do His part on our behalf. All we have to do is stake our claim in Him. He does the work, He always gets the glory anyway, it is by His hand that we have salvation.
Praising God
I recall reading, "The moment they began their shouts and praises, the LORD set an ambush against the Ammonites, Moabites, and the inhabitants of Mount Seir who came to fight against Judah, and they were defeated" (2 Chronicles 20:22, Holman Christian Standard). God seems to do His best work when we believe in Him even in the storms of life. Paul and Silas, while in prison "were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly a strong earthquake shook the foundations of the prison. At once all the doors flew open, and everyone's chains came loose" (Acts 16:25-26, Berean Study).
Are you bound by something you feel you can't handle, much less even take control of? Sing praises to God. I know what a thing to say to someone going through the ringer. But picture this: a guy sits in his car feeling like the weight of the world is on him, he's feeling low; he's hurt, he's depressed and can't seem to get anything done. That guy has been me more than once in life. Yes, even I can't control events in my own life. Praise and sing hymns to Him at all times, including the storms, He will do the rest.
In Gratitude
Paul also tells us, "Speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord. Giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father" (Ephesians 5:19-20, New American Standard). We ought to be grateful to God for ransoming us from the powers of darkness, from sin and death. So singing praises, hymns, and giving Him thanks for sending His Son, Jesus Christ, to die in our place is worth being grateful for.
Conclusion
What it all truly boils down to is that we have to maintain a posture of gratitude, praise, and worship to the One who overcame sin, death, and the grave on our behalf. He did it so that we can be more than simple overcomers. Jesus Christ gave Himself up so that not only do we have the righteousness of God on us, but also that we have access to the Father. It's all we need considering He did all the work so that we can boast in Him, His power and His might. I pray this blesses and encourages you in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.