Showing posts with label Joy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Joy. Show all posts

Monday, January 13, 2014

ARE YOU A WORSHIPER?




Profile Of A Worshiper


If someone ask a teacher what he does for a living, he will reply, "I am a teacher." He says that because he works or spends most of his time teaching. Similarly, you know you are a worshipper when what you do the most is worship.

Worshippers don't just worship on weekends. They don't need a bulletin, or a "call to worship" or a worship leader to encourage them to go vertical. They can worship in any place and at any time because they are worshippers.

Continual worship is central to the life of a worshipper. A worshipper offers the sacrifice of praise to God continually"From the rising of the sun to it's going down the Lord's name is to be praised" (Psalm 113:3). Endless eulogy, ceaseless celebration and perpetual praise are the earmarks of a worshipper.

Worshipers don't wait for perfect circumstances to worship, and they don't let current situations keep them from worshiping.

There is a song in the Bible that says, "Though the fig tree may not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines; though the labour of the olive may fail, and the fields yield no food; though the flock may be cut off from the fold, and there be no herd in the stalls - yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation" (Habakkuk 3:17-18).



Though I have no money in the savings account and my cheque book is overdrawn, though the fridge and cupboard are empty and I just got laid off, yet I will worship and rejoice in my Lord.

The first step in becoming a worshiper is worshiping in spite of bad circumstances.

An extract from - Exploring the Mysteries of Worship by Larmar Boschman
TPWC

Monday, July 08, 2013

THE PRAISE SERIES (PART 20) - PRAISE IS GOD'S RESET BUTTON


Are you trapped in a prison of despair, doubt or anxiety? Learn to release the power of praise. The apostle Paul's letter to the Philippians is one of the Bible's most unique books. Some scholars call it "the epistle of joy" because the word "joy" or "rejoice" appear in it 16 times. Yet what is amazing is that this letter about Christian joy was written from a prison cell! While Paul was under the watchful eye of Roman guards, bound in chains, he wrote some of the most uplifting spiritual words ever penned. In the letter's four short chapters the author continually exhorts us to praise God no matter how dark our circumstances are. He writes: "I will rejoice" (Philippians 1:18, NASB), "I rejoice and share my joy with you all" (Philippians 2:17), "I urge you, rejoice in the same way" (Philippians 2:18), "Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord" (Philippians 3:1) and "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!" (Philippians 4:4)."Paul always looked for the hidden blessing in every trial. Have you been complaining about your situation? Grumbling short-circuits faith, but joy revives it."Like a broken record, Paul hammers the same theme over and over and over. REJOICE! The word "rejoice" actually means "to re-joy." It's like a reset button on a computer. When any type of electronic equipment goes out of whack, a reset button will get it back online. That is what happens when we rejoice: The joy we've lost is restored and our feeble faith rises again.
Perhaps Paul wrote this message to the Philippians because he remembered his first visit there. It was in Philippi that Paul and Silas were arrested and thrown into jail by the city's magistrates. Yet while the two men sat with their feet fastened in stocks, they began to pray and sing hymns. Long before the invention of sub-woofers, this Holy Ghost jam session triggered an earthquake that shook the foundations of the prison and shattered everyone's chains (see Acts 16:25-26).
Do you feel bound by your circumstances? I know I do. Sometimes I feel literally trapped in a tiny prison of limitation and delay. And because of today's weak economy, many people who have enjoyed a carefree life in the past are facing job loss, financial uncertainty, debt and a dismal lack of opportunity. Yet when I pray about my own situation I always am led back to the ancient words of Paul to the Philippians: "Rejoice in the Lord!"
Perhaps right now, in this difficult season, you need to put Paul's message on your iPod and play it over and over. The supernatural joy that is released in praise will do many things:


Praise shatters despair
You think your situation is hopeless? Paul was under house arrest, and he couldn't leave his cell to preach the gospel. Yet he wrote: "Yes, and I will rejoice, for I know that [my imprisonment] will turn out for my deliverance through your prayers and the provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ" (Phil. 1:18b-19). Know that God is working behind the scenes. The clouds over your head may be dark, but praise will lift you above them so you can see the sun again.


Praise shatters negativity
Have you been complaining about your situation? Stop talking trash. Remember that Paul was in chains when he wrote: "Do all things without grumbling or disputing" (Phil. 2:14). He knew the children of Israel were barred from the Promised Land because they grumbled against the Lord (1 Corinthians 10:10). Grumbling short-circuits faith, but joy revives it. Paul always looked for the hidden blessing in every trial, to the point that he thanked God even in the midst of shipwrecks, beatings, riots, death threats and starvation.

Praise shatters doubt
When you stop praising, you get stuck in the muck and mire of your own problems. All you can see is the here and now. But something supernatural happens when you rejoice in the Lord. You are lifted out of the prison of impossibility and translated into a realm where you can do "all things through Him who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:13). When you praise, you go into a phone booth looking like Clark Kent and you come out looking like Superman!

Praise shatters anxiety
Paul said that when we hit the "rejoice" button and replace worry with joy-filled prayer, "the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:7). Joy will calm your anxious heart and allow you to receive the promises of God.

Way back in 1970 a military chaplain named Merlin Carothers wrote a
small book called Prison to Praise. Today it has sold more than 17 million
copies in 53 languages. It challenges readers to thank and praise God in the midst of difficulties—and it's full of testimonies of everyday people who experienced miraculous breakthroughs when they obeyed this simple principle.
What Carothers wrote 40 years ago is still relevant today: "The very act of praise releases the power of God into a set of circumstances and enables God to change them. Miracles, power and victory will all be a part of what God does in our lives when we learn to rejoice in all things."

Source : Charisma Online - by J. Lee Glady (contributing editor of Charisma)

Monday, December 10, 2012

THE SPIRIT OF JOY (PART 4)

Then I will go to the altar of God,
To God my exceeding joy;
And on the harp I will praise You,
O God, my God
Psalm 43:4

David had learned two things concerning JOY. First there is only one source of JOY: it Is God Himself. Second, there is one place where we can draw from that source: it is the altar. The altar is the place of sacrifice, the place of commitment and consecration, the place where our lives are laid down. Through the sacrifice we make at the altar, the JOY that comes from God alone is released within us.
There is a great difference between JOY and happiness. JOY is in the realm of the spirit. Happiness is in the realm of the soul. Happiness is related to our emotions, our feelings, our circumstances. When things are going well, we have happiness. When things are not going well, we have unhappiness. It is good to have happiness, but we cannot have it all the time.
JOY, on the other hand, is not dependent on feelings or circumstances. It does not depend .on our physical condition. It is within the spirit. There is only one source of JOY, and that is God - God Himself. God is eternal, unchangeable. That is why it is possible to have JOY even when we cannot feel happiness or pleasure. JOY comes directly from God Himself. Just like God, JOY is eternal, unchangeable, unaffected by situations or circumstances.
But JOY is released only at the altar. We have to make up our minds, as David did, that we will go to God, to the altar - the place of sacrifice - the place of commitment and consecration - the place where we yield ourselves without reservation to God. Then we can have JOY all the time, unchangeably.
(An extract from:Through David's Psalms by Derek Prince)

Sunday, November 25, 2012

THE SPIRIT OF JOY (PART 2)

JOY AND LIGHT
"Light is shed upon the righteous and joy on the upright"
Psalm 97:11

We want our lives to be filled with light and joy. Yet so often, they aren't. Discouragement, depression, and darkness threaten regularly. Why? Are we targets of dark enemy? Are we victims of circumstance in a fallen world? Or might we be contributing to the problem ourselves?
There are many possible sources for our dark days, but one of them is a possibility we rather not face. We don't want to think that we're responsible for our downcast hearts, but we may be. God has given a promise. Those who are righteous see light, and those who are upright in heart have joy. The blessings of a life that is right with God are certain.
Why don't we experience those blessings as often as we'd like? It can't be that the promise of God has failed. Perhaps we are not righteous or upright in heart. Perhaps what is stealing our joy is a struggle within us for dependence on Jesus' righteousness and victory over sin.
Think about it: We are most discouraged when we feel defeated. And when do we feel defeated? When we know that God has commanded an obedience or an attitude that we just can't seem to comply with. In other words, sin gets us down. The primary struggle in the human heart is a battle of the will. When we lack joy, it may be because we're losing that battle - or, more accurately, winning it when we shouldn't. The heart laments its own unbelief and disobedience, and when it does, all peace leaves.
Do we lack joy? It probably isn't a fault of our circumstances or our brain chemistry, although those can certainly have their effects. Look first at our heart. Is it questioning promises that God has emphasized? Is it reluctant to surrender all our cares to Him? Does it trust His will and comply with His purposes? Is it able to say, even when life is tough, that God's grace is greater? Those are hard questions, but our internal struggles demand answers. We can't know peace until these are settled. He promised: Joy and light come to those who are unreservedly His.
(an extract from: Worship The King by Christ Tiegreen)

"If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as, just as I have obeyed my Father's command and remain in His love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete." John 15:10-11

The Surest Mark of a Christian is Not Faith,
or Even Love, But Joy.
Samuel Shoemaker 

Sunday, November 18, 2012

THE SPIRIT OF JOY (PART 1)


REJOICE IN THE LORD ALWAYS.
AND AGAIN I SAY REJOICE!
Philippians 4:4

A mindless sense of well being that ignores what is going on around you is not what Paul has in mind when he tells the Philippians to Rejoice In The Lord Always. The letter he writes to them is filled with recognition of difficult circumstances that they are all facing. In the opening words of the letter Paul acknowledges his own situation as a prisoner facing execution. A little later he encourages the Philippians to remain strong in the face of opposition that currently threatens them as well. Yet even in the face of execution, persecution, and suffering, Paul repeatedly calls on them to have JOY, to Rejoice In The Lord.
Firstly let us note that Paul has issued this statement as a command from the Lord. Has God ever issued a command that could not be carried out? Never! The very fact of a divine command proves that obedience is possible. Note further, God not only demands that we rejoice; He demands that we rejoice CEASELESSLY.
So how do we follow this command to Rejoice In The Lord Always, even when things are going horribly wrong? There is a basis for it: Paul does not tell us to rejoice in our circumstances. He tells us to Rejoice In The Lord and he tells us this REPEATEDLY. He even acknowledges that he is repeating himself but says that it is good for us to be reminded again and again to rejoice always. But our rejoicing must be “IN THE LORD”. When our circumstances cause us nothing but grief, disappointments, fears and doubts we can still be glad and strong because our JOY is not based on fluctuating circumstances, but has it's SOURCE in the One Who loves us and is the object of our loveSecondly, Rejoicing is a matter of our CHOICE. There is a great difference between JOY & HAPPINESSJoy is the realm of the spirit whereas happiness is related to our emotions, feelings and circumstances. When things are going well, we have happiness. It is good to have happiness, but we cannot have it all the time.
To illustrate: If I lost my wallet, I would be very happy when the founder returned it to me. After a few days, I would no longer have the feeling of happiness although my wallet is still with me. What I have actually lost is the feeling of happiness at the time of finding it.
 
JOY on the other hand, is not dependent on feelings or circumstances. There is only one source of JOY and that is God - God Himself! That is why it is possible to "Rejoice In The Lord Always!" and they are able to do so because "the Lord is near" (Philippians 4:5) - [In His Presence is fullness of JOY (Psalm 16:11)]. You will note that while rejoicing they are also encouraged to submit their petitions and prayers which include the spirit of thanksgiving. (Philippians 4:6) And the resultance is having "the peace of God" (Philippians 4:7) in midst of whatever circumstances.
Beloved, if we but exercise our faith and choice to "rejoice in the Lord", in the midst of our adverse circumstances, these negative feelings of grief, fear, doubt and anger will just melt away! 
Therefore, we are able to declare apostle James' message to "count it all joy even when we fall into divers trials or testing" (James 1:2) because it is "The Joy of the Lord" which is our strength (Nehemiah 8:10) that will carry us through.

HAPPINESS DEPENDS ON WHAT HAPPENS. JOY DOES NOT 
- Oswald Chambers -

Have A Joyous and Victories Week
TPWC

Monday, September 17, 2012

PRACTISING THE PRESENCE OF GOD - PART 2


" ... In Your presence is fullness of joy; 
in Your right hand there are pleasures forever." 
Psalm 16:11

How Do We Practice The Presence Of God?
Practising His presence begins in our daily walk. While living out the demands of the day, we are filled with an inwardworship and adoration. In the course of each day you need to begin to discipline yourself to make melody to the Lord. Begin to make melody in your heart to the Lord. It doesn’t happen. You have to start it … begin to sing to the Lord in the spirit no mater where, no matter when, no matter what the situation.
Maybe you do not play an instrument or sing. But you must say to yourself, “I am a worshiper.” Seek God as to how He desires you to worship Him. Believe it or not, for some it will be through your job that you worship Him. Your work will be such an excellent testimony and example that your co-workers will speak well or your work long after you are gone (Read Acts 9:36, 37a & 39a). Worship for many others may be through service at home and the care of what God has placed in your hands. Whatever it may be purpose in your heart to do it with all your hearts!
Let us look at Ephesians 6:18. “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.” You see, if you practice His presence when you are by yourself, it is not so hard to sense the presence of God when you come together with other believers. As part of being adisciplined worshiper and a disciplined life of worship, we begin to practice the presence of God. Have you ever been out somewhere when you suddenly felt like praying in the spirit? Sometime I am just walking along and all of a sudden the presence of God is there. It’s just as real as if someone were walking next to me. Then I find myself praying in the spirit. That is practising the presence of God. You may be driving along and suddenly notice the presence of God there and begin to worship Him. You begin to practice the presence of God. You may be at home sitting and watching TV, and you feel His presence is there. Turn off the TV. It takes discipline. (I think it goes without saying that TV is one primary tools of the enemy. There are many programs out there now that will really leave you vexed in your spirit).
There are other things that God may be speaking to you right now. You need to make a decision to be disciplined in a certain area or let a certain thing go if you want to move into where the Levities, the sons of Zadok (Ezekiel 44:15-16), were and come in and minster to Him unhindered.
"The priests of the Levi tribe who are descendants of Zadok the priest were faithful to me, even when the rest of the Israelites turned away. And so, these priests will continue to serve as my priests ...They will come into my temple, where they will offer sacrifices at my altar and lead others in worship." (Ezekiel 44:15-16 CEV)This is where we want to be - because we have lived the disciplined life of a worshiper, because we choose to practice the presence of God, we can enter into His presence unhindered.
But it is a matter of setting aside the time to get into God's presence and to practice His presence. When you learn to practice His presence, you know God is there. You know when He is moving. And, because of that, when more than one of us comes with a holy expectancy, it changes the whole atmosphere of the room.
(an extract from: The 2nd Flood - The Discipline of Worship by John W. Stevens)
Blessings
TPWC

Saturday, August 11, 2012

THE HEART OF WORSHIP (PART 9) - A HEART AND A SONG

" My HEART is steadfast, O God
my HEART is steadfast;
I will sing and give PRAISE"
Psalm 57:7 (NKJV)

Reading the Psalms, one gets the impression that life for it's writers, especially king David, was one tumultuous episode after another. There are psalms of PRAISE and JOY, of grief and defeat, of deep meditation and inspiring victory. But regardless of the focus of each psalm, it is hard not to notice that many of them - most, in fact - are written in the context of crisis (see Psalm 57:1). Cries to God come out of the crucible, and God's response comes into it.
One thing God looks for when we are in the crucible is a steadfast HEART - a HEART that will not, under any circumstances, fall away. No matter what uproar is going on around us, no matter how much pressure is applied, God will wait to answer us until it is clear to Him, to us, and to those who observe us, that our HEART is resolutely fixed on Him. And more that just steadfastness of hope is required.; it is a steadfastness of WORSHIP, too. The HEART that learns to make music in it's darkest moments is the HEART that is delivered.
The deliverance usually comes twice. First, a WORSHIPFUL HEART has risen above oppressive circumstances, even when the circumstances remain. It is an inward liberation that can find deep JOY regardless of what's happening on the outside. But resolved, singing HEART then finds deliverance in a God who responds. He frequently invades circumstances and scatters our enemies, sometimes dramatically. The wait may be long, but the victory is sure. God does not remain silent in His love when we do not remain silent in our WORSHIP.
When circumstances oppress, the battle rages, and the heat of the crucible rises, where is your HEART? Is it steadfast in it's WORSHIP? Does it sing of the God who reigns above every cloud? If so, expect deliverance. Expect it within and without. You can sing your song of victory before victory even comes. In the most important sense, it already has.
(an extract from: Walk With God Devotion by Chris Tiegreen)


Saturday, February 19, 2011

PRAISE REVOLUTION: TRIALS

TRIALS ENABLE PEOPLE TO RISE
ABOVE RELIGION TO GOD
Brother Andrew

God uses trials in our lives to refine, beautify, and strengthen us.. In our natural state our personalities resemble unrefined gold. The heat of our difficult circumstances melts the gold and brings to the surface the dross in our characters - the pride and unbelief, the unloving attitudes, the self -will.
PRAISING God brings our hearts in line with His intentions, so that He can work in us more freely. It opens us to His will, so that we can cooperate with Him in His plan to remove the impurities.
Yet, instead of PRAISING, we so easily complain and resist His working. By our complaints and resistance we stir the scum back into our personalities. This may necessitate the heat of continued chastening to accomplish what God wants to do in us. It may delay His answers to our prayers for both ourselves and our loved ones. In contrast, PRAISE and THANKSGIVING can serve as catalysts, speeding up the refining process in our lives.

God uses trials to perfect FAITH as well as character. Again and again trials bring us to the end of our human resources, so that we allow to meet our needs and satisfy our longings. Trials rip away the filmsy fabric of our self-sufficiency. This allows God to weave into our hearts His strength, love, and wisdom. Trials exercise our FAITH, developing strong confidence that says, "I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me, [that is, I am self-sufficient in Christ's suuficiency - Philippians 4:13]
With God no probelm in our personalities or circumstances is impossibile or even difficult. Our troubles never surprise Him. They never catch Him off guard, causing Him to wring His hands and wonder what to do. As we repeatedly focus on God's sufficiency in difficult situations, we develop a steady trust in Him.

CHOOSING GOD'S PERSPECTIVE
PRAISE helps us to stand back from our difficulties and fix our attention on our infinite, loving God. It helps us measure our probelms look like molehills rather than mountains. In the light of God's sovereign kindness and wise purposes, we see them as stepping-stones rather than stumbling blocks, as opportunities rather than obstacles. They are raw materialsfor God's miracles and the prelude to greater obedience.
As our perspective changes, our feelings often shift from negative to positive. But even if they are slow to respond, we can continue to give thanks with our minds and wills. We can choose to rejoice thatGod is our source of wise guidance and overcoming power though we still feel angry or confused about our circumstances.
OVERCOMING CONTRARY INCLINATIONS
God has given us His WORD to reassure our hearts. Through it He reminds us of His loving goodness, which always plans for our best, of His wisdom, which never makes a mistake, and of His power, which can make something glorious our of the sorriest fragments of our lives.
God has also given us His Spirit, who energizes us to obey His command to give thanks. As we choose to thank Him simply because we want to obey and please Him, we switch on His power by faith. we give Him opportunity to work in us, making us both willing and able to give sincere thanks in spite of contrary feelings.
By natural temperament we may differ from one another in the time that elapses between event and our choice to give thanks, of between that choice and our upsurge of joy. As we can shorten our periods of inner resistance or adjustment. This is growth. Growth does not mean that we have no struggles, but that we more quickly resolve our inner conflicts.

WELCOMING TRIALS AS FRIENDS
Through THANKSGIVING and PRAISE we obey God's command, "When all kinds of trials and temptations crowd into your lives, my brothers, don't resent them as intruders, but welcome them as friends!" (James 1:2 - Phillips). James reminds us that trials come to test our FAITH. They develop us so that we will in no way be deficient. In view of these tremendous benefits, we are to welcome trials as friends. The KJV says that we should count it all JOY when we "fall into" many trials.

The attitude of accepting trials with JOY was a principle with the Apostle Paul. He refused to lose heart when afflicted in every way, perplexed, persecuted, and struck down. He accepted these troubles as opportunities to manifest the life of Jesus to other people (2 Corinthians 4:8-11).

USING EVERYTHING FOR GOOD
We serve a God Who can cause all things to work together for good, both for ourselves and others (Romans 8:28). He can produce beauty out of ashes, power out of weakness, growth out of failure, triump out of distress. As we give THANKS and PRAISE regardless of what happens, we align ourselves with God and His purposes. This prepares us to colabour with Him in using for good the worst happens to us in a fallen world.
(an extract from: PRAISE - A Door To God's Presence by Warren & Ruth Myers)

May this awesome song inspires you to bring PRAISE in your situations .... have a victorious week. TPWC.

Saturday, October 23, 2010

PRAISE IS GOD'S RESET BUTTON

Are you trapped in a prison of despair, doubt or anxiety? Learn to release the power of praise.
The apostle Paul's letter to the Philippians is one of the Bible's most unique books. Some scholars call it "the epistle of joy" because the word "joy" or "rejoice" appear in it 16 times. Yet what is amazing is that this letter about Christian joy was written from a prison cell!
While Paul was under the watchful eye of Roman guards, bound in chains, he wrote some of the most uplifting spiritual words ever penned. In the letter's four short chapters the author continually exhorts us to praise God no matter how dark our circumstances are. He writes: "I will rejoice" (1:18, NASB), "I rejoice and share my joy with you all" (2:17), "I urge you, rejoice in the same way" (2:18), "Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord" (3:1) and "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!" (4:4).

"Paul always looked for the hidden blessing in every trial. Have you been complaining about your situation? Grumbling short-circuits faith, but joy revives it."

Like a broken record, Paul hammers the same theme over and over and over. REJOICE! The word "rejoice" actually means "to re-joy." It's like a reset button on a computer. When any type of electronic equipment goes out of whack, a reset button will get it back online. That is what happens when we rejoice: The joy we've lost is restored and our feeble faith rises again.
Perhaps Paul wrote this message to the Philippians because he remembered his first visit there. It was in Philippi that Paul and Silas were arrested and thrown into jail by the city's magistrates. Yet while the two men sat with their feet fastened in stocks, they began to pray and sing hymns. Long before the invention of subwoofers, this Holy Ghost jam session triggered an earthquake that shook the foundations of the prison and shattered everyone's chains (see Acts 16:25-26).
Do you feel bound by your circumstances? I know I do. Sometimes I feel literally trapped in a tiny prison of limitation and delay. And because of today's weak economy, many people who have enjoyed a carefree life in the past are facing job loss, financial uncertainty, debt and a dismal lack of opportunity. Yet when I pray about my own situation I always am led back to the ancient words of Paul to the Philippians: "Rejoice in the Lord!"
Perhaps right now, in this difficult season, you need to put Paul's message on your iPod and play it over and over. The supernatural joy that is released in praise will do many things:

Praise shatters despair
You think your situation is hopeless? Paul was under house arrest, and he couldn't leave his cell to preach the gospel. Yet he wrote: "Yes, and I will rejoice, for I know that [my imprisonment] will turn out for my deliverance through your prayers and the provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ" (Phil. 1:18b-19). Know that God is working behind the scenes. The clouds over your head may be dark, but praise will lift you above them so you can see the sun again.

Praise shatters negativity
Have you been complaining about your situation? Stop talking trash. Remember that Paul was in chains when he wrote: "Do all things without grumbling or disputing" (Phil. 2:14). He knew the children of Israel were barred from the Promised Land because they grumbled against the Lord (1 Cor. 10:10). Grumbling short-circuits faith, but joy revives it. Paul always looked for the hidden blessing in every trial, to the point that he thanked God even in the midst of shipwrecks, beatings, riots, death threats and starvation.

Praise shatters doubt
When you stop praising, you get stuck in the muck and mire of your own problems. All you can see is the here and now. But something supernatural happens when you rejoice in the Lord. You are lifted out of the prison of impossibility and translated into a realm where you can do "all things through Him who strengthens me" (Phil. 4:13). When you praise, you go into a phone booth looking like Clark Kent and you come out looking like Superman!

Praise shatters anxiety
Paul said that when we hit the "rejoice" button and replace worry with joy-filled prayer, "the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (Phil. 4:7). Joy will calm your anxious heart and allow you to receive the promises of God.

Way back in 1970 a military chaplain named Merlin Carothers wrote a
small book called Prison to Praise. Today it has sold more than 17 million
copies in 53 languages. It challenges readers to thank and praise God in the midst of difficulties—and it's full of testimonies of everyday people who experienced miraculous breakthroughs when they obeyed this simple principle.
What Carothers wrote 40 years ago is still relevant today: "The very act of praise releases the power of God into a set of circumstances and enables God to change them. Miracles, power and victory will all be a part of what God does in our lives when we learn to rejoice in all things."
Source : Charisma Online - by J. Lee Glady (contributing editor of Charisma)