Don Moen - worship leader
I was raised in a traditional church where people worshipped God reverently while holding identical blue hymnals. The only instruments in our church were a piano and an organ, and nobody got too excited except for the one old man on the front row who sometimes belted out an uncomfortable "amen" during the preacher's sermon.
.jpg)
The only sacrifices mentioned in the New Testament are the sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving and the sacrifice of joy.
I don't know about you, but this was liberating news for me. I don't have to sacrifice by begging, confessing, memorizing prayers and Scriptures, fasting, going to all the church services, keeping a serious face all the time, or abstaining from certain things. God loves us and He loves our worship and praise and our thanksgiving and joy.
To sacrifice is to offer something to God. To sacrifice means, "to give up something of value, to make an offering, to surrender, to kill, to give up, to dedicate, consecrate, devote, and to benefit." A sacrifice will cost your time, focus, killing the flesh, surrendering your will for a higher cause. The benefit we receive can never be calculated. Every sacrifice we make is compensated and backed up by all of God's promises and treasures.
When we bring our sacrifices of praise, thanksgiving and joy to God, we are telling Him that we wish to die to our own desires and knowledge, and we desire to love and trust Him completely.
It is in the holy atmosphere of praise and worship that healing, miracles and transformation of the soul begin to manifest, and God's glory starts cleansing and changing our carnal nature into the nature and character of Christ.
We are literally praying with our heart, soul and spirit. The result is always an impartation of God's infinite blessings, wisdom, knowledge and understanding. When you truly understand this truth you will begin to regain and restore all that Satan has stolen from you. Demons cannot resist the praise of the children of God.
When you feel discouraged, and a spirit of confusion tries to invade your thinking, if you begin to offer a sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving you will find that the peace of God will cover you as a shield of protection and the angel of the Lord will encamp all around you and deliver you (see Ps. 34:7).
Two years ago I was in Mexico with my husband waiting at a stoplight, when suddenly the side door of our van was abruptly opened and a gunman thrust a gun into the driver's face demanding that he give him jewels and cash. He flashed the gun at my husband and me also, demanding that we strip of jewels and cash. The light was still red and he wanted us to quickly obey his commands before the light turned green. He managed to get away with two watches, and though he demanded that I take off my jewels, I was miraculously unable to take off my diamond earrings and wedding rings. The light changed, and the assailant was gone.
We were told that many had died in the middle of traffic in similar situations, but our lives were protected by divine intervention. I immediately realized that on that same morning I had offered a sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving and declared, "No weapon formed against us shall prosper."
God protects His children from all manner of situations, attacks, and accidents. We should never leave the house without offering a sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving.We cannot be afraid to pray with boldness, even if our knees are shaking. Our actions will determine the outcome of every situation.
Joy means, "delight, pleasure, enjoyment, bliss, ecstasy, elation, happiness, joyfulness, thrill, wonder, triumph and jubilation." The sacrifice of joy is the most difficult sacrifice to offer to God. When you're sad and afflicted, going through storms and difficulties in life, or when sickness afflicts our bodies, then it becomes a real sacrifice to lift our voices and offer a sacrifice of joy. But let me share a secret with you.
The Bible says that the joy of the Lord is our strength (Neh. 8:10). Strength is power. Strength is emotional toughness and resistance. Strength is defensive ability. Strength is effectiveness to succeed and achieve. Strength makes you progressively better. We offer this type of sacrifice singing melodies, dancing, reciting psalms, and declaring aloud those things that are not as though they are, smiling, laughing, clapping our hands, and rejoicing in what the Lord says about us.
Every morning I feel God's goodness invade my atmosphere. My home is peaceful. Healing greets every visitor. God is a merciful Father and desires to bless you with healing and wholeness. It is by His grace (kindness, blessing, mercy, generosity, divine favor) that we receive all good things. Grace is a gift. God desires our love. He wants to passionately love us. The more we draw closer to the Holy Spirit, the more we learn to love God with all our heart. Father God wants to shower us with an outpouring of His miraculous healing and blessings.
Offer Him the sacrifice of praise, thanksgiving and joy and see what He does in your life.
Adapted from Satan, You Can't Have My Miracle by Iris Delgado, copyright 2012, by Charisma House. This book will help you reach into the supernatural realm of the Spirit and bring the miraculous into your life today. It's filled with practical principles, amazing testimonies, and Scripture-based prayers that will inspire you to believe God for the impossible in your life. To order a copy click on this link:
PRAYER POWER:
This week take time in your personal walk to consciously offer the Lord your praise, thanksgiving and joy-especially during this busy time. Allow the Lord's peace to permeate every aspect of your life and carry it with you wherever you go. Thank Him for ordering your steps and ask Him to invade your atmosphere to reflect His presence when you reach out to those in need. Remember President Obama and those working with him concerning our major security and financial issues. Continue to pray for our military and Israel during this volatile time. Neh. 8:10
To enrich your prayer life and learn how to strategically pray with power by using appropriate Scriptures, we recommend the following sources by Apostle John Eckhardt: Prayers that Rout Demons, Prayers that Bring Healing, Prayers that Release Heaven on Earth and Prayers that Break Curses. To order any or all of these click here.
Did you enjoy this blog? Click here to receive CHARISMA MAGAZINE by email.