Louder then I'll sing Your praise
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| Photo Credit: hillsong.com |
Tuesday morning, I laid awake in bed, thinking of the goals I am meant to accomplish that day.
I pick up my phone to read a message I had just received. It was my bank notifying me of 52 Naira debit for some ATM card maintenance. It's seemed okay, no big deal. Banks always find means of clipping change from your savings as usual.
Then I checked the balance, which was like 790-something Naira,
What?!
OMG!
I saved 5,000 Naira last week and that was all I had.
I was supposed to use the money to travel in ten days time. Along with someone else I had to sponsor.
I searched all over the bank teller but I couldn't find it. I had never had any problem like this so I was not so super-conscious of where I put stuff like that.
[DIGRESS] Have you noticed that when you are looking for something important like documents, you annoyingly stumble on useless things you feel should have been missing instead like used recharge cards, justrite receipts, or shoprite, whatever your rite is, sweet wrappers, paper notes etc.
Panicking, I had the impulse to just wear anything, rush out, 'un-smiling to the bank'
Then I remembered, I had soaked my clothes for washing, and I was to take Bible study later that day in my local church. If I went to the bank, I might not be able to return on time to prepare adequately as the my branch of the bank was quite far.
That made me stop...
...quiet the noise...
...and listen to the gentle voice of the Holy Spirit saying
'Peace be still'
I think things through, and say 'Thank you Jesus'.
I'm much calmer and decide to go to the bank either on Wednesday or on Thursday due to the responsibilities that I have and I couldn't brush aside because of money.
I lay back on the bed thinking about the message I had to teach in Bible study that evening.
My spirit laughed and teased, "See the way you were just hyperactive, if it was a million Naira nko? So when you get to that pinnacle of your dreams, and something little happens, so this is how you will be shaking. I join in laughing at myself. "God forgive me". When God's assurance through His words flow over my soul, it occurred to me, "...this thing that the devil want to use to steal your joy, why not turn into the message."
"A-ha!"
So, it is from this little experience of mine that I decided to share and uplift someone today...
LOUDER THEN I'LL SING YOUR PRAISE
Lord Jesus, we thank you for life. We thank you for this wonderful day. Thank you for our individual hustles and struggles. We know it for good. Thank you Lord. We thank you for a time such as this to share your word, make us doers in Jesus mighty name. Amen
Phillipians 4 vs 4 and 6 says
[4:4] REJOICE in the Lord always: and again (in case you have forgotten) I say, REJOICE.
[4:6] Be anxious for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
Now line upon line, let's compare
1 Thessalonians 5:16 and 18
[5:16] Rejoice evermore.
[5:18] IN EVERYTHING give thanks: for this is the WILL OF GOD in Christ Jesus concerning you.
Children of God, Kingdom Servants, Soldiers, Leaders, I believe everyone on this platform is a leader. God wants to remind us again that His will for us is to give thanks and praise to him in all circumstances.
We live in a hard, unstable, rollercoaster world and life throws in our way all sort of situations. As children of God, the proof that you are afloat of all these circumstances is not necessarily that you are NOT EXPERIENCING ISSUES like everyone else but that you are NOT RESPONDING the way everybody else is responding...you are not subject to your feelings.
I heard this from a man of God on radio and I have never heard anyone say this again GOD is MORE INTERESTED in how you respond to PROBLEMS rather than SOLVING it for you.
Meaning before God solves an issue for you, He first watches to see how you will respond to it.
Will you pray, complain, lose our peace, be still, grumble, look for trouble or one of the very many actions and inaction we display as human beings.
Wow. I thought and thought and thought,
why?
I discovered that it is the LITMUS TEST of you conforming to the image of His dear Son, Christ Jesus.
How do we know if you are really who you claim you are?
Oh we are the righteousness of God, we love God and man, we have joy, we jump in church, Whoa! You are the head and not the tail, blast in tongues, you wake up on Monday and go to Office grumbling, we argue with fellow staff, we hide bitterness in your heart, you come back and there is only garri and we complain. And we read the story of the children of Israel grumbling against God and we shake our heads at them.
"Imagine, stubborn people after all the signs and wonders God did for them"
If we to watch our own recorded lives, there may not be much difference, we forget so easily God is with us and for us.
Let compare two other scriptures
Joel 1:12 BBE
The vine has become dry and the fig-tree is feeble; the pomegranate and the palm-tree and the apple-tree, even all the trees of the field, are dry: because joy has gone from the sons of men.
Habakkuk 3:17-19
17. For though the fig tree doesn’t flourish, nor fruit be in the vines; the labor of the olive fails, the fields yield no food; the flocks are cut off from the fold, and there is no herd in the stalls:
18. yet I will rejoice in the LORD. I will be joyful in the God of my salvation.
19. The LORD, the Lord, is my strength. He makes my feet like deer’s feet, and enables me to go in high places.
My own understanding of these scriptures is that when you lack Joy, everything dries up not the other way round.
I read this verses in Habakkuk and wonder sometimes, 'Are you sure this guy did not have the Holy Spirit in him?' Not many New Testament believers can boast of operating at this level. Like there is nothing, nothing, you are still joyful. Many of us would not take it, we would drown in depression or we will look for quick solutions even if it is to cut corners and displease the Lord.
Question,
How do we respond to pain, sorrow and unpleasant situations. Your faith MUST pass through pain, the process is called perseverance. That is what the Bible calls Faith running it's full course. And many of us can't, we don't want to. No matter how the Holy Ghost tries to soothe you or strengthen you. We just won't. 'I will do my own back. I must respond, I can't take rubbish. I cannot wait o, this konji is killing me, My business is moving too slow, shey I will not...and on and on and on'
No wonder, Daddy E.A Adeboye said (paraphrasing)'The reason why God will not lift some people up no matter how much they pray is because they cannot stand the pressures of being on the top...if they were to respond to every news article they see about themselves, they will have migraines and sue everybody...'
Pastor Sam Adeyemi also said,
"The reason why many people don't see their dreams come true is because they don't have the capacity to withstand trouble and trials"
And God so good, when he shows you vision he just displays you the end in view. He won't show you what you might have to go through.
Look at Joseph and David for example. He just showed them that he will rule. One saw Sun, moon and stars, the other was anointed. Both at age of 17 yet when did they come to sit on their thrones when they were 30. Solid 13 years. He didn't tell them they were going to be separated from loving father, betrayed, sold into slavery, face a giant hunted by the army, seduced, cast into prison, live in the wilderness etc
If the Lord had shown them, they may have said,
"Baba God, thank you, I like my life like this, it is not as if it is that bad."
He doesn't really advertises the challenges because he has already promised victory.
1 John 5:4 Anything born of God overcomes the world and this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith.
When we look from this point of view. Your Joy becomes full because you know, your end result is fixed, fixed in VICTORY.
I believe I am talking to leaders because if you just manage to get the top and small thing shake you. You will let go and fall off your mountain, dashing into plenty, many pieces because you have not sustained capacity to withstand troubles. And let me let you know that what is shaking people at the top, some of us have not come close to smelling it and we are complaining with the steady lives that we have.
So if you are the type that complains easily, just lay low jeje and be praying to make it to heaven but to rise in this life? Don't let your pastor deceive you. God will not shoot you to the mountain top, You will be tested by fire.
Let's look at this scripture,
My brethren, not many of you should be teachers, (Please substitute teachers for leaders) God will judge everybody. But at that time, he will demand more from teachers (leaders) than he will demand from other people. James 3:1
OK, enough of the issue. What's the way out.
1. Build capacity. The more you know the better you respond to challenges. Spiritually, The word, it cannot be under emphasized. When the enemy comes like a flood, the Holy Ghost will raise scriptures you have hidden in your heart as A STANDARD against him.
2. Remind God of his Past victories in your life . Aside the fact that it provokes God to action. It stirs YOU by triggering wonderful memories of what God has done for you and you can declares God's word better and accurately.
3. Sometimes you just need keep quiet and listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit, issues like anger or agitation die a death when you allow the Spirit speak
4. Lastly sing and worship your King, Joy flows through the outlet of praise. I sometimes WORSHIP THROUGH TEARS. I Doing that on its own is Victory. You have succeed in confusing the enemy.
I listened to Pastor Poju talking about Laughing at the Devil and your negative situations. I was like wow. So one can laugh at the devil with conviction in the heart. I want to get to that level but while I may not be there yet, I will keep on PRAISING THROUGH THE TEARS. GOD MUST take THE GLORY not the Loser and I will become like Habakkuk who will walk on powered feet on the heights and see every problem as tiny in the shadow of a big awesome God.
Yeah, so I might go to the bank and I would be told, "Sorry, there is nothing we can do for you. So I might end up being stranded with no money to return home..
Ehn sebi it is me, who is worth more than many sparrows, the hairs on my head are numbered. He is my shepherd, I shall not want. He will not give me a weight beyond what I can bear.
I'll end this message with the chorus of one of my greatest hillsong's song from where the title of the message came from.
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| Photo Credit: YouTube.com |
Even when my strength is lost
I'll praise you
Even when I have no song
I'll praise you
Even when it's hard to find the words
Louder then I'll sing your praise
Even the fight seems lost
I'll praise you
Even when it hurts like hell
I'll praise you
Even when it makes no sense to sing
Louder then I'll sing your praise
P.S: I went to the bank on Wednesday and the issue was fixed...after waiting very patiently of course. So happened that the money was transferred to another account.
Oba dani ma gbagbe eni.😀
(The Creator-King who never forsakes any of his creatures) 😊
P.S II: Thanks for enduring this long post. Hope it blessed you. You could share challenges you once went through, how you responded and how you overcame in the comment section. Who knows who your testimony would motivate and inspire.
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