Praise Shift
Wednesday, September 7
Praise Shift
After consulting the people, the king appointed singers to walk ahead of the army, singing to the Lord and praising him for his holy splendor. This is what they sang: “Give thanks to the Lord; his faithful love endures forever!”. 2 Chronicles 20:21
2 Chronicles records the account of a praise shift. King Jehoshaphat ruled over a nation that was globally affected by a problem: according to 2 Chronicles 20:2, a large army was closing in on Judah and coming to attack God’s people. The predicament of battle caused King Jehoshaphat to fear. The battle presented a problem that he didn’t know how to fix, and it brought him face-to-face with an enemy he didn’t know how to face. However, in the midst of this problem, we are told that he turned his eyes to seek the Lord. King Jehoshaphat declared a national fast, and the people gathered together to seek the Lord. Whenever we are facing great danger, we too should be willing to do the same. Redirect our focus from the problem and into praise.
Just like King Jehoshaphat, when we pray and acknowledge that God is in control even when we are not, we should always start with praise. Praise God for who He is and what He has already done. Rehearsing God’s person and power positions us to more clearly hear what God wants to say. Praise makes a difference. When you magnify God, you acknowledge that God is bigger – bigger than your fears, situations, or problems. Praise shifts the problem you feel you can’t handle over to a God who is big enough to handle it. In 2 Chronicles 20, we see that the people prayed and then praised. It was when God heard the praise of His people that He set an ambush for the enemy.
Today, put God first. Prioritize prayer. Be intentional to praise Him for who He is and what He has the power to do in your life.