Here's a great true story about the power of praising the Lord. Rev. A. E. Wunder was led by God to visit a young pastor and his family who were doing a pioneering work in an unevangelized area.
As he stood on their front porch with boxes of groceries, he heard the pastor's wife praying for food. Opening the door and seeing all the food, they rejoiced that the Lord had answered their prayer.
However, as the young mother prepared dinner for her family and guest, Rev. Wunder noticed that something strange happened whenever she walked by the refrigerator.
She frowned and seemed depressed. “What's the matter, Sister?” Rev. Wunder asked her. “Every time you walk by the ‘fridge you look depressed.” “Do I?” the woman exclaimed. “I didn't realize I did that. It's just that the refrigerator has been empty so much, and I need food for the children.”
Crazy Faith
Suddenly Rev. Wunder received an idea he felt was from the Lord. It would be a challenge to her faith — and definitely would seem “crazy” to the modern mind.
“Sister,” he said. “I believe if you will shout ‘Hallelujah' (“Praise the Lord”) at the refrigerator every time you walk by it, God will respond and fill up that refrigerator, and He'll keep it filled for you.” It sounded ridiculous. The family looked at him in amazement.
“It seemed foolish for the Israelites to march around Jericho and shout praises to God to see those walls fall down,” he said. “But they shouted anyway and the walls came down. It seemed crazy for Jehoshaphat to have singers and praisers lead the way in the face of their enemies–but their faith pleased God and He brought them victory.
Paul and Silas praised God in the prison, their backs bruised and bleeding–and God sent an earthquake that rocked that prison, setting them free.” He added, “So I believe that if you shout ‘Hallelujah' every time you walk by that refrigerator, God will honor your faith too, since He's no ‘respecter of persons.' What He did for one He'll do for another who will believe Him for it. So, will you do it?” he asked.
The young woman and her family trusted and respected Pastor Wunder as a man of God, so she agreed and began by quietly whispering “Hallelujah” every time she walked by the refrigerator. The experience so blessed her that in a short time she was practically shouting “Hallelujah!”
A few days later Rev. Wunder visited the young couple. They ran onto the porch to meet him with several hallelujahs and praises to God. “I kept shouting ‘Hallelujah' every time I walked by the refrigerator,” the young wife began. “The Lord moved upon an unsaved man in town to give us all the food and frozen meat the refrigerator could hold!”
Months later it was the same story. The woman kept praising and the Lord kept meeting their FAITH.
What Can YOU Shout At – or Shout About?
“Seven times a day I praise You, because of Your righteous judgments. Great peace have those who love Your law, and nothing causes them to stumble” (Psalm 119:164-165).
Could we dare shout “Hallelujah” at the mirror, the scale, our wallet or the checkbook? Can we use “crazy faith” and praise the Lord in the face of impossible circumstances? Is there an unsaved loved one whose photo you have? Can you put it in a frame, on the ‘fridge or in your Bible and shout “Hallelujah” every time you see it?
Are you waiting on God for something? Perhaps He is waiting on you. Instead of begging God, try praising Him instead. If you prayed and know your prayers are in line with God's Word in the Bible, He heard you the first time.
“Now this is the confidence we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him” (1 John 5:14-15).
Hallelujah!!! I Praise the Lord for _____________!!!
7am + 9am + 11am + 1pm + 3pm + 5pm + 7pm = 7 times a day!
“Where did you get that kah-razee PraiseMoves clock?” See CafePress for the PraiseMoves clock, plus t-shirts, tanks, sweats, mugs and more: http://cafepress.com/praisemoves
Praise