Wise Quotes - POWER OF A PRAYING WOMAN 11

DAY 11 - LORD, PREPARE ME TO BE A TRUE WORSHIPER.

Nothing we do is more powerful or more life changing than praising God. It is one of the means by which God transforms us. Every time we praise and worship Him, His presence comes to dwell in us and changes our hearts and allows the Holy Spirit to soften and mold them into whatever He wants them to be.*

In the times when I was going through a moment of fear and anxiety. I always engaged myself in more praise and worship as prayer seemed like a difficult thing to do. I would always listen to worship songs everywhere.......in my car, when I was cooking and even when I had to sleep.......It was a great source of strength cause sleeping was a difficult thing to do as well. I use to get sudden panic attacks and in those moments I had to immediately find a safe place to either pray or worship.

 I remember during one of those ordeals, I quickly made my way to one of my dear sisters house and she always knew what to do to keep me calm.....she would play worship songs and before I knew it, I would be fast asleep. Her house became my refuge for worship. There was a day i had one of those attacks, she and her lovely husband prayed for me, gave me communion and we worshiped.  We worshipped and worshipped and I could strongly feel the presence of God in our midst. I knew then that I was finally free of any fear and anxiety. From that day on I felt a great sense of heaviness lifted off me.

Praise and worship should be an integral part of our daily lives but because it is not something our flesh naturally wants to do, we have to will ourselves to do it. And because it's not the first thing we think of to do, we have to decide to do it no matter what our circumstances. If you ever find yourself unmotivated to worship, try reading Psalm 103.......It gives good reasons to worship God;

1. He forgives my iniquities.

2. He heals all my diseases. 

3. He redeems my life fro destruction.

4. He crowns me with loving kindness. 

5. He satisfies my mouth with good things.

6. He executes righteousness and justice for the oppressed.

7. He makes His ways known. 

8. He is merciful.

9. He is gracious

10. He is slow to anger.

11. He will not stove with us.

12. He will keep His anger forever.

13. He does not punish us according to our iniquities.

14. He shows great mercy to those who fear Him.

15. He removes our transgressions from us.

16. He has pity on us.

17. He remembers we are dust.

18. His mercy is everlasting.

19. He blesses our children and grandchildren who obey Him.

20. He rules over all His throne is established. 

We can claim to know and love God, but if we are not worshiping and parsing Him every day, we are not worshiping and praising Him every day, we are in the dark about who He really is. We don't want to be wandering around in the dark entertaining futility in our minds, all because we are not true worshipers of our awesome God. Here are five good ways to praise the Lord;

1. God wants us to sing our praises to Him - Psalm 147:1 & Psalm 100:2

2. God wants us to lift our hands to Him - Psalm 134:2

3. God wants us to speak our praise to Him - Hebrews 13:15

4. God wants us to praise Him with dancing and instruments - Psalm 149:3

5. God wants us to praise Him together with other believers - Hebrews 2:12

PRAYER

Lord, there is no source of greater joy for me than worshiping You. I come into Your presence with thanksgiving and bow before You in this day. our I exalt Your name for You are great and worthy to be praised. Thank You that "You have put gladness in my heart" (Psalm 4:7). All honour and majesty, strength and glory, holiness and righteousness are Yours, O Lord.

Thank You that You are "gracious and full of compassion, slow to anger and great in mercy" (Psalm 145:8). Thank You that You are "mighty in power" and Your "understanding is infinite" (Psalm 145:5). Thank You that You  lift up the humble and cast the wicked down (Psalm 147:6). Thank You that You execute justice for the oppressed, You give food to the hungry, and You give freedom to the prisoners. Thank You that You open the eyes of the blind and raise up those who are bowed down (Psalm 146:7-8).

Thank You, Lord, that Your plans for my life are good, and You have a future for me that is full of hope. Thank You that You are always restoring my life to greater wholeness. I praise You and thank You that You are my Healer, my Deliverer, my Provider, my Redeemer, my Father, and my Comforter. Thank You for revealing Yourself to me through Your Word, through Your Son Jesus, and through Your mighty works upon the earth and in my life. Thank You for Your love, peace, joy, faithfulness, grace, mercy, kindness, truth, and healing. Thank You that I can depend on You, for You and Your Word are unfailing. Thank You that You are the same yesterday, today and tomorrow.

Lord, forgive me when I neglect to praise and worship You as You deserve. Teach me to worship You with my whole heart the way You want me to. Make me a true worshiper, Lord. May praise and worship of You be my first response to every circumstance.

I praise Your name this day, Lord, for You are good and Your mercy endures forever (Psalm 136:1). "Because Your loving-kindness is better than life, my lips shall praise You. Thus I will bless You while I live; i will lift up my hands in Your name" (Psalm 63:3-4). I will declare Your "glory among the nations" and You "wonders among all peoples" (Psalm 96:3). I worship you in the splendor of Your holiness and give You the glory due Your name (Psalm 29:2).

Scriptures for Meditation

John 4:23-24
But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

Psalm 50:14-15

Offer to God thanksgiving, And pay your vows to the Most High.
Call upon Me in the day of trouble;I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me.”

Psalm 5:11-12

But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You; Let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them;
Let those also who love Your nameBe joyful in You. For You, O Lord, will bless the righteous;
With favor You will surround him as with a shield.

Psalm 50:23

Whoever offers praise glorifies Me; And to him who orders his conduct aright
I will show the salvation of God.”

Psalm 138:1-3

I will praise You with my whole heart;Before the gods I will sing praises to You.  I will worship toward Your holy temple,And praise Your name. For Your  lovingkindness and Your truth;
For You have magnified Your word above all Your name. In the day when I cried out, You answered me,
And made me bold with strength in my soul.

This post is specially dedicated to a family so close and dear to my heart. I couldn't have gone through such terrible ordeal without their help, support, prayers and that of God. To my dear sister Doris, my ride or die in Christ(Ama Dorisi as I like to call her) and my dear uncle Akwasi Addai...........God is not done with you yet. Keep being yourselves and never compromise your Faith in Christ. He who has begun a good work in you will surely see you through, your labour is never in vain. Love you both very much. God bless you.

#inspired...ann #WiseQuotes

*Stomie Omartian, The Power of a Praying Woman(2006)