Power of Praise

I Pe 4:11 Whoever speaks, is to do so as one who is speaking the utterances of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. NASV

The utterances of God are living and active; they accomplish things all by themselves. All was dark when He said, “Let there be light”. But because He spoke, even though it had not yet appeared, light was the truth about the universe. God’s Word is truth, over and above what our five senses tell us. Because He said it, it will happen. He speaks calm to the storm, healing to the sick and by the power of what He speaks, it becomes so. And our speech should imitate His. We should speak words with intrinsic power.

Prayer is a connection between the divine and the earthly. In it, our requests, our sins, our problems meet with His divine presence and power. When we intercede, occasionally that powerful conviction arises in our soul that allows us to speak a powerful word that we know that we know will be fulfilled. It is an error that I have often made to continue to repeat my perspective, my desire, when that conviction does not arise.

What is lacking is usually not more of my perspective. Instead of arguing the validity of the prayer request (trying to help God understand the problem) what is more likely necessary is a deeper connection with His divine presence and power. What is lacking is praise. If there is a word like His, a powerful word that will fulfill itself, in my heart, I should speak it out. Otherwise, I should remember His characteristics, call them to mind, speak them out - until such a powerful word wells up inside me. It is more often His perspective and power, not mine, that lacks in my prayers.