The fourth of July is a popping celebration enjoyed by millions of Americans with spectacular fireworks filling the sky with explosive color. We remember the price that has been paid to secure and maintain the freedom and liberties we enjoy. Thank God for the men and women who fought and continue to fight to have what we have today in America. However, not everybody in America enjoys the fourth. My little furry friendly dogs, Waylon and Willy, are terrified by all the pops and explosions. They pant and tremble with uneasy anxiety. They want to stay close, under your feet and right at your side. So, to hopefully provide a little comfort, I put a CD player in their little house. I set that thing to loop and repeat the sixteen praise songs. With that going all night long, the loud bangs are drowned out. The little boys can hole up in their box in their house and escape some of the torment. At least, I give it my best shot to help my little fellas out to make it through the night with some sort of peace.
In the kingdom of God, praise is a key to successful life. When the Israelites took Jericho, obedience to God’s way of doing it was crucial, and praise was part of that victory (Joshua 6). When Solomon finished the house of the Lord, and the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound in praising and thanking the Lord, they ushered in the presence and glory of God so the priests could not stand to minister (2 Chronicles 5:11-14). By the way, there were about 120 priests in unity that day, and, there were about 120 people gathered in unity in believing prayer on the day of Pentecost, when the glory of God fell upon those people. There’s a lesson in itself of being unified in prayer for the presence of God to fill our lives. But, if we want to drown out and get past all the popping and explosions and commotions that upset us in life, we need to set our faith in God, on the basis of his promises, and start praising him before we ever see the victory or change. We have a secret place in him, through seeing the finished work of Jesus Christ on our behalf, which provides for us a place of security and peace, even when there are all kinds of loud sounds of chaos all around us. Paul and Silas prayed and sang praises in prison after they had been beaten, and God broke them out in a supernatural way with deliverance for them, and salvation for others (Acts 16). With faith in our Caregiver God, expressed by praise and thanksgiving before we ever see the victory, we can go through the upsetting night with inward peace and rest. Hear the Word of promise given you by the Spirit, and keep praising the Lord for bringing the solution to pass. God is faithful.