Psalms 8:2 says, “Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that though mightest still the enemy and the avenger.” Mathew 21:16 says, “And JESUS saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected PRAISE?”(NKJ)

PRAISE is strength, honor, and glory. It will paralyze the enemy of God. When crazy things are happening in your life, and you want to figure out how to stop them, PRAISE the Lord! You’ll eliminate the devil in his tracks. PRAISE is still the avenger! PRAISE is power! PRAISE is strength! PRAISE is the ability to get the job done!

Nehemiah 8:10 says, “Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” (NKJ).

Jerry Savelle preached a message and wrote a book entitled “If He Can’t Steal Your Joy, He Can’t Keep Your Goods.” The devil is out to steal your joy. How often do you allow something to steal your happiness throughout the day? The enemy is trying to steal our joy and get your joy. He can get your strength; if he gets your power, he can have his way with you because he is after your joy! In other words, you will be defeated. You can’t let him get your happiness. So, it would help if you held onto your joy no matter what happens. PRAISE will help you keep your joy.

We must know how the system works to defeat our unseen enemy. When the enemy shows up, we let our joy arise! When joy arises, our enemy will be scattered! (Psalm 68:1).

Psalm 9:1-2 says, “I will PRAISE you, O Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all the wonders, I will be glad and rejoice in you; I will sing PRAISE to your name; O Most High. My enemies turn back; they stumble and perish before you. You have upheld my right and cause and sat on your throne, judging righteously.” (NIV)

That’s why it’s important when we pray ahead of time. It would be best to do it when the enemy tried to steal your joy. You can’t sit back and say, “well, I don’t know what happened.” Because we have an adversary, he is the enemy of God. It happened because you’ve got an enemy who comes to kill, steal, and destroy! Our response to him should be to rejoice despite what happened.

We give God PRAISE, glory, and honor. When we do, He will cause what was stolen from you to be returned in double if we sit and have a pity party playing the “poor me” because of something wrong. Things happened! Life happens! What we must do is shout with a voice of joy and PRAISE! God will make our enemy return what he stole from us when we do that. When you find the thief, he has to restore what he took from you (Proverbs 6:31). Hallelujah!

Joy and happiness are not the same things. Happiness is based on your condition in life; joy is based on what you know. You have joy because of what you see, which will make you happy. We know the Lord. Despite circumstances, He is with us, never leaving or forsaking us!

I know I still have issues to be manifested in my life, but I know the Lord is with me. Whatever my distractions and negative emotions, I believed in God that they would manifest. My dreams, imagination, and desires will come to pass.

That’s the reason why I am writing this book to be thankful. I may not have the answer to my prayers, but I am blessed. What is still lacking will be fruitful because I am grateful—being thankless is fruitless. So, I smiled sometimes because I knew God loved me. He said that in His still, small voice. Hallelujah! We are blessed!

I declare over your life a sevenfold restoration right now! There’s some stuff the enemy owes you. Don’t you dare let him get away with it! Restore (10x). You’ve got one coming seven times better if he stole your car. When there are delays, children and grandchildren will be doubled up and be blessed, for they’re being prayed for and free from the generational curse of the children who are not born yet and generation and for the generation to come.

I particularly like the New Living Translation of Deuteronomy 11:21, which says that as long as the sky remains above the earth, you and your children may flourish in the land the Lord was to give you and your ancestors. Notice there are two specific promises: first, extend your life, and second, you and your children will flourish. Flourish means:

1. To thrive
2. To increase
3. To enlarge
4. To grow
5. To prosper
6. To abound
7. To spread out
8. To make steady progress
9. To expand
10. To be at a high point in life

The Word of the Lord that came saying, “The faithful shall flourish, and it shall be like days of heaven and earth,” was specifically for a select group of people: the faithful. Plenty of people are in the Body of Christ, but not all are faithful. There are many church members, but they are not all faithful. The Lord says to the faithful, “You and your children shall flourish.” Writing this, which is my main issue, makes me joyful, for I have hope, which is the anchor of my soul. I pray that those who are reading this will flourish in your life.

Are you one of the faithful? If so, God wants you to flourish and experience days of heaven on earth.  But you have to do your part, which is why I’ve written this book; it also applies to my life. We must receive and act upon His Word whenever the Lord sends forth it. In other words, WE WILL BE PRAISING AND THANKFUL TO GOD AHEAD OF TIME.

Okay, I receive God’s Word and believe I will flourish, but how do I act upon it? You work it by doing four specific things:

1. Be planted
2. Be persistent in faith
3. Be faithful
4. Know that God is faithful

I invite you to take a faith journey to examine these aspects to create a solid—Bible-based foundation of faith.

I declare daily, “ This is my season for flourishing, and if I am to flourish, I expect to thrive, to increase, to enlarge, to grow, to prosper, to abound, to spread out, to expand, to make steady progress, and to be at a high point in my life!”

Every time I pray over my daughter before she drives away from her car. I always laid my hand on her by praying the Jabez prayer 2 Chronicles 4:9-10 “Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez, saying, I give birth to him in pain. Jabez cried to the God of Israel, “Oh, you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me and keep me from harm to be free from pain. And God granted his request.” (NIV).

If you’re sick and tired of being sick and tired -tired of not having a job, money, children, grandchildren, tired of being lonely, tired of being emotional, tired of being hurt, tired of waiting for your life partners, tired of being alone, tired of being frustrated, lift your hands and give God Praises! Shout unto God with a voice of triumph! (Psalms 47:1). He will turn your situation around! WOW! PRAISE the Lord, Hallelujah!

I declare that you are a PRAISE! You were created to PRAISE God! (Isaiah 43:21). No Christian is at his best without PRAISE. We (me and you) should PRAISE Him when we don’t know where the money will come from, when we are sick and in pain, emotionally down and drained, in spiritual bondage, emotionally breakdown when we are confused, children who are lost and haywire, in addiction and other issues, and a turmoil of fear and anxiety.

We should PRAISE Him when we can’t figure things out! If you’re ready for God to perform and show us signs, wonders, and miracles in our lives. That’s the time we start exerting PRAISE! As long as you have breath in your body, PRAISE THE LORD (Psalm 150:6). PRAISE IS POWER!

“But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:9). (KJV).

Excerpt from Roselyn Van Dyk’s book available in Amazon Kindle Store. These books are for people who needs hope, inspiration, encouragement, and insight. Discover a source of inspiration, hope, and insight with Roselyn Van Dyk’s book, now available on Amazon Kindle Store. Whether you’re feeling lost, in need of encouragement, or seeking guidance, this book is here to uplift and empower you. Get your copy today and start your journey towards a brighter future.