Get Your PRAISE On!Sample

You Have A Weapon

Every day in life we face challenges: be it in our homes, the job, in our relationships, health or finances. Every one of us is subject to battles, but the way we deal with our challenges will make the difference in the outcome. I find it very difficult to stay focused on God when my body is plagued with pain, or when my kids are failing a class, or even when my finances are running low. Perhaps you can identify with the struggle because we all know the struggle is real. Unfortunately, believers often get caught in the trap of the enemy by choosing the wrong point of focus which is the size of the problem. I have heard it said time and time again, "the battle is won or lost in the mind" and this to be very true because the apostle Paul admonishes us to renew our minds daily (Romans 12:2 NIV). Our thought life is so precious and important, and if we do not renew the mind, we are subject to give in to every desire and walk in fear and failure. 

Our minds never seem blank at any time even when we are asleep; we still have sweet dreams and nightmares. According to an article by Carolyn Gregoire on "5 Amazing Things Your Brain Does While You Sleep" she stated, 

"Research has identified a number of reasons sleep is critical to our health. When we're sleeping, the brain is anything but inactive. In fact, during sleep, neurons in the brain fire nearly as much as they do during waking hours — so it should come as no surprise that what happens during our resting hours is extremely important to a number brain and cognitive functions." 

Imagine this; our mind is always at work, so we can reason we are becoming what we spend our time thinking on. I remember seeing a teaching by Joyce Meyer, "Where the mind goes, the man follows" now that is powerful, scary, and freeing simultaneously. I trust that as you are reading this plan revelation will come to you and you can take stock and identify what has been occupying your mind. Do you spend most of your time focusing on the problems in your life? Do you spend time often talking about your issues, pain, past hurts, and frustrations? Well from the information above, whatever you spend your time thinking about actually make its way even into your sleep time. God designed us to be consumed with him, but the enemy infiltrated, and now we spend our time thinking about us, our needs, our problems, our trials, our tribulations and a way out. While we may not have control of all the thoughts that run through our minds, we have the power to decide what stays, and our point of focus will determine where we end up. The good news is, God has not left us stranded but has empowered us with a weapon to combat every lie of the enemy, and it's called PRAISE!

"Satan so hates the genuine praise of Christ that his fiery darts of discouragement are not effective against us when we respond in praise." - William Thrasher