[countmeworthy]

Originally Posted by aron

... I equated obstacles with opportunity for the proving of our faith. You'd mentioned the case where Paul & Silas were in jail in Phillipi, bloody and bruised, facing death. They sang hymns of praise to the Father, and the Father said, "Amen" and the earth shook. That's powerful stuff! They didn't wait 'till the doors opened to praise the Father. They praised the Father with the doors shut and the chains still bound firmly. Then the Father moved, and opened the doors.

First off...Thank You for reading my posts...and giving God the Praise.

Keeping WITH this topic, The powerful stuff that happened to Paul & Silas does continue to happen today. We don't hear or see 'great' reports like these in this country of ours but there are countless testimonies of the Power of God, through His Holy Spirit moving in countries where true persecution and oppression is occurring.

However, if we examine our own personal lives, I'm sure there have been incidents where we experienced the chains falling off, our hearts being set free, rising up by Faith, walking and leaping and Praising God.

One thing I realized recently is that we enter His Gates with (i.e. via, or because of) Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is the key to enter the kingdom. I had it backwards; I thought that it was entry first, then thanksgiving. No, God wants me to thank Him by faith, before His Gates open wide.

I had it backwards at one time too Aron...I'm sure we're not the only ones! OR and worst yet...we knew it in our heads...not our hearts..not our spirit.

I first began to see and apply this Truth when I would meditate on Phillipians 4:6 Be anxious for nothing..but in everything by prayer and supplications WITH Thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God.

We are instructed NOT to be anxious. Do you know how difficult it is for most of us not to pray in anxiety..with anxiety overwhelming us?

The Holy Spirit through Paul tells us as we pray and make our supplications to God, we Thank Him. We thank Him as we let our requests be made known unto Him.

I have seen my life in Christ change because not a day..maybe not even an hour goes by without me Thanking the Lord. I thank Him for everything. "Lord, I hate that I misplace my keys. Holy Spirit help me find them. "Oh There they are! Thank You Lord. I'll be reading a scripture and I get revelation... OH THANK YOU LORD JESUS!

The more we Thank the Lord Jesus and acknowledge the Holy Spirit..also with Thanksgiving, Favor Follows...to the point where we expect Favor...Expecting Favour might be a foreign concept to many here, because it was for me when I first discovered and acknowledged the Favor of God...but now, I expect Favor and look for it. I declare the Favor of God.

HOWEVER...I spend an ENORMOUS time in prayer with Thanksgiving, Praise and Worship. I also BLESS alot...and when I speak Blessings on people or on myself, I make sure I'm in spirit...not from my mind. I don't take blessings lightly. And God DOES grant us FAVOR constantly...after a while of daily being in the Presence of God, even if we don't ask for FAVOR, He BLESSES us with Favor! That's OUR GOD! He's the GOD of FAVOR and BLESSING!

And Blessings and Favor come from our obeying the Voice of God, the Holy Spirit. I write from experience and TRUTH...that is from the Word of GOD.

Likewise, we enter His Courts with (i.e. via, or because of) Praise. Praise is the key to our entry into His Courts. Don't think you must wait to be placed in His Courts, before you can praise. You may have a long wait!

Ain't THAT the truth! Furthermore, when we Praise the Lord especially IN FAITH, THROUGH Faith, them demons scatter like the wind! I have walked and wallowed through the valley of the Shadow of death...I think most of us have at some point or another!. I believe I am strong in the Lord partly because I have told the Lord when I'm at my lowest...violently ill...No matter how I'm feeling, I give YOU PRAISE, HONOR and GLORY Lord Jesus...for YOU alone are Worthy. Praise You Lord Jesus. Thank You for being here with me..not forsaking me or leaving me.

I may not have been 'instantaneously healed physically or emotionally but HE HAS !!

Can I share another personal testimony here? THANKS in advance.

Back in September, I had been ministering to a friend of mine who has had trouble staying focused on the Lord. Skipping the details, I was physically violated and attacked. I never shared it here. I was in a van as a front seat passenger..the driver, her son and 'my friend' who was in the back seat began to cuss me out. I was really scared..especially when the driver BRAKED and stopped to yell at me. At that point, I tried to jump out of the car but they pulled me in and pinned me down. After some time, they released me and they settled down. THEY then said "We should pray".

Now...please understand I knew FULL well demons had gotten hold of them. We wrestle not against flesh and blood but against the principalities and powers of the air.

After they dropped me home and left.......I felt I had been through a spiritual and emotional battlezone. I couldn't speak..I couldn't cry..(right away)..I was numbed. A few minutes later, a Christian friend of mine called. She was shocked to 'hear' me. It's not that I was saying anything I was just NUMB. She knew the history of these 2 people and asked me if they had done something to me.

When I replied "yes." My friend went into prayer mode. I just laid there on my bed...unable to say anything for a long time. I'd answer her questions with a yes..no..and finally told her what happened.

..skipping details...she began to pray Psalms. She chose Psalms we sang back in the day. She was never in the LC btw...but when she prayed the Psalms, I replied..I remember singing those psalms and I began to sing the Psalms...well...within an hour, I was ALMOST back to normal...like I am now!!!

The following morning, I was NORMAL as if nothing ever happened...then the Holy Spirit gave me a 'Word'...Death cannot hold the Resurrection Life.

I said to the Lord...WOW, LORD...DEATH CAN NOT hold the Resurrection Life can it? Praise you Lord Jesus!!! I then dusted my LC hymnal from the 70s, looked up that Hymn and began to BELCH IT OUT giving GOD all the GLORY!!

As for my friends...I forgave them immediately. I knew they were under demonic oppression. They've apologized for their actions..and they are genuinely following the Lord. They're not on the same spiritual plane I'm on but they appreciate my fellowship.

There really is POWER in Thanksgiving, Praise and Worship. Surely His Goodness and His Mercy follows us all the days of our lives. It really does! Most of us have been saved a very, very long time. We know His Word is True..and He is Faithful.

Thank You Lord...for everything...for beginning a most excellent work in me and all of us here...and knowing YOU are going to finish what You started in us.

Thanks also saints...for reading my long winded posts. Hope they were a blessing and a help.