Psalm 150:6
Psalm 100:4-5
For us to be on fire for God, we need to be close to him. We need to have an intimate relationship with him. One of the ways that we can draw near to God is through praise.
The word of God tells us to enter God’s gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise. This means that praise gives us access to the throne of God. It enables us to draw near to him, and the Bible says that when we draw near to God, he will also draw near us. A look into the Bible, and you will see that great things happened when people drew near to God. Enemies were defeated, lives were transformed, and the kingdom of God expanded.
When we praise God, our frustrations in life are neutralized, and we end up being productive in life. It could be that you are struggling to ignite a flame of Christ in your life because of the different challenges you are facing at school or at home. Maybe you are struggling with a particular subject. It could be that your family is on the verge of breaking up because your parents are considering divorce. Perhaps your guardian is not treating you well.
It is hard to focus on God and praise Him when bad things are happening around you. It is easy to complain and look for other options instead of praising God. But whining and looking for other options will not give you permanent solutions. Instead of getting depressed, how about shifting your focus to the one who will rescue you from that problem?
Stop focusing on what is happening and focus on the one who created you. When you draw close to God, your frustrations and fears will start to drop, and your faith in the Lord will become stronger in faith.
When God assured King Jehosaphat that he would fight on behalf of Israel in 2 Chronicles 20, the King told his people to sing praises to God, and when they did, their enemies were destroyed by the Lord. When Paul and Silas were sent to prison for spreading the gospel, Acts 16:16-40, they sang praises to God at midnight, and the prison doors were opened. Not just that, the lives of the jailer and his family were transformed as they gave their lives to Christ.
It is not just our situation that changes when we praise God. Unbelievers who monitor our Christian walk also become transformed. When some unbelieving students see you praising God when all odds are against you, they will want to know this God that you serve. Not just that but some of them will give their lives to Him. When this happens, the flame of Christ will not only be ignited in your life but in your community and the world.
Action:
There are so many different ways that we can praise God. Find what works for you, or better still, follow the leading of the Holy Spirit. You can praise God with music, the Psalms of David, or with heavenly tongues. Make praise part of your prayer life.