Praise is the Key that Unlocks the Prison Door

Are you struggling to fit in? Do you question your worth? Is your life at a standstill? Do you wonder why you were ever born? These questions do pop up from time to time. We may all have had or are having these kinds of thoughts but let me tell you this, it may help, I hope so.

People come from all walks of life. Different backgrounds, different areas of the world. We’re all different even if born in the same family, no two people are the same. It’s God’s design, he made us all unique even animals and snowflakes, stars and planets even the air we breathe is different. We may be similar in many ways but we are all individuals with a particular set of molecules designed to be different and since God doesn’t make junk, we are all precious and a masterpiece made in His image to be unique for a distinct purpose.

Stop the struggle to fit in and stand out. You are worth more than fine gold or jewels. If you’re standing still right now, then stand still and know that God is God. He’s got you right where he wants you.

(Paraphrased)* God says, “Be still and know that I am God.” “Call unto me and I will show you great and mighty things that you’ve never seen.” “Cast all your cares, frustrations, questions on me, for I, care for you.” Come to me and I will not reject you. I will give you rest. When you search for me with all your heart, you will find me. Put me first in your life and I’ll turn everything around for you. I long to bless you and give you good things. But because of your pity parties and self-indulgence you can’t hear me, you can’t see me. You’re blind, deaf and dumb. Self blinds you to my truth. It keeps you bound in a self-made prison, and you become lost and afraid.

These are the tactics of the enemy of your soul. But, when, you take your eyes off yourself, what you want, what you desire, what you lack and put them on me. The cloud of despair and depression lifts and the Son begins to shine. I said S O N, because it’s only through my Son that you can be freed from your self-made prison, Freed from bondage. Freed from sin that separates you from the truth.

You start with Praise! Praise takes your mind off of yourself and puts it on me the only one who can help you out of the Mulley grubs. Your self-thoughts can keep your trapped in a pit that gets deeper and deeper the longer you linger in that atmosphere. But Praise is the wind that will cause you to soar in the heavenly places where I am, and I come into your heart and mind and free you. I break every chain; I extinguish every fireball that is hurled at you by the enemy. You are no longer caught in a whirlwind of destruction. No longer bound by fear and lack. Your mind becomes free and whole to bring true worship to your creator and you know beyond a shadow of a doubt who I AM! Joy infiltrates your being. Faith comes alive. Hope is restored. Life is full of promise and new horizons.

Put on your Praise Garments and see with new vision who you are, where you are going and what you are created to do. The how will manifest because you are no longer walking by sight you are walking in the Spirit…The Holy Spirit will lead you and guide you into right thinking, right living and will position you to gain what you could not obtain in yourself. Without me (Jesus) you can do nothing, but with me, you can do all things because I give you, my strength. The Joy of the Lord is your strength.

Yes, feast on all the treasures of the heavenly realm and fill your thoughts with heavenly realities, and not with the distractions of the natural realm.

Your crucifixion^[a] with Christ has severed the tie to this life, and now your true life is hidden away in God in Christ. And as Christ himself is seen for who he really is, who you really are will also be revealed, for you are now one with him in his glory! Colossians 3:2-4 The Passion Translation

Footnotes 3:3 The Aramaic could be translated “Your death and your life are both hidden with the Messiah in God.”

~Marla Shaw O’Neill January 8, 2022

Acts 16:25-26

King James Version ²⁵ And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. ²⁶ And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed.

*Scripture references:

Psalm 46:10

1 Peter 5:7

Jeremiah 33:3

Matthew 11:28-30

Jeremiah 29:13

Psalm 103:5

Matthew 15:14

Isaiah 61:3

2 Corinthians 5:7

Philippians 4:13

Nehemiah 8:10