Remember: God’s Word never commands us to change our feelings, but we are commanded to change our thoughts, words and actions by being obedient to His Word. God’s commands are not burdensome. Jesus’ invitation is clear:

"Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28)

Your obedience to God’s Word is based on your love for the Lord Jesus Christ instead of the unpredictability of your feelings. This is why God has so many Scriptural commands to PRAISE and GIVE THANKS! Here’s a few of them:

"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus." (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)

"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!" (Philippians 4:4)

"Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise…the fruit of lips that confess His name." (Hebrews 13:15)

Before we come before the Lord with our requests, we are to praise Him for who He is. This reminds us that He is God and we are His people whom He loves. It lifts our thoughts to a new level. Psalm 100:4 says:

"Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His Name."

A spirit of depression cannot co-exist with a sprit of praise! Jesus came for the express purpose of lifting the burden of depression. Notice what He says in Isaiah 61:1, 3:

"…the Lord has anointed Me to…comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion; to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. …"

But He is only able to do this for us as we allow Him and moment by moment submit to His will.

If you review the Prayer Plan, you’ll notice that praise is followed by confession. We have been promised in 1 John 1:9 that when we confess, He is faithful to forgive and cleanse from ALL unrighteousness. Notice the example in Psalm 32:5:

"Then I acknowledge my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the Lord" and You forgave the guilt of my sin."

What God did for David, He does for every true seeker. Notice the promise that follows in Psalm 32:6-7:

"Therefore let everyone who is godly pray to You while You may be found; surely when the mighty waters (problems of life) rise, they will not reach him. You are my hiding place; You will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance."

It is possible to praise even when you don’t feel like it. Others have…you can, too. Note what Habakkuk said in the Old Testament. You’ll find it in chapter 3, verses 17-19:

"Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior. The Sovereign Lord is my strength; He makes my feet like the feet of a deer, He enables me to go on the heights."

The promise for obedience is written in God’s Word with the command. Here it is:

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:6-7)

You may be saying: "This all sounds wonderful, but how do I go about practicing this plan?" You'll get some definite steps to follow that will help you implement God's plan when you click onto the last link.
 

It is suggested that if this is your first time through this lesson, that you work through the above links in the order they are given as there is a sequence. For your convenience, these links are offered to give you faster access for repeated reviewing.

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