Praise That Opens Prison Doors

Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Philippians 4:4

Between 1922 and 1991, millions of Christians suffered persecution in communist Russia. They were either killed or sent to labour camps, like Dimitri. When Dimitri started teaching his children about the Lord, it caught the attention of the villagers, who were hungry for the Word of God. The growing house church, however, did not escape the watchful eye of the authorities. Dimitri lost his job, and his children were no longer allowed to go to school. This did not intimidate Dimitri. He continued to preach the Word of God until the authorities arrested him.

Dimitri was locked up in a tiny cell that was so small that it took one step from his bed to reach the prison door. Dimitri was brutally tortured during his imprisonment, but he had a habit that kept him focused on God. Every morning, when he got out of bed, he would raise his arms in praise to God and sing his “heart song” to Jesus. The prisoners on his block would mock and jeer. They would bang their tin cups against the metal bars in protest. But this did not deter him from singing his song of praise to God each morning. I will talk more about Dimitri in another devotional and the wonderful ways in which God sustained him in prison until his release several years later.

Let Our Praises Ring Out to the Lord Most High

There’s something that happens inside of us when our praises ring out to God in word or in song. Something shifts in our souls when we remind ourselves of who God is. His omnipotence, His authority, His splendour. His glory. His power. We remind ourselves that He is in control, and no matter what we are going through, there is nothing He cannot handle. The Word encourages us to praise the Lord at all times.

“I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth.” Psalm 34:1 (ESV)

Praising God during difficult times is a choice. This is what we see in this verse. The psalmist is saying, “I will praise God at all times - no matter what is happening in my life. I will praise Him. Dimitri chose to praise God in that dark, bleak prison. We may find ourselves in a dark prison of hopelessness and despair. Shackled to worry, fear and anxiety. God wants to swing our prison doors wide open as we praise Him. He delights in us as we delight in Him. Psalm 22:3 says, He is enthroned on our praises. The King James Version says, “He inhabits our praises.” God is there with us as we praise Him, unshackling us and giving us His joy and peace.

If a man just stops to think what he has to praise God for, he will find there is enough to keep him singing praises for a week. Dwight L. Moody

Reflection 

Are your hardships weighing you down? Why not take time to praise the Lord?

Prayer

Thank You, Lord, that You are in control of my circumstances. Lord, I choose to praise You in my struggles and hardships. As I praise, set me free from hopelessness, fear and worry. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.