But being in a storm does not mean God has left you. Often, it means He is doing a deeper work in you.

Some of the greatest breakthroughs in Scripture did not come after the storm—they came through it. And one of the most powerful weapons God has given His people in these moments is praise.

Praise Silences the Enemy’s Strategy

The enemy’s first goal in adversity is not destruction—it is distraction. If he can get you focused entirely on what’s going wrong, bitterness and heaviness begin to settle in. Complaining takes root, and faith quietly erodes.

Praise disrupts that cycle.

Praise lifts your eyes off the storm and places them back on the One who rules over it. When you praise God in difficulty, you are not denying reality; you are declaring a greater truth. You are saying, “God, I trust You even when I don’t understand what You’re doing.”

That kind of faith moves heaven.

Praise Moves You Forward When Nothing Else Will

Praise is like the oars of a ship caught in a stormy sea. The wind may be against you, and the waves may be relentless, but praise keeps you moving forward. Without it, you drift. You stall. You go in circles emotionally and spiritually.

This is why Scripture repeatedly calls God’s people to rejoice—not because circumstances are easy, but because God remains faithful. Praise keeps you advancing when the storm tries to stop you.

Worship Shrinks the Storm

When worship becomes genuine, something shifts internally. The storm may still be present, but its power over your heart begins to diminish.

Worship lifts you higher. It changes your vantage point.

Like rising in a hot-air balloon, the higher you go, the smaller the ground appears. As you allow the Holy Spirit to take over in worship, your problems lose their dominance. Fear loosens its grip. Peace begins to return.

This is why worship breaks the spirit of heaviness. You cannot fully worship God while clinging tightly to bitterness, control, or fear. Something must be released—and when it is, freedom follows.

God Responds to Praise

Scripture tells us that God inhabits the praises of His people. When praise rises, God’s presence becomes tangible—not because He was distant, but because your heart has aligned with faith again.

This is why worship is spiritual warfare.

The enemy despises worship because he understands its power. He knows what it releases. He knows it invites God’s presence, restores clarity, and breaks oppression. That is why distractions, exhaustion, and discouragement often intensify when worship should deepen.

But when you worship anyway—when you praise through tears, confusion, and pain—chains begin to break.

Stay in Worship Until the Breakthrough Comes

Too often, worship is treated as a brief transition instead of a sacred doorway. But worship prepares the heart to hear God. It softens the soil. It clears the noise.

Many breakthroughs don’t come because prayer was insufficient; they come because worship was cut short. Sometimes you must worship until the heaviness lifts, until peace settles in, until your heart remembers truth again.

Worship until it breaks.

Praise Invites Jesus Into the Storm

When the disciples faced the storm, peace did not come until Jesus was welcomed fully into the situation. Praise does that. Praise invites Him into the boat. Praise says, “Jesus, I can’t carry this weight anymore—take it.”

And when He speaks, the storm listens.

A Final Encouragement

If you are in a storm today, do not lose heart. Do not allow bitterness to replace trust or fear to silence your praise. Lift your hands. Open your mouth. Thank God not only for what you see, but for what He has promised.

Praise is not weakness.
Praise is warfare.
Worship is the sound of faith rising.

God sees you. God is with you. And the storm you’re facing is not the end of your story.

Every Tuesday, I sit quietly before the Lord in prayer so that I may convey in writing what I am hearing from the LORD. This morning, the word “PREPARE” came strongly to my mind.  I have been in contact with others who are saying the same thing.

It is always in my heart to encourage God’s people and give hope.  Those called to Shepherd (pastor) must never hesitate to proclaim the whole will of God to those listening to them. Pastors are to also stand as a Watchman on the Wall and warn of danger. “If the Watchman sees the sword come upon the land, and blows the trumpet and warns the people; then whoever hears the sound of the trumpet, and takes not warning; if the sword come, and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head” (Eze. 33:3-4).  “But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the Watchman’s hand” (Eze. 33:6).

For the sake of of our preparedness in these challenging days, I am listing a resource that I believe would help you, in the event of any major occurrence. We are to be prepared not only spiritually, but in the natural for all conditions.

Please take some time to review www.ready.gov. We are not to fear, but remember that it is the wisdom of God for us to be prepared in all situations.  “And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through” (Luke 12:39).

We hope to see you Wednesday night at our weekly gathering.

Last week when the email blast was sent, for whatever reason, many people did not receive it in their email box.  The word has not changed, so I am posting part of it again this week.  I am encouraging and reminding all who are part of this battle to FEAR NOT, and to STAND STILL!

Our great God is the God of Battles.  When the children of Israel were facing the Red Sea with no hope of survival, the Lord spoke through Moses and said, “The LORD shall fight for you, and you shall hold your peace” (Exod. 14:14).  The LORD is fighting NOW for His great name’s sake.  He will not be mocked.

Moses directed the people as they stood before the Red Sea to NOT FEAR, but to STAND STILL (Exod. 14:13) leaving all circumstances with the LORD Himself and expecting Him to move. In their situation, they could not save themselves by fighting against the enemy.  They could only wait for the outcome of obeying God’s directions to be manifested by Him.  The LORD promised that He would fight for them.  Their job was to obey the Lord and HOLD THEIR PEACE.  Peace in this sentence is not the Hebrew word “shalom,” but rather the word “charash,” meaning to be quiet, speechless, and to not devise one’s own plan.

Throughout the Word of God, these two Words were spoken at different time, “STAND STILL,” and when obeyed, God moved.  Let us not forget Joshua who commanded the sun and moon to “STAND STILL” over Gibeon and the sun stopped in its tracks in the middle of the sky.  That day God gave the Amorites up to Israel.  The Word says that “There has never been a day like that before or since – God activated a command from a human, Joshua!  “Truly God fought for Israel” (Jos. 10:14 MSG).  I believe God is hearing the magnitude of prayers on behalf of this nation, and as He did for the Israelites, He will again act decisively in favor of His people.

A few weeks ago, I released this Word in an OTC teaching, “For the LORD shall rise up as in Mount Perazim, He shall be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon, that He may do His work, His strange work; and bring to pass His act, His strange act” (Isaiah 28:21).  As I spoke at the beginning of the year, I repeat, God is bringing REVERSAL.  “But God is the judge: He puts down one, and sets up another” (Ps. 75:7).  It is our Great God who casts the wicked to the ground (Ps. 147:6).

We must continue to lift our voices and let the high praises of God be in our mouths.  Through our praises God executes vengance and binds evil kings (Ps. 149:6-8).