Prayer is Thanksgiving, Worship and Devotion
By David McFadden
“And they fell before the throne with their faces to the ground and worshiped God. They sang, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and strength belong to our God forever and ever! Amen.” Revelation 7:11-12 NKJV
I learned early on that praise and worship is the highest calling for a believer because it fulfills the “First Greatest Commandment” given to us by Jesus. It’s true. However, we must also consider that praise and worship is a manner of prayer because we are communicating our love and adoration to God. One of my favorite songs says, “It's Your breath in our lungs so we pour out our praise.” Using a word picture, I envision praise as the “lungs” in my spiritual body that voice His truth as a prayer.
True praise and worship is ascribing to God everything that we humanly possess, including our need for Him. Expressing gratefulness and thankfulness will humble you and create a position of dependency on God and His provision. We need not fear being completely dependent on God—He delights in being a good Father and provider. Our human frailty and neediness do not offend Him because of His great love for us.
Why is this important? God will supernaturally respond when we place ourselves in a position of dependence. Whether we pray for ourselves, another person or our nation, isn’t there an underlying desire for God to rescue us from ourselves? In other words, “Lord, I’m tired of trying to do this myself and messing up. I’m ready to do it Your way!”
So, what is the key to living dependent upon God? When we lay down our pride and self-sufficiency, God will meet our greatest needs as only He can. How do I lay down my pride and self-sufficiency? In all things and at all times, giving thanks, we turn to God and recognize Him as our source, our provider. When your circumstances are choking the life from you, give God thanks in the midst of your troubles—sing praises to Him. To “worship” means to “ascribe worth”—God is worthy to be praised.
Please realize that your current circumstances have nothing to do with the fact that God is to be praised at all times. “From the rising of the sun to its going down the LORD’S name is to be praised.” Psalms 113:3 NKJ
In my own life, I have found this to be incredibly true. In the direst times of need in my life, I have sought to give thanks to God for who He is and the things He has done. In every instance, when I have turned to Him in thanksgiving, gratefulness and praise, God has met my need in my time of trouble.
1 Thessalonians 5:18 states, “In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”
Notice two things about this verse; (1) we are to give thanks in all things, not for all things, and (2) giving thanks in everything is God’s will for you. I have come to realize that it is only in Him and through Him that I can be truly delivered.
Our persistent state of neediness requires an ongoing position of worship, praise, thanksgiving and gratefulness.
I am reminded of the account when Paul and Silas were thrown into prison for preaching the gospel message (Acts 16:20-24). In the midst of their horrific circumstances, they began to sing hymns and pray. Seeing myself in this terrifying, painful and humiliating scenario is hard to imagine; however, we are given a life-changing look into an important principle.
Thanksgiving, praise and worship engender an attitude of trust and dependence, which enables God to work in our lives.
This is precisely how and why Paul and Silas were miraculously delivered. God will do the same for you and me in similar trials.
Humble thanksgiving in prayer creates an attitude of dependency that moves God’s hands. Our prayers have a multiplied effectiveness when we rejoice in Him, thank Him and trust in Him, no matter what we are facing.
Affirmations of God’s glory and extolling His Majesty define prayer in its highest form.
The truth is that our prayers are always about God and His kingdom purposes. For instance, any prayer you might choose to pray is really centered on bringing about His will in your life, or in the life of another person. If your neighbor is sick and you pray for healing, then you are actually praying for God’s kingdom provision to come on earth. His kingdom is extended when you or your neighbor experience God through healing. Healing of mind or body is God’s will for every person.
Both the beginning and end of the Lord’s prayer, extoll God, recognizing His preeminence. God is worthy of our highest praises no matter our circumstances. When we take this to heart, our relationship with God goes to a higher level—it’s all about Him.
It is only in and through Jesus that we can worship God in spirit and truth. For true worshipers, Jesus gives us a precious and eternal gift—the capacity to know the Father and worship Him.
Through worship, we discover and obtain genuine intimacy with Him, enabling us to find, to know, to possess and to enjoy God.
Therefore, we must intentionally place God as supreme with our focus on Him as our redeemer and provider. Worship redirects our hearts, placing Him in the highest place. Genuine worship transforms us from selfishness to selflessness, allowing us to pray effectively.
Excerpted and adapted from, “Prayer by the Book” - Available on Amazon.com by clicking here: Prayer by the Book
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