I'll Praise Him Anyhow

 Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise!

This is the scripture that rang out clear and loud in my head this week. The enemy can definitely attack you in such a manor that you will feel as if you cannot even give God praise and thanksgiving. However, I am determined that no matter what is happening in the physical my spirit will always override it and give God all the praise, glory and honor that He is due. In other words, I'll praise Him anyhow!

Saints of God, know that you are going to go through your family turning against you and if you are not able to discern that it's the enemy being his usual ugly self then you will lose your praise out of your alabaster box and just be a dull little light slumped under a tree asking God what you did to deserve such a dysfunctional, unholy group of people.

When Jesus was talking to Peter in Matthew 16 and He said "Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thous savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men" he wasn't addressing Peter, he was addressing the spirit of satan that was operating in Peter.

Joseph was put in a pit by his own blood brothers, sold into slavery and imprisoned yet his faithfulness to God never wavered. Yes, he had his moments of pain over what his brothers did and he even exacted his own measure of punishment on them, but in the end he knew that he was too blessed not to be a blessing to them and others.

The enemy strikes closest to home. He takes the very ones that should be loving and supporting you and uses them to harrass, demean, drain and dissappoint you. Yet, remember this, the word tells us that we are to pray for those who despitefully use us and that we sometimes even have to leave family behind in order to have the fullness of what God has ordained for us in our lives.

For years, I have given of myself unselfishly to family and so called friends. And this week has shown me that I can't even trust the young ones to walk beside me in peace and harmony. Yes, I was hurt and my heart ached with a pain that I cannot describe. However, I remembered that my bloodline had changed the moment I said "yes" to God and "no" to this world. Even though my earthly family had forsaken me, devised evil against me, my spiritual family was bearing me up and giving me the support and love that I needed.

Mothers against daughters, Fathers against sons. Itchings ears and a form of godliness but no power. As I took a good look at the situation I realized that even those who claimed the name of Christ and were talking about they desired to enter into Heaven were not displaying the fruits of the spirit and definitely not displaying Christ like character. I knew that I was standing in the midst of those that were akin to the Pharisees and Sadducees. My spirit man stood up and I was mighty in the Lord knowing that even though I was being attacked on many levels, I was going to praise God anyhow!

When you are going through the storms of life and you feel as though your earthly family has forsaken you or worst yet joined the defense team, look up and see that your Heavenly family has your back and praise Him anyhow.

When your mother whispers condemnation against you and your father just sits there and smiles, look to Jesus your mediator and lover of your soul and praise God anyhow.

When your brothers and sisters continue to do all manner of evil against you and call you everything but a child of God, remember that greater is He that is within you than he that is in the world and praise God anyhow!

Understand that the old saying blood is thicker than water is true. But, earthly blood can be thinned so much it can have the consistency of water. However, Heavenly blood is the tie that binds and it is stronger than anything you have ever experienced. It never runs, it never fails and it never forsakes you!

Praise God Anyhow, for your praise and faithfulness is what pleases God and causes Him to act on your behalf!

Apostle Yolanda Dean