How Declaring God’s Praise and Promises Ushers in God’s Presence and Prepares Us for Breakthrough

You’ve been holding out for God’s promises in your life. You have heard God speak a promise to you for your situation, but you were given no timeframe for when God would carry those promises out in your life, and now find yourself in a season of waiting and trusting. You have read about God’s promises in the Bible for His people. They are so good, but you have started to wonder, do these promises apply to me and my circumstances today? 

You know the verse that says, “You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it” (John 14:14). You’ve prayed, but still have not received what you asked for or what you believe God has promised you. So you pray again, just to be sure God heard you. Still, there’s no answer. You know God is good, so does this mean there is something wrong with what you prayed for? Are you out of alignment with God’s will?

I’ve learned that this thought process only leads down a dark road of guilt and shame. No, I can’t go there, you tell yourself. You know you prayed according to His will, you remind yourself, so what is the deal? You start to struggle with doubt, confusion, and unbelief. You’re beginning to think that either God didn’t hear your prayers, or He heard you but the answer is no. Or maybe, just maybe, the answer is not yet. 

It’s in the not yet, that we can start to flounder a bit. You may feel a little lost or directionless. I know this struggle all too well, because I’ve struggled with it myself. I’ve held on to hope for 20 years for the fulfillment of one of God’s promises, fighting with all I’ve got to effectively, joyfully, and purposefully live my life for the glory of God in the mean time—living on a prayer! If this sounds familiar, it could be you’re in a desert season of life.

If you have ever wondered if God hears your prayers, there are a couple verses and of Scripture I would like to share with you, to reassure you that God not only hears our prayers, but He answers each and every one. They are as follows:

“The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective” (James 5:16).

“For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer . . .” (1 Peter 3:12).

Without a doubt, God hears the prayers of His children, but sometimes it is hard to know why we’re having to wait so long for God to act and bring His promises to fulfillment. If you are in a season of waiting, you can be assured God has a purpose and a plan for your life that He will reveal in His perfect timing. Our job in the waiting is to be obedient to continue with what God has placed before us to do where He has planted us. He will use our current circumstances to prepare and equip us to receive His blessing. In the wait, He will cultivate and prepare you for your calling. He is working all things for your good, and for the good of the kingdom. In all things we must ask ourselves, “Will this bring more glory to God?” After all, it’s in Him that we live and move and have our being (see Acts 17:28).

If you want to receive the promises of God, you must believe, and declare His promises over your life.  One of the greatest breakthroughs I have ever received in my life came when I woke up one morning, and I heard God tell me, “Declare your breakthrough today.” I wanted to pinch myself to be sure I wasn’t dreaming, that I had indeed heard God correctly. That morning, before heading off to work, I declared my breakthrough, and in less than two hours after my prayer of declaration, my breakthrough came. I had been waiting on a job change. My job had been causing me too much emotional and physical stress, and I wanted out. I didn’t know how it would be possible without up and quitting, but I knew God wasn’t calling me to do that at this time. Financially, I still needed to work. It wasn’t time to walk away. God was telling me to keep holding on, to persevere. Meanwhile, God was working behind the scenes in ways I could not have imagined. I had been praying for less on my plate, but God wanted to give me more! A new position was posted that day that hadn’t existed before, and I was able to apply for that job. This new position I was offered ended up being less stressful overall, allowing me the freedom to spend more time with my family and have energy enough to begin writing my first book! While I only stayed in that position for five years before God called me home full-time as a wife, mom, and writer, it was the next right step for me and the breakthrough I had been praying for to begin fulfilling my desire for sharing my faith more and ministering to others.

The enemy comes to kill, steal, and destroy, but Jesus came that we might have life and have it to the full (see John 10:10). Just like that, God broke open the gate and led me out of my Egypt. This experience taught me that, at times, God is simply waiting to hear from us that we believe He can do all He has promised He will. God has also given us authority. We are rulers and enforcers of God’s will on earth. We have been given the authority of Jesus Christ in us to bring His kingdom come with our prayers.

The night before my big breakthrough, I sensed God was telling me to thank and praise Him for His goodness. He tells us to, “Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name” (Psalm 100:4). I also sensed that He was calling me to declare His promises for me. So I decided to type up two pages worth of Scripture passages that I felt God leading me to use in my declarations. I hung them up on my bathroom mirror in the months prior to my breakthrough, to declare out loud every morning as I got ready to go to work. Not only did this remind me of God’s promises, but it grew my trust and faith in God, helping me believe God would fulfill His promises to me.

One of the most powerful ways we can pray, is to pray God’s Word. Below is my declaration prayer that I used during this time of waiting for the fulfillment of God’s promises in my life. I changed some of the words to personalize them for myself. For instance, I changed “Your” to “My,” and I left a blank space for writing in the specific promise I sensed God speaking to my heart. I want to encourage you to do the same. My hope is that this prayer would be a source of encouragement and help to you in declaring God’s promises spoken over you. I’ve created it as a PDF download you can print out or save to your phone if you prefer. Go to my “Free Resources” page on my website to access it, or click here for the direct link. By signing up for my email list, you will get my blog posts and other ministry-related information sent directly to your inbox.

May God fulfill each and every promise to you, in Jesus’ name! Blessing on you, friend!

DECLARATION OF GOD’S PROMISES:

“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you.  See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the LORD rises upon you and his glory appears over you.  Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.  Lift up your eyes and look about you: All assemble and come to you; your sons come from afar, and your daughters are carried on the hip.  Then you will look and be radiant, your heart will throb and swell with joy; the wealth on the seas will be brought to you,  to you the riches of the nations will come” (Isaiah 60:1-5).

“Then [My] light will break forth like the dawn, and [my] healing will quickly appear; then [my] righteousness will go before [me], and the glory of the Lord will be [my] rear guard. Then [I] will call, and the LORD will answer; [I] will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I” (Isaiah 58:8-9, personalization and emphasis mine).

“[I] will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before [me], and all the trees of the field will clap their hands” (Isaiah 55:12, personalization and emphasis mine).

“The Lord will guide [me] always; he will satisfy [my] needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen [my] frame. [I] will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail. [My] people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; [I] will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings” (Isaiah 58:11-12, personalization and emphasis mine).

“[Jesus, you] will go before [me] and will level the mountains; [you] will breakdown gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron” (Isaiah 45:2, personalization and emphasis mine).

“Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures through all generations. [You] are trustworthy in all [you] promises and faithful in all [you do]” (Psalm 145:13, personalization and emphasis mine).

“Instead of [my] shame [I] will receive a double portion, and instead of disgrace [I] will rejoice in [my] inheritance. And so [I] will inherit a double portion in [my] land, and everlasting joy will be [mine]” (Isaiah 61:7, personalization and emphasis mine).

“For no matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘Yes’ in Christ. And so through him the ‘Amen’ is spoken by [me] to the glory of God” (2 Corinthians 1:20, personalization and emphasis mine).

“Who am I, LORD God, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? And as if this were not enough in your sight, my God, you have spoken about the future of the house of your servant. You, LORD God, have looked on me as though I were the most exalted of [women]. What more can [I] say to you for honoring your servant? For you know your servant, LORD. For the sake of your servant and according to your will, you have done [great things] and made known all these great promises. There is no one like you, LORD, and there is no God but you, as [I] have heard with my own ears. And who is like your people Israel—the one nation on earth whose God went out to redeem a people for himself, and to make a name for yourself, and to perform great and awesome wonders by driving out nations from before your people, whom you redeemed from Egypt? You made your people Israel your very own forever, and you, LORD, have become their God. And now, LORD, let the promise you have made concerning your servant and [her] house be established forever. Do as you promised, so that it will be established and that your name will be great forever. Then people will say, ‘The LORD Almighty, the God over Israel, is Israel’s God!’ And the house of your servant [my name] will be established before you. You, my God, have revealed to your servant that you will build a house for [her] [and ____________]. So your servant has found courage to pray to you. You, LORD, are God! You have promised these good things to your servant.  Now you have been pleased to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue forever in your sight; for you, LORD, have blessed it, and it will be blessed forever” (1 Chronicles 17:16–27, personalization and emphasis mine).

“But thanks be to God! He gives [me] the victory through [my] Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:57, personalized, emphasis mine).

GREAT ARE YOU LORD!!!