Every Time Praise Brought Breakthrough…

We often skip over the genealogy of Jesus because honestly who wants to read all those names we can’t pronounce?But quietly tucked in Matthew 1:3 (NKJV) is this line:Judah begot Perez…

Judah means praise. Perez means breakthrough and just like that, we see it:Praise gives birth to breakthrough.It’s not just a poetic idea. It’s a pattern. 

In Acts 16:25-26(NKJV) , Paul and Silas were in a prison cell,bound, beaten, and bleeding. When midnight came, they chose to praise. 

But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.

Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed.

Praise… then breakthrough.

In 2 Chronicles 20:21-22(NKJV), Jehoshaphat was surrounded by enemies. The battle was overwhelming but instead of sending warriors first, he sent worshippers. 

And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who should sing to the Lord, and who should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army and were saying: “Praise the Lord, For His mercy endures forever.

Now when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were defeated.

Praise… then breakthrough.So if you find yourself in a tight place-surrounded, tired, or stuck, try what they did, put your dance shoes on! I can tell you from experience that praise has pulled me out of some dark places and given me unexpected breakthroughs. When we praise, the King of Kings Himself steps into our situations.When the church prayed for Peter while he was in prison, God sent an angel to deliver him but in the above named situations, He stepped in by Himself. 

So today, even when you don’t feel like it (especially when you don’t feel like it) even when nothing around you changes immediately just praise because maybe it’s not about changing your situation first but about unlocking your Perez through your Judah.