29 REJOICE WHEN YOU PRAY.

Always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy.

     —Philippians 1:4

Laugh. Celebrate. Praise. Overflow with joy when you pray. Why are you so somber? Perhaps you take yourself too seriously when you pray!

There is a time to weep and a time to laugh declares the preacher in Ecclesiastes 3:4. So why do you spend so much time anguishing in prayer. Laugh!

Jesus rejoiced when he prayed:

In that hour Jesus rejoiced in the Spirit and said, “I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and revealed them to babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight.”

     (Luke 10:21–22).

Why rejoice? Rejoice because He will answer your prayer. Rejoice because the victory of the Cross has already been won. Rejoice because you have received the gift of the Holy Spirit. Rejoice because abundant life is yours. Rejoice because you cannot fail. Rejoice because the best is yet to come.

Let Psalm 150 be the climate in which your prayers rise to the Father, i.e. praise the Lord in everything!

Praise the LORD!
Praise God in His sanctuary;
Praise Him in His mighty firmament!
Praise Him for His mighty acts;
Praise Him according to His excellent greatness!
Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet;
Praise Him with the lute and harp!
Praise Him with the timbrel and dance;
Praise Him with stringed instruments and flutes!
Praise Him with loud cymbals;
Praise Him with clashing cymbals!
Let everything that has breath praise the LORD.
Praise the LORD!

     —Psalm 150

Jesus,

Remove anything from me that keeps me from rejoicing, laughing and praising when I pray. Amen.