Eternal Benefits

Dr. Michael Youssef is the pastor of the thriving Atlanta congregation, the Church of the Apostles, as well as a popular author and International Bible teacher. So we thank you for joining him for Leading the Way. We know things of life often bring frustration or challenge and disappointment, even aggravation, as we go through all of the seasons of life. But there is a biblical antidote to all that we're going through, and believe it or not, it comes through praise. No, not just turning on praise music in the background or participating in the worship time at church, although those can be a key part of praise, but more, allowing God to lift you above the circumstances of life and empower you to experience joy amid sorrow, life when surrounded by death, and healing even amid pain and sickness. Indeed, it is experiencing triumph through praise. Today on Leading the Way, Dr. Youssef begins a very personal praise series, revealing that when you lift your eyes to God, offering praise for the good and bad, you'll open yourself to experience God's empowerment to tackle all of the challenges in life.

So listen with me as Dr. Michael Youssef offers four things about a praise-filled life. Many of you are familiar with my testimony, but I will testify until the Lord takes me home, whenever that might be. In the early days of the birthing of this church, I was running haggard. I was having early appointments to late appointments, and my time with the Lord got less and less and less until God put me on my back for two solid weeks. And during that time, the Lord so graciously got my attention and began to minister to me. The Lord began to teach me that I'm missing out on the life of victory and triumph.

Oh, I was preaching. I was studying the Scriptures. I was faithful to exposition of the Word of God. I was ministering. I was counseling. I was serving. But the Lord showed me very, very clearly and continues to. I thank God for that, that I cannot minister effectively for Him until I've spent adequate time with Him. From that day on until this moment, every morning, the moment my feet hit the floor, I begin my time.