Ready Yourselves

Since I'm a geek...studying analogies speak volumes. Well, I'm pretty sure any student can relate. For instance, if you study really hard, long hours, with others, apply yourself etc preparing for an exam when you get the exam you'll most likely do much better and will be able to attack it from the inside out. Maybe it's a multiple choice exam and you wind up going through 50 questions in less than 10 minutes because your mind can think quickly and you just know the right answer. Or maybe it's an essay test and you take up every single minute to plan carefully and then right as many details possible to answer and earn the most points in an attempt to demonstrate your knowledge to the professor. Either way, most of the work takes place BEFORE the actual test as you ready yourself.
In the same way that's exactly what our prayer life is like. We are promised to face many trials, challenges, opportunities, temptations etc at every and any moment of our lives aka as "exams." Some of them we are aware will happen, while others are unforeseen. Either way we must constantly be in preparation. Every battle is won on our knees before our creator. When we offer prayer and praise to our heavenly Father, surrendering our lives, we experience freedom and joy that will prepare us to knock down whatever will happen. Such as sweet victory...we win in our praise. Just like the battle of Jericho, just like Paul and Barnabas in prison, just like you when you are on your knees. We will win and are guaranteed victory through praise. I've been reminded of this through the Casting Crown song "The Whole World Hears" in these lines:

"Ready yourselves. May the powers of darkness tremble as our praises rise"