Text: Habakkuk 3:17–18
PTMC I need you to shout one little word with me? Somebody shout yet.
Come on say it like you mean it, and shout YET!!!!
Yet, is the word that changes everything here. Yet, the word that turns tears into triumph. Yet, is the word that bridges the gap between despair and destiny.
I’m telling you that yet is the word that shifts the story from breakdown to breakthrough.
Yet is the word that refuses to let failure have the final say.
Let me just tell you that yet is the word that transforms weakness into a witness.
Habakkuk said:
Though the fig tree does not blossom, and there be no fruit on the vines, though the olive crop fails, and the fields yield no food, though the flock is cut off from the fold, and there is no herd in the stalls. YET I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.
I came to tell somebody tonight: Praise is not about your position, but it’s about your perspective.
Praise is not about what’s happening around you, but it’s about who’s still sitting on the throne above you.
When the fig tree fails, faith still works.
Habakkuk looked around and said, the fig tree isn’t blossoming.
That’s like saying, my plans didn’t work out. It’s like saying, I sowed my seeds, but I don’t see any harvest yet.
But here is a word for somebody on this morning.
Faith is not seasonal.
Faith works in the drought just as much as it works in the rain.
That’s why the Psalmist said in Psalms 34:1, I will bless the Lord at all times: His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
Faith is not seasonal, it works in all seasons.
I know in the spring, when flowers bloom and new life pushes through the soil, it doesn’t matter to me, yet, I will still bless the Lord.
In the summer time, when the sun blazes and the heat of trials presses on me, yet I will bless the Lord.
In the fall, when the leaves wither and things around me begin to fade, I will bless the Lord.
In the winter, when the nights are long, cold, and lonely, I think you should have it by now, yet I will bless the Lord.
So, that why David declared I will bless the Lord at all times: His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
Tell your neighbor: my praise doesn’t depend on my figs, but it depends on my faith in a faithful God, knowing that God is still in control.
My praise rests on the fact that God is still good, and that God is the joy of my salvation.
Because figs may fail, but my faith still works.
Habakkuk said, there is no cattle in the stalls. In other words, there’s no provision in sight. The resources are all dried up. The paycheck is gone. The bank account is empty.
But here’s the shout: my God doesn’t need cattle in the stall to provide for me. He owns the cattle on a thousand hills.
God doesn’t need cattle in the stall to provide for me. He owns the cattle on a thousand hills.
God doesn’t need money in my pocket to make me rich. He supplies all my needs according to His riches in glory.
God doesn’t need medicine in the cabinet to heal me. He is the Lord that healeth thee.
God doesn’t need a crowd to validate me. If God be for me, who can be against me?
God doesn’t need the storm to stop to keep me safe. He can speak peace in the middle of it.
God doesn’t need the river to dry up to bring me through. He can part the waters and make a way.
God doesn’t need the fire to go out to protect me. He can step into the furnace and walk with me.
God doesn’t need the giant to disappear to give me victory. He can use a sling and a stone to bring him down.
God doesn’t need the walls to crumble first. He can make me shout until the walls fall flat.
God doesn’t need death to stay dead. He is the Resurrection and the Life.
Philippians 4:19 teach us but my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
Somebody ought to shout: No cattle, no problem.
Because my praise doesn’t come from what I see in the stall. My praise comes from who I know is still sitting on the throne.
Praise is not situational, it’s spiritual!
Habakkuk declared, I will rejoice, I will joy in the God of my salvation.
Notice he didn’t say, if things get better, I’ll rejoice. He didn’t say, If my prayers are answered by tomorrow, I’ll rejoice.
No, he said: I will rejoice.
That’s a decision.
That’s a choice.
That’s a made-up mind.
And church, when you make up your mind to praise God regardless, that’s when the enemy gets nervous.
Because he knows he can’t control somebody that has a yet praise.
I love what Job 13:15 had to say about it, Job said though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.
You ought to tell your neighbor: Praise is my weapon.
Here is what Paul and Silas did in Acts 16:25–26 when they were going through, the bible said: And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God, and suddenly, (somebody say suddenly) there was a great earthquake, and the prison doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed.
When I praise Him, chains fall. When I praise Him, walls come down.
When I praise Him, darkness has to flee.
Do I have anybody in here who knows the power of praise?
Let me close this thang:
I know that the doctor said sick, but yet will I praise Him
The bills are due, yet will I praise Him.
Friends walked away, yet will I praise Him.
Trouble came knocking, yet will I praise Him!
Because in Roman it says in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us.
Somebody open your mouth and shout yet.
Let me leave you with this story:
There was a woman who attended church every Sunday, without fail, she would clap her hands, do her dance, and shout louder than anyone else.
But one day, somebody got curious, and they asked her sister, how can you shout like that when you don’t have a car, you don’t have much money, and your children are still going through?
That woman smiled and said:
You see, you’re looking at my situation, but I’m looking at my Savior.
You see what I don’t have, but I see who I do have. I don’t praise God because of what’s on my table, I praise Him because He put food on the table yesterday.
I don’t praise Him because everything is perfect, but I praise Him because He’s perfect in everything.
And if He never does another thing for me, He’s already done enough!
Because Jesus is the same yesterday, and today, and forever.
And I heard that the whole church began to shouted with her, because they realized: situations may change, but my God never changes. Seasons may shift, but my Savior stays the same.
So I came to encourage you this morning, don’t wait for everything to line up. Don’t wait until the fruit shows up on the vine. Don’t wait until the cattle return to the stall. Open up your mouth and give Him a yet praise.
Because the just shall live by faith, and faith says: Even if I don’t see it, even if I don’t feel it, I will praise Him anyway.
Psalm 150:6, Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord.
Somebody shout with me: Yet will I praise Him.
Now shout it one more time like you mean it: YET WILL I PRAISE HIM.
I praise him because he died for me.
I praise him because they whipped him.
I praise him because they pierced him in his side.
I praise him because they place a crown of 72 thorns on his head.
But most of all I praise him because early one Sunday morning, he got up, and declared all power was in his hands.
