When was the last time you lifted your hands up to God in prayer, in worship, in consecration, in surrender? Or have you never? Do you find it strange? Or is it just something you are not accustomed to doing? If that’s the case, you’re missing out!
Lifting hands is first a Scriptural instruction.
I will therefore that men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting (1Timothy 2:8)
Beyond being a Scriptural instruction, what is it about?
It is an act of offering worship & thanksgiving.
Thus will I bless You while I live: I will lift up my hands in Your name (Psalm 63:4)
Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, and bless the Lord (Psalm 134:2)
My hands also will I lift up to Your commandments, which I have loved; and I will meditate in Your statutes (Psalm 119:48)
Let my prayer be set forth before You as incense; and the lifting of my hands as the evening sacrifice (Psalm 141:2)
It is an act of prayer (supplication, intercession & repentance).
Hear the voice of my supplications, when I cry to You, when I lift up my hands toward Your holy oracle (Psalm 28:2)
Arise, cry out in the night…..pour out your heart like water before the face of the Lord: lift up your hands toward Him for the life of your young children, that faint for hunger in the top of every street (Lamentations 2:19)
Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the LORD. Let us lift up our hearts with our hands to God in the heavens (Lamentations 3:40&41)
Having rent my garment and my mantle, I fell upon my knees, and spread out my hands to the LORD my God (Ezra 9:5b)
My eye mourns by reason of affliction: LORD, I have called daily upon You, I have stretched out my hands to You (Psalm 88:9)
And Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven (1Kings 8:22)
It is an expression of thirst (desire) for God.
I stretch forth my hands to You: my soul thirsts after You, as a thirsty land (Psalm 143:6)
It is a significant practice in the Spirit; a prophetic action producing definite effects.
And it came to pass, when Moses lifted up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed (Exodus 17:11)
And Moses went out of the city from Pharoah, and spread abroad his hands to the LORD: and the thunders and hail ceased, and the rain was not poured upon the earth (Exodus 9:33)
It is an act of swearing by covenant men, angels & even God.
And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lifted up my hand to the LORD, the Most High God, the possessor of heaven and earth, that I will not take.....anything that is yours….. (Genesis 14:22&23)
And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven, and swore….. (Revelations 10:5&6)
For I lifted up My hand to heaven, and say, I live forever (Deuteronomy 32:40)
It is an act of blessing.
And He led them out as far as to Bethany, and He lifted up His hands, and blessed them (Luke 24:50)
It is an expression of the posture of our heart.
It seems to me from Scriptures like Psalm 143:6, Lamentations 3:41 & Ezra 9:5b that when we lift our hands or stretch them out to God, we are doing something in the physical that mirrors or represents the posture or attitude of our hearts: desire, surrender, repentance etc.
In worship, in prayer, in invoking the blessing over your children & your church members & even yourself, lift your hands to God even if no one else will.
There are prophetic utterances that you release with your hand(s) lifted up. There are times, without a word, you prophetically lift your hands & unlock, release & provoke changes in both the spiritual & physical realms. Discern such things & respond accordingly.
Your hands are not just to be trained for natural activities sir & ma, train yourself by the Word to use them in this our realm.
You are the blessed!
