The Power of Celebration: What You Elevate Will Permeate

Alright, let’s get a little real for a moment. We all celebrate something, right? Whether it’s the weekly coffee runs or the annual birthday bash, we’ve all got rituals. But do we ever stop and think about what we’re really celebrating? Because, newsflash: what we celebrate becomes a part of us. Think about it — when you step into someone’s house, there’s evidence of who lives there. If I came to your house, I could probably tell who’s a coffee addict or who loves their scented candles. It’s a metaphysical thing. In the same way, what we elevate in our hearts and lives will permeate every part of who we are.

God Inhabits Where He’s Celebrated

Psalm 22:3 drops a truth bomb: God inhabits the praises of His people. If you’re wondering why God feels far away, maybe ask yourself — are you celebrating Him, or is He the forgotten guest at the party? The truth is, God permeates where He’s invited, honored, and elevated. When we celebrate Him, His presence becomes real in our lives, just like how the Israelites had their seven customary feasts (Passover, Tabernacles, Trumpets, etc.). They weren’t just traditions—they were lifelines, marking God as their Provider, Ruler, and Redeemer.

So, here’s the kicker: if we celebrate God, His presence is unmistakable in our lives. The same goes for anything we elevate. Whether it’s good, bad, or indifferent, what we lift up will sink deep into our lives and start to take over.

It’s a Whole-Sensory Experience

Let me hit you with this: celebration isn’t just a mental thing. We involve all our senses when we celebrate something. Think about it:

• Mouth: What are you speaking into your life? What are you tasting, literally and figuratively?

• Eyes: What are you constantly putting in front of you? What’s capturing your gaze?

• Ears: What are you hearing, listening to?

• Hands: What are you touching, exchanging, holding onto?

• Nose: What are you surrounding yourself with that you can literally “smell”? (Yeah, that one might feel a little abstract, but bear with me.)

The more of your senses are involved, the deeper the celebration goes. In fact, celebration is double honor — it’s not just lip service, it’s giving weight and value to something in all aspects of your life. So, here’s a thought: what have you been giving double honor to?

Ask Yourself This:

1. What do you want in your future life?

2. What don’t you have currently that you wish you did?

Now, I’m about to drop some hard truth on you. What you have — and what you don’t have — is connected to what you’ve been celebrating and elevating. The things we’ve lifted up, the things we’ve put on a pedestal, are the very things shaping our reality. We celebrate what we elevate, and what we elevate will permeate our lives.

Look at Solomon in 1 Kings 11:1-13. He started strong, full of wisdom and favor, but then he began elevating the wrong things — he let his passion outrun his principles. He elevated his own desires and let foreign gods take up residence where the one true God should have been. His downfall came from what he chose to elevate.

Cultural Celebrations: The Silent Sabotage

Okay, here’s where I might step on some toes — but it’s gotta be said. Look at our culture today. What do we celebrate? Look closely, because the highest celebrations are often centered around moms and little girls (hear me out before you grab the pitchforks). While it’s not wrong to celebrate them, what happens when we elevate these roles above God’s order and authority? When matriarchal power is elevated above patriarchal, we celebrate emotions, soul strength, and entitlement over honor, excellence, and spiritual strength.

Now, flip that around. When we elevate the patriarch, we’re celebrating God-given authority, order, courage, knowledge, and honor. The celebration shifts our focus from sensuality and entitlement to empowerment, progress, and kingdom principles.

If we want to change what permeates our lives, we have to change what we’re celebrating. It starts in the mind. What are we elevating? What deserves double honor?