To glorify means to praise, extol, magnify, celebrate, to honor, do honor to, hold in honor, to acknowledge someone to be excellent. In Matthew chapter 5, Jesus spoke:
14 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.
15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.
16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”
Our works should glorify Our Heavenly Father and not ourselves. When man sees our successes and inquires, we quickly give FATHER the glory and honor because without HIS intervention, we would not achieve the results man is acknowledging. As we celebrate and do honor to FATHER, our light shines brighter with even greater works as HIS vessels of honor.
Paul wrote by THE SPIRIT in Romans chapter 1:
20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,
21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
22 Professing to be wise, they became fools,
23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.
We are given the consequences of failing to glorify FATHER. Man is no longer grateful for all HE has done. The focus turns to man’s ego and he becomes futile in his thoughts resulting in his foolish heart being darkened. True wisdom departs resulting in man’s attempt to create alternative doctrines and philosophies to fill his lack of understanding. Man then looks to worship something he created which is utterly ridiculous. If and when he finally has his eyes reopened, he will then say “What was I thinking?” All men worship someone or some thing and tend to give priority and focus accordingly. Our Heavenly Father is the only ONE WHO deserves to be given the honor and glory and acknowledgment. Not one person, place, or thing deserves to be exalted above HIM.
Paul wrote by THE SPIRIT in 1 Corinthians chapter 6:
19 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?
20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.
Though Paul was writing about fleeing sexual immorality, this Truth has a broad application. Shouldn’t I pursue Divine health and healing which in turn will glorify FATHER? No matter what stage of sickness or disease I am experiencing, shouldn’t I seek FATHER to impart HIS promise of healing and restoration in my life? Absolutely! What better way to glorify FATHER than to be able to personally testify of HIS healing power. Abraham walked in faith and glorified FATHER and then became the father of many nations. In Luke chapter 13, Jesus ministered healing to a woman:
10 Now He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath.
11 And behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bent over and could in no way raise herself up.
12 But when Jesus saw her, He called her to Him and said to her, “Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity.”
13 And He laid His hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.
Jesus did not criticize her for having no faith for the past eighteen years, He accepted her where she was at and by His Love for her, He restored her to normality. There is no doubt that she heard the pure Word of Jesus’ teaching and her faith was energized. She gave FATHER the glory and was truly grateful to be loosed. What better way to glorify FATHER than to be a testimony of HIS Love and goodness. Let us purify our souls with HIS Word as Peter wrote in 1 Peter chapter 1:
22 Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart,
23 having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever
Our Love and faith will mature and produce good fruit for all to see. As they seek to understand why we are successful, we are given the opportunity to glorify FATHER for all the good fruit coming forth in our lives. As we act on The Word, HIS Glory will be manifested in us and through us to be lights unto the world.