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Opening the door with the key of Praise and Faith Song: I will praise Him from everlasting
Doors will never open when you complain or grumble. Doors open with praise of faith. Praising God no matter the circumstance put the devil to flight and Satan gets really humiliated when a believers praise God even in the worst situations of their lives. Are you ever discouraged? When you are, what do you do about it? Are you ever worried, even scared about your future? Are there times that you are facing monstrous problems and you do not know what to do about them? What about facing persistent pain that seems to follow you wherever you go? Are there any remedies to help us deal with these struggles? "Wow! You mean there are actually agents trying to discourage me by creating huge stumble blocks in my life?" What is Praise? Praise means “to commend, to applaud or magnify.” For the Christian, praise to God is an expression of worship, lifting-up and glorifying the Lord. It is an expression of humbling ourselves and centring our attention upon the Lord with heart-felt expressions of love, adoration and thanksgiving. High praises bring our spirit into a pinnacle of fellowship and intimacy between ourselves and God — it magnifies our awareness of our spiritual union with the most high God. Praise transports us into the realm of the supernatural and into the power of God. “Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O LORD, in the light of thy countenance” (Psalms 89:15). There are many actions involved with praise to God — verbal expressions of adoration and thanksgiving, singing, playing instruments, shouting, dancing, lifting or clapping our hands. But true praise is not “merely” going through these motions. Jesus spoke about the hypocrisy of the Pharisees, whose worship was only an outward show and not from the heart. “This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me” (Matthew 15:8). Genuine praise to God is a matter of humility and sincere devotion to the Lord from within. Unpretentious praise and worship pleases the Lord. He delights in the love and devotion of His children. According to the scriptures, the various expressions of praise bring blessing to the Lord. He eagerly awaits the fragrance of our affections, desiring to manifest His sweet presence and power in our midst. “...the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him” (John 4:23). Praise to God is a Lifestyle All too often, praise to God is something that many people leave at Church, an event that happens only when they come together with other Christians. However, praise should be a part of a believers’ lifestyle, inter-mingled as a part of their daily prayer-life. At work, in the car, at home in bed, or anywhere; praise to the Lord brings the refreshing of the Lord’s presence, along with His power and anointing. “...I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth” (Psalms 34:1). Praise is an expression of faith, and a declaration of victory! It declares that we believe God is with us and is in control of the outcome of all our circumstances (Romans 8:28). Praise is a “sacrifice,” something that we offer to God sacrificially, not just because we feel like it, but because we believe in Him and wish to please Him. “By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name” (Hebrews 13:15). Praise s ends the e nemy r unning Since praise manifests God’s presence, we also realise that praise repels the presence of the enemy, Satan. An atmosphere which is filled with sincere worship and praise to God by humble and contrite hearts is disgusting to the Devil. He fears the power in the name of Jesus, and flees from the Lord’s habitation in praise. “Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I show the salvation of God” (Psalms 50:23). When God’s people begin to praise His name, it sends the enemy running! I challenge you to become a person of praise, and you will experience the release of the power of God! Now I would like to base the effectiveness of praising God on God's Word. There are so many texts to choose from. Paul and Silas in prison “And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely: This Bible story begins the unjust arrest of Paul and Silas. Because they had cast a spirit of divination out of a girl, the local Philippian authorities beat them and then threw them into a jail cell. Besides the trauma of the severe beating, they were fastened in stocks which clamped their arms and legs in an immobile position, causing cramps and loss of circulation. The atmosphere there was depressing. According to the standards of that day, a prison was more like the resemblance of a dungeon. A dark, damp, stench-ridden place, with no facility for waste or comforts of any kind. Yet, in spite of the throbbing pain in their bodies and the disheartening atmosphere, at midnight Paul and Silas were heard praying and singing praises to God! What a strange sound this must have been to the other prisoners, who were used to only hearing the groans or cursing of those who had been beaten. Then suddenly, there was an earthquake that shook the prison! The doors flung open, and amazingly, the bonds of Paul, Silas, and every other prisoner were released! What caused this mighty discharge of power? Praise Elevates us into God’s Presence and Power: Paul and Silas knew the secret of how to lift their hearts above their troubles and enter into God’s presence and power. Through praise and worship their hearts were raised into the joyous presence and peace of God, and provided God a channel for his power to operate in their circumstances. The Bible says that God inhabits in the praises of His people (Psalms 22:3). In other words, God “dwells” in the atmosphere of His praise. This means that praise is not merely a reaction from coming into His presence - Praise is a vehicle of faith which brings us into the presence and power of God! Praise and worship is the “gate-pass” which allows us to enter the sacredness of His glory. The psalmist writes, “Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name” (Psalms 100:4). This corresponds with Jesus’ teaching, that His presence will inhabit the gathering of believers who congregate in His name: “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:20). A “gathering in His name” means that Jesus must be the focus, the centre of the assembly. He must be the one preached about, sung about — the one praised and worshiped. “I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee” (Hebrews 2:12). Consequently, Christ’s presence, along with His virtue and anointing, is manifested in this type of gathering. Have you ever noticed when “gifts of the Spirit” operate in a Church service? The power and anointing of the Holy Spirit usually becomes evident, subsequent to a time of worship and praise. Some think that worship is a response after the Holy Spirit moves upon them. However, it’s the other way around. God’s presence responds when we move upon Him with worship! Lifting up Jesus Christ through praise and worship invokes the Lord’s presence and power to flow in our midst. The praise of Jehoshaphat is king of Judah ( 2 Chronicles 20: 1-27 ). We find ourselves in a time period where Jehoshaphat is king of Judah. Unlike his predecessors, He was a good king who had a close relationship with his Maker. Being a firm believer doesn't keep trouble out of our way though! The Moabites joined ranks with the Ammonites and the Menunites and decided to conquer Judah. This was a "vast army" and Jehoshaphat had no way to match it. The inhabitants of Judah, naturally, became discouraged. They were sure they would all perish or become enslaved by their enemies! Jehoshaphat first reaction was to assemble his people and pray to God. You know, my friend, you can never go wrong when you consult first with your God in Heaven! Whenever you are facing a huge problem or an impossible trial, try God first, not last! I love Jehosaphat's conclusion in his prayer: 2 Chronicles 20:12 "For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you." In other words, Jehosaphat is saying, "with our eyes on you Lord, I hand over my problem, because it is a God-sized problem! Humanly there are no solutions to it. Only You have the solution!" Immediately God's Spirit revealed Himself through Jahaziel and he made the following prophecy: "Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the LORD says to you: 'Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God's. Tomorrow march down against them. They will be climbing up by the Pass of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the gorge in the Desert of Jeruel. You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you” (2 Chronicles 20:15-17). Of course we know we should not be afraid when facing problems, because we know that: "the battle is not yours, but God's." But so often we forget who our partner is when we become Christians. God is our Father, why would He neglect helping His children? "You will not have to fight this battle." The people of Judah received God's guarantee that they would not have to lift one finger or sword against this huge army. Incredible! How is this possible? Because God is in control! "Early in the morning they left for the Desert of Tekoa. As they set out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, "Listen to me, Judah and people of Jerusalem! Have faith in the LORD your God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will be successful." After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the LORD and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying: "Give thanks to the LORD, for his love endures forever." (2 Chronicles 20:20-21). Can you imagine facing a vast enemy army and instead of spears and swords, you only have songs of praise? This defies logic. Some would even say that this is ridiculous! However, the fact remain that Jehosaphat and the inhabitants of Judah were facing their enemies with only songs of praise! "Can a song of praise defeat an army?" Let us find out. "As they began to sing and praise, the LORD set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated. The men of Ammon and Moab rose up against the men from Mount Seir to destroy and annihilate them. After they finished slaughtering the men from Seir, they helped to destroy one another. When the men of Judah came to the place that overlooks the desert and looked toward the vast army, they saw only dead bodies lying on the ground; no one had escaped." (2 Chronicles 20:22-24). The whole enemy's army started to fight one another and kill each other! None of them remained alive! Jehosaphat never even lifted his sword! Are songs of praise effective? Absolutely! They defeat vast armies! Let's especially pay attention to the phrase: "As they began to sing and praise". The cause of Judah's victory is given to their songs of praise. Praising God invites Him into your situation and chases the enemy away! Jesus promised: "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28). Do you have burdens? Hand them over to Jesus. Do you have worries? Hand them over to Jesus. Do you have discouragements? Hand them over to Jesus by praising Him through joyful singing. He will give you rest, my friends! He is your Sabbath. He is the only one who can give you that inner peace! But let's finish the story: "So Jehoshaphat and his men went to carry off their plunder, and they found among them a great amount of equipment and clothing and also articles of value-more than they could take away. There was so much plunder that it took three days to collect it. On the fourth day they assembled in the Valley of Beracah, where they praised the LORD. This is why it is called the Valley of Beracah to this day." (2 Chronicles 20:25-26). Not only was Jehoshaphat victorious over his enemy, he was blessed beyond imagination with their spoil! My friends, saints of God your problems are insignificant when you hand them over to God. Not only does He guarantee you victory, he also guarantees you eternal blessings! Could there be a better blessing than obtaining eternal life?-life without strive, life without pain or suffering, life filled with love and peace, life without death-this is what awaits you, my friends! Praise be to God, our awesome God! When it was all said and done, notice what Jehoshaphat and his men did: "Then, led by Jehoshaphat, all the men of Judah and Jerusalem returned joyfully to Jerusalem, for the LORD had given them cause to rejoice over their enemies." (2 Chronicles 20:27). You can rejoice over your calamities as well. What do you need to do? Just hand over your problems, your pains, your uncertainties, your anxieties, your depression to Jesus, and He will give you rest! Will you invite Him in your life now? Will you try the Praise Principle in your life? Try it. You will not be disappointed! David facing trouble “I will extol the LORD at all times; his praise will always be on my lips.” (Psalm 34:1). Keep praising God at all times, Remember God is not the cause of your problem but Satan so just praise the Lord at all time. “Seven times a day I praise you for your righteous laws.” (Psalm 119:164). Some Biblical Expressions of Praise The Israelites new that only with praise could they overcome the challenges they faced while on their journey to the Promised Land. Don’t be discourage because you are as believer you are passing through difficulty and you get ashamed of preaching , praying, evangelism or serving in one form or the other. Remember Christ’s prayer, he praised God first and then commanded them to take the stone (grumbling, complaining, murmuring etc) away first before prayer: 39 "Take away the stone," he said. 40Then Jesus said, "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?" 41So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, "Father, I thank you that you have heard me. (John 11:39-41). Like God’s people of old, when we praise God, we proclaim our trust in him and his trustworthiness. We approach him like little children running to their father with arms raised, asking to be lifted and carried by a willing and loving father. Despite our enemies, in his arms we place our security, our hope, and our lives. Declaring of thanks (Hebrews 13:15) Clapping hands and shouting (Psalms 47:1) Musical instruments and dancing (Psalms 150:4) Singing praise songs (Psalms 9:11) Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs (Ephesians 5:19-20) Making a joyful noise (Psalms 98:4) By lifting our hands (Psalms 134:2) By being still (Psalms 4:3-5, 46:10) By being loud (Psalms 33:3, 95:1-6) God bless you Evang. Oseh John B |