WORSHIP BREAKTHROUGH: THE POWER OF PRAISE
OPENING TEXT:
“They were severely beaten, and then they were thrown into prison. The jailer was ordered to make sure they didn't escape. So he took no chances but put them into the inner dungeon and clamped their feet in the stocks. Around midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening. Suddenly, there was a great earthquake, and the prison was shaken to its foundations. All the doors flew open, and the chains of every prisoner fell off!” (Acts 16:23-26). Are you in the midnight hour? God has a miracle for YOU!
THE BIG IDEA: There is a power in praise that can set you free from prisons and bondages, and bring you victory over all of the troubles and problems in your life!
Praise is when we honor God for His character, power, mercy, grace, knowledge, healing.
Worship is our response to God’s holiness.
HOW DO WE PRAISE AND WORSHIP?
1. FROM THE HEART: - John 4:23
We must worship in spirit. (from the heart, not just with externals)
2. ACCORDING TO THE BIBLE: - John 4:23
We must worship in truth. (God’s Word tells us how to worship Him acceptably)
3. IN SONG: - Psalm 149:1
Praise the Lord! Sing to the Lord a new song, and His praise in the assembly of saints.
4. CLAPPING OUR HANDS: - Psalm 47:1a
Oh, clap your hands, all you peoples! (if you’ll clap for a football team, why not God?)
5. SHOUTING: - Psalm 47:1b
Shout to God with the voice of triumph! (again, if you’ll shout for a sports team…!)
6. BOWING: - Psalm 95:6
Oh come, let us worship and bow down; Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.
7. LIFTING OUR HANDS: - Psalm 134:2
Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, and bless the Lord.
8. WITH THANKSGIVING: - Psalm 100:4
Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise.
Take the time to thank God for all of the things He’s done in the past.
9. JOYFULLY: - Psalm 100:2
Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands! Serve the Lord with gladness.
10. IN THE DANCE: - Psalm 149:3 & Psalm 150:4
Let them praise His name with the dance… Praise Him with the dance!
We know that King David, a man after God’s own heart, danced before the Lord with all of His might. He was leaping and whirling before the Lord. (2 Samuel 6:14-16).
11. SACRIFICIALLY: - Hebrews 13:15
Let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God.
David said, “I will not offer an offering that has cost me nothing!” (1 Chron. 21:24).
THE STORY OF JEHOSHAPHAT:
“1 It happened after this that the people of Moab with the people of Ammon, and others with them besides the Ammonites, came to battle against Jehoshaphat. 2 Then some came and told Jehoshaphat, saying, "A GREAT multitude is coming against you from beyond the sea, from Syria; and they are in Hazazon Tamar" (which is En Gedi).
• Jehoshaphat and the children of Israel were facing an impossible situation – 3 enemies!
3 And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. 4 So Judah gathered together to ask help from the Lord; and from all the cities of Judah they came to seek the Lord.
• What did they do in their day of trouble? They sought the Lord in prayer and fasting.
5 Then Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the Lord, before the new court, 6 and said: "O Lord God of our fathers, are You not God in heaven, and do You not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations, and in Your hand is there not power and might, so that no one is able to withstand You? 7 Are You not our God, who drove out the inhabitants of this land before Your people Israel, and gave it to the descendants of Abraham Your friend forever?
• When they prayed, they reminded themselves of God’s power, and past victories.
12 O our God, will You not judge them? For we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You." 13 Now all Judah, with their little ones, their wives, and their children, stood before the Lord.
• They humbled themselves (admitting they were powerless) and looked to the Lord.
• “I will lift up my eyes to the hills—where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth.” (Psalm 121:1-2).
14 Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jahaziel… 15 And he said, "Listen, all you of Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you, King Jehoshaphat! Thus says the Lord to you: 'Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God's.
• When they sought the Lord, God spoke: “Do not be afraid – the battle is the Lord’s!”
18 And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem bowed before the Lord, worshiping the Lord. 19 Then the Levites of the children of the Kohathites and of the children of the Korahites stood up to praise the Lord God of Israel with voices loud and high.
• God promised them victory over their enemies and what did they do?
• They bowed before the Lord, worshipped Him, and praised Him with loud voices!
20 So they rose early in the morning and went out into the Wilderness of Tekoa; and as they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, "Hear me, O Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem: Believe in the Lord your God, and you shall be established; believe His prophets, and you shall prosper."
• God has done His part to make victory available to us – however, we must believe Him!
21 And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who should sing to the Lord, and who should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army and were saying: "Praise the Lord, For His mercy endures forever."
• God’s battle plan for victory over the enemies? THE POWER OF PRAISE!
22 Now when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were defeated.
• Praise brought about a mighty victory – the people didn’t have to fight the battle!
25 When Jehoshaphat and his people came to take away their spoil, they found among them an abundance of valuables on the dead bodies, and precious jewelry, which they stripped off for themselves, more than they could carry away; and they were three days gathering the spoil because there was so much.
• Not only did praise bring victory over their enemies, it also brought blessing!
26 And on the fourth day they assembled in the Valley of Berachah, for there they blessed the Lord; therefore the name of that place was called The Valley of Berachah until this day.
• Notice the people of God praised the Lord before, during and after their battle.
27 Then they returned, every man of Judah and Jerusalem, with Jehoshaphat in front of them, to go back to Jerusalem with joy, for the Lord had made them rejoice over their enemies.
• The end result of victory over our troubles? Fullness of joy!
• When we praise the Lord, we come into His presence (Psalm 22:3) and in His presence there is fullness of joy (Psalm 16:11), and His joy is our strength (Neh. 8:10).
28 So they came to Jerusalem, with stringed instruments and harps and trumpets, to the house of the Lord. 29 And the fear of God was on all the kingdoms of those countries when they heard that the Lord had fought against the enemies of Israel. 30 Then the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet, for his God gave him rest all around.” (2 Chronicles 20:1-30).
• Another result of the power of praise? We experience peace, quiet and rest.
• And – other people around us will have a renewed fear and respect for the Lord!
CLOSING: WORSHIP BREAKTHROUGH:
We are going to close by going into an extended time of praise and worship!
• I have told you what the Bible says about HOW to worship.
• I have shared with you some of the benefits we can experience in the power of PRAISE.
• Now – you must make a CHOICE! YOU choose whether or not to praise God.
Beausejour Community Church Website: www.beausejourchurch.ca
Pastor Chris Jordan’s Blog: http://thelandofpromise.blogspot.com/
