Introduction:
Have you ever thought about how self-centered we human being
are? Just think about it. We’re having a conversation with someone and they’re telling a story about – let’s say – how big the fish they caught was and what are we thinking about? How to top their story.
Someone complains of an ache or a pain and we then have to tell them about our aches and pains.
Being self-centered means caring about yourself and your own needs. Of course I’m not saying that we are like this all the time but admit it – we all have our moments.
Now let’s think about how we pray and talk to God. Usually our prayers are mostly – give me, give me, give me. There is, of course, nothing wrong with taking our needs to the Lord, in fact He tells us to.
We are to cast our cares upon Him. But this can become a problem for us as Christians if that’s all we do.
Acts 16:23-26 And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely:
Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.
And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.
And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed.
Now if any two people ever had a reason to whine it would be Paul and Silas. They were thrown in a Philippian prison because they had cast a demon out of a girl. They were beaten, and then put 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 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.
Obviously, Paul and Silas knew something . For one thing, they knew that sitting there and moaning and groaning about how uncomfortable they were and how the place stuck and how unfair it was they were put there in the first place for doing something good would accomplish absolutely nothing. It wouldn’t help either of them feel better and if anything – it would only add to their misery.
Too, they could have complained to God because really they had been about His business and that’s what got them into this mess in the first place.
But instead of complaining to Him, they began praising Him. The Bible says they began praying and singing praises to God and you know what happened? God sent an earthquake and the prisoners were set free.
When we get our minds off of ourselves and our circumstances and onto God and His greatness and might and begin praising Him with our whole heart, we are loosed and set free. The chains of doubt, fear and confusion are broken and we are set free by the power of praise.
Why?
1. Praise elevates us into God’s presence.
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 in Ps. 22:3 That God inhabits the praises of His people. In other words, God “dwells” in the atmosphere of His praise. This means praise is a vehicle of faith which brings us into the presence and power of God. Praise and worship are the “gate-pass” which allows us to enter into the Holy of Holies.
Have you ever noticed that the Lord begins to bless and move among us after we begin to worship and praise Him? Some think that worship is a response after the Holy Spirit moves upon them. But, 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.
What is praise?
Since it’s so important to praise the Lord, we should know what it is.
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 centering our attention upon the Lord with heart-felt expressions of love, adoration and thanksgiving.
2. Praise transports us into the realm of the supernatural and into the power of God.
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.
Matt. 15:8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth and honoreth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.
According to Scripture, expressions of praise bring blessing to the Lord and He eagerly awaits the fragrance of our affections, desiring to manifest His sweet presence and power in our midst.
John 4:23 The true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
Unfortunately, some people think praise is something that only takes place in church. However, praise should be a part of a believer’s lifestyle, part of our daily prayer life, at work, in the car, at home in bed or anywhere.
Ps. 34:1 I will bless the Lord at all times: His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
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.
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 and believe He is worthy of our praise.
3. Praise sends the enemy running.
Praise repels the presence of the enemy, Satan. The devil fears the power in the name of Jesus and flees from the Lord’s habitation in praise.
Ps. 50:23 Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I show the salvation of God.
We are told in 2 Chronicles 20, that the children of Judah were outnumbered by the armies of Ammon, Moab and mount Seir. King Jehoshaphat and all the people sought the Lord for His help. The Lord assured the people that this would be His battle.
2 Chron. 20:15 And he said, hearken ye, all Judah and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the Lord unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not your’s but God’s.
So what did the children of Judah do? Being the people of “praise” (Judah actually means “praise”) and knowing that God manifests His power through praise, they sent their army against their enemies, led by the praisers!
2 Chron. 20:21, 22 And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the Lord and that should praise the beauty of holiness as they went out before the army and to say, Praise the Lord; for His mercy endureth forever.
And when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten.
In your praise, God will fight your battles.
When God’s people begin to praise His name, it sends the enemy running and it releases the power and might of God on our behalf.
Do you want to be released from chains that have you bound?
Do you want to see the enemy put to flight?
• Praise Him in spite of your situation, in spite of what you feel.
• Praise Him because He is God and He is worthy.
• Praise Him for the battles He’s already fought for you and won.
