Psalms 34:1 - I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. (2) My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. (3) O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together.
I. Do you really understand what praise is? I know that seems like a question I don’t need to ask you since you are coming to a church called “Praising Place”, but I feel that it is one that needs to be addressed.
1. As I look at the church today, I am amazed at the attitude that some of us have adopted. It blows my mind how many folks come into the House of God week after week and this be the only time they praise God. It’s mind-boggling to me how some folk treat God like a umm umm call.
a. They just show up to get their praise on; a little feel good and out the door they go; until the next Sunday. They will spend an entire week miserable and defeated. It seems like you ought to get tired of the same old things; you ought to get tired of living from day to day without any joy, peace, and happiness in your life…
2. You ought to get tired of being down and out…Going through…Going under… going backwards…You ought to be tired of coming in here week after week and leaving the same way you came…Leaving here with the same ole problems…Leaving here with the same ole heartaches…Leaving here with the same ole heartbreaks…Leaving here with the same ole let downs…Leaving here with the same ole setbacks…
a. I Don’t know about you but I’m not going to be down and out…I’m not going to be the tail; I am going to be the head…I’m not going to be defeated; I am an over-comer…but what it all comes down to is how we respond to what life brings to us and how it treats us.
3. Part of our problem is that you won’t praise God in spite of. We all know the saying, “when praises go up, the glory comes down” but do we really know and understand the Power of Praise and its benefits? Praise can cause walls to fall just ask Joshua, praise can stop the fury of fire just ask 3 Hebrew Boys, praise can make a den of lions lose their appetite, just look at Daniel. Ask your neighbor, “are a real praiser”!
4. Praise is simply an expression of approval, admiration, gratitude, or respect. Praise is our weapon in this fight and it can only be used in faith, by believers. Real praiser are the ones that can do it when no one is around, when there is no music, no church service, when everything isn’t going their way. Anyone can pretend to praise but a true praiser has approval on their lives, they have a heart after God, He is their everything; always present in their lives. You don’t praise looking for benefits, you praise cause you love God.
II. When you bless the Lord at all times (good times and bad times) and His praises are always in your mouth; something happens when you live a life of continually praise; you begin to RAISE YOUR PRAISE! Understand me when I tell you that Praise is permeated with Productive Power. True Praise has the Proclivity and the Propensity to be a Powerful Producer. How is Praise a Producer? How do you “raise your praise”?
A. Something happens when you continually praise; in 1Ch 4:1 The sons of Judah; Pharez, Hezron, and Carmi, and Hur, and Shobal. Judah means “Praise” but, did you notice that something is missing from that verse… there is no mention of the mother anywhere here; there’s a father (producer) present, but there is no mention of the mother (carrier/ womb).
aa. Judah (Praise) needs a partner (a bride/ womb/ carrier) to help nurture the seed that must be produced (the sons) but Judah isn’t just looking for anybody.
B. Some of you are not attractive to Judah because your heart’s not right, your motives aren’t right, your intentions are not right; that’s why it seems like you’re not growing and gaining in Kingdom Principles. Dress up all you want, GQ it but that don’t do it for God. He is not desperate for your praise, Jesus said in Luke 19:40 that He can get the rocks to do what you will not do own your own.
1. That’s why: The church is boring to you, the devil is beating you down, the enemy is wreaking havoc in your life, because you refuse to hook up with Judah and consummate your relationship with him by making a true commitment to God; I need to tell you that there are some advantages to hooking up with Judah. Your praise will produce seeds that will give way to fruit!
C. As a dedicated child of God that praise that stays in your mouth will produce a Pharez Praise: (Breach, Cut off, Divider, break forth) Understand me when I tell you that when you praise God, He begins to cut-off some things; He begins to cut off or cut away the things in your life that hinder you from your forward progression in Him, Pharez creates a dividing line between you and what the enemy has designed for your life.
1. So every time he tries to derail you from the plan of God in your life, your Pharez throws him off course, every time he tries to remind you of past failures, your Pharez steps in and reminds him of his future, every time he tries to block you from reaching your full potential in God, your Pharez steps in and cuts off his onslaught at the very point of contact.
2. If you want to go to war against the devil then follow these words from Jud 20:18 And the LORD said, Judah [shall go up] first. Jesus when teaching the disciples to pray; told them to start with praise, before you petition you should start with a praise! He said in Mt 6:9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Ps 100:4 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, [and] into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, [and] bless his name.
a. Your praise will start a war that you will win; look at what happened to the Israelites in 2 Chron. 20, verse 15 says, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle [is] not yours, but God’s. Your praise will breach the enemies’ camp and not just take back what the devil has stolen from you but will take the enemies camp from him! You will be like the children of Israel when they left with the spoils of Egypt…you are creating a plundering praise that takes it all back…
D. Hezron Praise: (Surround, Shield) When you stay with Judah it will produce a shield so “When the enemy comes in like a flood, The Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard (shield, buffer, safeguard) against him”, cause “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty”,
aa. Understand that Hezron blocks “all the fiery darts of the wicked one” Hezron can shield you so that you won’t even see the darts coming at you, you’re so caught up in your praise, that no one and nothing else around you matters, true praise will create such a shield (Hezron) that all hell can be on your doorstep and it won’t affect you.
1. Your praise can take you to another place into the deep recesses of God into the Shekinah Glory, into the Holy of Holies, from glory to glory, from storm to shelter, from fear to faith. It is here you can get wrapped up, tied up, and tangled up in the presence of God and causes you to declare that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
2. Let me finish what happened in 2 Chron. 15, verse 22 says, 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. The enemy may come up against your praise and try to keep you from the Lord, but your praise will prevail. Look at your neighbor and say, “Your Praise will Prevail”!
E. Carmi Praise (Vinedresser/Harvester) First of all, you need to understand that there is difference between a farmer and a vinedresser (harvester). A farmer harvests his own crop, but a vinedresser (harvester) harvests that which he did not plant! Not only that, but he doesn’t just do it when he gets ready. Understand that harvest time comes in its own season you don’t just harvest whenever you want to, but it has to be done in its own season.
1. When you hook up with Judah (praise) it will produce a Carmi as a result of your praise; God will put you in a season to harvest (inherit) that which you don’t necessarily deserve. The Bible calls that Grace! But another word for it is favor! Through your praise, God will cause blessings that you don’t even deserve to come your way, that’s unmerited favor! Tell your neighbor, “I need favor” now look back at them and say, “You better get to harvesting with your praise”.
a. Let me tell you something about seasons. We spend a lot of time trying to figure them out. God said I’m trying to tell you stop looking at the seasons, waiting for them to change (Why?) Because your season is already here! When you hook up with Judah (praise) it will produce a Carmi (Vinedresser) causing you to harvest sooner than you expected. Praise will change your atmosphere it will begin to make shifts in your life. Have you not ever seen a flower bloom out of season (flower in winter), something happened that made that flower bloom early. Don’t you see your praise causes you to bloom early and to go into your season. Here you are bright and blooming when everything around you is grey and dead.
b. Once your season begins, folks will begin to look at you and wonder: How did you… (ex), How come you got…(ex), How come you’re walking in…(ex), How come your household is blessed… Carmi will cause folks to look at you funny…Carmi will cause folks to treat you funny…Carmi will cause folks to talk about you…Carmi will cause folks to ask all kinds of crazy questions.
2. But it’s not because of what you’ve done, or who you are, but it’s simply because of your praise that produced a Carmi. When you have a praise party, God says, “Since you put on the party I will bring my presence and presents” He has come to show up and show out. Ps 1:3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
a. Let me go ahead and give you a warning because when you have the favor the God on your life, be on the lookout for haters; cause guess what they are going to hate, but let ‘‘em hate (Why?) because “favor ain’t fair…” Not my fault you want get your lazy rusty dusty self-up and Praise the Lord. Not my fault you got up on the wrong side of the bed and had a bowl of frosted bitter O’s with sour milk and came to church with a chip on your shoulder.
F. Hur Praise: (Liberty) When you hooked up with Judah (praise) you can produce a Hur (Liberty), and the thing I like about it is that Hur frees me from the opinions of others, Ro 8:1 ¶ [There is] therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
aa. Hur frees me from the past, 2Co 5:17 Therefore if any man [be] in Christ, [he is] a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
bb. Hur frees me from the pain of the past, but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead. I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
1. That’s why praise is so important in the life of a believer it is your weapon, the reason some of you struggle like you do and can’t fight the way you should is because there is a giant on your praise. 1Sa 17:1 Now the Philistines (a type of Satan) gathered together their armies to battle, and were gathered together at Shochoh (defense), which [belongeth] to Judah (praise), What that verse is saying is that Satan will try to position himself in your place of defense which is your praise.
a. The Bible says that, Eph 6:12 for we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high [places]. Paul said that, 2Co 10:4 (For the weapons of our warfare [are] not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) (5) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
b. Praise is the weapon that we use to get through the hell that the enemy tries to bring our way, it’s through our encounter and experience with praise that we are able to produce a Hur and the liberty that frees us from bondage.
c. You better learn how to praise God through your adversity, learn how to praise Him through trials and tribulations, learn how to praise Him through all the hell and havoc, learn how to praise Him through sickness and pain, learn how to praise him through rejection; you need to learn how to praise despite it all.
d. Let me tell you something; praise does not give you money, cars, spouses, blessings, what it does give you is a right mind that keeps you from a nervous breaking down, it strengthens you to hang in there, cause your God is able to do above all you can ask or think. One thing I know is your praise gives you a break through before there is a break down. I am not talking about naming it and claiming it, blabbing it and grabbing it. God’s no genie and Praise is not a secret password. Praise puts you in alignment for God’s blessing and favor according to His will and purpose for your life. A Father knows how to take care of grateful children!
G. Shobal Praise: has two distinct meanings. The first one I want to show you is “An Embracer of Corn” Understand in Bible times, that money was not the only system in place. They used a system of barter and trading, and corn was used by the wealthy as a form of currency, remember in Genesis 41 when Joseph had Pharaoh store up corn for 7 years, so that when the famine came it was traded for money and property.
1. When you hook up with Judah (praise) and produce a Shobal; God will use new ways to make you prosperous, God will use Shobal to bring you into the position to start that business, God will use Shobal to bring you into the position to go forward in ministry, God will use Shobal to bring you into a position to be all that God has called you to be. Your praise will help align your destiny!
2. Not only does it mean “Embracer Of Corn,” but Shobal also means “Pioneer” your praise will have you going into places that you’ve never been before, not only will He do it, but He’ll do it in a way that other people won’t understand, 1Co 1:27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;
a. When you hook up with Judah (Praise) and produce a Shobal; doors will begin to open for you that no one can close, when you hook up with Judah (Praise) and produce a Shobal; you take on the attitude of Joshua, “we can possess the land” “give me my mountain”
b. Through praise, God will put you in a position to go where you had not been before, I told you Shobal means Pioneer (One who leads the way; one who breaks new ground) God is telling you to possess the land and to go and take back the Kingdom from the enemy.
c. Listen to what God told Joshua "(Jos.1:2-5) Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you, You got to make your boundaries personal; everywhere I go with the praises of God in my mouth, is setting up territories that belong to God; at the hospital I am blessing God setting up a place for healing, at the Dr. office receiving news that the cancer is back … (ex.)
III. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things [are] honest, whatsoever things [are] just, whatsoever things [are] pure, whatsoever things [are] lovely, whatsoever things [are] of good report; if [there be] any virtue, and if [there be] any praise, think on these things.
A. Death and life are in the power of the tongue. It is nowhere else. You can feel Him in your hands and feet all you want. There is no death and life decision in your hands and feet. You only have one mouth and one heart, and from the heart the mouth speaks. The connection to the mouth is the heart and when you love God and in covenant with Him your mouth ought to express it, along with your hands and feet. Praise visits hands and feet, but resides in the mouth.
1. What did God do in Genesis 1, He spoke first and creation happened. If you want to see creative miracles in your life it starts with you opening your mouth!
2. Do you know that when you praise God, the devil will stop whatever he is doing to you? Self-defense classes teach people that a mugger is less likely to attack a person who refuses to act like a typical victim. Flaring your arms and feet is not as effective as making some noise. Sometimes the best thing to do is scream and make a lot of noise, because that can scare the attacker off. The devil is no different. He knows that noisy saints are the worst ones to pick on because they’ll call down a whole host of help from heaven with their praise.
a. A lot of you are reserving praise for after you get what you want. You are never going to get it and your doing it all wrong. If you are blessing the Lord at all times you put your praise on the front end, in the middle, and on the back of every situation. Your praising God on credit! Momma why wait until they come to church, why not praise them in.
b. We talk about not wanting to raise children in times like these where there is great adversity and uncertainty, its times like these that you need to raise your praise.
3. There is Power in Your Praise, I dare you to praise God, In the midst of your circumstances, In the midst of your confusion, In the midst of your crisis, I don’t know about you but I’ve got to Praise Him : Because He’s Almighty; Because He Blessed Me; Because He Cares for me; Because He Delivered me; Because He Erased the penalty of sin that was against me; Because He Forgave me; Because He Gave me eternal life; Because He Heard my cry; Because He Justified me; Because He Kept me; Because He Loves me; Because of His Mercy; Because He Never left me; Because He Opened doors for me; Because He Paid the price for me; Because Redeemed me; Because He Saved and Sanctified me and filled me with the Holy Ghost; Because He took my place at Calvary; Because of His Undying love for me; Because He gave me Victory; Somebody ought to praise in this place (Why?) Because there’s Power in Your Praise, RAISE YOUR PRAISE, birth those babies.
