PRAISE LEADS US IN
INTRODUCTION
A. HUMOR
1. A farmer went into his banker and announced that he had bad news and good news. "First, the bad news..."
2. "Well," said the farmer, "I can’t make my mortgage payments. And that crop loan I’ve taken out for the past 10 years -- I can’t pay that off, either. Not only that, I won’t be able to pay you the couple of hundred thousand I still have outstanding on my tractors and other equip-ment. So I’m going to have to give up the farm and turn it all over to you for whatever you can salvage out of it."
3. Silence prevailed for a minute and then the banker said, "What’s the good news?" "The good news is that I’m going to keep on banking with you," said the farmer.
B. TEXT & THESIS
1. One of the things that has always set Pentecostal/ Full Gospel churches apart from all other denominations is the way that we praise the Lord. We don’t praise God quite like some of these other denominations. We let God know how much we appreciate Him. Amen?
2. We sing! We dance! We shout! We raise our hands! And we don’t care who’s watching! Or what they have to say about it. Amen? Because we come to Church to praise Him! It’s a shame that all Christians don’t feel the same way about praising God!
3. I’ve had people tell me that they couldn’t come to this Church because we praise the Lord in a way that just didn’t seem traditional to them! Well I’ll tell you that if traditional is what you had in mind, You come to the wrong place because our praise is not traditional! It’s Biblical. Amen?
4. We praised the Lord this morning, and in turn we had a God-filled service. Amen? Because He inhabits the praises of His people. I believe that we were standing in His presence right here in this very building. Amen?
5. And how many know that we’re in His presence this evening? When we started praising Him this morning, we were inviting His presence in this place.
6. And How many know that the Devil can’t stand it when we come into His presence? Because He knows that with God’s presence comes His Power, and His Anointing, And Blessings and miracles!!! Amen? He knows that when the children of God come into the presence of God that the miraculous starts to take place. And the Devil doesn’t want you to start experiencing the miraculous because He wants you to live defeated lives! Because if you go through life defeated, not only does it effect you but it ensures that you won’t be the successful witness that God has called you to be!
7. Well I am going to preach something to you that I am certain that the devil does not want you to know!
I. THE MOTHER OF PRAISE - STRUGGLES
Struggles are often the antecedents of praise.
A. THE TRICKSTER WEDDING
Genesis 29 tells the story of Jacob meeting Rachel and immediately falling in love with her. He worked for her seven years. At the end of that time they were married and went on their honeymoon, or so Jacob thought. It seems the “schemer” had been out-schemed by his father-in-law Laban. The women of that day were heavily veiled during the wedding. In the honeymoon tent there were no electric lights, so it was quite a surprise when Jacob discovered his bride was Leah instead of Rachel. Jacob was furious but was told by Laban to finish the bridal week and then he could also marry Rachel.
B. RACHEL & LEAH COMPARED
1. The name Leah means “wild cow”; Rachel means female sheep. Genesis 29:17-18 says, “Leah had weak eyes, but Rachel was lovely in form and beautiful.” Whatever “weak eyes” means, nothing is said about Leah being beautiful.
2. It’s hard to imagine how ashamed, hurt, and rejected Leah felt; sold by her father, who had to deceive her husband into marrying her; she was unloved and despised and mocked by her own sister. Life was not fair to Leah.
3. But Genesis 29:31 says, “When the Lord saw that Leah was not loved, He opened her womb, but Rachel was barren.” Though her looks were against her, Jacob turned to Leah for children.
C. LEAH’S FAITH GROWS TO WALK WITH GOD
1. First son, she named Reuben, “See, a son!” Next son she named Simeon, “One who hears” because “the Lord heard that I am not loved” (33). Third son, Levi, “attached” because, “Now at last my husband will become attached to me” (34). Fourth son. She’s no longer disillusioned that her husband would someday love her; so instead she focuses on her relationship on the Lord; Judah, “praise,” “This time I will praise the Lord.” Leah’s faith in God grew; she believed God was in control of her life.
2. Ultimately, Rachel died early and Leah became the matriarch of the family and was buried with Jacob in the cave Machpelah with Abraham and Sarah, and Isaac and Rebekah. Jacob ultimately came to love her and see that she really was God’s choice as his life’s partner.
II. PLACE & PROPHECIES OF JUDAH/ “PRAISE”
A. JUDAH TO GO OUT FIRST
1. When Israel was ordered by the Lord, into ranks and tribes; when they crossed the red Sea; whenever they moved forward and traveled on (Numbers 2); whenever they went to war (Judges 1:1-2); whenever they were called to stand before the Lord … One tribe always took the lead position JUDAH. Judah means praise.
2. So what the Lord was saying by asking Judah to take the lead role is that Praise always leads us into the things of God!
B. SCRIPTURE & TEACHING ABOUT JUDAH: Genesis 49:8-11
1. PRAISE WILL DEFEAT YOUR ENEMIES. 8 "Judah, your brothers will praise you; your hand will be on the neck of your enemies; your father's sons will bow down to you.
2. THE DEVIL DOES NOT WANT US TO ROUSE TO PRAISE. 9 You are a lion's cub, O Judah; you return from the prey, my son. Like a lion he crouches and lies down, like a lioness—who dares to rouse him?
3. WHERE PRAISE IS, THE KING IS. 10 The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until he [Shiloh] comes to whom it belongs and the obedience of the nations is his. Genesis 49:10 Judah shall lead until Shiloh comes. “Shay Loh” means The one to whom tribute is brought! Or to who dominion belongs. “Praise until worship comes!” Praise will lead us into the presence of God until Jesus comes back, who is called Shiloh here.
4. THE MESSIAH WILL COME TO US THROUGH PRAISE. 11 He will tether his donkey to a vine, his colt to the choicest branch; he will wash his garments in wine, his robes in the blood of grapes.
III. THE SONS OF PRAISE
A. THE SONS OF JUDAH
1. If Judah means “praise” then what happens when we look at the meaning of the names of his sons? We quickly realize that there are some things that praise in itself will produce in our lives.
2. 1Ch 4:1 tells us, “The sons of Judah; Pharez, Hezron, and Carmi, and Hur, and Shobal.” These were the offspring of “praise.” Do these names have any special meaning when it comes to praise?
B. WHAT PRAISE WILL PRODUCE: Meaning of Names
1. PHAREZ; “BREAKING FORTH”
a. The name Pharez means a “breaking forth.” PEHRETS is the Hebrew word and it implies a place of victory. I firmly believe that there have been saints of God who have walked into the house of God filled with distress, discomfort, and dismay. But our praise enables us to breach the walls of the enemy and come into a place of victory! Amen?
b. The condition with praise is this: If you want God to touch you, then you must touch Him! I am here to inform you that the devil does not want you to understand this insider secret of praise: that if you break through, then God will break forth!
c. The Bible and modern day life is full of even more examples of people breaking through when they broke forth in praise. The devil will cause the hands that used to go up, to stay down. . . .to now hang lifelessly by your side. But if you will get those hands up, get those feet moving, and shake off the deadness then something will begin to break forth! If you will breakthrough, then God will break forth!
2. HEZRON; “PLACE OF PROTECTION”
a. The name Hezron means a “courtyard.” It literally means “a place surrounded with walls,” a point of protection. This is where faith comes into play, no matter what you are facing and how scary and unnerving that it may be, if you will praise, there will come protection into your life.
b. The mistake that hell made with the three Hebrew boys was putting them in the fire together.
3. CARMI; “NURTURE OF GROWTH”
The name Carmi means a “gardener of a vineyard.” Praise becomes a place of GROWTH and production; Your faith, your devotion, your knowledge, Your determination, etc.
4. HUR; “PURITY/ RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE SAINTS”
a. The name Hur means “white.” It gives the connotation of white linen which is a point of purity. Praise has the power to transmit purity and holiness into our lives. That is why David said, “Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord.” He understood that when we begin to praise, it helps our priorities.
b. Praise will cause some things to come to your life:
• If you will breakthrough, God will break forth (Pharez).
• If you will praise, the praise will create a place of protection (Hezron).
• If you will praise, the praise will create a place of growth (Carmi).
• If you will praise, the praise will help you fight off the spirit of worldliness (Hur). Now lastly,
5. SHOBAL. “A PLACE OF OVERFLOWING”
The Hebrew root word implies to us that it is as the flowing of the train of the wedding gown of a bride. The last thing the devil wants is for you to live in the place of overflowing. Isaiah 12:3 KJV, “Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.” To live in the overflow is to constantly have a flow of the Holy Ghost. That is what we need to further understand about praise. It helps us to gain a place of the overflow.
CONCLUSION
A. ILLUSTRATION
1. There is a plaque on a wall at Staunton Harold Chapel in Leicestershire, England that reads: "In the year 1653, when all things sacred throughout the land were either demolished or profaned, Sir Robert Shirley built this church. His singular praise is this: To have done the best of things in the worst of times."
2. In 17th century England it was the worst of times. King Charles I had been tried for treason and been beheaded. Injustice was reigning throughout the England. The churches were harassed and many were closed.
3. Sir Robert was a traveler and adventurer. As he traveled to Persia and throughout Europe, he understood that the world was a dark place. But on the edge of a beautiful lake, Sir Robert decided to build a church to bring praise and glory to God. The building is remarkable for being one of the few churches built in, and surviving from, the Commonwealth Period. It is decorated with brass candlesticks and beautiful, purple velvet cushions.
4. What is more remarkable is that this beautiful building was built as Sir Robert while he languished in prison in the Tower of London. It was during his own “worst of times” that Robert desired to bring praise and glory to God. He died in prison three years after the beginning of the church, never seeing its completion.
5. Are you remembering to praise Christ even during your “worst of times?” Today in prayer, no matter what circumstance you find yourself, praise the Lord. “No matter what our circumstances might be or what difficulties we might face that there is always a reason to give praise to God.” [David DeWitt]
B. THE CALL
1. Come on Church. . . Praise again. . . . Come on Church. . . Lift Him Up. . . Come on Church. . . Exalt Him!
• Worship again, men.
• Praise again, ladies.
• Lift Him Up, young person.
• Praise him right now!
• Get your praise back!
2. PRAYER & PRAISE
[This is a rewrite of Ian Johnson’s message of the same title with further insights]
