Habakkuk 3:17–18
Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls:
Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.
My Brother’s and Sisters, I came with a notice from heaven.
This is not a bill from the electric company.
This is not a mortgage notice.
This is not a phone call from a spam collections agency.
This is a PRAISE NOTICE.
Tell your neighbor: Your praise bill is overdue.
I’ve noticed that some of us have learned how to pray on time.
We’ve learned how to show up on time.
We’ve learned how to ask God for blessings on time.
But some of us have been late with our praise payment.
When we look at the historical context of the text.
Habakkuk is not a feel good prophet.
He is a watchtower prophet.
Habakkuk is not a prophet of comfort, he’s a prophet of confrontation.
He does not sing lullabies to a sleeping nation; instead he climbs the watchtower to wake it up.
While others are speaking to the people, Habakkuk is speaking for the people to God, and then he stands still long enough to hear God speak back.
Watch this: Habakkuk is not sent to soothe emotions; he is sent to survey the horizon.
He’s a watchman with questions.
A prophet who dares to ask why while refusing to abandon the faith.
He doesn’t run from the tension, he stations himself on the wall, waiting for vision to speak, and for truth to come into focus.
Habakkuk is not a prophet who runs from the noise, he rises above it.
He doesn’t shout from the crowd; he stands on the wall.
He says, I will stand my watch.
Church, where does he stand?
And why on the watchtower?
He’s standing on the watchtower because the vision is clearer when you get above your feelings.
Habakkuk is not emotional, he is intentional.
He does not prophesy from panic, but from position.
He climbs higher than the confusion, and sets his feet on the wall, and waits for the Word, that will outlast the worry.
Remember he is not a feel good prophet, this is a faith holding, vision waiting, watchtower prophet.
Habakkuk is writing during a time when Judah is on the brink of invasion by Babylon.
Corruption is everywhere.
Violence is in the streets.
The economy is failing.
And justice is tainted.
In chapter one Habakkuk complains to God.
And in chapter 2 God answers him.
I believe that there are a lot of people who are stuck in chapter 1, and have a problem waiting on chapter 2.
Because people don’t mind complaining to God, but often time they have a problem, waiting on God.
So in chapter 1, Habakuk is complaining, but in chapter 2, God is Answering.
Once we get to chapter 3, instead of another complaint in chapter 3
Habakkuk writes a song.
Tell your neighbor that chapter 3 has a song in it.
Chapter 3 is not a sermon. It’s not a prophecy. It’s a psalm of praise written before deliverance ever comes.
Tell your neighbor He praised God on credit.
Watch this. Habakkuk lists everything that has failed, he teaches us that:
The Fig tree —has no blossoms which means (no future).
The Vine — has no fruit which means (no productivity).
The Olives —have no oil which means there is (no anointing).
Fields —have no food which suggest there is (no provision).
No Flocks — no security
No Herds — no wealth
In other words: Nothing is working.
Yet, somebody shout YET, he says YET I will rejoice.
Habakkuk refuses to let his circumstances cancel his obligation to praise.
Here it is:
Praise is not optional when life is good.
Praise is owed, regardless of conditions.
That’s why the I say:
Your praise bill is overdue.
Because some people only want to praise God when things are going well.
But we need to Bless the Lord at all times, and allow his praise to be continually in our mouth.
Touch your chest and say: I owe God praise.
Some of us have only been praising when it’s convenient, but worship is due whether the check clears or not.
When the fig tree doesn’t bloom, I still owe Him praise.
When the vine has no fruit, I still owe Him praise.
When the oil runs low, I still owe Him praise.
When the bank account looks funny, I still owe Him praise.
Praise is not payment for blessings. Praise is recognition of who God already is.
Habakkuk says,
I will joy in the God of my salvation.
Not the God of my situation.
Not the God of my breakthrough.
Not the God of my harvest.
But the God of my salvation.
Which means:
If He never does another thing else, Calvary has already settled the account.
I know some of you are waiting on God, but God is waiting on your praise. Because He inhabits the praises of his people, which means he lives, dwells and remains within the praises.
I know that Heaven has sent some reminders.
I know that Heaven has gave some grace periods.
But today God says:
Your praise bill is overdue.
And the moment you pay it, you will become current.
Some of us treat our praise bill like we do our utilities bill. When we first see them they are white, and we say we have 30 days.
The second time we see them they are yellow and they read something like this. We know that you have a busy schedule, but he is a friendly reminder.
The third time we see them they are red, with a notice that you are scheduled for disconnection.
And that’s when we get in a hurry, calling everybody we know trying to get a loan.
And that is the way we treat our praise.
When we first see it, we would have gotten our paycheck, and we think that we don’t need to need to praise God right then and there.
The second time we get our notification, the children are acting up, the bills are stacking up, the spouse seems to be distant.
But the third time we get our notification, we have lost our job, your love life is going down the drain, you have lost all of your money down there around the river, and now you want to cry, now you want to shout, now you want to come to church, nowwwwwww you want to praise, but your praise is delinquent.
But this morning I want to help somebody to become current.
How can we become current pastor?
Well, Psalm 150 says:
Praise ye the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power.
Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness. But, I love that last verse that says Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD.
And when we praise praise the Lord
Strength is released.
Faith rises again.
And the blessings of the Lord will be upon you
I’m reminded of a story about there was a woman in church who had lost her job, her husband, and her health, almost all at the same time.
One Sunday, while everyone else stood quietly, she lifted her hands and began to praise God loudly.
Someone whispered, doesn’t she know what she’s going through, doesn’t she realize all of the bad things that are happening all around her?
One of her members later asked her, how can you praise like that with everything that you’ve lost, and all that you are going through?
She said, I’m not praising God for what I lost. I’m praising Him for what couldn’t be taken.
She said, they fired me, but they couldn’t take my salvation.
The doctor gave a bad report, but they couldn’t take my hope.
Life hit me hard, but it didn’t cancel my praise.
She said, I’m behind on everything, but I refuse to be behind on my praise.
Somebody ought to lift your hands this morning and say this with authority:
Lord, I’m paying my praise bill this morning.
No matter what I’m going through I will rejoice anyhow.
No matter how bad it might seem, I will worship anyway.
Lord I will praise you right now.
Tell three people I’m paying on my praise Bill right now.
