The Five Factors Of Praise Series

The Hallelujah Factor Series

Based upon Jack Taylor’s book The Hallelujah Factor

The Five Factors of Praise

June 24, 2007 FBC, Chester Mike Fogerson, Pastor

Introduction

A (IL)

B Last week...

1 We’ll never praise God more intimately in public than we have in private.

a Praise is the vocal, audible, and/or visible adoration of God.

b Shouting, singing, clapping, instruments, dancing, kneeling, lifted hands.

c Praise (lever) & God’s sovereignty (fulcrum)

aa Open door

bb Occupied throne

2 Today, I pray you’ll commit to memorizing these verses: Psalm 8:2; 50:23; & 100:4...

a Use Psalm 100:4 several times a day in your heart

b Break out in thanksgiving and praise several times a day this week.

C Let’s continue The Hallelujah Factor by looking at 5 factors of praise today (transitional sentence).

D Pray

I The 1st factor of praise is the mantle (cloak) of God.

A Yet You are holy, O You who are enthroned upon the praises of Israel. Psalms 22:3 (NASB)

But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel. Psalms 22:3 (KJV)

1 In other words, God lives surrounded by the praise of His creation.

a He indwells praise, it is His home environment.

b Although God is everywhere (omnipresent), He is not everywhere manifested.

aa He’s at home in praise, & there He manifests Himself best as God.

bb When we choose to make God at home through praise, we invite Him to act at home.

2 This factor answers key questions for me: why do the major experiences I have had with God center around a praise service? Why does healing come on the wings of praise? Why am I shaken to my spiritual, emotional, & intellectual core when praise is practiced?

a God inhabits praise (He’s at home!)

b He is enthroned & free to act mightily in praise.

B We’ll run at an opportunity to praise him if we believe this 1st factor.

1 Praise is something we’ll not miss publically, privately.

2 Why? God is at home! Present! Indwells! Inhabits!

a I want to be where God is this morning-praise Him & He’ll be there!

b Praise is the mantle of God, so when God shows up God things happen.

II The 2nd factor of praise is the preface to His miraculous deliverance. He who offers a sacrifice of thanksgiving honors Me; and to him who orders his way aright I shall show the salvation of God Psalms 50:23 (NASB)

A There are at least 3 illustrations of praise preceding deliverance.

1 ...and he said, "Listen, all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and King Jehoshaphat: thus says the LORD to you, ’Do not fear or be dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours but God’s. 16 ’Tomorrow go down against them. Behold, they will come up by the ascent of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the valley in front of the wilderness of Jeruel. 17 ’You need not fight in this battle; station yourselves, stand and see the salvation of the LORD on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem.’ Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out to face them, for the LORD is with you." 2 Chron 20:15-17 (NASB) (Pink)

a Judah was out-manned, out-gunned, everything...but the battle wasn’t theirs.

b God didn’t leave them! When he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who sang to the LORD and those who praised Him in holy attire, as they went out before the army and said, "Give thanks to the LORD, for His lovingkindness is everlasting." 22 When they began singing and praising, the LORD set ambushes against the sons of Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; so they were routed. 2 Chron 20:21-22 (NASB)

aa V. 21 "give thanks" (yadah): Hebrew for "with hands lifted"

bb God wiped the enemy out when His people praised Him (praise preceded deliverance).

2 But I will sacrifice to You with the voice of thanksgiving. That which I have vowed I will pay. Salvation is from the LORD." Jonah 2:9 (NASB) (Orange)

a Jonah was running, skipped town, & was swallowed by a whale.

b The precise moment Jonah praised God, God delivered him & had the fish vomit Jonah onto dry land (praise preceded deliverance).

3 But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them; 26 and suddenly there came a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison house were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were unfastened. Acts 16:25-26 (NASB) (Blue)

a Paul & Silas in jail (not a white-collar prison, hard time), & they praised God!

b The earth shook, the foundation was rocked, doors of bondage opened up! Praise preceded deliverance!