The Power Of Praise

TEXT

Psalm 100

Make a joyful shout to the LORD, all you lands! Serve the LORD with gladness; come before His presence with singing. Know that the LORD, He is God; it is He who has made us, and not we ourselves. We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise.

Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. For the LORD is good; His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations.¡¨

INTRODUCTION

There are some in the congregation who do not enter into worship. I¡¦m sure there are others that enter in out of routine.

There was a preacher that was trying to sell his horse.

A potential buyer came to the church for a test ride.

"before you start" the preacher said," you should know that this horse only responds to church talk. Go is praise the lord and stop is amen."

So the man on the horse says " Praise the lord," and the horse starts to trot. The man again says "Praise the lord," and the horse starts to gallop.

Suddenly there is a cliff right in front of the horse and the man yells "Amen!!!" The horse stops just at the edge of the cliff.

The man wipes the sweat from his brow and says, "Praise the Lord."

We know what we are to say, but it has lost its meaning.

Today I want to talk to you about the reasons why we should praise God and then we are going to look at the ways we are to praise God.

BODY

Reasons to Praise God

1. Almighty God is worthy of our praise and worship.

Ps 18:3 I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised.

Rev 5:11-12 Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice: ¡¥Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing!

Who God is - Worship

What God has done - Praise

What God has done for you - Thanksgiving

Praise and thanksgiving - is verbalized faith. If you thank God after the fact, that’s gratitude. If you thank God before it happens, that’s faith.

If you don’t know how, begin to praise from the Psalms. It is a book telling us how to praise God.

2. We are called to praise and worship God.

1 Peter 2:5, 9 You also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.

Ps 150:6 Let everything that has breath praise the LORD.

3. Worship changes us.

Jer 2:5 NIV They followed worthless idols and became worthless themselves.

You become like what you worship.

If you worship superficial things, your life becomes superficial.

If you worship perverted things your life becomes perverted.

If you worship evil things ¡V your life becomes evil.

If your worship the true God ¡V you become godly.

2 Cor 3:18 TLB And as the Spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more like him.

Isa 61:3 The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.

4. Praise and worship ushers in the manifested presence of God.

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

Ps 22:3 But You are holy, enthroned in the praises of Israel.¡¨

5. Praise defeats our enemy.

Ps 8:2 NIV From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise because of your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger.

Ps 149:5-6 Let the saints be joyful in glory; Let them sing aloud on their beds. Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, And a two-edged sword in their hand.

Our praise puts evil to flight.

How to Praise God

1. With my voice.

Ps 63:3 Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise You.

Acts 16:25 But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.¡¨

2. With my body.

Ps 63:4 Thus I will bless You while I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name.¨

Ps 95:6 Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the LORD our Maker.

3. With music.

Ps 150:3-5 Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet; praise Him with the lute and harp! Praise Him with the timbrel and dance; praise Him with stringed instruments and flutes! Praise Him with loud cymbals; praise Him with clashing cymbals!