OVERCOME FEAR & PROSPER

PRAISE Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. Revelation 4:11 kjv Praise is an instrument that conveys our prayers to the presence and power of God. It expels fear and creates an atmosphere for miracles. Praise releases the power of God against the forces of evil; it releases healing and deliverance. To understand the nature of praise, we must look at the structure of our Lord's teaching on prayer. When Jesus taught his disciples on prayer he began with praise. He said to them pray in this manner: Our father who is in heaven hallowed be thy name, (meaning let your name be praised) Thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Matthew 6: 9-10. The will of God is that all creation may be saved, delivered and set free to praise Him here on earth as they praise him in heaven. In heaven there is no sickness, no stress, no lack nor any thing that will inhibit praises to our God. Most of the astounding miracles that Jesus performed came after giving thanks to God. Let us see the account of the miracle of the seven loaves and few fish: And he took the seven loaves and the fish and gave thanks, broke them and gave them to his disciples, and the disciples gave to the multitude. So they all ate and were filled, and they took up seven large baskets full of the fragments that were left. Matthew 15:36-37. The key to the miracle was thanksgiving; after he had lifted up his head in praise to God the amazing miracle took place. Praise is the expression in the heart of a firm believer that God is in control. When Jehoshaphat heard of the threatening approach of the Assyrian Emperor he became afraid and set himself to seek the Lord. He began to declare the glorious attributes of the Lord. His greatness, his exceeding power and splendour, he said: O' Lord, God of our fathers are you not the God who is in heaven? You rule over the kingdoms of the Nations, Power and might are in your hand and no one can withstand you. 2 Chronicles 20:6. As he declared the attributes of God he was glorifying and praising the Lord, thereby encouraging himself and building up supernatural strength. Jehoshaphat acknowledged the fact that his enemies were far more powerful than him and there was nothing he could do to save himself and his nation than to rely on the mercy of the sovereign Lord. Friends, learn to permit God to take charge of issues in your life that you know you can do nothing about. Just praise him. Did he not say in all circumstances praise him for it is the will of God for you? 1Thessalonians 5:18. Praise is not only for when everything is going smoothly but also in times when all hell seems to have broken loose. Paul and Silas while imprison with their broken feet and wounds from their severe beating did not give up praising the Lord. While they were praying and singing praises, God sent a violent earthquake that shook the foundations of the prison and the chains on their feet had no option than to bow. (See Acts 16:26). Praise is the indwelling place of God, that's where he lives. The psalmist says; but you are holy, enthroned in the praises of Israel. Psalm 22:3. You are literally knocking at the door of heaven when you send your praises. As you intensify your knock with your praises the door will open and the Lord will answer. Glory to God! King David declared: I will bless the Lord at all times; his praises shall continually be in my mouth. My soul makes his boast in the Lord, let the humble hear and be glad. Oh magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together. I sought the Lord, and he answered me; and delivered me from all my fears. Psalm 34:1-4. When the going becomes tough raise a “praise alarm.” When the enemy says it's all over, you will never make it, begin to praise the Lord for there is a way of escape for every situation through praise. The scripture says that Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the Lord and to praise him for the splendour of his holiness as they went out before the army, saying: Give thanks to the Lord, for his love endures forever. As they began to sing and praise, the Lord set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated. The men of Ammon and Moab rose up against the men from Mount Seir to destroy and annihilate them. After they finished slaughtering the men from Seir, they helped to destroy one another. When the men of Judah came to the place that overlooks the desert and looked towards the vast army, they saw only dead bodies lying on the ground; no one had escaped. When Jehoshaphat and his people came to take their spoil, they found among them, in great numbers, goods, clothing, and precious things, which they took for themselves until they could carry no more. They were three days in taking the spoil, it was too much. 2 Chronicles 20:24-25 NIV. The Lord will bow the heaven and come down to your aid in times of your deepest crisis when you praise His holy name. It is important to note that whenever we are making a request to the Lord we must begin with thanksgiving and praises, it is an open door to the miraculous. As I was writing this chapter I was looking for an important item and had searched everywhere but could not find it. I turned around and said to the enemy, “You cannot take my joy”, and I began to thank and praise the Lord. The moment I began to thank and praise the Lord, I saw what I was looking for right in front of me. On another occasion I injured my feet and could barely walk, I refused to accept the pain and began to sing praises to the Lord, saying, “I give you praise, I give you praise, I give you praise”. I turned it into a song; and began to sing: Lord I give you praise in the Morning, Lord I give you praise in the afternoon and I give you praise in the Night. As I sang this song I found myself tapping my feet on the ground without feeling any pain. I continued and behold, my feet got better and better and I was not only able to walk but could run. Praise is a healing balm that goes directly into the root of any sickness and brings healing. Friends, refuse to be defined by the circumstances that surround you. Turn it into praise. For you are called to display his praises. Peter declares: But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that you should show forth the praises of him who has called you out of darkness into his marvellous light. (1Peter 2:9). What an awesome God! When we begin to praise God the glory and countenance of Christ will begin to be reflected in our countenance with great satisfaction. There will be a magnetism about your life that your friends even your enemies will not understand, they will see something about you that they cannot understand, something about you that is mystifying and bamboozling. This could prompt a questioning in their own heart that they could not resist and one of these days they will say, I notice some deference in you what happened? Friends, you will then have a wonderful opportunity to introduce to them Christ the risen God, the lamb slain, the hope of glory. Beloved; our duties here on earth is to worship him all day long for his splendour, his mercies, his loving kindness and for the immeasurable love with which he loved us in Christ Jesus our Saviour.