GOD DWELLS IN THE PRAISES OF HIS PEOPLE
3 years ago Evangelical Ministry 0
Focus:
1. We want to discover who we are (1Peter 2:9, Isaiah 43:21):
We ‘re the royal priesthood, a holy nation, people set apart to declare the praises of the Lord. And Isaiah summarized it that we ‘re the chosen race to sing the praises of the Lord. We ‘re not beggars, we ‘re not stupid as the world sees us.
Before now, the charismatic praises have been an instrument of victory, at crusades, conferences, and prayer rallies, miracles happen at the praises of God’s elects, but today, it is unfortunate we have watered this gifts that not even the deaf hears nor do we get excited and elated in the Spirit when we sing. This movement that will soon clock 50 years in Nigeria have survived wrecks and attack through praises over the years. We really need to go back to this ancient tradition.
2. We are not beggars. We need to discover that we are not meant to lament, we are not complainers, we are meant to succeed. It’s high time we stopped flooding our programs with complaints but accentuate it with praises and worship.
Praise is the surest means into the presence of God. If you want to invite God, praise him (Psalm 100:4). It is important to understand that it is the Angels who take our praises/prayers/supplication to God (Revelation 8:3-4). Angels are 100% obedient to instructions, they don’t go against instructions. That is why we must recognize their roles in our Christian life through our devotions.
The power of Praises
When we praise God, He does not send anybody to minister onto us, he comes down personally. In Acts 16:25 – when Paul and Silas praised God, suddenly there was an earthquake so violent that the foundation of the prison shook, God appeared himself through this resonance that the chains, bars and doors tear open. The rest of the story we know. Nahum 1:5 – says that mountains melts like wax before God. 2Kings 3:15-16 – Elisha instructed them, find me musicians, as the musicians lifted their voices in praises, the power of God came down violently. If you want to leave the life of complaint, which is a vote of no confidence on God, then praise him always, and the solution will come.
In Genesis 29, Leah the wife of Jacob kept complaining while giving birth to 3 children (Reuben, Levi and Simeon), but when she decided to turn from this lifestyle, she gave birth to the fourth son and named him Judah (meaning Praise), listen, when it was time for the blessings of God upon the 12 sons of Jacob in Genesis 49:8-9, see what God said to Judah because he was a child of praise – “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. You are a lion’s cub, Judah; you return from the prey, my son. Like a lion he crouches and lies down, like a lioness—who dares to rouse him?”
When you praise God, your hand will be at the neck of your enemies, your problems, your difficulties.
Praise should be a decision and not a product of circumstance.
In II Chronicle 20:21-24; Jehoshaphat tore his cloth when he received a message from the enemy camp (comprising 3 nations) about the destruction of Judah, instead of building armory and buying war machines, he only built musicians for the war, the end result was “dead bodies” of the enemies, a war that there was not a survivor. Praises!!
Conclusion:
It’s either you leave PRAISE and live in complaints, or you live in PRAISE and leave complaints.
SHALOM
