1 I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart;
I will tell of all the marvelous things you have done.
2 I will be filled with joy because of you.
I will sing praises to your name, O Most High. Ps:9:1,2
Even as we finish the year 2020 and enter the New Year 2021, lets march on praising GOD ALMIGHTY.
Praising GOD not only for the good things or the blessings we have recieved but for the bad and the tough times in our lives. Choosing to praise GOD in all circumstances is what Bible teaches us, whether you are happy or sad, rich or poor, healthy or sick all that qualifies you is if you have breath in your nostrils.
Praise is a weapon
Praising GOD is like using a weapon in the spiritual world.
Let the high praises of God be in their mouth,
And a two-edged sword in their hand. Ps:149:6
In the Old testament , the worshipers were put in the front when the army went to war. As we see in the below passage,
21 And when he had taken counsel with the people, he appointed those who were to sing to the Lord and praise him in holy attire, as they went before the army, and say,
“Give thanks to the Lord,
for his steadfast love endures forever.”
22 And when they began to sing and praise, the Lord set an ambush against the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah, so that they were routed. 2 Chro:20:21,22
Lets see the different times we can praise GOD in our lives.
Why is praise so powerful?
Bible tells us that GOD dwells in our praises, that’s why its powerful.
Yet I know that you are most holy; it’s indisputable.
You are God-Enthroned, surrounded with songs,
living among the shouts of praise of your princely people. Ps:22:3
You can pass through his open gates with the password of praise.
Come right into his presence with thanksgiving.
Come bring your thank offering to him
and affectionately bless his beautiful name!Ps:100:4
- Praise GOD when your happy
Moses praises GOD for HIS goodness when GOD saved them from the Egyptians
15 Then Moses and the people of Israel sang this song to the Lord:
“I will sing to the Lord,
for he has triumphed gloriously;
he has hurled both horse and rider
into the sea.
2 The Lord is my strength and my song;
he has given me victory.
This is my God, and I will praise him—
my father’s God, and I will exalt him!
3 The Lord is a warrior;
Yahweh[a] is his name!
4 Pharaoh’s chariots and army
he has hurled into the sea.
The finest of Pharaoh’s officers
are drowned in the Red Sea.
5 The deep waters gushed over them;
they sank to the bottom like a stone.
6 “Your right hand, O Lord,
is glorious in power.
Your right hand, O Lord,
smashes the enemy.
7 In the greatness of your majesty,
you overthrow those who rise against you.
You unleash your blazing fury;
it consumes them like straw.Exo:15
This is the most spontaneous response of any believer. We can easily praise GOD when we are happy and when GOD blesses us.
2.Praise GOD when your sad
Example : Job praised GOD even after he lost his 10 children and all his wealth in a single day.
20 Job stood up and tore his robe in grief. Then he shaved his head and fell to the ground to worship. 21 He said,
“I came naked from my mother’s womb,
and I will be naked when I leave.
The Lord gave me what I had,
and the Lord has taken it away.
Praise the name of the Lord!”
22 In all of this, Job did not sin by blaming God. Job:1:20-22
To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.” Is:61:3
This is the most toughest, as Children of GOD we are supposed to praise GOD even in our most darkest times as Rom:8:28 says,
And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.
3.Praise GOD on purpose
Praise GOD for everything even for the air that you breathe, for the eyes that can see, hands that can work, feet that function etc.
Praise GOD for HIS Presence, provision and protection.
4.Praise GOD in the impossible
Example-Jonah praised GOD even in the valley death from the belly of the whale
But I will offer sacrifices to you with songs of praise, and I will fulfill all my vows.
For my salvation comes from the Lord alone.” Jonah:2:9
5.Praise GOD in uncertainty
Example: Mary praised GOD in the most uncertain situation, not knowing anything about her future. She believed nothing was impossible with GOD.
46 Mary responded,
“Oh, how my soul praises the Lord.
47 How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!
48 For he took notice of his lowly servant girl,
and from now on all generations will call me blessed.
49 For the Mighty One is holy,
and he has done great things for me.
50 He shows mercy from generation to generation
to all who fear him.
51 His mighty arm has done tremendous things!
He has scattered the proud and haughty ones.
52 He has brought down princes from their thrones
and exalted the humble.
53 He has filled the hungry with good things
and sent the rich away with empty hands.
54 He has helped his servant Israel
and remembered to be merciful.
55 For he made this promise to our ancestors,
to Abraham and his children forever.” Lk:1:46-55
6.Praise GOD when persecuted
Paul and Silas praised GOD after being beaten and thrown in prison.
25 Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening. Acts:16:25
7.Praise GOD in all circumstances
Paul praise GOD despite all he went through as in the below passage.
21 To my shame, I must say, we were too weak for that!
But whatever anyone else dares to boast of—I am speaking as a fool—I also dare to boast of that. 22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they offspring of Abraham? So am I. 23 Are they servants of Christ? I am a better one—I am talking like a madman—with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless beatings, and often near death. 24 Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; 26 on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; 27 in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food,[b] in cold and exposure. 28 And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches. 29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to fall, and I am not indignant?
30 If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. 31 The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, he who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying. 32 At Damascus, the governor under King Aretas was guarding the city of Damascus in order to seize me, 33 but I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall and escaped his hands. 2 Cor:11:21-30
Paul encourages us to praise GOD in all circumstances
16 Always be joyful. 17 Never stop praying. 18 Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. I Thes:5:16-18
Who is qualified to praise?
Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD! Ps:150:6
GOD’s Promise:
See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are! But the people who belong to this world don’t recognize that we are God’s children because they don’t know him. I John:3:1
The greatest assurance we need is that we are loved by our Heavenly FATHER unconditionally, what more do we need except to praise HIM every day and in every situation.
17 For the Lord your God is living among you.
He is a mighty Savior.
He will take delight in you with gladness.
With his love, he will calm all your fears.
He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.” Zeph:3:17
With HIS love our FATHER will calm all your fears, so cheer up!!!
GOD bless!
Happy New year!!!
Spiritual Nuggets 4 U 