PRAISE PDF Print E-mail

Blessed be the name of the Lord our God who daily load us with benefits. Our God is good. He is a very present help in trouble, and He knows those who trust in Him- Ps. 46

I would like to welcome us all into this month of December which is our month of PRAISE. Truly our God is a mighty God. He is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. Hallelujah.

I would like to thank God who made it possible for us as a ministry, family and nation to rejoice in this month of December.  We always do go through a lot, but our faithful God always deliver us.

Praising the Lord is a must to us all especially the children of God. Being of a thankful heart shows how grateful we are to God, who made us who we are today and who gave us life. We need to understand that praise is a weapon in our hands.

The bible says we should enter His gate with thanksgiving and in His court with praise -Ps 100:4. It means God cannot condone our ungrateful heart. He is expecting us to enter His gates (all his gate) with thanksgiving. We need to come to Him as our father with thankfulness for all He has done for us and His court with praise. It shows there is no way you will have heart of praise without a grateful heart. This two works together.

In Exodus 15, the children of Israel sang to the Lord “for He is good, and His faithfulness endured for ever.  They sang the songs of praise and thanksgiving after their deliverance. At last we are out of bondage. How do we praise God after His deliverance? We should not be collectors only but thank Him and make a song for Him so He will do more. No one does things to an ungrateful person. Therefore, we should be very careful how we look and handle God.

In Judges, Deborah sang the songs of victory. When there was no judge, Deborah took charge and led the men into battle she was grateful to God who gave them victory- Judges 5.

Hannah praised the Lord for the answered prayer. She that was barren, mocked, laughed and disgraced; became a fruitful woman who gave birth to the great prophet that this world ever has  1 Sam 2.

I must praise the Lord for He gave me power to make wealth. 18 “And you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day”- Deut. 8:18

When you raise a song unto the Lord, He will raise you. When Paul and Silas praised God right amidst their affliction, the chains were broken. Many times, we only praise God when we are happy-Acts 16:25-34. There is nothing that touches God when we praise Him while we are going through any pain. There is nothing touches God's heart when His children are going through persecution yet praising Him.

The Lord He is God. He is our creator. Why are you refusing to sing for He who gave you the voice? Sing to Him with your strength. Why are you refusing to clap for He who gave you the hands? Clap unto Him and for Him with all your strength. Dance for Him with all your strength-Ps 146:2.

God always stop the songs in heaven and listen to our songs when we are praising Him especially when we are praising Him through our pains. A complainer/grumbler has no place in God.

Our singing unto the Lord must not be determined by facts around us. Don't let the devil steal or stop you from praising the Lord. When he steals praise from you, he has stolen your joy. Doctors, nurses, friends and family members etc may fail you, but He will never fail. You may feel like someone took your joy or took advantage of you, don't say God has disappointed you.

Some people say 'I will never go to church again because pastor so or that person disappointed or hurt me' it must not stop you from going to church. Many times, doctors disappointed us, yet we still go to hospital for treatment. Cars have killed many people yet; we still buy and ride cars. Planes has killed many people, yet people are still using plane as means of their transportation.

We need also to know and understand praise as a weapon of war.

King Jehoshaphat is a very good example on how to behave in times of battle.

In 2 chronicle 20:1-2 “It happened after this that the people of Moab with the people of Ammon, and others with them besides the Ammonites, came to battle against Jehoshaphat. 2 Then some came and told Jehoshaphat, saying, “A great multitude is coming against you from beyond the sea, from Syria; and they are in Hazazon Tamar” (which is En Gedi).

This battle came against Jehoshaphat, the enemy arranged war against the king and Israel. I believed he remembered what God said when you go into the battle, you see horses and chariots more in number, do not be afraid for your God goes into battle for you -Deut. 20.1.

Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the Lord and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. So, Judah gathered together to ask help from the Lord; and from all the cities of Judah they came to seek the Lord- 2 Chron 20:3-5.

In any situation, don't look at it as big or small, take it to God in prayers. Anytime we hear news of trouble, humanly we will be shaken but we should seek God who knows all things and can do all things. I remember when one of our sisters was born prematurely, when the mother called me, I was shaken, and the Lord rebuked me that I should not do that or else I will kill the child. I listened and stood by the mother encouraging her. Other mothers were going to the hospital collecting their dead babies, our sister grew against all odds and came back healthy.

An incident happened to one of our sisters, after marriage it took her long to conceive. At our Cross over night of 2011, God touched her, and she conceived. Throughout the pregnancy, blood was coming out and it was really sign of miscarriage. In the wisdom of this world, the baby will not survive it. she called me, and I passed her through scriptures and told her to hold on Exo 23:25-26. The blood continues and she refused to accept the lies of the devil. On the ninth month the baby was born healthy. These are some of my encounter which frightened me, but God encouraged me to stand strong and I did.

But now, thus says the LORD, who created you, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine. 2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you.  3 For am the LORD your God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I gave Egypt for your ransom, Ethiopia and Seba in your place. Isa 43:1-3.  Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand'  Isa. 41:10

There are many news of calamity, terror, destructions and bondage but God is telling us not to be afraid but to seek Him. “And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart”. Jer. 29:13. Seek the Lord. You need a calm heart to seek God.

King Jehoshaphat reminded God of His wonders and covenant toward them, and He told them what to do.

 

14-15, Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah  And he said, “listen, all you of Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem and you, King Jehoshaphat! Thus, says the Lord to you: 'Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God's.

Tomorrow go down against them. They will surely come up by the Ascent of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the brook before the wilderness of Jeruel. You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, who is with you, O Judah and Jerusalem! Do not fear or be dismayed: tomorrow go out against them, for the Lord is with you”

Anytime we ran to God for help, He helps. He gives us encouragement and divine strategies on what to do in order to overcome the situation. You cannot receive anything from the Lord with a grumbling heart.

“Although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened”. Rom 1:21

“As they started to sing, the enemy turned against each other and destroyed themselves. When they arrived on the place for battle, only dead bodies.  Now when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were defeated. 23 For the people of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir to utterly kill and destroy them. And when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, they helped to destroy one another. 24 So when Judah came to a place overlooking the wilderness, they looked toward the multitude; and there were their dead bodies, fallen on the earth. No one had escaped. 2 Chron 20:22-24’

The winning of our battle is only on God's strategies and believing in Him that He who promised will surely bring it to pass. So, we need to be thankful at all times for eyes have not seen, ears have not heard, neither has it come to the heart of men what God kept in store for those who loves Him  1 Cor 2:9. For our present suffering cannot be compared with our future glory  Rom 8:18.  So we have every reason to praise the Lord at all times! God bless us all!