What is praise?
Praise means “to commend, to applaud or magnify, to show our approval.” For the Christian, praise to God is or should be an expression of worship, lifting-up and glorifying the Lord. It is an expression of humbling ourselves and contemplatively centering our attention upon the Lord with heart-felt expressions of love, adoration and thanksgiving. Self-centeredness or flesh will not induce true worship. Praise happens in an environment of abandonment and brokenness, but most of all truth about our dependence on God.

Human Beings are Inherently Self-Centered

Learn why and how praising and worshipping God will set you free

Pause a moment to remember when your friend purchased something amazing on sale at one of your favorite places to shop. In most cases, you are thinking about the last great sale you caught and how you can’t wait to tell that story.

How about this one? Someone complains of an ache or a pain and we jump in to share our own aches and pains. Or, you go into teacher mode and tell them the remedy that works for you or why they hurt or what they need to avoid it in the future.

Yes, human beings are inherently self-centered.

When we get our minds off our circumstances and ourselves and onto God and His greatness then begin praising Him with our whole heart, we are loosed and set free; the chains of doubt, fear, and confusion are broken and we are set free by the power of praise and worship.

Being self-centered means caring about ourselves – our own needs above the needs of others. Of course, I’m not saying that we are like this all of the time but, admit it – we too have our moments. Perhaps you’re not ready to admit to yourself that you can be self-centered. Well, I’m certain you know someone who is and makes everything be about themselves. Let’s go deeper.

I challenge you to consider that we are likely this way with God.

How often do we think about how we pray and talk to God in general? Typically our prayers are “give me, give me, give me” this or that. Now I’m not suggesting that we should not take all of our needs to God, there is nothing wrong with that, in fact He tells us to do that.

The Word tells us are “to cast our cares upon” Him. But this can become a problem for us as Christians if that’s all we do. Check out Acts 16:23-26.

And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely:

Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.

And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.

And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed.

Paul and Silas were locked up – prisoners! However, instead of complaining, they began praising Him, they began to commend God. The Bible says they began praying and singing praises to God and you know what happened. God sent an earthquake and the prisoners were set free.

When we get our minds off our circumstances and ourselves and onto God and His greatness to praise Him with our whole heart, we are loosed and set free. The chains of doubt, fear and confusion are broken and we are set free by the power of praise.

How praising and worshipping God will set you free

PRAISE ELEVATES US INTO GOD’S PRESENCE.

Paul and Silas knew the secret of how to lift their hearts above their troubles and enter into God’s presence and power. Through praise and worship, their hearts were raised into the joyous presence and peace of God and provided God a channel for His power to operate in their circumstances.

The Bible says in Psalm 22:3, God inhabits the praises of His people. In other words, God “dwells” in the atmosphere of His praise. He is attracted to the environment that our hearts create for Him to fill. This means praise is a vehicle of faith that brings us into the presence and power of God. Praise and worship are the “gate-pass” or the “ticket of admission” which allows us to gain access into the Holy of Holies.

PRAISE TRANSPORTS US.

After you’ve been elevated to the joyous presence and peace of God, hold on as He transports you into his presence.

There are many actions involved with praise to God – verbal expressions of adoration and thanksgiving, singing, playing instruments, shouting, dancing, lifting or clapping our hands. True praise is not “merely” going through these motions. Jesus spoke about the hypocrisy of the Pharisees whose worship was only an outward show and not from the heart.

In Matthew 15:8, God shares, “people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth and honoreth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.

According to Scripture, expressions of praise bring blessing to the Lord and He eagerly awaits the fragrance of our affections, desiring to manifest His sweet presence and power in our midst. Now, hold on while the enemy flees from the presence of the almighty.

PRAISE SENDS THE ENEMY RUNNING.

Praise repels the presence of the enemy, Satan. The devil fears the power in the name of Jesus and flees from the Lord’s habitation in praise. Open your hearts to Psalm 50:23 – Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I show the salvation of God.

At Living Word Community Church where I’ve pastored for xx years, I encourage our church family to remain in mindset of praise.

How to Send The Enemy Running From Your Life

WHEN AND HOW TO PRAISE GOD.

Remember this as you move through your day. When God’s people begin to praise His name, it sends the enemy running and it releases the power and might of God on our behalf. Take the focus off your circumstances and turn your energy and thoughts to God.

• Praise Him in spite of your situation, in spite of what you feel.
• Praise Him because He is God and He is worthy.
• Praise Him for the battles He’s already fought for you and won.

While no one will live a life free from trouble and heartache, we all have much to be thankful for and reasons to praise God. For me, I am thankful for my health and the desire God places on my heart each day to serve Him. I’m hopeful you keep a praise on your heart today and the days to come. I would love to hear how this message has blessed you. You may share with me and bless others on our Facebook page or click here to share with me directly.