“Praise the LORD, you his servants; praise the name of the LORD. Let the name of the LORD be praised, both now and forevermore. From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the LORD is to be praised.”
Psalms 113:3
Both now and forevermore, the Psalmist calls us to a lifestyle of praise and He even gets into detail when he says when the sun rises to the time it sets, we praise! Meaning, throughout the day!
What is praise?
According to the Oxford Dictionary, praise is the expression of approval or admiration for someone or something. Every time we praise God, we express our admiration for God. There is so much power in giving God praise! He moves whenever we raise praise to Him!
Why should I praise? Here are a few reasons.
- To express your gratitude– Life itself is a gift from God that should move you to praise His name. Someone once said, “Gratitude adjusts attitude.”
- Acknowledging God– God being God, should move you to praise! His presence should draw you to praise. His person should move you to praise. You do not need to overthink.
- Express reverence– Every time you praise him, you crown Him as King, expressing reverent fear and awe.
- Develop a strong relationship with God– There is a nearness of God you feel every time you praise Him. His presence is strongly felt.
A day of the week is not enough to express consistent praise to God. Some of you have marked Sunday in your calendars as a ‘to-do’. Every time we go to church and sing a few songs and read the scriptures superficially, our hearts distant and cold, your praise does not move God in that fashion.
I am also not blind to the fact that sometimes, life can hand you blows, struggles, and constant life demands that can take you away from authentically praising God. This is where the sacrifice of praise comes in. Praise Him even when the conditions surrounding you are not favorable. Now that kind of praise moves God and when we offer the sacrifice of praise, our burdens are lifted and in the end, we feel much lighter.
There is so much power in praise because as we praise, we decrease and God increases. We shift our focus from ourselves to God. We place our burdens at His feet through praise. “Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his excellent greatness!” Psa. 150:2
Through praise, we wholeheartedly give Him control. “Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise! For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods.” Psa. 95:2-3
Through praise, the enemy has no choice but to flee! The presence of God in the midst of praise cannot and does not give room for the enemy to dwell. As the Bible says in 2 Chronicles 20:22, “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”
Praise draws the presence of God, He inhabits the praises of His people.” Psa. 22:3, and when He is present, the spirit of heaviness, discouragement, and pain is thrown out of the window! We experience joy in the midst of pain and peace in the midst of turmoil. “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy.” Psa. 103:2-4
We experience the fullness of Joy in His presence! Praise is a powerful tool in the Christian walk that cuts across the different facets of our spiritual and physical lives. Raise the banner of praise today no matter your circumstance and see God move in power! And to spice up your praise sessions, raise a flag before God and move as the Holy Spirit Directs!
To understand more about praising using flags, I invite you to join the waitlist for the next cohort of the Genesis Program by clicking here or the graphic below.
