Praise affects every area of life: personal relationship with God, authority over the devil and physical, emotional and mental well-being. Without praise, we simply exist. Existence isn’t really living! Life without praise is why so many believers are barely surviving.
We need to begin the day with praise, and praise should be the last thing out of our mouths at bedtime. Scripture tells us to praise God continually. God deeply desires an intimate relationship with each of His children. Our part of developing that relationship is studying God’s love letter, the Bible; spending time with Him, talking and listening. Consistent, continual praise is essential in communication that produces intimacy with our Father.
Praise is so much more important than we’ve learned to believe in our average Christian lives. We often think of praise as a nice thing to do in church on Sunday morning for the “singing part” of the service, but we’ve come to see it as an optional activity that depends primarily on our circumstances and how we feel emotionally. If that’s true, then it’s impossible to praise continually. God never tells us to do something that is impossible to do. Praise is not optional! Praise is an absolute necessity for abundant living! God treats receiving praise from His people very seriously. We must urgently remember it was whining and complaining that kept the Israelites out of the Promised Land, causing them to die in the desert.
Numbers 14:26-29: God said to Moses and Aaron, “I’ve heard the complaints the Israelites murmur against Me. As I live, says the Lord, what you’ve said in My hearing I will do. Your dead bodies shall fall in this wilderness — of all from twenty years and older, who have murmured against Me.”
Do we want God to do what we say in His hearing? We must make the choice to change thought and speech habits to agree with God so that we can receive from Him the good He longs to endlessly bestow on us.
God doesn’t say we’re to praise Him for difficult circumstances; we are to praise Him in them. This is so important! When it seems we have nothing to praise God for, we are to praise God simply because He is worthy of our praise.
Psalm 107:1-11: Give thanks to the Lord. He is good; His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever! Let the redeemed of the Lord say so…Oh, that men would praise the Lord for His goodness and loving-kindness! He satisfies and fills the longing soul with good! But some sat in darkness, bound in affliction because they rebelled against the words of God and spurned His counsel.
Praise releases our spiritual authority and power. We don’t praise God because it will benefit us personally—although it will! We don’t praise God simply because it overcomes the enemy, although it certainly does! We praise God because God is worthy of continual praise. Benefits follow our faith choice to praise God even when we don’t feel like it.
We need your involvement in this essential Biblical Guidance ministry! Have you known anyone who struggles with depression and anxiety? Has divorce touched your family in some way? When you donate to this local ministry, you become a part of the spiritual growth that brings restoration to individuals and families struggling with brokenness and grief. We donate hours of ministry each week to those who cannot afford to pay. Your donation of $25, $50, $100 or more each month is a life saving gift to someone you may know, but if not, you will certainly meet them in eternity! Thank you for making an eternal difference! Call 580-774-2884 to activate monthly auto debit, or send your donation to PO Box 466, Weatherford, OK.
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Dixie Yoder
