Text: Psalm 150:1: Praise you the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power. Vs 2: Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness. Vs 3: Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp. Vs 4: Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs. Vs 5: Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals. Vs 6: Let everything that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise you the LORD.
Psalm portrays Christ as “Our All Sufficiency”. Sufficiency is the condition or quality of being adequate or sufficient. Is He not our “All Sufficiency”?
The Bible encourages, exhorts, and
even commands us to praise the Lord!
True praise of God will not be
confined to the sanctuary. We can truly
praise God only when we see His full greatness and goodness, and recall and
meditate on all that He has done in creation and redemption, and our personal
lives. In this way praise becomes a
powerful response of the heart expressing joy, gratitude and the desire for
communion with our Lord. We can praise
God with a life of joy, a life of love, with faith in Christ.
Again, the Word of God encourages us to exhort and even commands us to praise God. In the New Testament the words praise (John 9:24), glory (Revelation 1:6), and honor (Revelation 19:7), are all translated from the same Greek word “dox’a”. Its base meaning is “glory”.
Worship is the root word proskune'o, meaning to crouch, or prostrate oneself in homage (do reverence to; adore). John 4:24: God is a Spirit, and they that worship him, must worship him in Spirit and in truth.
The difference between the two, praise, and worship, is how we esteem our Father. It’s the adoration, the attitude of adoration in the heart. You can worship without a sound, but praise however, is the articulation (formation of clear and distinct sounds in speech) of that adoring heart.
When we’re praising, we give vent and voice to our heart of worship. Psalm 100:1: I will enter into his gates, with thanksgiving [in my heart]: I will enter his courts with praise.
With the setup of the tabernacle, one
could only enter in through the eastern gate into the courtyard, which was the
only means of entrance into this sacred area.
This was the outer court. This
court of the Gentiles always faced to the East, toward the rising of the
Sun. This was a clear type of the Lord
Jesus Christ our Savior.
·
John 10:1: Verily, verily, I say unto you,
“He that enters not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbs up some other
way, the same is a thief and a robber”: vs
9: I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved,
and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
Just inside the gate or door was a
brazen altar and to the West of this stood the brazen laver containing water
for the cleansing of the worshippers before they entered into the holy place of
the tabernacle.
So here we have the entrance which is
Jesus. The brazen altar or the Cross
is the starting point of our salvation experience and the brazen laver whereby comes separation and daily cleansing.
So you see our Father laid out the
plan of salvation for us that we can come boldly unto the throne of grace. Hebrews 4:16: Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace that we may
obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
Let’s give God praise!! I’m talking about “a break through praise”!!
What is “break through praise”? Break through as a noun is a sudden dramatic and important discovery or development. I’m sure we’ve all had some “break through praises”! Breaking through hurts, pain, works of the flesh, torments, etc.
The writer of this Psalm picks it up
again in Psalm 66:1: Make a joyful
noise unto the God, all you lands: vs
2: Sing forth the honor of his
name: make his praise glorious.
You see you can’t praise silently because praise
has to do with “articulation”. It requires action or voice. There is power in praise. There is power in lifting our voice in a song
or a shout, or a prayer of praise. Something
happens when we applaud and magnify our Father!! Somebody say, “break-through praise”!!!
What happens when we praise God?
·
Praise secures our Father’s manifest
Presence:
2nd Chronicles 5:11: And it came to pass when the priests were come out of the holy place
(for all the priests that were present were sanctified, and did not then wait
by course): vs 12: (Also the Levites which were the singers,
all of them of Asaph, of Heman, of Jeduthun, with their sons and their
brethren, being arrayed in white linen, having cymbals and psalteries and
harps, stood at the east end of the altar, and with them a hundred and twenty
priests sounding with trumpets): vs
13: It came even to pass, as the
trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising
and thanking the LORD: when they
lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music,
and praised the LORD, saying, “For he is good, for his mercy endures
forever”: that then the house was filled
with a cloud, even the house of the LORD.
Vs 14: So that the
priests could not stand to minster by reason of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the
house of God.
In the summer of 1985, we witnessed
the “Glory
Cloud” at my sister’s house in Henderson, North Carolina. Our Pastor at that time and congregation had
come to her house to dedicate her new home to the Lord. Some members were in the kitchen, some in the
living room, some in the hall way, giving our Heavenly Father glory, honor, and
praise. The “GLORY CLOUD” appeared in the top of the ceiling in the living
room, travelled to the kitchen, and all down the hall way, and you talking
about some NOISE, it was “on and popping” in that house!!!
How awesome it was and is when our
Father takes over a service, when sense of time is lost, when you’re not able
to stand, when you lay prostrate, and all you can do is bow and give God glory
because He’s orchestrating the order of service!!
It can still happen! We can still have the Shekinah glory fill the place we're in when we praise and worship Him! It is still happening!! God inhabits the praises and dwells in the praises of His people!! Psalm 22:3: But thou art holy, O thou that inhabits the praises of Israel.
God's Israel, is not the Israel in the Middle East, but His Israel is all over the land, which are His people. Israel, means a prince with God; he shall rule as God! Do you not have His power in you? Jesus said, Luke 10:19, "Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you". Revelation 1:6: And hath made us kings and priest unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. In Revelation 5:10, the same thing is stated, but the last part of that verse states that as kings and priests, "We shall reign on (over) the earth"!
What are some of the things that PRAISE do?
·
Praise secures victory: Psalm 149:6: Let the high praises of God be in their
mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand:
vs 7: To execute
vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people: vs 8: To bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of
iron: vs 9: To execute upon them the judgment
written: this honor have all his
saints. Praise you the LORD.
Here we see the praise coupled with the declaration of our Father’s Word, binds the enemy in chains. Verse 6 addresses the activity of the
righteous in two areas, worship and
spiritual warfare. Just look at our
weapons, “high praises” and a “two-edged sword”.
What is a two-edged sword? It is the “Word of God”! Our desire to praise our Father must be
accompanied by the desire to aggressively oppose all the workings of the devil
and his kingdom. For our Heavenly Father
is with and in us! Let us not be fearful
of everything going on in the world today, because the same God that delivered
His people out of the hands of those tyrant leaders of the kingdoms that came
against His people and has fallen already over the eons of time, is the same God
now ready to deliver His people again!!
Anyone need victory in areas of your
life right now, give God a break-through
praise!!!
·
Praise secures and loose burdens: Isaiah 61:1: The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me: because the LORD hath anointed me to preach
good tidings unto the meek: he hath sent
me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the
opening of the prison to them that are bound:
vs 2: To proclaim the
acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort
all that mourn. Vs 3: To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to
give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of
praise for the spirit of heaviness:
that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the
LORD, that he might be glorified.
You might look fine on the outside,
but your spirit man within, may be heavy.
When we find ourselves in that state, we must muster up a radical
praise, or a “break-through praise”!! The flesh won’t feel like it. Well, the flesh is doing what it does. That’s why we have to break through with praise, a
song, a dance, or even a shout,
because this is spiritual! Exchange that
weight for a garment of praise!!
·
Ephesians 5:19: Speaking to yourselves in psalms
and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart unto the
Lord.
If you’re burdened today, weighed
down with the cares of life, you can rid yourself of the heavy load today,
through praise. Jesus said: Matthew 11:28: Come unto me all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give
you rest. Vs 29: Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me, for
I am meek and lowly in heart: and you
shall find rest unto your souls. Vs
30: For my yoke is easy, and my
burden is light.
Praise secures release: Acts 16:25: And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and
sang praises unto God: and the prisoners
heard them. Vs 26: And suddenly there was a great earthquake,
so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened,
and everyone’s bands were loosed.
Circumstances we sometimes find
ourselves in, we need a release. Here
Paul and Silas were in a dire situation, because they stood for what was right. Does
that sound familiar? They were
thrown into the inner prison, humiliated, had their backs lacerated, their feet
fastened in stocks, but they didn’t gripe nor complain. Their faith was steadfast, their hope was
sure! They had no doubt. They looked at that mountain in front of them
or should I say, valley, and said, “We know
just what to do”!! They prayed and
praised God in song, and the Bible says “The
prisoners heard them”. Vs 26, “And suddenly (unawares; unexpectedly) there was a great
earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately (instantly; presently) all the doors were opened,
and everyone’s bands were loosed”.
Listen, they prayed and sang and the prisoners heard them because I believe the
sound was so piercing that it pierced through their natural hearing even into
their inner (spiritual) ear. Even the
keeper of the prison, after being
wakened from sleep, seeing the prison doors open, drew out his sword, and would
have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had fled (Acts 16:27). Vs 28: But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, “Do thy self no harm for we
are all here”. Vs 29: Then he called for a light, and sprang in,
and came trembling and fell down before Paul and Silas: vs 30: And brought them out, and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved”? Vs 31: And they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be
saved, and thy house”!
Yet, in the middle of suffering, they
prayed, sang hymns of praise to our
Father, because our joy is within and not moved or conditioned by outside or
outward circumstances.
Keep in mind what Paul wrote in 2nd Corinthians 10: 4, The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds: vs 5: Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.
Persecution cannot destroy our peace
and joy. Acts 5:17-42 [the Apostles are arrested, but Gamaliel,
spoke out on their behalf to the elders and chief priest]:
·
Vs 38: And now I say unto you, “Refrain
from these men, and let them alone: for
if this counsel, or this work be of men, it will come to naught”: vs 39: But if it be of God, you cannot overthrow it, lest haply you be found
even to fight against God”. Vs 40: And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles, and
beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus,
and let them go. Vs 41: And they departed from the presence of the
council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his
name. Vs 42: And daily in the temple, and in every
house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.
That word rejoicing, is the root word cha’iro
(khah’eero), meaning to be cheerful,
calmly happy or well off; be glad; joy (fully).
So we can see here in Acts chapter
five and Acts chapter sixteen that our Father, provides sufficient grace to
carry us through whatever we go through!
2nd Corinthians 12:1-10 [Paul talks about depending on God
in relation to the thorn that was in his flesh]:
·
Vs 8: For this thing I besought the
Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.
Vs 9: And he said unto
me, “My grace is sufficient for thee:
for my strength is made perfect in weakness”. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in
my infirmities, that the power (dunamis) [miracle
working ability] of Christ may rest upon me.
When we depend on God, when we are
going through situations, His strength
(dunamis) [miraculous power; ability; might] is made
perfect (teleio’o)
complete; accomplished; fulfilled]. It
goes to another root word tel’ios, meaning, complete of labor, growth, mental and
moral character; full age: in
weakness (asthen’iah)
[feebleness (of body or mind); malady; moral frailty: disease; infirmity; sickness]. This means
when you or I may be weak (feeble; frail; helpless)
in body or mind, that’s when His
strength [miraculous
power, ability, and might] is made perfect (complete;
accomplished; fulfilled) in us to
the fulfilling of Ephesians 4:13: Till
we all come in the unity (oneness) of the faith
(persuasion), and of the knowledge (full discernment; acknowledgement) of the Son of
God, unto a perfect (complete; whole) man
[in heart; soul; mind; body], unto the
measure (degree) of the stature (maturity; full age) of the fullness of Christ!
His “strength” (dunamis) [miraculous power; ability; might], is
what it takes to bring us to the fullness of Christ, because we the Church, is
His Body, in the earth now: Ephesians
5:30: We are members (limbs; parts) of his body, of his flesh, and of
his bones.
This is what the “STRENGTH” of the Lord will do for us that believe and obey!
·
Psalm 27:1: The LORD is my light and my
salvation: whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength (ma’owz’) [fortified place; defense: force; fort (tress);
rock; (most) strong (hold)], of my life:
of whom shall I be afraid?
· Psalm 28:7: The LORD is my strength (oz) [force; security; majesty; praise; boldness; loud; might; power] and my shield: my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoices, and with my song will I praise him. Vs 8: The LORD is their strength (oz)[force; security; majesty; praise; boldness; loud; might; power] and he is the saving strength (ma’owz’) [fortified place; defense: force; fort (tress); rock; (most) strong (hold)], of his anointed!
Are you God's anointed? Luke 4:18, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor: he hath sent me to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised: vs 19: To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
I’m reminded of Nehemiah 8:1-12
[Ezra reads the Law to God’s people]: vs 10: Then he said unto them, “Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet,
and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be you sorry, for the joy of the LORD
is your strength” (ma’owz’) [fortified place;
defense: force; fort (tress); rock; (most) strong (hold)].
Whatever prison, you may feel like
you’re in, whether guilt from the past, past or present relationships, things
said, things done, and it seems like a “monkey
on your back”, so to speak, give God praise!! Sing hymns, and give a shout!!
·
Psalm 149:6: Let the “high praises” of God be
in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand: vs 7: To execute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the
people: vs 8: To bind their kings with chains, and their
nobles with fetters of iron: vs 9: To execute upon them the judgment
written: this honor have all his
saints. Praise you the LORD!
Our praise confounds and defeats the
enemy! 2nd Corinthians
10:3: Though we walk in the flesh, we
do not war after the flesh: vs 4: (For the weapons of our warfare are not
carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds): vs 5: Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself
against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the
obedience of Christ.
Our praise will bring us peace!!
The Lord said through the prophet Isaiah 26:3: Thou will keep him in perfect peace (shalowm’) [safe (in mind and body); well; happy; health]:
whose mind is stayed (camak’) [to prop; lean
upon; take hold of; established; stand fast] on thee: because he trusts in thee.
Then, Jesus Himself said: John 14:27: Peace (eire’ne) (to join) [prosperity; oneness; quietness;
rest; set at one again] I leave with you, my peace I give
unto you: not as the world gives, give I
unto you. Let not your heart be troubled
(stirred; agitated), neither let it be
afraid (timid; faithless).
This is because, “You are of God, little children (darlings),
and have overcome them: because
greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world” (1st
John 4:4).
So give God praise and worship Him to shake every foundation of the enemy and open the doors
that have closed. Revelation 3:8-13
[Jesus said to the church of
Philadelphia]: vs 8: I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door,
and no man can shut it.
So walk into your open door with “break-through
praises”, singing hymns, dancing, and shouting HIGH PRAISES
unto our God!!
Evangelist Mary Perry
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