Praise # 6 10-22-95
We’re going to continue on the subject of Praise and Worship. In the last few weeks we took up the most common words in the Hebrew language for the word praise. Each of those Hebrew words were so rich and full of meaning, and it reveals to us how we are to be worshipping God. Today I want to continue where we left off last week on the subject of the “Importance of Praise.”
I. Turn to PSA 22:3
A. God inhabits the praises of His people.
1. Which means that He dwells in our praises. The very presence of God fill the place when we are truly worshipping God.
2. Not only do we bless God when praise His, but we also bring God’s blessings upon us.
3. I said this last week, but I want to repeat it.
a. Many of our problems are not due to circumstances, they’re caused because of doubt and unbelief.
b. But when you get into the presence of God through praise and worship you can’t doubt or have unbelief.
i. You’ll see and experience the greatness of God and you’ll know that the word of God is true, and that He will bring you out of the problem.
ii. I’m not saying that you won’t have storms, but through your praises to God you’ll begin to walk in victory.
B. During the time that Saul was reigning as king over Israel, the Ark of the Covenant, which contained the presence of God, was stolen from Israel.
1. It wasn’t put back in its proper place for some 20 years.
a. During that time there was no praise bring offered up to God and the presence of God was gone.
b. They continued their religious practices, but without the presence of God.
i. They had a form of godliness, but denied the power there of.
ii. In other words it was dead works. (It was done in vain.)
2. When king David brought the Ark of the Covenant back.
a. David appointed priest to praise God continuously.
b. The presence and the power of God began to manifest, and Israel became a victorious nation again.
II. Turn with me to PSA 33:1-5
A. V 1 would be better translated “Sing for Joy in the Lord, O ye righteous.”
1. The KJV does translate it that way in other places. The NASB says, “Sing for joy in the Lord, O you righteous ones.” (Psalm 33:1)
2. PSA 67:4
a. The point that I wanted you to see is that the Psalmist didn’t say, “Because I have joy I will sing.” He said, “I will sing for joy.”
b. The world says you must be happy before you can sing and dance, but God says If you want joy, sing and dance before me.
i. In (ISA 61:3) Isaiah said that if we are feeling down then we need to begin to praise the Lord to be lifted out of that.
ii. “Put on the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.” (Isaiah 61:3)
B. ACTS 16:16-24
1. Paul and Silas were thrown into prison, beaten from head to toe, their hands and feet locked together in stocks. The prison was probably dark, it probably stunk so bad.
a. Yet Paul and Silas began to think about their salvation and the goodness of the Lord, that He has set us free from all the powers of darkness.
b. And so they began to praise the Lord. They sang for joy in the Lord.
i. In the natural they didn’t see any joy, but their joy was in what Christ has done for them.
ii. So they sang for Joy.
2. ACTS 16:25-31
a. When there is true praise from the heart, rejoicing in the Lord, the presence and the power of God will be there.
III. Turn back with me to PSA 67:4-6
A. Praise is faith in action.
1. Notice that he says, “Praise 1st then the blessings come.” (read it again).
a. When we begin to praise, the very power and presence of God begins to move in our lives.
B. 1 of our main text that we’ve used for this series is 2 CHRON 20 so let turn there.
1. Israel was so out numbered by the enemy, that they didn’t know what to do.
a. 2 CHRON 20:15-18
i. Notice what took place here.
2. 1st they had a word from the Lord, next they began to worship Him.
a. The word “Worshipping” in (V 18) comes from the Hebrew word “SHABACH” which means “To magnify God for His greatness.” It also has to do with victory, victory that God has given you.
b. This was faith speaking. They were putting all their faith and trust in God.
3. Look at 2 CHRON 20:21-22
a. When they began to praise the Lord, the power and the presence of the Lord was there.
b. When you and I begin to praise and worship the Lord in Spirit and in truth, we’re going to see the manifestation of the power and presence of God working in our lives.
C. Praise is more than a cure-all, it’s more than a formula to get the Word of God to work in your lives, it’s a life style and it’s a walk of faith.
IV. Turn with me to HEB 11:6
A. Paul says here that we cannot please God without faith.
1. In order for our praises to be pleasing to God they must be in faith.
2. In (ROM 14:23) Paul said, “Whatever is not in faith is sin.”
a. Again that tells us that our praises must be in faith.
b. (2 COR 5:7) says, “We walk by faith.”
B. Well, what is faith?
1. (Hebrews 11:1) Says, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
a. The New Century Version of (HEB 11:1) says, “Faith means being sure of the things we hope for and knowing that something is real even if we do not see it.” (NCV)
b. I like that last part, “Faith is knowing that it is real even if we don’t see it.”
i. How does that apply to our praises?
2. Turn to PSA 50:23
a. The word “Praise” in this V is the Hebrew word “TOWDAH” meaning the “Sacrifice of Praise or the Sacrifice of Thanksgiving.”
i. Sure we are to offer up Thanksgiving for what God has done and for what He is doing, But there is another very important area of Praise.
b. We are to Praise God for the things that He has said in His Word that are ours, especially if we don’t see it.
c. We are to praise Him by thanking Him for what He has promised in His Word and believing that they belong to us.
3. We know that sickness, disease, sin, evil, broken homes, poverty, and disasters are not from God. They’re from the enemy.
a. They’re part of the curse.
b. But the Word of God says in (GAL 3:13) that we have been delivered from the curse.
4. We can go to the Father and say, “Father, I praise you and thank you that I have been delivered from the curse. I thank you because you have already blessed me, because your word says that you have blessed me with every spiritual blessing. Therefore I am blessed and I am entering into that now.”
C. Turn to PSA 37:4
1. “Delighting in the Lord” is “Rejoicing in the Lord.” It’s praise.
a. We all know that prayer changes things.
i. It can move mountains, change situations and it can change people. (Through the HS beginning to work, through God softening their heart and by God removing the blinders that Satan has put on people.)
ii. We know that prayer works, but Praise finishes what prayer begins.
b. E. W. Kenyon made this statement, “Prayer asks but praise takes. Prayer talks about the problem but praise takes the answer from God.”
2. Many times when we’re going through some big storm, all we do is ask and plead for God to do something.
a. The reason why we’re pleading for Him to do something is because we’re in fear.
b. When something happens in our lives we need to put on the sacrifice of praise, the sacrifice of thanksgiving.
i. Thanking Him, through our praise, for the answer.
ii. That’s faith.
3. Praise has a way of turning our fears into faith.
a. Look at PSA 34:1-4
b. Remember what (PSA 37:4) said, “Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.”
WOLCC SUN AM 10/22/95 From Charles Trombley’s book “Praise, Faith in Action.” Pg. 70-78