Tag Archives: praise

May 8, 2023 · 5:42 AM

Praising Changes Things

Praising God is something we’re going to be doing for eternity. The word “praise” in the Bible according to the Strong’s concordance means to boast, to rave about, to commend, to speak well of, to laud. What I’ve learned from people in the Bible like David is that it’s always a good time to praise God. It’s even more so appropriate when you’re down or simply don’t feel like it. When we praise, we give honor where it’s due, we magnify Him and we turn our attention from our problem to our solution. Praise takes the breath God placed inside us and gives it back to Him as an offering. When we do that, something shifts in our attitude, our situation and in the spiritual realm. It invites God into our space, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom (2 Corinthians 3:17).

In Acts 16, Paul and Silas were preaching and a slave girl, who was demon possessed, started taunting them. She did it for days until Paul had enough and cast the demon out. Her owners were furious because their money stream dried up. They had Paul and Silas beaten and cast into the innermost part of the prison. With their open wounds and feet shackled in an uncomfortable position, they felt it was a good time to praise God. Verse 25 says, “Paul and Silas, undaunted, prayed in the middle of the night and sang songs of praise to God, while all the other prisoners listened to their worship” (TPT). They didn’t allow their circumstances to discrete their ability to praise. Because they praised, God showed up, caused an earthquake, loosened their shackles and set them free. That night, the head of the prison and his family gave their lives to Jesus.

Psalm 34:1 says, “I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth” (AMP). No matter what we’re going through, how dark our situation is or how bad things seem, His praise should continually be coming out of us. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve done this and God has shown up. When I’m unable to get the words out of my mouth, I turn on a YouTube channel, a Pandora station or Air1 radio to bring praise into the room where I am. We have a need for the presence of God at all times in our life. However, when we need Him most, praise is one of the things we forget to do. Make a change today to bless the Lord at all times whether you feel like it or not. Start and end your day with it. You will see a difference in your attitude, your circumstances and your life if you do.

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February 21, 2023 · 5:47 AM

Lifting Your Hands

In Genesis, Jacob married Leah and Rachel. Through them and their handmaidens, he had 12 sons who became the tribes of Israel. His oldest was named Judah, and was the tribe Jesus was born into. The name Judah means “praise”. However, if you break it down in Hebrew, the first portion of his name is “Yad” which is to lift your hands. There’s a connotation here that Judah means “to praise with your hands” which so many Christians do during worship. When our hands are raised, it’s also a sign of surrender. Were unable to do anything in our strength, so we must rely on His. Also, when our hands are raised, we’re taking our hands off the work that God is trying to do. There are plenty of stories in the Bible where people put their hands on what God was wanting to do and it didn’t turn out great in the short term. There are also stories where people raised their hands and God showed up.

In Exodus 17 we find such a story. The Israelites were in the desert on their way to meet God at Mount Sinai after being freed from slavery. Descendants of Jacob’s twin brother Esau showed up to attack the Israelites. Moses sent Joshua and some men to fight them. Moses went up on the mountain side to hold up the staff God had used to free them. Verse 11 says, “As long as Moses held up his arms, the Israelites won, but when he put his arms down, the Amalekites started winning” (GNT). When he was too tired to keep his hands raised, Aaron and Hur sat Moses on a stone and they held his hands up until they defeated their attacker. It was God who gave the victory, but Moses had to keep his hands up in order for them to win. Thankfully he had people around him who recognized the need for uplifted hands and helped.

Psalm 28:1-2 says, “O Lord, my defender, I call to you. Listen to my cry! If you do not answer me, I will be among those who go down to the world of the dead. Hear me when I cry to you for help, when I lift my hands toward your holy Temple.” God is our defender when we’re under attack. Like David in this psalm, we must cry out to God, lift our hands and praise in the battle. Just like the Israelites faced hardships, we will too. God uses those times and situations to help us trust Him and to prepare us to receive the promise. Whether you’re in the wilderness or in a fruitful time, make sure you’re praising God and recognizing His authority over your life. His way is better than ours. Take time each day to hold up your hands in praise and surrender to let Him know you trust in Him and in His plan.

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March 16, 2022 · 5:26 AM

Power In Praise

There’s a worship song out that says, “This is how I fight my battles. It may look like I’m surrounded, but I’m surrounded by you.” I love that song because it’s a great reminder of the power of praise. It also reminds me of a time when I was in high school and I came under a spiritual attack that presented itself in a very physical way. A guy I knew attacked me in my home. One of my parent’s friends was there at the house and walked in at just the right moment. She told me to go collect myself. I went to the bathroom and began to praise because I recognized what was happening. When I came out, I was ready for battle, but God had already delivered me from the situation.

The story was similar in 2 Chronicles 20. A massive army came out against Israel. They prayed and fasted Seeking God’s help. They still had to go to battle, but they understood that the battle belonged to the Lord. On the way, the king consulted the people and they decided to send singers out in front of the army who were worshiping God. Verse 22 says that the moment they began to praise, the other army started fight among themselves and killed each other until no one was left. It took Israel 3 full days to gather the plunder left behind by the army. The Israelites were so grateful to God for the victory, they named the place “The Valley of Blessing”.

Verse 26 says, “On the fourth day they gathered in the Valley of Blessing, which got its name that day because the people praised and thanked the Lord there. It is still called the Valley of Blessing today” (NLT). If you’re in a valley facing defeat, spend time praising God. Not only does it invite His presence into your situation, it gets your focus on Him rather than your problem. Praise is a powerful weapon that we must learn to use in our darkest moments. People all throughout the Bible used it (Joshua at Jericho, Paul and Silas in prison, etc), we should be too. You may not feel like praising God in your current situation, but that’s precisely when you need to. There’s power in praise.

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June 15, 2021 · 5:43 AM

It’s Time To Praise

I remember being in children’s church as a kid. The boys sat on one side and the girls on the other. One of my favorite songs to sing was “Praise Ye The Lord”. We sang it in the rounds, and they made it a competition which made me sing my heart out. The girls would sing, “Hallelu, hallelu, hallelujah,” then the boy side would belt out, “Praise ye the Lord!” The girls would sing out, “Hallelujah,” only louder this time. We would respond with, “Praise ye the Lord,” trying to be louder than them. They responded, we responded and then we all were yelling at this point together, “Praise ye the Lord!” Each time the children’s church pastors would pick a winner who sang the loudest, but looking back I can see we both won as we learned to praise the Lord.

Praising the Lord is one of the recurring themes throughout the Bible. In the Old Testament, I think of when Israel would go to battle they would have a group of people who would sing praises go out in front of the army knowing their praise would honor God and bring victory. I also think of King Saul who was tormented by evil spirits. He would bring young David in to play praise songs, and he would get relief. In the New Testament, Paul and Silas had been thrown in prison for preaching the Gospel. In the darkest part of that prison in the darkest time of the night, they began to sing praises to God. In a moment, the ground shook and their chains fell off. Their praise brought freedom to them and salvation to another.

Genesis 2:7 tells us that in the Garden of Eden, God breathed the breathe of life into man and he came alive. Psalm 150:6 says, “Let everything that has breath and every breath of life praise the Lord! Praise the Lord! (Hallelujah!)” (AMP) As people, we’ve been given the breath by God in order to praise Him. We aren’t just supposed to praise Him on Sunday mornings though. When we’re in the thick of a difficult time where we can’t see the way out, it’s time to praise. When we’re on the edge of a breakthrough, it’s time to praise. When we need healing, it’s time to praise. When life is going great, it’s time to praise. Psalm 34:1 tells us to bless the Lord at all times and to let His praise be continually in our mouths. So right now is a great time for you to praise the Lord. No matter what you’re facing, it’s time to praise the Lord.

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October 12, 2020 · 5:51 AM

3 Ways To Victory

In 2 Chronicles 20, a huge army was headed to Jerusalem to destroy Israel. Jehoshaphat, who was king, was terrified and didn’t know what to do. They were unprepared to face an army this large. He did three things we need to do when we’re under attack or overwhelmed by what’s going on. He decided to seek God’s help first. He asked the people around him to start fasting and called a prayer meeting like he had read about from the kings of old. In verse 12 he prayed, “O our God, won’t you stop them? We are powerless against this mighty army that is about to attack us. We do not know what to do, but we are looking to you for help” (NLT). When you feel powerless and don’t know what else to do, pray, seek God’s guidance and get some close friends to pray with you.

As they were praying, the Spirit of the Lord came upon one of the men standing there and he began to prophesy. In verse 15 he said, “Listen, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem! Listen, King Jehoshaphat! This is what the Lord says: Do not be afraid! Don’t be discouraged by this mighty army, for the battle is not yours, but God’s.” He then encouraged the people to show up for the battle and then God would fight for them. God always expects us to act first. Our acts of faith activate His provision. These men had to go out dressed for battle against an army that was larger, and trust that God would do His part. God expects the same thing out of us. We have to step out in faith, do what God asks of us and He will do His part. Remember, the battle is not yours, but you still must show up.

Finally, the king consulted people around him and they suggested that the army sing praises to God. They put worshippers out front who led them in singing as they headed for the battlefield. Verse 22 says, “At the very moment they began to sing and give praise, the Lord caused the armies of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir to start fighting among themselves.” The very moment you begin to praise, God begins to move. Praise invites God’s presence into your present situation. I can’t tell you how many times, I’ve fought battles through praise. Praising God in the middle of your battle is a way of confirming that the battle is the Lord’s. If praise can set Paul and Silas free in a dungeon, it can set you free in the battle you’re going through. Remember , our battles are not against flesh and blood, though they present themselves that way. Fight on your knees and with your praise. Battles are first won in the spiritual realm before they are won in the physical realm.

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July 6, 2020 · 6:08 AM

The Power Of Praise

When I was a child, I started to learn the power of praise and worship. My earliest recollection of it was hearing the story of King Saul who was tormented by an evil spirit. David would come in, play his harp singing songs of praise to God, and the spirit would leave the king. I remember then hearing the story of Paul and Silas in prison. They had been beaten and were in the deepest, darkest part of the dungeon. In the middle of the night, they began to sing praises to God. The prison shook, the chains fell off and they were free. Then I memorized Ephesians 5:19 where Paul emphasizes to believers that we need to be, “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melodies in your heart to the Lord” (KJV).

I know when I’ve had major events in my life, I’ve turned on praise and worship music to help me get through. When I’m stressed out and under emotional pressure, I find a praise and worship station on Pandora. All of a sudden, the atmosphere around me begins to change. My mind shifts from my problems to my savior. There is a powerful thing that happens in those moments as I invite God’s presence into our situation. The thought chains that held my mind captive begin to fall off. The way I see and approach the problems changes as I shift my focus from them to the One who is greater than anything I face. I go from being the victim in the situation to the victor because I take up the weapon of the Word of God and began to fight the unseen battle.

Psalm 71:14 says, “No matter what, I’ll trust in you to help me. Nothing will stop me from praising you to magnify your glory!” (TPT). The writer knew that there will be things that happen to you to try to take your focus off of God. There will be lies spoken and heard internally that tell you God has abandoned you and forgotten you. However, he purposed in his heart that nothing (no lie, no circumstance, no situation or pressure) would keep him from praising God. When we focus our hearts on praise, our faith and trust in God rises. We quit listening to our circumstances and begin to speak into them with the Word of God. Don’t underestimate the power of praise in your life. God isn’t listening to see if you can carry a tune in a bucket, He’s listening to the intent in your heart. Don’t stop praising God no matter what is happening in your life because it will carry you through and break the chains trying to hold you down.

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April 17, 2020 · 5:44 AM

Continuous Praise

A friend of mine and I have been praying for each other’s job situation for a while now. We send verses to each other, specifics of what we’re praying or asking for and encouraging messages. In the physical realm, nothing seems to be changing, but we know God is at work. The other day he said, “I think we need to praise God for what He is going to do on our behalf.” It triggered something in me. All this time, I have been hyper focused on my need and seeking God daily, that I’ve forgotten to thank and praise Him ahead of time for what He’s going to do. I’ve been praising Him for the daily miracles I see, but haven’t been looking ahead to where God is leading.

We get so caught up in our requests that we fail to spend time praising God for the work He’s doing behind the scenes. Praise is an important part of our victory. The Israelites always sent their praise team out first before any battle because of its powerful effect. God truly does work all things out for your good (Romans 8:28), but there’s always that period of time where you begin to wonder what good can come from your current situation. Especially in those times, it’s important to praise God for what He’s going to do. The Psalms over and over remind us to praise God no matter what and at all times. If you’ve been seeking God for a breakthrough, take some time to add praise to your petitions.

Here are some Bible verses on praising God.

1. Praise the Lord! Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever.

Psalms 106:1 NLT

2. Let everything that has breath and every breath of life praise the LORD! Praise the LORD! (Hallelujah!)

Psalms 150:6 AMP

3. I trust in the Lord. And I praise him! I trust in the Word of God. And I praise him!

Psalms 56:10 TPT

4. Let us, then, always offer praise to God as our sacrifice through Jesus, which is the offering presented by lips that confess him as Lord.

Hebrews 13:15 GNT

5. I will praise the Lord at all times. I will constantly speak his praises.

Psalms 34:1 NLT

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August 2, 2018 · 5:32 AM

Praise In The Valley

In 2 Chronicles 20, several armies joined together to attack Judah (lower Israel in the divided kingdom). King Jehoshaphat was terrified and not sure what to do when he heard the news. He immediately sent out word to all the towns to send people to Jerusalem to fast and pray. While they were assembled, he prayed aloud for everyone to hear. In verse 12, he prayed something that is key for all of us to pray in such situations. He said, “We do not know what to do, but we look to you for help” (GNT).

Then, the Spirit of the Lord came on a Levite named Jahaziel. He spoke several things to them, but the part I want to focus on comes from verse 15. He said, “The Lord says you must not be discouraged or be afraid… The battle depends on God, not on you.” That should offer relief to you and I. The battles we are facing don’t depend on our ability, but God’s. We don’t have to be afraid of what we are facing because our God is bigger and more powerful.

The Israelites had to show up to the battle in order to win it according to the prophesy. The same is true for us. To calm his men down, King Jehoshaphat told them, “Put your trust in the Lord your God, and you will stand your ground. Believe what His prophets tell you, and you will succeed.” Faith is more than just showing up for the battle. It’s trusting what God says despite what you see. If we want success, we have to trust His report more than what our eyes and others tell us.

What happened next is incredible and also a great lesson for us. The king ordered that they praise the Lord for the victory before the battle! When they began to praise, it threw the enemy into a panic and they defeated themselves. They renamed the valley “Baracah” which means the valley of praise. Praise is one of our most powerful weapons. We need to use it before our battles because God dwells in the praises of His people. God can turn your valley of fear and desperation to a valley of praise if you will look to Him, depend on His ability, show up for the battle, and praise Him.

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April 19, 2018 · 5:38 AM

Praise Break

Throwback Thursday is a new feature I’m using to help build some margin into my schedule to pursue other writing ventures. Each Thursday I’ll be bringing you a previously written devotional that still speaks encouragement to us from God’s Word.

I don’t know about you, but there are times I just want to spend hours praising God while listening to praise and worship music. I set my Pandora to Jesus Culture, and then let it play. I love how so many songs put words to how I feel and what I want to say to God. Right now, one of my favorites is “Great Are You Lord” by All Sons and Daughters. The part that resonates with me says, “It’s your breath in our lungs, so we pour out our praise to you only.” I find myself repeating just that phrase over and over.

I learned a long time ago how important it is to be in God’s presence, especially when I’m under attack. I can find peace and clarity in times of chaos by praising God. Psalm 22 tells us that God inhabits the praises of His people. I’ve found that God shows up when I praise Him. I find that if I sing to Him, He gives me strength when I’m mentally and physically exhausted. I know i don’t sing in tune, but thankfully, He hears my heart over my pitch. He just enjoys it when we take the time to invite Him into our busy day and to praise Him.

Sometimes I feel like the psalmist in Psalm 106:2. He wrote, “Who can tell all the great things he has done? Who can praise him enough?” (GNT) Several years ago, Sonicflood sang a song called, “I Could Sing of your Love Forever”. I believe we could do that and still not be able to praise Him for all He’s done. I don’t know that we can praise Him enough. I do know that He is worthy of whatever praise we give Him because if He never did another thing for any one of us, He’s already done more for us than we deserve.

Today, I challenge you to think of things God has done for you and to praise Him for them. Make a list and watch it grow. We get so good at asking Him for things, but we rarely stop to thank Him when He does. Take time to praise God from your heart. If you don’t know what to say, search for your favorite worship song, play it, and sing along. Don’t worry if you don’t sound good to human ears. You aren’t signing for their approval. You are worshiping the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. When you do this, watch how your day changes. It’s amazing how praising God shifts our perspective and how His presence gives us peace.

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November 21, 2017 · 5:46 AM

Praise God

In the early 1990’s, I signed up for a music subscription service. Each month, Maranatha! Music would send me a tape of praise and worship. All I had to do was mail them a check each month. It doesn’t take long to build up a collection that way. Their tapes were most of the music I had. I fell in love with Praise and Worship at a young age. I loved what it did for my soul. If i was having a rough day, I could pop in a tape, and my troubles would disappear for a while.

Music in and of itself is powerful, but Praise and Worship is on a whole other level. It’s not just singing, it’s your soul crying out to the creator of the universe. Each song is a prayer that magnifies Him. It refocuses our attention from ourselves to our God. It changes our perspective of our problems. I think that’s a big part of why the Psalms in the Bible are so popular. It’s not just David being honest that we relate to. It’s his prayers and praise that our soul longs to give to God.

Psalm 147:1 says, “Praise the Lord! For it is good to sing praises to our God; for it is pleasant, and a song of praise is fitting” (ESV). I don’t care what your situation is, praise is fitting for it. It’s always the right time to praise God. Are you on top of the mountain? Praise God. Are you struggling in the valley? Praise God. Are you stressed out? Praise God. Did you get a raise? Praise God. It is good to praise God and to have a song of praise continually in your mouth.

If you’re not familiar with modern Praise and Worship, go to YouTube and search for Bethel Music, Hillsong, Kari Jobe, Matt Redman or just type, “Praise and Worship mix”. Let praise fill your heart and mouth today. You were created to give God praise. It’s not just something we should do for a few songs on Sunday morning at church. It should be a lifestyle that honors God. When you begin to live a life of praise, everything in your life will change because God inhabits the praises of His people.

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