THE POWER OF PRAISE

By the grace of God we have emerged from the tumultuous year of 2025 and have been blessed to embark upon a new journey, in a new year, with a new attitude, with new mercies, realizing we are new creatures that have been given a new name, looking forward to a new earth and a new Jerusalem descending from a new heaven where God has made all things new, according to the new covenant documented in the New Testament.

With all of this newness God has so mercifully allowed us to partake in we should make every effort to put off anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy and filthy communication out of our mouths because these are “old man” actions.   And by old man I don’t mean aged, I mean sinful.   And that old, sinful man cannot peacefully coexist with our  “…new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of Him that created him.”  (Colossians 3: 10)   Jesus said, “…no man putteth new wine into old bottles;  else the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish.  But new wine must be put into new bottles; and both are preserved.”   (Luke 5: 37-38)     There are some old and new things that just don’t go together.

We who have been born again must remember who we are and what has been done for us.    Our Lord and Savior sacrificed His precious life to atone for the sins of that old man of ours.   And when we repented, that old man was put to death on the cross.   And as Jesus was raised from the dead, “Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.”   (Romans 6: 11)    Recognizing,  “…that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.”   (Romans 6: 4)

Now just because Jesus has made us new, we still have the same old enemy that wants to have you back under his control because his objective is for you to die in your sins.   But by God’s divine power He has  “given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue…”   (2 Peter 1: 3)   Therefore, no matter what comes your way, whether it’s trouble on the job, drama in the family, sickness in the body, confusion in the mind, vexation of the spirit or any of the many fiery darts that are flung at you, take your shield of faith and use it to quench them all.   In every circumstance maintain the humility, meekness, compassion, kindness and love that the Lord has endowed you with.

How?   By trusting Him and praising your way through the storm.   When you praise the Lord there is no room for anxiety, irritation, depression, anger, lust or strife.   But there is power in your praise that has the ability to not only affect the situation you are in, but more importantly it has the ability to affect you in your situation.   For example, when Jehoshaphat was about to be attacked by his enemies,  “It came to pass after this also, that the children of Moab, and the children of Ammon, and with them other beside the Ammonites, came against Jehoshaphat to battle.  Then there came some that told Jehoshaphat, saying, There cometh a great multitude against thee from beyond the sea on this side Syria; and, behold, they be Hazazon-tamar, which is En-gedi.   And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.  And Judah gathered themselves together, to ask help of the LORD:  even out of all the cities of Judah they came to seek the LORD.   And Jehoshaphat stood in the congregation of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the LORD, before the new court  And said, O LORD God of our fathers, art not Thou God in heaven?  and rulest not Thou over all the kingdoms of the heathen?  and in Thine hand is there not power and might, so that none is able to withstand Thee?”   (2 Chronicles 20: 1-6)

Though Jehoshaphat was faced with a dire situation, he still maintained his integrity and faith in God.   And then a prophet told him.  “Ye shall not need to fight in this battle : set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the LORD with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; to morrow go out against them:  for the LORD will be with you.”   (2 Chronicles 20: 17)    But look what happened when they began to praise the Lord.  “And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the LORD, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the LORD;  for His mercy endureth for ever.   And when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten.”  (2 Chronicles 20: 21-22)  

Their praise and worship moved the Lord into action where He caused their enemies to kill each other before the actual battle even began!  “And when Judah came toward the watch tower in the wilderness, they looked unto the multitude, and, behold, they were dead bodies fallen to the earth, and none escaped.”  (2 Chronicles 2: 24)   Not one arrow was shot, not one spear was thrown, not one rock was slung.   They just picked up the pieces!  “And when Jehoshaphat and his people came to take away the spoil of them, they found among them in abundance both riches with the dead bodies, and precious jewels, which they stripped off for themselves, more than they could carry away:  and they were three days in gathering of the spoil, it was so much.”   (2 Chronicles 20: 24)    The power of praise!  

Here’s another example.   While preaching on his second missionary journey in Philippi, Paul and Silas were stripped, whipped, thrown into prison and their feet placed in painful wooden restraints.   But in their suffering, they did not focus on the injustice or irritation of the situation.   Instead, they focused on God and began to praise Him.   “And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God:  and the prisoners heard them.”   (Acts 16: 25)   And how long did it take for the Lord to show Himself strong?   “And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed.”   (Acts 16: 26)   Not only were they released from their bondage, but the jailor and his family were saved and got baptized because Paul and Silas were still focused on God and kept on preaching!   “And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.  And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.   And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes;  and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.  And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house.”   (Acts 16:  31-34)

Now how awesome is that?   And though the Lord may not see fit to change your situation at the present time, He will give you strength to endure until the end of time.   No discomfort can compare to the glory of being in His presence and the knowledge of a heavenly home that awaits God’s children at the end of their journey.   “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:   And if children, then heirs;  heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ;  if so be that we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified together.   For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.”   (Romans 8: 16-18)

And so, the moral of this message is not to let the difficulties of your life discourage you from being the servant the Lord has called you to be.   Don’t let the enemy trick you into acting up and distracting you from using the power of praise that you have in your possession.   Don’t let him deprive you of the privilege and purpose for which you were created.   “This shall be written for the generation to come: and the people which shall be created shall praise the LORD.”   (Psalm 102: 18)  

Be the servant that says,  “Every day will I bless Thee;  and I will praise Thy name for ever and ever.   Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised;  and His greatness is unsearchable.   One generation shall praise Thy works to another, and shall declare Thy mighty acts.   I will speak of the glorious honour of Thy majesty, and of Thy wondrous works.”   (Psalm 145: 2-5)

Lord, help us to praise you not only with power, but with patience and with purity.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GneJ9LfkSn0