There’s no law that says praising God is reserved for church on Sunday. It can be a lifestyle: at work, at school, at home, in the shower. Praise brings God’s presence, along with His direct intervention. The Psalmist said, “I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth” (Ps 34:1). Before David was a soldier or a king, he killed Goliath with a slingshot and a stone. You don’t need an army to defeat your giants, just a well-aimed Scripture backed up with a shout of praise.
Praise is an expression of faith; it’s a declaration that God’s in control. Praise is not something you engage in simply when you feel like it. The Bible says we’re to “offer the sacrifice of praise to God.” The more it costs, the more it pays off! In the Old Testament when their enemies were arrayed against Judah (which means praise), Jehoshaphat their king sent the choir to the front lines ahead of the army to praise God. What a crazy strategy. But it worked! As they went forward worshipping, “the Lord set ambushes against the people…who had come against Judah,” and they were defeated. Anybody can praise God when “everything’s comin’ up roses,” but learn to praise Him when you’re in the trenches and He’ll defeat whatever’s waging war against you. A praise-filled environment stops Satan dead in his tracks – because he knows that God “lives” in that kind of atmosphere! (See Ps 22:3.)
Prisons in Bible times were miserable places, devoid of even the most basic creature comforts. It was in such a place that “Paul and Silas were…singing praises to God…[when]…a strong earthquake shook the jail….The doors opened, and the chains fell from all the prisoners”. And it can happen for you too.
If you want to shake things up, see doors open and chains break, begin to praise God “in spite of.” The secret to soaring above your circumstances is approaching God on the wings of praise. David said, “Those who have learned to acclaim [praise, applaud, honour, pay tribute to] you…walk in…your presence…Lord.” Praise isn’t simply a reaction to coming into God’s presence; it creates a channel through which He enters to go to work on your problem.
When you’re down and depressed there’s no incentive for your natural mind to praise God. It’ll actually encourage you to wallow in misery and feel sorry for yourself. But that’s completely opposite to what you should be doing! God is “Looking for: those who are…themselves…in… worship…[who] do it out of their very being” (Jn 4:23-24). It’s not a matter of emotion; it’s a matter of faith. It’s not something that comes naturally; it’s something you choose to do. Whether you’re in the wilderness or the Promised Land, when you “rejoice, and sing praises” things start to happen; as your praises go up, God’s blessings come down. Nehemiah says, “The joy of the Lord is your strength”. Praise actually helps to heal your emotions and lift the weight of negativity you’re living under. Try it!
