THE ESSENCE OF WORSHIP

"True worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is a spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth."

John 4:23-24

The dictionary defines "Essence" as the central meaning or theme of a speech or literary work. So when we speaks of the Essence of Worship, we are speaking of that "True Worship" which God is after.

The Greek word (Strongs G4352) for worship - PROSKUNEO: to kiss the hand to (towards) one, in token of reverence, to fall upon the knees and touch the ground with the forehead as an expression of profound reverence

The Hebrew word (Strongs H7812) for worship - SHACHAH:  - to bow down, to prostrate oneself  before God in worship

All of those in the Bible who encountered the living God in His glory fell on their face in worship. Both the Greek and Hebrew word speak about "bowing down" - do we see this often in our weekly worship service? Or more directly do we personally practice bowing down in our personal worship? But if bowing down becomes a form than it becomes a ritual and that's what God hates! (see Proverb15:8). When our worship becomes superficial, it is an attempt to brush Him off and get on with the self-life. It bears the appearance of devotion, but there is nothing of relationship in it - no love, no honor, no passion.  

The Essence of True Worship is an attitude of the HEART that continually acknowledges God and values His character. In order for us to understand the Essence of True Worship, we need to go the Bible and apply the Law of First Mention, a principle that states the first time a word or idea is mentioned in Scripture is significant, for it sets a foundation and framework for any other time the word is udsed throughtout the Scripture.


We first see the word "worship" in Genesis 22 in the account of Abraham offering up his son Isaac. "And Abraham said to his young men stay here with the donkey, I and the lad will go yonder; and we will worship and return to you" (verse 5 emphasis added). Abraham did not go up to the mountain with a guitar or to sing a slow song. He was going up there to offer his most precious son Isaac! - this is the original context of the Essence of True Worship!  


What is the Essence of True Worship? What does it mean to present yourself as "living sacrifice"(Romans 12:1)? Is there a set time and place for it, or does it encompass all of our lives? Worship defines the relationship between God and His people and touches every aspect of our existence.


Apostle John W. Stevenson in his book "Worshiper By Design - A Unique Look At Why We Were Created" aptly defines that "A WORSHIPER - is one who is INTIMATELY acquainted with, and has a DAILY relationship with GOD exhibited through OBEDIENCE."  The life of a "Lifestyle Worshiper" involves Faith, Obedience and Sacrifice:
 Faith - Without faith it is impossible to please God

Worship Is In The Heart and not in the art

Obedience - Doer of the WORD

Sacrifice - Bowing Down to His ways

Reverence - The Fear of the LORD

Holiness - Set apart for His GLORY

Fellowship - Friend of GOD

THE ESSENCE OF TRUE WORSHIP is more than singing a song, a good feel or nice lyrics led by a worship team in the corporate gathering. We often think of worship as words and songs that come out of our mouths. It is so much more. It is a LIFESTYLE, a sacrificial way of living that acknowledges every moment of every day that there is ONE far more worthy of our allegiance than ourselves. When His interests consisitently supercede ours, and we act accordingly, we are worshiping.

TPWC will attempt to share and expound more on the series of the ESSENCE OF TRUE WORSHIP in the forth coming posts.

Have a blessed week!

TPWC

PRAISE REVOLUTION: QUOTABLES

"Praise is the greatest work God's children can ever do. It is the loftiest expression the Saints can ever show. The highest manifestation of spiritual life is seen in men praising God." Watchman Nee - Assembling Together

"Praise is not something we experience occasionally, but is a garment which will be worn constantly by the last-day church (Isaiah 61:1-3). The garment of praise is the perfect answer for the depressions which are common to this generation." E. Charlotte Baker - On Eagles Wings

"The sacrifice of praise is the choice of every believer. You cannot be a successful worshipper without recognising the importance of your will in offering a sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving." Terry Law - The Power of Praise and Worship

"Praise is a door to God's presence." Warren and Ruth Myers - Praise is a Door

"To praise the Lord for something He has done for us is easy, to praise God after we have been emotionally stirred toward Him is not difficult, but to praise the Lord as a sacrifice is a different matter. The way we feel from day to day fluctuates and changes, but God's Word is unchanging. We do not rely upon feelings to be in an attitude of praise but rather we recognise that His unchanging Word and His constant characteristics demand a people with a constant and unchanging attitude to His Word and commandment. We are therefore enjoined to offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is the fruit of our lips (not our feelings), giving thanks to His name." B. Maureen Gaglardi - The Key of David

"Praise releases the power of God into our lives and circumstances, because praise is faith in action. Praise is a permanent acceptance of what God has brought into our lives. We enter this attitude of praise by an act of our will, by a decision to praise God regardless of how we feel." Merlin R. Carothers - Power in Praise

Until the practice of praise in private is continuous and free, the practice of corporate praise will be inhibited by fear, self-consciousness and discomfort. The practice in the corporate sense is absolutely indispensable to the maximum worship experience." Jack R. Taylor - The Hallelujah Factor
"Praise is not a mass function, it is the response of an individual to His God. When a group of individual choose to unite in praising, their individual praises may blend into a group response, but every expression of the praise comes from a separate individual." Judson Cornwall - Let Us Praise
"Warfare through praise does not dictate to God what He should do ... it praises Him for His wisdom and might, recognising that He is capable of setting the problem in the best possible manner. We do not focus on the battle or the enemy; we look only to the solution - God!" - "But the people that do know their God shall be strong and do exploits." (Daniel 11:32) Bob Sorge - Exploring Worship

"Praise is born in faith, is an instrument of war and a method of creating an atmosphere for the presence of the Lord. Praise requires effort, will power and boldness." - TPWC

PRAISE REVOLUTION: FAITH

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for,

the evidence of things not seen

- Hebrews 11:1 -

FAITH has it's anchor in the unseen realm. It lives from the invisible towards the visible. FAITH actualizes what it realizes. The Scriptures contrast the life of FAITH with the limitations of natural sight. FAITH provides eyes for the heart. FAITH sees. It brings His Kingdom into focus. All of the Father's resources, all of His benefits, are accessible through FAITH. In fact Hebrews 11:6 tells us that: " Without FAITH it is impossible to please God." God is very committed to teaching us how to see. To make this possible He gave us the Holy Spirit as a tutor. The curriculum that He uses is quite varied. But the one class we all qualify for is the greatest of all Christian privileges - PRAISE and WORSHIP. Learning how to see is not the purpose for our PRAISE and WORSHIP, but it is a wonderful by-product. In fact we all need to exercise FAITH to PRAISE GOD. Hebrews 11:6 tells us that: "Without FAITH it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exist and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him." We read in Hebrews 11:30, "By FAITH the walls of Jericho fell after the people had marched around them for seven days." I believe it was the "SHOUT OF PRAISE IN FAITH AND OBEDIENCE" to God's command that the walls came tumbling down. I believe Paul and Silas though chained in pains in the prison cell exercised FAITH that resulted in an earthquake and the opening of the prison cells.

PRAISING GOD IN FAITH AND OBEDIENCE brings us into the realm of the miracles. This realm is called the Kingdom of God. The throne of God, which becomes established upon the PRAISES of His people, is the center of that Kingdom. It's in the environment of PRAISE and WORSHIP that we learn things that go way beyond what our intellect can grasp - and the greatest of these lessons is the value of His presence. David was so affected by this that all his other exploits pale in comparison to his abandoned heart for God. We know that he learned to see into God's realm because of statements like, "I have set the Lord always before me; because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved." The presence of God affected his seeing. He would constanly practice recognizing the presence of God. He saw God daily, not with the natural, but with the eyes of FAITH. That priceless revelation was given to a WORSHIPER. The privlege of PRAISE and WORSHIP is a good beginning place for those unaccustomed to addressing some of these kinds of themes found in Scripture. It's in that wonderful ministry that we can learn to pay attention to this God-given gift: the ability to see with the heart. As we learn to PRAISE and WORSHIP with purity of heart, our eyes will continue to open. And we can expect to see what He wants us to see.

An extract from : When Heaven Invades Earth by Bill Johnson

PRAISE REVOLUTION: BLACK DOTS

"It is good to praise the LORD and make music to your name, O Most High, proclaiming your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night, to the music of the ten-stringed lyre and the melody of the harp" Psalm 92:1-3

No matter what the source of the evil, if you are in God and surrounded by Him as by an atmosphere, all evil has to pass through Him before it comes to you. Therefore you can thank and praise God for everything that comes, not for the sin of it, but for what God will bring out of it and through it. May God make our lives thanksgiving and perpetual praise, then He will make everything a blessing. We once saw a man draw some black dots. We looked and could make nothing of them but an irregular assemblage of black dots. Then he drew a few lines, put in a few rests, then a clef at the beginning, and we saw these black dots were musical notes. On sounding them we were singing:

"Praise God from whom all blessings flow,

Praise Him all creatures here below.

Praise Him above ye heavenly hosts

Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost"

There are many black dots and black spots in our lives, and we cannot understand why they are there or why God permitted them to come. But if we let God come into our lives, and adjust the dots in the proper way, and draw the lines He wants, and separate this from that, and put in the rests at the proper places; out of the black dots and spots in our lives He will make a glorious harmony. Let us not hinder Him in this glorious work! - C. H. P.

"Would we know that the major chords were sweet,

If there were no minor key?

Would the painter's work be fair to our eyes,

Without shade on land or sea?"

"Would we know the meaning of happiness,

Would we feel that the day was bright,

If we'd never known what it was to grieve,

Nor gazed on the dark of night?"

Many men owe the grandeur of their lives to their tremendous difficulties.- C.H.Spurgeon When the musician presses the black keys on the great organ, the music is as sweet as when he touches the white ones, but to get the capacity of the instrument he must touch them all.- Selected (An extract from - Streams In The Desert by Mrs. Charles E. Cowan)

PRAISE REVOLUTION: ENTHRONE

"But You Are Holy,

Enthroned In The Praises Of Israel"

Psalm 22:3

Another important principle in praise is the enthroning principle. The Lord inhabits, or dwells in; or is enthroned upon our praise.

In other words, our praises become a throne for our King. All the authority and majesty of the King is present in our most humble offerings. When we stop to think about that, it is awesome! He could choose to sit on some glorious planet somewhere that He created just for Himself - with sights and sounds that far exceed aything we could ever imagine. Instead, He is seated with us as we minister praises before Him. He has chosen us. We are the objects of His longing. We are His preferred dwelling place. When we praise Him, we become the sweetest and most desirable place for the Lord to dwell.

As we worship, we can sing praises over nations, cities and governments. We have the royal authority to proclaim God's dominion and kingdom in places far and near simply by lifting our voice and giving glory and honor to our King. He Who is enthroned in our praise will make Himself known through us. His glory will fill the earth as His glory fills and flows through the proclaim praisers.

PRAISE HIM FOR HIS ROYAL THRONE

Psalm 93:2 - Praise Him for His throne is established from time immemorial

Psalm 22:3 - Praise Him for He is enthroned in the praises of His people

Revelation 5:13 - Praise Him for He is enthroned in heaven (Psalm 11:4)

Psalm 9:4 & 7 - Praise Him for He judges from His throne

Isaiah 6:1 - Praise Him for His throne is high and lifted up

Matthew 25:31 - Praise Him for His throne is filled with glory

Hebrews 1:8 - Praise Him for His throne is forever and ever

Psalm 89:14 - Praise Him for His throne is founded on righteousness and justice (Psalm 97:2)

Isaiah 16:5 - Praise Him for His throne is established on mercy

Daniel 7:9 - Praise Him for His throne is a fiery flame

Revelation 4:3 - Praise Him for His throne is surrounded by rainbow

Revelation 4:5 - Praise Him for His throne is surrounded by lightning, thunder and voices

Revelation 5:11 & 12 - Praise Him for His throne is surrounded by a hundred million worshiping angels - plus thousands upon thousands

Isaiah 40:22 - Praise Him for He sits enthroned on the circle of the earth

(an extract from: Praise Him by Vivien Hibbert)

PRAISE REVOLUTION: AMBASSADORS

The praises we have been called to offer are not simply to be spoken or sung, but the WORD says that we are to make known the wonderful virtues and excellencies of God in the earth. This definitely calls us to more than a duty of singing a few songs on Sunday morning and going home. This verse implies the requirement of a life's worth of action and demostration on our part.

The Greek word for proclaim, is "Exaggello" (Strong's # 1804), which means:

To tell, To make known by praising or celebrating, To celebrate

"Exaggello" comes from two Greek words:

"Ex" meaning: the point where action or motion proceeds; out of.

"Aggelos" meaning: to bring forth tidings; angel or messenger, envoy, one who is sent; to accompany something to a place, to bring to a destination, to attach one's self as an attendant, to lead, to move.

We are called to be God's royal envoys and messengers who have become one with the praises we speak or sing. We have become the message to such a degree that we speak or sing. We have become the message to such a degree that we accompany those praises wherever they are sent. The life and essence of every worshiper, and the gloryof God that is in them, accompanies the praises and establishes God's holy, royal kingdom in that very place. When we praise Him, we are like the heavnly host in Luke 2:13-14

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of heavenly host praising God and saying "Glory to God in the higest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!"

The great host of angels accompanied the good news of Jesus' birth and filled the place with praises that resounded throughtout heaven and earth, filling time and eternity. Now we have been called to accompany the message of praise and declare His eternal Kingdom from one end of the earth to the other.

When Jesus came in the flesh, He used angels to accompany the message of His arrival. In these last days, He wants to use His holy, royal priests to accompany the message of His presence in the earth and His return as Conquering King!

Paul also speaks of this principle as He writes to the Corinthians:

"But praise be to God who makes us strong to overcome in Christ, and makes clear through us in every place the value of the knowledge of him." - 2 Corinthians 2:14

Now read this same verse in the New Living Testament:

"But thanks be to God, who made us his captives and leads us along in Christ's triumpal procession. Now wherever we go he uses us to tell others about the Lord and to spread the Good News like a sweet perfume."

Our praise-filled lives are like a sweet perfume - we affect every place we go and every person we come in contact with. He has commissioned us to accompany the message of praise that we sing and speak. Something of our relationship with Lord and His authority working in and through us affects the atmosphere. We are the royal ambassadors of our King. Through us, and our praises, He unleashes His dominion and makes way for His presence in the earth.

I know that He is able to do all of of this on His own. I realize that all the earth is the Lord's (Psalm 12:1) without our help or permission, but in His infinite wisdom He has directed us to minister on His behalf, and rule with Him in kingdom matters of heaven and earth

As with all royal communiques, the message is more important than the messenger.

(an extract from: Praise Him by Vivien Hibbert)

PRAISE REVOLUTION: GATES

"Enter His gates with thanksgiving His courts with praise;

Give thanks to Him and praise His name.

For the Lord is Good and His love endures forever;

His faithfulness continues through all generations"

Psalm 100: 4-5

How important it is for each of us to know the way into God's presence? How do we enter His gates? How do we come into His courts? The psalmist points out the way that God has ordained: We enter His gates with thanksgiving and into His courts with praise. It is only as we come to God with thanksgiving and with praise that we have access into His presence.

The prophet Isaiah likens the presence of God among His people to a city, concerning which he says: " You will call your walls SALVATION and your gates PRAISE" (Isaiah 60:18). The only way through those walls of SALVATION is by the gates of PRAISE. Unless we learn to approach God with praise, we have no access into His presence.

Confronted with this requirement, we are sometimes tempted to look around us at our situation and ask: " But what do I have to thank God for? What do I have to praise Him for?"There may be nothing in our immediate circumstances that appears to give us cause to thank and or praise God. It is just here that the psalmist comes to our help. He gives us three reasons to thank and praise that are not affected by our circumstances: first, the Lord is good; second, His love endures forever; third, His faithfulness continues through all generations. All three reasons are eternal, unchanging facts. If we truly believe them, then we have no alternative but to praise God for them CONTINUALLY!
Like to share with you a song I wrote. You can listen to it at www.reverbnation.com/rickysim or click SONGS @ right column of blog :-

Verse 1
I will enter His gates,
With thanksgiving in my heart
Enter His courts with praise
I will sing of His grace,
For all that He has done
I will rejoice and bless His Name

Chorus
Blessed be Your Name,
My strong and mighty Tower
Blessed be Your Name,
The Rock of my Salvation
Blessed be Your Name,
There is no other name
Jesus the Name above all names

Verse 2
I was glad when they said,
Let us go into His house
There I find peace and joy
The Lord He is good
And His mercies endure
I will rejoice and bless His Name

Blessings
TPWC

PRAISE REVOLUTION: PRIVATE

I Will Bless The Lord At All Times;

His Praise Shall Continually Be In My Mouth

Psalm 34:1 (NKJV)

Thank God for corporate praise when we gather together. It helps us to get among a body of believers as we celebrate and magnify the name of the Lord. There is also a personal private praise which we (lifestyle worshipers) must not neglect. The reason for this is that until we come to the place where we can really enter into that private, personal praise, just between you and the Lord, there are always going to be some hindrances and some holding back when we enter into the corporate praise.

Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty (2 Corinthians 3:17) and God wants us to get so free that when His Spirit starts moving on us at home, in our kitchen, out in your work place, when commuting or driving down the road in your car, we can just let the spirit of praise flow like rivers of living waters in our surrounding.

The Bible says that God inhabits in our praise (Psalms 22:3). The question is, "If He inhabits in our praise, how far does He inhabits it?" The answer is as far as the sound of your voice goes ... "Glory! Hallelujah! Praise the Lord! Blessed Be the name of Jesus!" As far as our voice sounds, God is living in those words. For example, when we are in our car praising and worshipping Him, our audible praise fills that car. When the devil gets any where near you; do you know what he gets? "Glory!" If he comes through the window of your car, "Hallelujah!" hits him. When he tries to enter by the door, "Jesus!" knocks him off.

PRAISE HAS TO BE VOCALISED. The Bible says, "My lips shall praise Thee "(Psalms 63:3). If you go around with your mouth shut and not praising God, then God is not in your praise and the devil beats on you. Our praise may be as weak as babes, but it is powerful enough to silence the enemy (Psalms 8:2). There is power in the name of Jesus, that means that that power is released when we speak or sing it. When we begin to speak forth or sing our praises in His name, the spirit inside us begins to rise up and the power of darkness outside of us begins to retreat. Let the Devil hit our praise ten or twenty feet out infront of us. Let them stick their fingers in their ears each time they are near us.

Psalms 34:1 says, " ... His praise shall CONTINUALLY BE IN MY MOUTH." Most people have to stop what they are doing to try to get into praising God, but we need to have this reverse. We need to praise God so much that we have to stop praising in order to do something else.

Psalms 113:3 says, " From the rising of the sun to the going down of the same the Lord's name is to be praised." King David was a man after God's own heart. He praised God in the morning, he praised Him at noontime and he praised him in the night-time.

Psalms 119:164 David said, "Seven times a day I praise Thee." The number seven is perfect and complete. God is looking for worshipers who will choose to PRAISE HIM CONTINUALLY AND ALL DAY.

PRIVATE PRAISE is a powerful experience to live in. It is the key to a victorious and abundant life with Jesus. Let us the first fruits of our day to the Lord in private praise.
TPWC (An extract from Private Praise by Elbert Willis)

PRAISE REVOLUTION: A TWO-EDGED SWORD

May the praise of God be in their mouths
and a double-edged sword in their hands,
to inflict vengeance on the nations
and punishment on the peoples,
to bind their kings with fetters,
their nobles with shackles of iron,
to carry out the sentence written against them—
this is the glory of all his faithful people.
Praise the LORD

Psalm 149:6-9

This particular passage of Scripture shows that PRAISE and spiritual warfare go together. With HIGH PRAISES and the WORD OF GOD (A TWO-EDGED SWORD) we have the ability to excute God's vengence, inflict punishment, bind kings, bind nobles and execute judgments.

In spiritual warfare, our enemy is not people. Apostle Paul said that " we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places" (Ephesians 6:12). We must always keep in mind who our enemy is: the devil.

Further, apostle Paul said that "the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds" (2 Corinthians 10:9). We cannot fight a spiritual enemy with natural weapons. We must use spiritual weapons of war to combat our spiritual enemy. PRAISE is one of those weapons. It is a spiritual weapon of war that binds and breaks the powers of darkness.

Psalm 149:7 - PRAISE can execute God's vengence. God does take vengence, for He said, "Vengence is mine" (Romans 12:19). God wants to settle the score in all matters and give just recompense to whom is due. The primary target of the vengence is the devil.

Psalm 149:8 - We see that our PRAISE will "bind kings with chains and nobles with fetters of iron." Let's first understand who the kings and nobles are that the psalmist is talking about. I believe them to be the principalities and rulers of darkness. They are the wicked demonic kings that have set up rulership and dominion in geographical locations and in people's lives. The Bible says that our PRAISE binds them with chains and fetters of iron. As we PRAISE the Lord, we immobilize them. We cause them to desist and stop whatever maneuvers, plans or strategies they are attempting to carry out.

Psalm 149:9a - Our PRAISE "execute (s) the judgment written." The NIV version states it this way: "to carry out the sentence written against them." The enemy has already been defeated and the church has already won the victory. Let us arise with PRAISE in our mouths, as we execute His judgment upon the powers of hell.

Psalm 149:9b - "This honor have all the saints." What honor is the psalmist talking about? The honor of executing God's judgment and vengence on the powers of the air. Spiritual warfare is not a toilsome thing. It is an honor that God has bestowed upon us. It is done with joy in our hearts as we celebrate the victory of our Lord.

Now that we know PRAISE as our spiritual weapon, we should now change the way we view what the devil tries to throw across our paths. When we are confronted by the enemy, we have the privilege one more time of showing the devil who we are in Christ and who he is not. We then lift up our hands, raise our voices in song and dance before the Lord as we acknowledge Him as the mighty man of war who is mighty in battle through us!
(an extract from: Silencing The Enemy by Robert Gay)

PRAISE REVOLUTION: WARFARE

Have you ever wondered why God commands and desires our PRAISE? Is it because He has as ego problem? Is He insecure? Does He need our PRAISE? The answer to all these questions is emphatically NO. God does not need our PRAISE. Scripture records that there are creatures in heaven that do nothing but WORSHIP Him day and night (Revelation 4:8)

Why then has God ordained our PRAISE? Psalm 8:2 gives us the answer: "because of our enemies." Some people feel they have done the Lord a great service if they spend thirty minutes WORSHIPING Him. The fact is we do not do Him a favour; we do ourselves a favour and the devil great damage. God has not ordained PRAISE because He needs it, but because we need to PRAISE Him.

Ezekiel refers to Lucifer as "the anointed cherub" (Eziekiel 28:13-14). Lucifer was called to lead all of heaven in WORSHIP to the most high God ... but he fell because of PRIDE (Isaiah 14:12-15). Because of a prideful heart, Satan fell from heaven, lost his heavenly anointing and was cast to the earth. (Ezekiel 28:16-18).

The wonderful thing God did was to take what Satan was originally anointed to do and allow us, the body of Christ, to use it as a weapon of warfare to destroy the enemy's plans. Psalm 8:2 says that God has ordained PRAISE because of our enemy, to silence the avenger. The word silence is the Hebrew word "shabath" which means "to cause to fail, to repose, suffer to be lacking, to put down, take away."

As we PRAISE the Lord, we cause the enemy to fail. As we lift our voices to God, we defeat the power of Satan that would bring us into bondage. As we enter into WORSHIP, we begin to take back what the enemy has stolen from us.

When you understand this, SPIRITUAL WARFARE is no longer drudgery. That's why Paul could say, "Fight the good fight of faith" (1 Timothy 6:12). It is a good fight when you know your enemy is fleeing in terror. We are not running from our enemy; instead we have him on the run. we are not in a defensive position waiting for him to attack. Rather we take the offensive and go after his kingdom aggressively. We are God's commandoes who go in behind the lines rescuing those that are held captive. We use spiritual weapons of war to blow up his communications facilities and destroy his method of operation.

Paul said that "the weapons of our WARFARE are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of stronghold" (2 Corinthians 10:9). PRAISE and WORSHIP play an important role in all this because God has ordained our PRAISE to silence him. It is time for the church to arise in this hour and PRAISE the Lord with all it's might. We must become uninhibited in our PRAISE, even as children are (Psalm 8:2 says - "out of the mouth of babes"). Then our weapon of WARFARE - PRAISE - will be unleashed on the powers of darkness and result in their demise and destruction.
(an extract from - Silencing The Enemy by Robert Gay)



PRAISE - THE VICTORY YOU HAVE IN GOD OVER YOUR ENEMIES
Psalm 27:3 - Praise Him when an army comes against you
2Samuel 22:30 - Praise Him when you can overtake an entire troop
2 Chronicles 20:17 - Praise Him when He fights on your behalf
2 Chronicles 20:21 - Praise Him when you can defeat an overwhelming
Romans 8:31 - Praise Him when God is for you and no one can stand against you
Psalm 7:6 - Praise Him when your enemies rage against you
Psalm 27:2-5 - Praise Him when your enemies come against you
Psalm 25:19 - when your enemies are many and are very cruel
Psalm 38: 19 - Praise Him when your enemies are multiplied and very strong
Psalm69:4 - Praise Him when your enemies hate you without cause ...
Psalm 102:8 - Praise Him when your enemies speak against your all day long
Lamentation 3:52 -Praise Him when your enemies hunt you down without cause
1 Samuel 2:1 - Praise Him when you can smile at your enemies becuae of His salvation
Psalm 18:1-3 - Praise Him when you are delivered from your enemies
Psalm 9:3 - Praise Him when your enemies fall and perish at His presence
Psalm 18:3, 48 - Praise Him when you call on the Lord and are saved from your enemies
Ps 23:5 - Praise Him when He prepares a table for you in the presence of your enemies
Psalm 25:2 - Praise Him when He will not allow your enemies to triump over you
Psalm 27:6 - Praise Him when He lifts your head above your enemies
Psalm 27:11 - Praise Him when He leads you on a smooth path in the face of your enemies
Psalm 41:2 - Praise Him when He stands against the will of your enemies
Psalm 119:98 - Praise Him when He makes you wiser than your enemies through His Word
Psalm 143:9 - Praise Him when He is a shelter from your enemies
Micah 7:8 - Praise Him when He lifts you and gives you light in the face of your enemies
2 Kings 17:39 - Praise Him when He delivers your from the hand of all your enemies
Zephaniah 3:14-15 - Praise Him when He turns back your enemies
Psalm 66:3 - Praise Him when His great power cause your enemies to cringe

PRAISE THE LORD!

PRAISE REVOLUTION: TRIALS

TRIALS ENABLE PEOPLE TO RISE

ABOVE RELIGION TO GOD

Brother Andrew

God uses trials in our lives to refine, beautify, and strengthen us.. In our natural state our personalities resemble unrefined gold. The heat of our difficult circumstances melts the gold and brings to the surface the dross in our characters - the pride and unbelief, the unloving attitudes, the self -will.
PRAISING God brings our hearts in line with His intentions, so that He can work in us more freely. It opens us to His will, so that we can cooperate with Him in His plan to remove the impurities.
Yet, instead of PRAISING, we so easily complain and resist His working. By our complaints and resistance we stir the scum back into our personalities. This may necessitate the heat of continued chastening to accomplish what God wants to do in us. It may delay His answers to our prayers for both ourselves and our loved ones. In contrast, PRAISE and THANKSGIVING can serve as catalysts, speeding up the refining process in our lives.

God uses trials to perfect FAITH as well as character. Again and again trials bring us to the end of our human resources, so that we allow to meet our needs and satisfy our longings. Trials rip away the filmsy fabric of our self-sufficiency. This allows God to weave into our hearts His strength, love, and wisdom. Trials exercise our FAITH, developing strong confidence that says, "I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me, [that is, I am self-sufficient in Christ's suuficiency - Philippians 4:13]
With God no probelm in our personalities or circumstances is impossibile or even difficult. Our troubles never surprise Him. They never catch Him off guard, causing Him to wring His hands and wonder what to do. As we repeatedly focus on God's sufficiency in difficult situations, we develop a steady trust in Him.

CHOOSING GOD'S PERSPECTIVE
PRAISE helps us to stand back from our difficulties and fix our attention on our infinite, loving God. It helps us measure our probelms look like molehills rather than mountains. In the light of God's sovereign kindness and wise purposes, we see them as stepping-stones rather than stumbling blocks, as opportunities rather than obstacles. They are raw materialsfor God's miracles and the prelude to greater obedience.
As our perspective changes, our feelings often shift from negative to positive. But even if they are slow to respond, we can continue to give thanks with our minds and wills. We can choose to rejoice thatGod is our source of wise guidance and overcoming power though we still feel angry or confused about our circumstances.
OVERCOMING CONTRARY INCLINATIONS
God has given us His WORD to reassure our hearts. Through it He reminds us of His loving goodness, which always plans for our best, of His wisdom, which never makes a mistake, and of His power, which can make something glorious our of the sorriest fragments of our lives.
God has also given us His Spirit, who energizes us to obey His command to give thanks. As we choose to thank Him simply because we want to obey and please Him, we switch on His power by faith. we give Him opportunity to work in us, making us both willing and able to give sincere thanks in spite of contrary feelings.
By natural temperament we may differ from one another in the time that elapses between event and our choice to give thanks, of between that choice and our upsurge of joy. As we can shorten our periods of inner resistance or adjustment. This is growth. Growth does not mean that we have no struggles, but that we more quickly resolve our inner conflicts.

WELCOMING TRIALS AS FRIENDS
Through THANKSGIVING and PRAISE we obey God's command, "When all kinds of trials and temptations crowd into your lives, my brothers, don't resent them as intruders, but welcome them as friends!" (James 1:2 - Phillips). James reminds us that trials come to test our FAITH. They develop us so that we will in no way be deficient. In view of these tremendous benefits, we are to welcome trials as friends. The KJV says that we should count it all JOY when we "fall into" many trials.
The attitude of accepting trials with JOY was a principle with the Apostle Paul. He refused to lose heart when afflicted in every way, perplexed, persecuted, and struck down. He accepted these troubles as opportunities to manifest the life of Jesus to other people (2 Corinthians 4:8-11).

USING EVERYTHING FOR GOOD
We serve a God Who can cause all things to work together for good, both for ourselves and others (Romans 8:28). He can produce beauty out of ashes, power out of weakness, growth out of failure, triump out of distress. As we give THANKS and PRAISE regardless of what happens, we align ourselves with God and His purposes. This prepares us to colabour with Him in using for good the worst happens to us in a fallen world.
(an extract from: PRAISE - A Door To God's Presence by Warren & Ruth Myers)

May this awesome song inspires you to bring PRAISE in your situations .... have a victorious week. TPWC.

PRAISE REVOLUTION: UNCONDITIONALLY

Why do we praise God? Do we desire to honor Him and make Him glad? Or do we feel that praise puts God under obligation to grant the earthly longings we bring to Him in prayer? Will God do whatever we ask simply because we praise Him?

God is not a heavenly vending machine into which we insert the coin of praise, press the right button, and get whatever we want. Nor is praise is a magical incantation that forces God to fulfill our wishes. Many of us would not consciously try to manipulate God. But when we praise Him in the midst of a trial, we can be tempted to secretly bargain with Him, feeling in some recess of our heart, "I'm praising You, Lord. Now You owe it to me to work out this situation the way I want."

TRUSTING REGARDLESS OF WHAT HAPPENS

True praise imposes no condition on God. It chooses to believe Him regardless of the situation and it's outcome. It accepts the circumstances He has permitted, without insisting that He change them. Such praise begins with the attitude that says, "Father, I'm going to keep trusting You even though everything is dark and confusing." As we continue to praise, we reach the place where we can say, " Father, thank You that You are working in me to beautify my character. Don't remove this problem until You've done all You want to do through it, in me and in others. Use it to prepare me for the furture You have in mind for me. Change me in any way You see fit."

One major purpose of trials is to strengthen our faith and transform our attitudes. Therefore choosing an attitude of trust and praise sometimes ends a trial with surprising speed. But even if it does not, we find ourselves enriched and strengthen to endure.

Daniel 3 tells the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who refused to bow to the golden image of king Nebuchadnezzar. Hoping to dissuade them of their folly, the king said in a rage, "What god is there who can deliver you out of my hands?" They replied, "Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are bot going to serve you.r gods or worship the golden image that you have set up" (Daniel 3:15, 17-18). Infuriated, the king had the three you men cast into the blazing furnace.

We all know the outcome of these three Hebrew children's faith. Their miraculaous deliverance has inspired faith down through the centuries.

DEMOSTRATING OUR TRUST

Through praise each of us can demostrate trust in God to work in the present as He has in past centuries. In the final chapters of Genesis we see how God brought far-reaching benefits through all the events that had happended to Joseph - the cruel betrayal by his brothers, the agonies of his soul, the slavery, the false accusations, the long years of imprisonment, and the forgetfulness of the butler he had befriended, that resulted with the extra years of confinement.

We read in Psalm 105 that God Himself had sent Joseph to Egypt, intending to bring good out of his trials (Psalm 105:17). He used them to prepare this youth to be prime minister of the greatest nation on earth. Through Joseph's trials, God arranged to have him in the right place atthe right time to save the lives of hundreds of thousands during a severe famine. Joseph's long years of suffering resulted in his own life being saved, as well as his entire family,and through it, the ancestors of Jesus.

Joseph showed his confidence in God's loving sovereignty in Genesis 50. When his brothers feared retribution, Joseph told them "You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive. So therefore, do not be afraid" (Genesis 50:20-21). As we offer praise, we show that we believe that Joseph's God is alive and at work today, even in the bleakest circumstances.

Through praise we follow the example of Paul and Silas in their painful imprisonment at Philippi. There in the inner prison, with their feet fastened in stocks, they were praying and singing at midnight. Suddenly God miraculously released them thorugh an earthquake (Acts 16). Or we emulate Paul when he later rejoiced in the Lord though imprisoned for years. He was confident that his suffering was accomplishing God's purposes and therefore his own deepest desires.

GOD DOES NOT PROMISE TO MAKE OUR TROUBLES VANISH AND OUR WISHES COME TRUE IF WE PRAISE HIM. BUT PRAISE OFTEN RELEASES THE TRANSFORMING POWER OF CHRIST IN BOTH OUR CHARACTER AND OUR SITUATIONS.

A MAJOR STRESS REDUCER

Praise and thanksgiving do not insulate us from probelms and pressures. But as we couple them with honest prayer, they do serve as a major stress reducer. They help release us from the self-imposed stresses of our negative attitudes, opening our hearts to the soothing power of God's peace, which surpasses all understanding. And they do more than soothe. They also infuse us with vitality. God's Word says, "Strength and joy are in His place ... the joy of the Lord is your strength" (1 Chronicles 16:27, Nehemiah 8:10). Praise and thanksgiving usher us into God's presence, where we can partake of His joy and quietly absorb strength, strength for our every need - spiritual, emotional or physical.

Our UNCONDITIONAL PRAISE deepens our trust and joy in God. It increases our spiritual impact on people. These and other benefits come not as our due for praising the Lord but simply as added reasons to praise Him for His undeserved favor. They come not because we manipulate God to do what we want, but because we center our thoughts and expectations in Him.

Our motive in genuine praise is to bring joy and glory to God. we are here to do His will, not to obligate Him to do ours.

(An extract from Praise - A Door To God's Presence by Warren & Ruth Myers)

PRAISE REVOLUTION: ASK

SHOW ME YOUR GLORY

Exodus 33:18

There's a key to becoming a fountain of praise. It's simple, really, although we often have a hard time remembering it. We come up with formulas and techniques, strategies that we think will get us closer to the heart of God. Perhaps we want some special insight that will be the key to understanding His nature and praising Him more deeply. If only we had that missing piece of information, we imagine we would be spiritual giant we intend to be. It all must be amusing to God. But if we look into His Word, we'll realize the simple key to knowing Him: ASK

Think about that. Is there anyone in the Bible who ever asked with a sincere heart to know God deeply and was turned down? No. We can see it here with Moses - "Show me Your glory" - and we can see it repeatedly throughout Scripture. David was man after God's own heart, and according to the Word, he found it (Acts 13:22, 1 Samuel 16:13). Jeremiah and others promised that whoever seeks Him will find Him (Jeremiah 29:13). People came looking for Jesus, and He obliged them. An Ethiopian came looking for God in Jerusalem, and God sent Philip (Acts 8:26-36). A Roman was looking for God in Joppa, and God sent Peter (Acts 10). Those who look for God- with an open, sincere heart, of course - find Him. If we want to praise Him for who He is, all we need to do is ASK: "Lord, who are You?"

That will transform a life. It isn't strategy or a secret, just a request. It's request that God honors - always. And it's a whole lot simpler than some of the tricks we try when we want to see God. If we really want see Him for the purpose of praising Him, He's there for the asking.

Even a glimpse of glory will utterly transform a life. Moses came down from the mountain so radiant that it scared his friends. Nothing will change a perspective so much as a vision of the eternal God. And nothing can achieve that glimpse other than a sincere request. So ASK. Make that your prayer today, and many days to come. "Lord, show me Your glory." (An extract from Worship The King by Chris Tiegreen)

Be blessed with this awesome song by Jesus Culture - Show Me Your Glory. TPWC \0/

PRAISE REVOLUTION: SUFFERING

The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.

Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ,

if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory
Romans 8:16-18

But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ,

so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed

1Peter 4:13

Perhaps you thought that yesterday's prayer would lead you to unimaginable esctasy in the presence of God. Maybe it will. But until it does, don't be surprised by trials in the interim. A fundamental truth of getting-to-know-God process is that some aspects of Him can only be revealed in pain. And one thing we will learn eventually is this: God shows up in our suffering in ways that He otherwise would not.

Doesn't it make sense that if we are to know the mercy of God, we are going to have come face-to-face with our sin first? Or that if He is to be our Healer, there must first be some sickness? Or that if He is to be our Rescuer, we must be in some sort of trouble from which we need rescuing? Or that if we are to understand His compassionate comfort, we must have some kind of hardship that makes His comfort understandable? There are quite a few attributes of God that we simply cannot see unless we're in trouble or hurting or desperate. So don't be surprised if, when He shows you His glory, He shows it to you in a difficult context. That's where glory is best viewed.

Are you suffering? Be faithful and worship. Are you persecuted? Be faithful and worship. Are you in pain? Be faithful and worship. Just like Paul and Silas in the depths of a Philippian prison (Acts 16), just like Jehoshapat surrounded by hostile armies (2 Chronicles 20), be faithful. Don't be surprised at the trial you are suffering. It may be the answer to yesterday's prayer to see God's glory. Praise Him anyway. Painful praise is often the most profound kind of praise there is.

Our response whether in good times or bad, whether is ease or difficulty, whether in fruitfulness or barrenness, is to worship. It is never inapproriate. God is worthy at all times and in all places.
(an exract from: Worship The King by Chris Tiegreen)

PRAISE REVOLUTION: CHOICE

I Will Bless The Lord At All Times

His Praise Shall Always Be In My Mouth

Psalm 34:1

CHOICE: Everyone of them, in a sense is a test. Why? Because they reveal our desires. As worshipers, our choices have profound spiritual results: often our taste for obedience is exposed and our deepest loves come to the surface in the choices we make.

What would happen if we decided to let every thought and every breath BLESS GOD? Imagine the result if His name were affectionately on our lips as we lay down at night, as we turned over in our sleep, as we awoke in the morning and as we went about our daily business. Would such a perspective radically change our hearts? Probably. Would it change our world? It's likely. Anytime (both good or bad times) in the Bible someone gives himself to worship, God does amazing things through that person. blessings abound. God's work is done. He is honored.

What prevents us from such a pervasive sense of His worth? Are our schedules just too busy? Or is it deeper than that? Perhaps it's a suspicion that He hasn't been as good to us as Scripture declares that He is. Or maybe it's a subtle resentment that He has not paved our path with gold and has allowed us to taste the bitter trials of life.

Whatever reasons we can come up with, we should ask ourselves if a worship-filled heart is worth sacrificing to the gods of busyness, apathy, and dissapointmnet. If we really got a glimpse of God, we would never be too busy, we would never be too apathetic; and we would never be dissapointed with His will for us. We would understand that underlying everything we go through and everything responsibility we're given is the LOVING HAND OF GOD who is leading us closer to Him. The end result is a greater blessing than any earthbound human can possibly imagine.

WHAT WERE KING DAVID'S REASONS FOR MAKING HIS CHOICE TO BLESS THE LORD AT ALL TIMES? May the reading of Psalm 34 enlightens us:
1) He will deliver us from fear (Psalm 34:4)
2) He will save us out of our troubles (Psalm 34:6)
3) He will guard and deliver us (Psalm 34:9)
4) He will listen when we talk to Him (Psaml 34:15)
5) He will redeem us (Psalm 34:22)
But we must do our part. we can appropriate His blessings when we:
6) Seek Him (Psalm 34:4 & 10)
7) Cry out to Him (Psalm 34:6 & 17)
8) Trust Him (Psalm 34;8)
9) Fear Him (Psalm 34:7 & 9)
10) Refrain from lying (Psalm 34:13)
11) Turn from evil to do good and seek peace (Psalm 34:14)
12) Serve Him (Psalm 34:22)

We usually find it easy to PRAISE God in good times, when everything seems to be going our ways, but hard to boast in the Lord when our circumstances are difficult.We can see in king David's life as a passionate WORSHIPER is not always smooth ... in context, Psalm 34 reveals that king David was prepared to PRAISE God even when he was in fear for his life, had gone down to Gath where he had been forced to play the part of a madman (1 Samuel 21:10-15). Therefore, Psalm 34 was king David's testimony of God's goodness inviting others to BLESS, to BOAST, to MAGNIFY, to EXTOL and to EXALT THE LORD .... AT ALL TIMES!

Let us revolutionize our PRAISE. Make that CHOICE to BLESS the LORD AT ALL TIMES!

TPWC