Praise lifts your eyes from the battle to the victory, for Christ is already Victor,
and you have the Victor in your heart that you might have His victory in your life.
Have you ever noticed the way God multiplies your faith when you begin praising Him? There are times when it is more important to praise God than to pray to Him a prayer of intercession. Praise lifts your eyes from your circumstances to your almighty Father who is Ruler over all. Not one circumstance in your life can come without His permission, and that means that He has a way of causing it to work together with other things for His glory and your good. Praise lifts your eyes from the battle to the victory, for Christ is already Victor; and though we do not yet see all things under His feet, they are there (Hebrews 2:8; Ephesians 1:22) in a divine reality. When you need faith, there are two steps to take: go to God’s Word, and begin praising Him. These two go together as naturally as hydrogen and oxygen together make water. Stop worrying, fearing; try praising. Do you need faith? PRAISE THE LORD!
PRAISE IS WORSHIP
If you want a new fountain of joy to spring up in your soul, start praising God. God’s Word tells us that He places a song in our hearts. If we are not singing Christians we are disappointing God. God wants His people to begin His worship, to approach Him with praise, “Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise…” (Psalm 100:4). All the graces of the Holy Spirit grow much better in a happy heart.
In each crisis when God meets the soul in a new way, He brings unspeakable joy, new peace, a touch of His glory, and praise is as inevitable as for water to flow from a fountain. Whenever the clouds of darkness begin to hide God’s loving face, praise is the quickest way through to His glorious light again. Is your spiritual life lacking in joy? Be sure that there is no hidden sin, and then just start praising God. PRAISE THE LORD!
Have you ever realized that God’s answers to your prayers are at times delayed by your lack of praise to God? Have you seen God remove insurmountable difficulties and obstructions in answer to praise? Did you know that you can often rout Satan faster by praise than in any other way? Have you experienced the effectiveness of praise and fasting? Did you know that bodies have been healed, demons have been cast out, and peace restored to troubled hearts by simply praising the Lord?
Have you ever deliberately gone into an impossible situation with the weapon of praise to God, and watched God perform the miracle? Oh hungry-hearted, struggling child of God, oh saint of God battling the forces of darkness, oh interceding prayer warrior, this may be God’s message to you! Look up just now and begin to praise God. PRAISE THE LORD!
Perhaps it is seldom that God would have us do nothing but ask and intercede. It may also be true that God would seldom have us spend a protracted time in nothing but praise to God.
There is scarcely a spiritual conflict into which we enter without some measure of prayer; but how often do we, like Judah under Jehoshaphat (II Chronicles 20:20-21), march into battle doing nothing but believing and praising? Oh, my Christian brothers and sisters, let us begin to praise God more. Praise changes things, and praise will transform you!
There is, at times, a deep sacrifice in praise. There are times when we must praise God though tears be in our eyes. There are times when all we can say is, “The Lord gave, the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name the Lord” (Job 1:21). There is no sweeter music under heaven, there is no more fragrant perfume than that which arises from a life of suffering which is nevertheless filled with praise.
No doubt you today are facing situations not of your own choosing. Can you look up just now out of your Gethsemane and still say, PRAISE THE LORD!
PRAISE IS THE LANGUAGE OF HEAVEN
Praise will sweeten and hallow all that it touches. Praise will kindle a new faith. Praise will fan the sparks of your smoldering love into a flaming love for God. Praise will start the joy bells ringing in your soul; you will soon have all heaven joining in on the chorus and you will have a little touch of heaven in your heart. Praise will pierce through the darkness, will dynamite away long-standing obstructions, and will strike terror in the heart of Satan.
We have praised God a little and occasionally; let us praise Him more and more. We have praised God in the past; come let us praise Him just now! Look up to heaven just now and praise your mighty Redeemer. Praise Him for His love and faithfulness; praise Him for His power and goodness. He is worthy of all praise; let us praise Him now! PRAISE THE LORD!
He is worthy to be praised;
He is worthy to be praised;
He’s the Lord of Glory,
The Ancient of Days:
He is worthy to be praised.
Ye that fear the Lord, praise Him: Ps. 50:23; Heb. 13:15; Ps. 69:30; Ps. 107:21-22; Isaiah 57:19; Neh. 8:10; Psalm 34:1; 111:1; 112:1
Italics added. Order hard copy tracts from by Osterhus Publishing, 4500 Broadway, Minneapolis, MN 55422. www.osterhuspub.com/