The Power of Praise And Worship

The First Thing!
Do you know that praising God is the best thing to do first before anything else? Have you ever been in a situation that you feel all alone? Or have you encountered a difficult situation in your life and you don't know what to do, like losing your job or suffering the loss of someone very close to your heart? Consider the good times such as when you receive a raise from your boss or earn high marks at school? What do you usually do during these moments? Praising God makes every circumstance of our lives complete, essential, and eminently worthwhile. Webster defines the word praise as to say good things about and it is synonymous to words such as admire, commend, extol, honor, and worship. A definition of Christian praise is the joyful thanking and adoring of God, the celebration of His goodness and grace.¹ This simply implies that the act of praising is rightfully due to God alone.

Praising God - Why?
Why is praising God important? The reasons are countless. First, God deserves to be praised and He is worthy to receive our praise:

• "For great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; he is to be feared above all gods" (Psalm 96:4).
• "Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom" (Psalm 145:3).
• "I call to the LORD, who is worthy of praise, and I am saved from my enemies" (2 Samuel 22:4).
• "You are worthy, our LORD and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being" (Revelation 4:11).

Second, praising God is useful and favorable for us. By praising God, we are reminded of the greatness of God! His power and presence in our lives is reinforced in our understanding. "Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good; sing praise to his name, for that is pleasant" (Psalm 135:3).

Third, praise discharges strength in faith, which causes God to move on our behalf. "From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise because of your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger" (Psalm 8:2). Praising God also transforms the spiritual environment that we have. 2 Chronicles 5:13-14 clearly illustrates the alteration that happened when the Levites gave praise and thanks to the Lord and the temple was filled with a cloud signifying the glory of God.

"The trumpeters and singers joined in unison, as with one voice, to give praise and thanks to the LORD. Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals and other instruments, they raised their voices in praise to the LORD and sang: 'He is good; his love endures forever.' Then the temple of the LORD was filled with a cloud, and the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled the temple of God." (Chronicles 5:13-14)

Fourth, God inhabits the atmosphere of praise. Psalm 22:3 says, "But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel (KJV). If we want to see a clear manifestation of God's blessings and grace, all we need to do is to praise Him with all our heart, our mind, and our soul.

Praising God - Who and When?
Who is to praise God? "Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD," states Psalm 150:6.

"I will extol the LORD at all times; his praise will always be on my lips (Psalm 34:1)."

"Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands" (Psalm 63:3-4).

"Praise the LORD, all you servants of the LORD who minister by night in the house of the LORD. Lift up your hands in the sanctuary and praise the LORD" (Psalm 134:1-2).

We cannot embark on the true joy and benefits of praising God unless we have received Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. As children of God, He dwells in our bodies through the Holy Spirit. This means that wherever we go, God is to be praised. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 states that "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body."

Praising God - How to Praise and Worship God
How is praising God possible? Singing songs and hymns, clapping our hands, even jumping for joy…the list is endless. We can give glory and praise to our God with the use of our physical bodies, with our hearts and minds, and with our deeds. There are many ways to praise God! No matter how you praise and worship God, it should result in an awe of God's power, love, and grace for all of us!

Praise To God - The Importance of Praise
Praise to God is what we offer in acknowledgement of God's excellent being. You might think that praise is the same as saying "thank you," but there is a difference. Thanksgiving describes our attitude toward what God has done, while praise is offered for who God is. Psalm 18:3 says "I call to the LORD, who is worthy of praise…" All believers are commanded to praise God! In fact, Isaiah 43:21 explains that praise is one reason we were created, "This people I have formed for Myself; they shall declare My praise." Hebrews 13:15 confirms this: "Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise - the fruit of lips that confess his name." Praise originates in a heart full of love toward God. Deuteronomy 6:5 says, "Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength." Are you a Christian today? If so, you know that you love God because He first loved you! Without God's love, any praise you can offer is hollow. Love, born from a relationship with God through Jesus Christ, is an essential part of your praise.

Praise To God - How to Praise God
How can you bring praise to God? What can you do to make it an integral part of your life? Praise can be expressed in song, in verse, or in prayer and it is to be done continuously! Psalm 34:1 instructs, "I will extol the LORD at all times; his praise will always be on my lips." Psalm 71:6 says, "From birth I have relied on you; you brought me forth from my mother's womb. I will ever praise you." Praise to God is expressed outwardly through our everyday actions, as well as inwardly in our thoughts. Praise is an act of Christian worship.

"Where do I begin?" you may ask. "How do I start praising God?" If praising God is new to you, try praising God for who He is to you, personally. Proclaim that God's goodness is without measure; it is abundant and overflowing! Here are some ways to get started:

• Praise God for His holiness, mercy, and justice (2 Chronicles 20:21, Psalm 99:3-4).
• Praise God for His grace (Ephesians 1:6).
• Praise Him for His goodness (Psalm 135:3).
• Praise God for His kindness (Psalm 117).
• Praise God for His salvation (Ephesians 2:8-9)

Praise to God can be offered anywhere! In time, it will become as normal as taking a breath. Sometimes we praise God inwardly as in Psalm 9:2, "I will be glad and rejoice in you; I will sing praise to your name, O Most High." Other times we have opportunity to give glory and praise to our God publicly. Psalm 22:22 says, "I will declare your name to my brothers; in the congregation I will praise you." Search out opportunities to bring praise to God!

Praise To God - Who Praises God?
Praise to God, while offered particularly by His children as the freewill expression of grateful hearts, will one day be offered by everyone! The Bible says that when He comes again, all mankind will praise Him and acknowledge Him as Lord. He is King over all the earth. When we know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, our hearts long to praise His name. Philippians 2:9-11 tells us His name represents His being, describing who He is, "Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

The Bible also records:

• All nature praises God (Psalm 148:7-10).
• The sun, moon, and stars praise Him (Psalm 19:1 and 148:3).
• The angels praise Him (Psalm 148:2).
• Even the wrath of men is used by God to praise Himself (Psalm 76:10).
• Children are to be taught to praise God (Psalm 78:4).

Praise To God - Do You Proclaim His Praise?
Your praise to God is evidenced through your salvation. 1 Peter 2:9 says, "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light."

How are you offering praise to God today? Do you know Him as your Lord and Savior? If not, why not begin there. Learn more about salvation. When others look at you, do they see a reflection of God's praise? Psalm 113:3 declares, "From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the LORD is to be praised."