The Effects of Praise Part 1
The Effects of Praise.
by Andrew Wommack.
INTRODUCTION.
Praise affects every area of our lives-our personal relationship with G.o.d, our spiritual warfare against the devil, and our own mental and emotional well-being. Praise is something a Christian just cannot do without. It ought to be the first thing we do each morning to begin the day, and it ought to be the last thing we do each evening to end the day. We should begin and end every prayer with praise unto the Lord. The Scripture admonishes us to praise the Lord constantly-in the morning, at noon, and when the sun goes down.
G.o.d desires to have a relationship with every believer, and we develop that relationship through studying His Word and spending time communing with Him. Praise is a part of that. Praise brings intimacy, and when we experience an intimate relationship with the Father, we experience eternal life.
I really believe that our ministry unto the Lord through praise is the most important thing we can do in our Christian walk. If we would begin to operate in this and understand how praise affects the Lord and how it ministers unto Him, this would provide the basis of a foundation that will last us through our lives-not only in crisis times, but throughout the entire time we're here on the earth.
There is so much material on the subject of praise. The purpose of this book is to emphasize and to help us understand why praise is so important. There are three areas, I believe, that contain much more revelation from G.o.d's Word about what praise accomplishes than what most Christians have seen-the effect praise has on the believer, the effect praise has on the devil, and the effect praise has on G.o.d.
This book will show you how you can walk in a new level of praise in your personal relationship with the Lord. You will be amazed at the effect a praise-filled life will have on your daily life and on your relationship with G.o.d.
CHAPTER 1.
WHY WE PRAISE.
Praise is much more important than what the average person thinks. A lot of Christians believe it is nice to praise G.o.d and to be thankful unto Him, but they really look at it as being something that's optional. In other words, it would be good if we praised G.o.d; if we don't, it's certainly understandable, and no one would look at it as being sin.
That is not the picture painted in the Word of G.o.d. It is a direct command of G.o.d. It is not an option. Praise is a necessity, as we see in Deuteronomy.
Moreover all these curses shall come upon thee, and shall pursue thee, and overtake thee, till thou be destroyed; because thou hearkenedst not unto the voice of the LORD thy G.o.d, to keep his commandments and his statutes which he commanded thee: And they shall be upon thee for a sign and for a wonder, and upon thy seed for ever.
Because thou servedst not the LORD thy G.o.d with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things; Therefore shalt thou serve thine enemies which the LORD shall send against thee, in hunger, and in thirst, and in nakedness, and in want of all things: and he shall put a yoke of iron upon thy neck, until he have destroyed thee.
Deuteronomy 28:45-48 Even though this is not written directly to us, as we are not the children of Israel and are not under this covenant, it is still written for our admonition and learning. We see how seriously G.o.d looks at praise from His people. The reason G.o.d was bringing all these curses upon them was because they didn't serve "the LORD thy G.o.d with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things." That was sin in G.o.d's eyes!
When we think of G.o.d's judgment coming upon the Israelites in the Old Testament, we think of gross sins such as idolatry, immorality, murder, etc. Very few people think about G.o.d bringing judgment upon people because they didn't have joy and they weren't thankful for what He had done. Their immorality was also a part of their judgment, but a lack of joy and gladness of heart was included in their sin. They were not thankful for the abundance of things G.o.d had given them. Praise was not being returned unto G.o.d.
That takes praise out of the category of being optional- something that would be nice to do if we wanted to, if we felt like it, or if it was convenient. This elevates it to a realm that G.o.d intended it to be.
He Is Worthy Of Our Praise If you have nothing to praise G.o.d for, if there is nothing good in your life, you are still to praise G.o.d. Why?
Because He is worthy!
The writer of Psalm 107 begins by saying, "O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever" (Ps. 107:1). Then for the next six verses, he gives praise unto G.o.d for all the great works He had done for the nation of Israel-specifically that He brought them out of the land of Egypt, that He performed all the miracles, and that He delivered them from their distress. Throughout this psalm, he recounted these words four different times, "Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men" (Ps. 107:8).
The author isn't saying that men should praise the Lord because it will benefit them personally, although it will.
He isn't saying to praise the Lord because it will overcome our enemy, although that is truth. He was speaking from G.o.d's perspective. He was relating the heart of G.o.d and telling the people to give praise unto G.o.d for His goodness. In other words, G.o.d is worthy to be praised.
G.o.d deserves our praise. He has done so much for us, yet many times we fail to recognize that He desires our praise in return. G.o.d longs for that. It's very similar to a parent-child relationship. G.o.d loves us as a parent loves a child, and He wants our love in return. In this sense, G.o.d has a need, and G.o.d needs that love returned.
Imagine if you really loved someone and showered your love upon him. I mean, you loved him so much, even to the point that you took your own son and sacrificed him so this man might go free. Now if you did all of that for him and he turned around and didn't thank you for it, would that please you? If he wasn't thankful, if he didn't minister back unto you, would you be blessed? It's inconceivable that a person who really loves and shows that love wouldn't want to be loved in return. Any person who loves has a need also to be loved.
I believe G.o.d has that need. Don't misunderstand me-I'm not saying that G.o.d is depressed, discouraged, or b.u.mmed because He's not receiving the love that is due unto Him. G.o.d is greater than that. But I do believe that G.o.d desires our love, and I believe He is not pleased when we don't love Him the way we should. I'm not saying He dislikes us, but it displeases Him because He desires our praise.
Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.
Psalm 29:2 All the earth shall worship thee, and shall sing unto thee; they shall sing to thy name. Selah.
Psalm 66:4 I will praise the LORD according to his righteousness: and will sing praise to the name of the LORD most high.
Psalm 7:17 Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me.
Psalm 50:23 I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
Psalm 34:1 Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
Psalm 103:1 We are instructed throughout Scripture to praise the Lord, to give Him glory, and to worship Him.
I like Psalm 100:4: "Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name."
That is the way our relationship with Him should be. That is how we should begin our prayer-by entering His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. This is how G.o.d desires it to be, because He loves us and wants to receive that love in return.
I was at a missions' conference one time, and a man was talking about the importance of missions. He made the statement that the sole justification for our existence on the earth is to lead another person to the Lord. I understood the point he was trying to make. He was trying to encourage people to recognize, "Hey, we are supposed to be out sharing our faith."
I agreed with his heart and with the point he was making, but when he said that, the Lord spoke to me and said, "No, no, no, that is not the sole justification. That is not the only way you can justify your existence here on this earth."
This is something I feel most Christians have misunderstood. We think that our net worth to G.o.d-the only thing we really have to offer Him-is our service. That's not true. G.o.d longs for us personally, not just what we can give Him, not just what we can do for Him. He wants our affection, that we desire and love and worship Him.
Praise Brings Pleasure To G.o.d Our number one priority has to be loving G.o.d personally -not just loving Him through the things we do for Him or what He can do for us, but to love G.o.d. It's not enough just to give G.o.d our t.i.thes; we need to give G.o.d our hearts. If G.o.d gets our hearts, He'll get our pocketbooks, He'll get our service, He'll get everything else there is to have. G.o.d wants us, not just what we can do for Him.
Look at Adam and Eve as an example. Revelation 4:11 says, "For thy pleasure they are and were created." The original purpose Adam was created for is still the same purpose G.o.d has for people today-for His pleasure. What was the justification for Adam and Eve's existence? Before sin entered into the earth, how could they justify their existence? Adam and Eve didn't have a church to work in and to serve. They didn't have anyone to minister to or cast devils out of. There were no sick to lay hands on and see recover. No one needed them to pray for prosperity.
So, what was the justification for Adam and Eve's existence?
I believe that it had to be for the Lord's pleasure. G.o.d created them to be an object of His love. He could love them and minister to them, but also they would be there to love Him back. It was a two-way street, a two-way communication. G.o.d got pleasure out of fellowshipping with Adam and Eve on a daily basis. G.o.d created man because He wanted someone to fellowship with, to commune with, and to have pleasure in.
Praise Is G.o.d's Will For Us Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.
Revelation 4:11 This scripture is what the twenty-four elders around the throne in heaven cry out to G.o.d. This shows that G.o.d's original purpose for creation is for His pleasure. That purpose has not changed. He created us to give Him pleasure, and this pleasure refers to praise and worship. If this is the way it is in heaven, then this is the way G.o.d intends for it to be here on earth.
Jesus prayed, "Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven" (Matt. 6:10). In heaven, there is constant praise. That is G.o.d's will for us. G.o.d created us to be full of praise, full of joy, and full of thanksgiving. We are created to be worshipers of G.o.d. That is not just for a few people, but for every born-again person.
Satan tries to thwart this. He tried to stop all of heaven from worshiping G.o.d, and now he's trying to stop us from worshiping G.o.d on an individual level. But worship is reserved for G.o.d alone.
Peace Is A Benefit Of Praise Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice. Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.
Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto G.o.d.
And the peace of G.o.d, which pa.s.seth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:4-7 When we let our requests be made known with thanksgiving, then the "peace...which pa.s.seth all understanding, shall keep [our] hearts and minds through Christ Jesus" (brackets mine). It's only when we pray with thanksgiving that the peace of G.o.d will keep our hearts and minds. Peace is not a product of circ.u.mstances. Peace doesn't come when there are no problems. That's the way the world looks at it. But peace-G.o.d's kind of peace-is something that is there even in the midst of problems. It is a result of keeping our minds stayed on G.o.d.
I've been in situations where, in the natural, there was no reason that I should have joy or peace. But because I had my mind focused on G.o.d and His promises, because I had faith working on the inside of me, I had peace.
It's exactly like these scriptures say, that when you "let your requests be made known unto G.o.d...the peace of G.o.d, which pa.s.seth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." When you are praising G.o.d, a supernatural peace will follow, a peace that no man can understand or explain. There is no physical reason for it, but the peace of G.o.d will keep your heart and mind.
Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.
Isaiah 26:3 If your mind is stayed on G.o.d, you will have perfect peace. If your mind is not stayed on G.o.d, you will not have perfect peace. If you aren't experiencing peace in your life, most likely your mind is not stayed on G.o.d (Rom. 8:6).
Some people will argue with me and say, "But wait a minute. You don't understand my problem. You don't know my situation. How can I have peace?" They have just shown me their problem. Their attention is focused on their problem and not on the answer. Their attention is focused only on the natural realm. But there is another world out there. Even if every time they see light at the end of the tunnel it turns out to be another train, they still don't have to be in turmoil. If worse came to worse, what could happen? They would die and go to be with the Lord! That's the peace that pa.s.ses all understanding.
Praise Is Strength Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.
Psalm 8:2 When Jesus made His triumphal entry into the city of Jerusalem on what we call Palm Sunday, thousands of people turned out to greet Him, singing, "Hosanna to the Son of David" (Matt. 21:15). This greatly upset the Pharisees and the chief priests because they considered this blasphemy. It would have been blasphemy if Jesus was not G.o.d. But Jesus was G.o.d; therefore it was appropriate for the people to worship Him.
The religious people expected Jesus to rebuke the mult.i.tude for such an outcry, but instead, Jesus quoted Psalm 8:2, except He changed one phrase. In Matthew 21:16, we find that Jesus replied, "Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou has perfected praise." By comparing these two scriptures, we see that Jesus interchanged the phrase "perfected praise" for "ordained strength." Praise is strength! If you think praise is optional, you won't see it that way. But Nehemiah says the same thing: "The joy of the Lord is your strength" (Neh. 8:10).
This strength is specifically to be used against our enemy. It says that it stops the enemy and the avenger. Praise is the greatest weapon we have against Satan and his daily onslaught. It literally makes Satan flee in terror when we begin to praise G.o.d, and the anointing of G.o.d is able to manifest itself in the absence of opposition from the devil. Praise is spiritual warfare.
I have seen many people get into what they call spiritual warfare, but it is actually depressing. They are fighting the devil and spending more time with the devil than they are with G.o.d. That's not right. Yes, there is a place for fighting and resisting the devil, but maintaining an att.i.tude of praise is the best weapon we have.
If sickness tries to come upon your body, instead of spending so much time dealing with the devil and making that your priority, begin to praise G.o.d and thank Him for the healing that has been promised to you. The medical profession has statistics that show a happy and joyful person is much healthier than a person who is morbid, sad, and depressed. Praise G.o.d for healing you, and let the joy of the Lord be your strength.
Praise Blesses The Lord So many people were seeking Him that sometimes Jesus would have to stay up all night praying and fellowshipping with the Father because He couldn't do it during the daytime. Jesus gave priority to a personal relationship with G.o.d, and it's got to be the same for every individual member in the body of Christ. We must recognize that this is what makes everything else function. If our personal relationship with G.o.d is sagging, everything else will eventually crumble. The way we establish this personal relationship with the Lord is not limited to praise, but I believe that praise is the way to begin this love relationship with G.o.d.
If we begin to bless the Lord, tell Him how much we love Him, and thank Him for what He's done, I guarantee you G.o.d will minister His love back to us.
An example of this happened when my sons were young. I took my two boys, Joshua and Peter, out to ride our horses. I also bought them junk food-ice cream and all kinds of things. We spent the whole day riding horses, playing in the creek, wrestling, and having a great time. When they were going to bed that night, I kissed Peter good night, turned off the light, and as I walked out of the room, Peter said, "Dad?" I said, "Yep." He said, "You're a good dad." And do you know, what he said blessed me. Boy, I mean it made my heart jump up and down and do flip-flops! He was saying a thank-you in his own way. Now he didn't say, "Bless you, Dad." No, what he said was, "Dad, you're a good dad," and his saying that blessed me. When the Scripture admonishes us to bless the Lord, that's what it's talking about. G.o.d is blessed by us expressing our love and worship and praise unto Him.
A good friend of mine had a revelation of how much G.o.d loves him. He was in a terrible situation in a mental ward, got a revelation of G.o.d's love for him, and was born again. As a result, he's now a tremendous man of G.o.d-he pastors a church and sees great things happen. But he has a saying that he tells a lot of people, "G.o.d loves me. G.o.d carries my picture in His wallet." He also says, "G.o.d has my picture on His mantel."
Some people get offended at that. They think, Man, who do you think you are? You think you're somebody special that you could bless G.o.d, that you have something you could offer to G.o.d? But the point he's making is that G.o.d loves him. He got a revelation of that. He knows that when he loves G.o.d back and tells G.o.d he loves Him, that blesses G.o.d.
If you don't have a real revelation of G.o.d's love for you, or even if you do but you want more, just begin setting aside a special time each day to praise Him. I guarantee you'll enter into a deeper level of intimacy with Him and the rest of your day will go a whole lot better!
CHAPTER 2.
HOW COULD PAUL PRAISE?.
Taking a serious look at Paul's life, some of the apostles' lives, and even some of this country's early ministers and missionaries, it's easy to wonder how they could possibly continue to offer praise and worship to G.o.d in the midst of their sufferings. However, looking further, we see how Paul viewed all of the suffering he went through.
We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.
2 Corinthians 4:8-10 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
2 Corinthians 4:17-18 Notice Paul said, "Our light affliction." This is an amazing statement! Sometimes we skip over this and don't really understand the background of what Paul was saying. If we look in 2 Corinthians 11, Paul mentions what his light afflictions were.
For ye suffer, if a man bring you into bondage, if a man devour you, if a man take of you, if a man exalt himself, if a man smite you on the face.
Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft.
Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one.
Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.
2 Corinthians 11:20 and 23-27 Paul had been through the wringer! He even said that he had suffered more than anyone, yet he considered it a "light affliction." He wasn't saying it was a light affliction because he didn't have as many problems as you and I do. Paul probably suffered more than you and I have ever thought about suffering, but it was just a light affliction for him because of his perspective.
I hear so many people say, "I would praise G.o.d if I didn't have so many problems." And then they begin enumerating all of their problems. In effect, they're saying, "Yes, I agree with praise, and I would praise G.o.d if it were easier, but it's just too hard with all the problems I'm facing." Paul had it worse than anyone, yet he said it was just a light affliction and praised G.o.d in the midst of everything. Now if Paul, who had more problems and more adversity than any of us, could praise G.o.d, then no one is justified in not praising G.o.d because of their problems.
The Choice Is Ours Satan has deceived the body of Christ. He has devised elaborate systems of justifying people's lack of praise.
Psychology has also had a big impact on our society today -and not all of it is good. Primarily, it has taken blame and responsibility away from us. We aren't responsible for our actions. It's another person's fault. It's our parents and the way they did or didn't treat us. It's society, the color of our skin, if we had more money, if we had this or that. We blame our sin or bad habits on everyone and everything else. Yet Paul, who had terrible adversity come against him, never blamed anyone else. He took responsibility for his emotions, and he chose to praise G.o.d.
Given our present-day situations, we have the choice of how we are going to respond. Society can't make us respond a particular way. Our circ.u.mstances can't make us have behavioral problems. It's our choice. When G.o.d created us, He gave us the ability to choose. Just as we have the ability to choose eternal life or death, we have the ability to choose to praise G.o.d in all situations.
Deuteronomy 30:19 says, "I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live."
G.o.d gave us the choice. He doesn't make the choice for us, and Satan cannot force us into any decision. It's our choice.
The choice isn't difficult. It's either life or death, blessing or cursing. This should be a no-brainer. But just in case someone might be having trouble with the choice, G.o.d gives a hint. He says, "Choose life." It's like a test with choices (a) life or (b) death. And then G.o.d puts in parentheses that (a) is the answer.
My dad died when I was only twelve years old. I went through the teenage years, the most critical time of my life, without a father. Psychologists would gladly tell you all of the problems I should have. My dad was always sick. He would come home from work and need to rest. He didn't go on camping trips. He never threw a baseball with me. We never played football. We never did any of the things that kids are supposed to do with their fathers, and I still loved him dearly. I had a good relationship with him, and I have nothing but good memories of him. When he died, I missed him, but I understood that he wasn't there. I wasn't bitter toward him.
I've met women who have lost their husbands either through divorce or through death, and they are just panic-stricken about their children: "They have to have a father!" They are willing to marry the first guys who walk down the street just so their children won't be fatherless.
That's an example of this mentality that says, "We just can't prosper if we're in this adversity. The only way we're really going to succeed is if we can change our situations and get to the place where we have no more problems." But that's not true. I grew up in a situation that most people would have said was desperate, but I can honestly say I can't recall facing a single problem that I couldn't overcome, growing up through those teenage years without my father.
Some people do become bitter and resentful toward parents who are no longer with them. Not every teenager has fond memories of that missing parent. Some kids have a two-parent home, but the father is so involved in his business that he is never home to partic.i.p.ate in those children's lives. But we have a choice to make. We can choose to respond in light of G.o.d's Word and be better, or we can choose to respond according to our flesh and be bitter. We can either be better or bitter. It's our choice.
Paul's Ultimate Desire For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you.
Philippians 1:23-24 Paul recognized the benefit of going to be with the Lord. That was his ultimate desire. But he also knew there was more work for him to do on this earth to further the Gospel. So, hesitantly, or regretfully, he says, "I guess I'll stay here with you so that I can benefit you." That's a man whose perspective was right. That's a man who operated in praise.
So, what about our situations today? If we are struggling in the area of healing, we need to get our minds off of our negative circ.u.mstances and begin to praise G.o.d and think about G.o.d's healing. Even if we don't receive a manifestation of healing in this life, the worst that could happen is that we would die and go to be with the Lord.