Experiencing the wonders in praise!
Welcome to another impactful week! I hope you were blessed by last week teaching. This week, we shall focus on: Experiencing the Wonders in Praise!
First, the result we obtain in any endeavour is a function of our level of understanding (Daniel 9:2). Spiritual understanding is key to commanding outstanding results in our walk with God. As it is written, The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding shall remain in the congregation of the dead (Proverbs 21:16).Thus, as ordinary as praise may appear, the Bible enjoins us to praise God with understanding; otherwise, it will be mere entertainment. It is written, …sing ye praises with understanding (Psalm 47:7). When we praise God with understanding, we become candidates of the wonders therein. ‘Wonder’ simply means something miraculous, strange and marvellous. Interestingly, that is what we experience in praise. Therefore, we must understand why we should praise God, what to expect as we do and how to praise Him acceptably. This understanding will give real value to our praise.
What is Praise?
It is a celebration of the faithfulness and lovingkindness of God, what is happening around notwithstanding. The Psalmist says, It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High: To shew forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night (Psalm 92:1-2). Erroneously, people mistake mere singing as praise. Please, understand that singing may be a hobby but it is not praise. This is because praise will always cause us to experience His wonders; thereby, converting our obstacles to miracles supernaturally.
Then, why Should we Praise Him?
i It is Commanded: Everything that has breathe is under obligation to praise God. As it is written, Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee (Psalm 67:5).The Bible says, And now, O ye priests, this commandment is for you.If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name, saith the Lord of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings: yea, I have cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to heart (Malachi 2:1-2).
How Should we Praise God?
ii We Praise Him in the Dance: As it is written, Let them praise his name in the dance: let them sing praises unto him with the timbrel and harp (Psalm 149:3). Concerning David, the Bible says, And David danced before the Lord with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod (2 Samuel 6:14).Thus, when we are dancing before the Lord, we are not dancing unto anybody but God; so, how people feel is irrelevant.
What are the Wonders of Praise?
v Praise Provokes Answers to Prayers: When Jesus taught us how to pray in Matthew 6:9-13, He ended by saying, For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen. That means, every prayer that does not end with praise will be void of answers. The Bible says, Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God (Philippians 4:6). Our prayer cannot register in heaven without celebrating the God that answers prayers. Besides, the state of our hearts in praise is what determines the response we get from God. Therefore, if there is no joy in our hearts; our songs become a noise unto God. However, with gladness of heart, our songs ascends to the throne of God as a sweet-smelling savour and as a result, we command divine attention at all times.
v It Provokes Strange Order of Favours:That was the case of Herodias daughter; she danced before king Herod and she experienced a strange order of favour. It is written, And when the daughter of the said Herodias came in, and danced, and pleased Herod and them that sat with him, the king said unto the damsel, Ask of me whatsoever thou wilt, and I will give it thee. And he sware unto her, Whatsoever thou shalt ask of me, I will give it thee, unto the half of my kingdom (Mark 6:22-23).Strange order of praise provokes strange order of favour. Therefore, to experience fearful order of blessings, we must continue to give God fearful order of praise.
In conclusion, any one that is offended in God will live a frustrated Christian life. So, take off those offences; God has never offended us, He has done us well. Therefore, let us tap into the wonders of praise and see how He decorates our lives. However, you can only benefit from the wonders of praise if you are born again. If you are not, this is an opportunity to do so. Simply say the following prayer: Lord Jesus, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me of my sins. Cleanse me with Your precious Blood. Today, I accept You as my Lord and personal Saviour. Thank You Jesus for saving me! Now, I know I am born again! For further reading, get my books: Understanding the Power of Praise and Wonders of Praise.I invite you to fellowship with us at the Faith Tabernacle, Canaanland, Ota, the covenant home of Winners. We have four services on Sundays, holding at 6:00 a.m., 7:55 a.m., 9:50 a.m. and 11:45 a.m. respectively. Also, you can join our live services via Facebook: David Oyedepo Ministries International, Twitter: @Davidoyedepomin, Instagram: davidoyedepomin,YouTube: Living Faith Church Worldwide, Hebron 95.9 FM, Winners World App, Impact Africa TV (on Startimes and NigComSat), Domi Radio and via the Church Satellite. I know this teaching has blessed you. Write and share your testimony with me through: Faith Tabernacle, Canaanland, Ota, P.M.B. 21688, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria, call 01-4548070, 01-4548280, or E-mail: [email protected].
