We praise God for Who He is. And when we praise Him in difficult times, it’s an offering we’re giving to Him…and that offering becomes an access point into His presence.
Most Christians will praise God when things are easy and going great, but why should we praise Him in challenging times? It’s because He’s a God that never changes. He’s the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8). Whatever you’re dealing with doesn’t change Who God is in your life.
We magnify Him for Who He is; we make Him bigger in our thoughts and in our eyes; we praise Him and give thanks for His character and that invites Him into our lives. We want to invite God in. Doing so breaks barriers in our lives. The enemy wants to set up roadblocks in your way – to stop the plan of God in your life – but when you get your eyes off the blockage and the enemy and put it on God and Who He is and who He’s made you to be, guess what? He will remove the blockages and barriers. Speak forth praise to God!
We can praise God for His grace! Ephesians 1:6 tells us, “to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.”
We praise God for His goodness! Psalm 135:3 reminds us to “Praise the Lord! For the Lord is good; sing praises to His Name, for He is gracious and lovely!” And His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever! (Psalm 118:1)
Praise God for salvation! Ephesians 2:8-9 shouts this truth out when it says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”
There are so many things you can praise God for! His love, His mercy, His Truth and trustworthiness! He is Peace and Provider, Light and Faithful Lord!
“I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise will continually be in my mouth.” – PSALM 34:1
We should praise God each and every day! “You are my peace and strength and health today! You are my light and my salvation! You have picked me up from the pit of destruction and set me on a new path and new way! You’ve prepared a way for me that’s life. It brings goodness in my life! You are a good and faithful God! You are mighty and strong and able! No weapon formed against me shall prosper and every tongue of the enemy that rises up and accuses me will be in the wrong, in Jesus’ Name.”
When we start regularly praising God, we start seeing Him for Who He really is in our lives; that’s Who He is to you! He’s a personal God; He’s not some impersonal god somewhere in the universe who doesn’t care where you’re going and what’s happening to you.
“When we start regularly praising God, we start seeing Him for Who He really is in our lives!”
I mentioned that when we praise God He removes the barriers that are trying to keep you out His promises and of His will and purpose in your life. When there is conflict in your thoughts, praise Him for Who He is, because then your thoughts will come into agreement and alignment with Who He is in you.
“But when He, the Spirit of Truth (the Truth-giving Spirit) comes, He will guide you into all the Truth (the whole, full Truth). For He will not speak His own message [on His own authority]; but He will tell whatever He hears from the Father; He will give the message that has been given to Him, and He will announce and declare to you the things that are to come [that will happen in the future.” – JOHN 16:13 (AMPC)
I like that! The Truth-giving Spirit! God is the Truth in my life. We can settle on His Truth. We can tell my flesh to shut up because God is Truth. The Truth of God is the standard of God. When the enemy comes against you – when he’s bringing lies and trying to mess you up – you can ignore those lie by thanking God and praising Him that He is your Truth! I tell God, “I walk in your Truth today!” And if we walk in His Truth, that Truth is Light!
Lots of Christians know this, but how many of us actually praise God for it? We think it once in a while, but do we actually praise Him? Proverbs 18:21 tells us that life or death is in the power of the tongue. When you praise God, you’re bringing the life of God into your life and situation.
Not only that, but when you praise God and that Truth and light come, it affects those around you; you inject His Truth and light into their conditions. See, people around you are dealing with temporary things – in the natural – and subject to change; but if people don’t know God or much again Him, they don’t what their tongue should be saying. You are giving God dominion in their lives when you praise Him and bring light unto them.
Isaiah 62:10 tells us, “Go through, go through the gates. Prepare the way for the people, cast up, cast up the highway. Gather out the stones, lift up a standard over and for the people.” When we praise God, we’re preparing the way for people, making a way for God to reveal Himself to them. Praise is road-building equipment. It removes obstacles and makes easy access. That’s not just for you…it’s for those around you.
Praise the Lord at all times!
To watch the entire March 7, 2021 message on which this post was based, click here.
