Freedom House Church and Healing Centre

Often God will put on my heart to be intentional to praise Him.  Especially during hard times.  When it is a hard day or week.  When I am obedient to do this, I find my heart bursting with joy and thanksgiving to God.  There is a song in my heart, a smile on my face and a spring in my step.  I can see circumstances, situations, and people from God’s perspective.  My attitude and mindset change.

 God inhabits the praises of His people!  When I am praising God, I am focused on Him and I have peace and joy.  I am no longer focused on myself, others, or circumstances around me.  The enemy flees!  Heaviness, disappointment, and discouragement fall off.

 But You are holy, Enthroned in the praises of Israel. Ps 22:3 NKJV

 You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You. Isa 26:3 NKJV

You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore. Ps 16:11 NKJV

And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who should sing to the Lord, and who should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army and were saying: “Praise the Lord, For His mercy endures forever.” Now when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were defeated. 2 Chron 20:21-22 NKJV

To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes,
The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;
That they may be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.” Isa 61:3 NKJV

Psalms 144-150 are awesome Psalms of praise.  Starting with declarations such as ‘Blessed be the Lord my Rock”, “I will extol You, my God, O King” and “Praise the Lord!”.  When I declare these Psalms out loud, I am overwhelmed with inexpressible joy!  These scriptures remind me to praise God for who He is and for what He has already done no matter what situation I am in or what is going on around me.  When I am intentional to praise God, I am unable to grumble and complain, be critical and judgmental, take up offence or go into a prison of unforgiveness.  Praise the Lord!

Let the saints be joyful in glory; Let them sing aloud on their beds.
Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, And a two-edged sword in their hand, To execute vengeance on the nations, And punishments on the peoples;
To bind their kings with chains, And their nobles with fetters of iron;
To execute on them the written judgment—This honor have all His saints.

Praise the Lord! Ps 149:5-9 NKJV

Ps 149:5 reminds us to sing praises to God in the privacy of our homes not just when we gather corporately.  Ps 149:6-8 gives a picture of a marching army, confronting powers and principalities with praises waved like a sword.  So, no matter where we are, praise the Lord!  It is an honor to praise the Lord for what He has already done for us on the Cross.  Praising the Lord also appropriates the victory of the Cross to real life struggles-anywhere!

Praise the Lord!

Praise God in His sanctuary;
Praise Him in His mighty firmament!

Praise Him for His mighty acts;
Praise Him according to His excellent greatness!

Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet;
Praise Him with the lute and harp!
Praise Him with the timbrel and dance;
Praise Him with stringed instruments and flutes!
Praise Him with loud cymbals;
Praise Him with clashing cymbals!

Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.

Praise the Lord! Ps 150 NKJV

 Psalm 150!  The last Psalm in the book of Psalms.  The last verse says, “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.  Praise the Lord!”  Every living soul.  Every breathing person must praise the Lord!  The word in this Psalm for praise is ‘halal’, meaning to shine, boast, rave, and to celebrate clamorously.  This means to boast of the Lord!  Rave of Him according to His excellent greatness!

I encourage you to ask yourself honestly, “How much do I praise God?”  “Do I praise God only when He has done something for me?”  “Do I praise God only when I want something from Him?”  Or, “Do I praise God always and everywhere, for who He is and what He has already done for me?”

Let us be a people of praise!

Let them praise the name of the Lord, For His name alone is exalted;
His glory is above the earth and heaven. Ps 148:13

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches…” Rev 2:7