“Praise causes the presence of the Lord to come into our midst. Even though God is omniscient, He manifests His authority and rule in our environment when we praise Him. When we praise, God comes in and leads us forth… When we praise, our faith and trust increase.” - Chuck Pierce
Dear intercessors,
Choosing to praise God is vital in bringing us victory now and in the days ahead. There is not one of us who will not be tested—or isn’t presently being tested—in the choice of whether we will choose to praise God in the midst of difficulty.
The spiritual battle is intensifying daily because the enemy knows that his time is short. He hates prayer because he knows that the power of prayer will overthrow every one of his plans. God inhabits our praise. The word “inhabit” or “enthrone” (yashab) means to judge in ambush. When we praise God, He will seat himself right in the middle of our lives and judge the enemies that are surrounding us. The Japanese translation of Psalm 22:3 is: “When you praise God He brings a big chair and sits there.” Think about that! God is seated in the center of your life. The enemy cannot dethrone you because God cannot be overthrown!
We must choose praise and worship as our main weapon of warfare.
The Apostle Paul is a great example of one who chose praise in very hard circumstances. God had given Paul a vision and told him to go to Philippi. But shortly after arriving, he was arrested and beaten. When he was thrown into prison, his feet were put in stocks. This was a humiliating method of torture because all night long he had to lie there in agony. You can imagine how painful this must have been. I doubt that he got much sleep. He had done nothing wrong and could have responded in great anger.
But what did Paul do in response to such harsh treatment? He sang praises to God. He filled that cell room with praises to God even in the midst of a painful situation. He held up the shield of faith through his praises. We can do the same. When we feel like complaining, and when we feel that we have been mistreated, we can respond in praise to God.
Many times we as believers do not actually understand and appropriate the power of praise.
This praise power is especially realized in the midst of hopeless or trying circumstances. Praise, thanksgiving, and worship go together. The Word of God needs to permeate our praises. The enemy wants to weaken and defeat us in the area of our faith. He will try to discourage and disillusion us. We must be on our guard, as he will do everything he can to bring us down from faith into fear. We must learn to walk in God’s supernatural peace as the days get worse.
The disasters coming upon the world are only going to increase. As I have said so many times before, God is presently shaking everything that can be shaken. Let’s learn to live a life of passionate prayer and praise. This is the season for God’s Kingdom to come on earth with increasing power. This is our opportunity to gather in the harvest.
The whole world is taking notice of this shaking. While I was on a train in a Muslim nation, I met a man who told me that the tragedies on the earth are increasing. This is what the Bible says about the last days. There will be terrible times (Matthew 24:6-8; 2 Timothy 3:1).
God is speaking to hearts throughout the world. I looked at several of the individuals on that train—young and old, male and female—and realized God’s great love for each one of those people. I knew that this city was on a fault line and ready for a major earthquake at any time.
The answer to every dilemma in the world is God. He wants us to ascend in prayer to a higher level of praise and worship. This will be our position in the last days. Keep on praising God in your situation. Don’t give in. Push through until you see the victory. Even when you hear discouraging news, choose to praise God and dwell on His attributes. We ready in Psalm 95:1-3:
“Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; Let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song.”
He is life and a focus on Him will minister that life to you. As you magnify and praise the Lord, He will become larger in your eyes. Your faith will be strengthened as you worship Him in every season of your life.
Praise Paves the Way
“Praise prepares us to pray. When we worship God as our Counselor, it strengthens our faith to pray for wisdom. When we praise Him as the Great Physician, it strengthens our faith to pray for healing. When we remember how He has provided in the past, it strengthens our faith to ask for provision again. Praise builds our faith in who God is: Redeemer Comforter, Savior, Deliver, Defender, Friend.” Buddy Owens
What happens when we choose to praise? Praise paves the way for the blessings of God to manifest in our lives. God victoriously inhabits our praise. Choosing to praise overcomes the enemy in every dimension. What are the results of praising God?
Praise is a foundation for prayer. God has chosen you to live in such a time as this. Give it your best. Magnify and praise the Lord, and He will use you to reach the lost and needy ones who are trying to find answers in trying times. You will be one who brings His salvation, glory, and grace into their lives.
One of the main ingredients of your effectiveness will be to live a life of praise. You will ascend the heights in prayer as you worship God. You will touch heaven and change earth as you praise Him. Through praise you will live in the atmosphere where miracles are born. God victoriously inhabits your praise.
My Prayer for you!
“Praise is a foundation for prayer. In worship, we declare the goodness and glory of the God who is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Having declared who He is, we can come to Him with our requests, trusting that out of His very nature He will hear and respond to us with grace upon grace.” Buddy Owen
Intercessors Arise News
Together in the Harvest,
Debbie Przybylski
Intercessors Arise International
International House of Prayer (IHOP) KC Staff
deb@intercessorsarise.org
www.intercessorsarise.org