UNDERSTANDING THE BREAKTHROUGH POWER OF PRAISE

Introduction:

• Praise is God’s natural habitat – Ps. 22:3

And we know that He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.Psalm 91:1-2

• And when God inhabits the midst of His people, wonders are unleashed – Zeph. 3:17

The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.

• We also discover that praise is a spiritual medium through which we transfer our battles to God – 2Chr. 20:22-24.  How?

• God steps in HImself as in the case of Jehoshaphat
• God raises helpers on your behalf: (Personal testimony)

22 And when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten.

23 For the children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of mount Seir, utterly to slay and destroy them: and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, every one helped to destroy another.

24 And when Judah came toward the watch tower in the wilderness, they looked unto the multitude, and, behold, they were dead bodies fallen to the earth, and none escaped.

King James Version (KJV)

As you praise God tonight none of your sworn enemies shall escape the undiluted anger of God in the name of Jesus!

As you continue to praise him this month, God is taking over every of your remaining battles this year!

Scripturally, we can praise our way:

• Out of every prison house to liberty – Acts 16:25-30

Paul and Silas praised their way out of prison into liberty

• Out of defeat to victory – 2Chr 20:22-24

Jehoshaphat and Judah praised their way out of defeat into victory

• Out of sickness to health – Is. 38:5/20

Hezekiah praised his way out of sickness to health

Go, and say to Hezekiah, Thus saith the LORD, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will add unto thy days fifteen* years. 6 And I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria: and I will defend this city.

• Out of barrenness to fruitfulness – Rom. 4:18-20/ 1 Sam. 1:13-19

Hannah praised her way out of Barrenness to fruitfulness

• Out of struggles to breakthroughs – Heb. 3:17-19

Mark 4:11 Kingdom of God operates on mysteries

Mystery = Secrets of God Embedded in Scriptures

1 Cor 2:6-8 6 Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought: 7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:

8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

Hidden in simplicity not in complexity

2 Corinthians 11:3 3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

1 Cor 2:14 14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

One of those powerful mysteries is Praise. Therefore praise is not entertainment, it’s not what you do to wait for more church members to come. It is a kingdom mystery.

Why is it important to understand? Lack of understanding leads to abuse of a thing. Ambiguities in English language: Yes=No and No=Yes in some situations would you mind, wouldn’t you mind …...

Thank God the promises of God are Yea and Amen⇒ Signed and ratified in Christ.

The Lord will grant us understanding tonight in Jesus Name!

Understanding the Breakthrough Power of Praise. But What really is in Praise?

1. The more praiseful we are, the more honourable our lives become – Ps. 50: 23/ 1Sam. 2:30

23 Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God. Ps. 50:23

30 Wherefore the Lord God of Israel saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever: but now the Lord saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed. 1Sam. 2:30

• Praise glorifies God, and in turn God honors those who honor Him.
• When man honors you, other men can still still dishonor you, and man’s honor is temporal
• There are some men who were called honorable before the last elections who are no longer called honorable today
• When God honors you no man can dishonor you

Mordecai vs Haman Esther 6:1-3

On that night could not the king sleep, and he commanded to bring the book of records of the chronicles; and they were read before the king.

2 And it was found written, that Mordecai had told of Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king's chamberlains, the keepers of the door, who sought to lay hand on the king Ahasuerus.

3 And the king said, What honour and dignity hath been done to Mordecai for this? Then said the king's servants that ministered unto him, There is nothing done for him.

• For someone here tonight God is saying your time for remembrance has come! In the mighty name of Jesus! You have been faithfully serving God, but it seems as though God has forgotten you. Rejoice, because your praise goes up, God’s honor is descending  on you and your household
• Someone somewhere will not be able  to sleep until they have blessed you!

Esther 6:4-10

4 And the king said, Who is in the court? Now Haman was come into the outward court of the king's house, to speak unto the king to hang Mordecai on the gallows that he had prepared for him.

5 And the king's servants said unto him, Behold, Haman standeth in the court. And the king said, Let him come in. 6 So Haman came in. And the king said unto him, What shall be done unto the man whom the king delighteth to honour? Now Haman thought in his heart, To whom would the king delight to do honour more than to myself? 7 And Haman answered the king, For the man whom the king delighteth to honour,

8 Let the royal apparel be brought which the king useth to wear, and the horse that the king rideth upon, and the crown royal which is set upon his head:

9 And let this apparel and horse be delivered to the hand of one of the king's most noble princes, that they may array the man withal whom the king delighteth to honour, and bring him on horseback through the street of the city, and proclaim before him, Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delighteth to honour. 10 Then the king said to Haman, Make haste, and take the apparel and the horse, as thou hast said, and do even so to Mordecai the Jew, that sitteth at the king's gate: let nothing fail of all that thou hast spoken.

You can’t stand against anyone God has decided to honor

After humiliation Haman tried to fight Mordecai

Esther 6:11-13

11 Then took Haman the apparel and the horse, and arrayed Mordecai, and brought him on horseback through the street of the city, and proclaimed before him, Thus shall it be done unto the man whom the king delighteth to honour.

12 And Mordecai came again to the king's gate. But Haman hasted to his house mourning, and having his head covered.

13 And Haman told Zeresh his wife and all his friends everything that had befallen him. Then said his wise men and Zeresh his wife unto him, If Mordecai be of the seed of the Jews, before whom thou hast begun to fall, thou shalt not prevail against him, but shalt surely fall before him.

As you honor God in Praise I see God Honoring you, and God’s undiluted anger falling on anyone who has vowed to dishonor you

2. The more praiseful we are, the more anointed we become – Ps. 89: 20-21/ Ps. 119:164

20 I have found David my servant; with my holy oil have I anointed him:

21 With whom my hand shall be established: mine arm also shall strengthen him.

What did David do?

Seven times a day do I praise thee because of thy righteous judgments.Ps. 119:164

• Praise is a mystery by which we renew God’s anointing in our lives. God releases fresh oil on anyone who engages in praise.  And the anointing breaks every yoke.
• To remain spiritually fit we need to constantly renew the oil of God in our lives.
• Even your car will tell you to go change its oil after every few months. When the check engine warning appears on your dashboard, that’s your car telling you: “Go renew my anointing” If you continue to ignore it  ignore it, very soon your engine will start having problems and you will end up spending more.
• Receive grace to live a praiseful life in Jesus Name!

3. The more praiseful we are, the greater the breakthroughs we command – Ps. 114:1-9/1Sam. 30:6-9

1 When Israel went out of Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of strange language;

2 Judah was his sanctuary, and Israel his dominion.

3 The sea saw it, and fled: Jordan was driven back.

4 The mountains skipped like rams, and the little hills like lambs.

5 What ailed thee, O thou sea, that thou fleddest? thou Jordan, that thou wast driven back?

6 Ye mountains, that ye skipped like rams; and ye little hills, like lambs?

7 Tremble, thou earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob;

8 Which turned the rock into a standing water, the flint into a fountain of waters.

6 And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God.

7 And David said to Abiathar the priest, Ahimelech's son, I pray thee, bring me hither the ephod. And Abiathar brought thither the ephod to David.

8 And David enquired at the Lord, saying, Shall I pursue after this troop? shall I overtake them? And he answered him, Pursue: for thou shalt surely overtake them, and without fail recover all.

4. Praise empowers our access to realms of Signs and Wonders – Acts 16:25-30

25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.

26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed.

27 And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled.

28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.

29 Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas,

30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?

As you praise God tonight, I see you coming out of every prison house! I see every chain in your life giving way, in the mighty name of Jesus.

Lift up your voice and give God thanks for his word tonight.

At this time it is important to understand that to access the Breakthrough Power of Praise, one must be born again and have a living relationship with Jesus Christ.
If you are here and you are not born again you cannot access the Breakthrough Power in Praise. Pray the following prayer
Lord Jesus, I acknowledge that I have sinned against you, I repent of my sins, forgive me and baptize me into your body. Empower me to be your son and to live a life that honors you, the rest of my days. Thank you for saving me. I receive your gift of salvation by faith and I believe that I am born again.
If you want to rededicate your life to God, pray the following prayer:
Father, in the name of Jesus, I return to you with a broken heart. I rededicate my life to you. Empower me to abide in you. I acknowledge that without you I can do nothing, and with you I can do all things through Christ. Thank you for forgiving and cleansing me.