“Don’t Stop Praising!” (Your Praise Is A Weapon pt. 2)

Pastor Jim Lowe III

Sunday Morning, 9:30am Stream 11/12/23 (2nd Sunday Message) (Final Version)

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{All scriptures are “NIV84” unless stated}

Message Title:

“Don’t Stop Praising!” (Your Praise Is A Weapon pt. 2)

1 Peter 2:9

9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

You are a chosen people…

that you may declare the praises.

You were chosen - to praise. You were created - to praise.

{repeat}

“I Was Created To Praise God”

points from last week:

• Our Praise Brings God Closer To Us!

• Our Praise Opens Doors And Breaks Chains!

• Praise Lifts Us Up When We Are Down

for today:

We used the definition for praise in the Wednesday study groups. Let’s do it today.

Praise: (Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary)

comes from a latin word meaning:

• Value or price

• to give praise to God is to proclaim his merit or worth.

• Some other examples of praise: “glory,” “blessing,” “Thanksgiving,” and “Hallelujah”

Psalm 34:1 (NLT)

• • I will praise the Lord at all times. I will constantly speak his praises.

At all times.

I will praise the Lord during the good times. I will praise the Lord during the bad times.

{“Repeat”}

“I Will Praise The Lord No Matter What!”

{“Repeat”}

“I Will Not Let Circumstances Stop Me From Praising The Lord!”

Many times we allow circumstances to get us down. Things can be so heavy.

We don’t want to do anything.

Or maybe we want to solve the problem the best way that we can… but it’s not for us to solve.

We don’t use natural means to deal with a spiritual problem.

Ephesians 6:12

12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

We have to stop using natural weapons for supernatural problems.

We Have To Use Supernatural Weapons For A Supernatural Problem!

Your Praise Is A Weapon!

Let’s talk about how God can respond to praise.

• • Chronicles 20:1

After this, the Moabites and Ammonites with some of the Meunites came to make war on Jehoshaphat.

• • nations decided to make war on 1.

Jehoshaphat hears of this and declares a fast for all of Judah. They don’t know what to do!

They are scared!

They are one nation…how can they fight 3??

2 Chronicles 20:5-6

5 Then Jehoshaphat stood up in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem at the temple of the Lord in the front of the new courtyard 6 and said: “O Lord, God of our fathers, are you not the God who is in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. Power and might are in your hand, and no one can withstand you.

Jehoshaphat STARTS the prayer with giving praise!

Psalm 100:4

• • Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.

Praise Puts You In The Presence Of God!

Once the prayer was given…the Lord spoke through one of the men.

2 Chronicles 20:15

15 He said: “Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the Lord says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s.

The battle is not yours…but God’s.

Verse 17

17 You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid;

do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you.’ ”

You will not have to fight this battle. Just stand there…and watch God work. So WHAT happens?

Jehoshaphat and his army goes out to the place where the fight will happen.

2 Chronicles 20:21-22

21 After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the Lord and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying: “Give thanks to the Lord, for his love endures forever.” 22 As they began to sing and praise, the Lord set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated.

As they began to sing and praise…

the Lord set ambushes against the enemy. AS they began to sing and praise…

God started to move…

When THEY did this…GOD did this.

Your Praise Causes God To Act On Your Behalf!

There is something about a shout that causes God to move!

Psalm 27:6

6 Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me; at his tabernacle will I sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the Lord.

when surrounded by enemies

I will give a sacrifice with shouts of joy. I will SING and make music to the Lord!

In the MIDDLE of your trial…that’s a good time to give God some praise! “Don’t wait till the battle is over…SHOUT NOW!”

Psalm 149:5-6

• • Let the saints rejoice in this honor and sing for joy on their beds. 6 May the praise of God be in their mouths and a double-edged sword in their hands,

let the saints rejoice in his honor and sing for joy on their beds. May the praise of God BE IN THEIR MOUTHS

AND A DOUBLE EDGED SWORD IN THEIR HANDS

Your Praise is a weapon!! Why?

God Loves It When You Praise Him!

so because praise is so effective to getting God to work

What Are Ways I Can Praise God?

There are many ways you can give God praise.

Ways You Can Praise God:

• Praise God Through Prayer

Jehoshaphat opened his desperate plea for help with praise to God. What did he say?

You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. Power and might are in your hand, and no one can withstand you.

This prayer started with praise.

Too many times when we pray…

we immediately want something.

We open our prayers asking God to do something. Jehoshaphat shows us that God responds to praise!

When When You Pray, Make Sure You Don’t Stop Giving God Praise!

Tell God how good he is! Tell him how mighty he is!

THANK him for what he has been doing!

When You Keep Asking For Things And Never Say Thank You, It’s A Sign Of Being Ungrateful

If you need an example:

- Think About Things To Thank God About!

Thank God for your home.

thank God for your family. thank God for keeping you. thank God for health.

thank God for the times you had peace.

Use that in prayer!

Pray the word back to God. example:

Psalm 30:1-3

1 I will exalt you, O Lord, for you lifted me out of the depths and did not let my enemies gloat over me. 2 O Lord my God, I called to you for help and you healed me. 3 O Lord, you brought me up from the grave; you spared me from going down into the pit.

Don’t just read the scripture… PRAY the scripture.

Make it about YOU.

“I will exalt you!”

“Because you lifted me out of the depths” “You didn’t let those against me win!”

Has God picked you up out of something before?

“I called to help and you healed me…”

Has God healed you from something before? “You brought me up from the grave…” “you spared me from going into the pit”

Has God lifted you from a dark place? Has God protected you?

Start Your Prayers Giving God Glory!

What’s another way we can give God praise?

• Praise God Through Music

One thing we do here at church is have corporate worship.

Psalm 34:3

3 Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt his name together.

There is power when we come together.

The bible talks about what happens when we praise together.

Matthew 18:20

20 For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.”

When we come together in God’s name…there is is.

God’s Power Is Multiplied When We Come Together!

When we have praise and worship…be here!

When we go before God in praise…be here!

Don’t skip it! Don’t miss it! Why?

God Is Where His Praise Is!

But you CAN also praise him in your own time as well. Find your songs…play your music.

Praise God in the shower! Praise God in the car!

Praise God at the desk!

Take a break if you need to!

Psalm 104:33

33 I will sing to the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.

• Praise God Through Your Testimony

When you share your story…you are praising God.

When you talk about how good God has been to you…you are praising God.

When you encourage someone to know God can do for them… because you’ve SEEN him do it for you…you are praising God.

Psalm 150:2

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

Praise him for his mighty acts!

Has God Done Some Mighty Acts For You?

When you tell someone about it, you are praising God! How do you remember what God has done?

When God Does Something For You - Write It Down!

Have a journal,

Have a place where you can keep your testimonies… Don’t forget what God has done for you!

Have a success board…a place to keep your successes… And thank God for them!

Psalm 103:2-5 (NKJV)

2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: 3 Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, 4 Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, 5 Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

BLESS the Lord!

Do not forget what he has done! He has forgiven you!

He has healed you!

He has redeemed you!

He has crowned you!

He has satisfied you!

{recap}

Praise causes God to act for you. What are ways you can praise God?

• Praise God Through Prayer

• Praise God Through Music

• Praise God Through Your Testimony

This week…let’s focus on saying THANK YOU a little more. Because God responds to praise.