LIVING BY PRAISING GOD

With God all things are very possible!. And all things will be very possible for you throughout this year as you learn to praise God as never before this year. If you desire to enjoy living, you have to do that by praising God.

The Word of God said in 1Thess. 5:16 “Rejoice evermore” and in Philippians 4:4 “Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say Rejoice” And you don’t rejoice without singing. God also rejoices and sings. Zepheniah 3:17 records this truth: “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.”

I want you to understand that you only begin to live the moment you learn to praise God. Praise provokes the release of God’s anointing. It is also the foundation for great deliverances. In other words, great deliverances accompany great praise! This year God will cause his praise to flow from your heart through your mouth. Praise is a spiritual life-line we need to live and not merely to exist. And this is the reason the 24 elders together with the 4 beasts are doing nothing but praising God in heaven.

Revelation 4:9-11 captures this truth thus “And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth forever and ever. The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, thou art worthy, O Lord to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things and for thy pleasure thy are and where created.”

They continuously throw down their crowns and bow before the King of kings and Lord of lords, the awesome and great God. This, they do non-stop in heaven before and unto God.

Nothing matters any longer whenever you find yourself before the presence of God. The reason most people find it difficult to worship God is because they lack the presence of God. For others, it has been a struggle also for the same reason.

One of the primary reasons for the residence of the Holy Spirit in us (believers) is to facilitate the presence of God and for there to be a lubrication in our lives that eliminates spiritual frictions and all that make us hesitate being in the presence of God and then cause us to always think about God alone.

You don’t worship God only by singing; you worship him by praising him which enhances and aids our living. So, you do not praise God through or with songs alone; you also praise him by your godly attitude and quality services.

It is only pride that makes most people to make choices and select what to do for God and what not to do and when and when not to do something for God. But until you put off your own crown, drop your personality and throw away pride you cannot effectively praise nor worship God. This is the reason Jesus said unless you deny yourself, you cannot follow Him. “Then Jesus said unto his disciples, if any man will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me”. Matt. 16:24.

So, you do not praise God through or with songs alone; you also praise Him by your godly attitude and quality services. It is only pride that makes most people to make choices and select what to do for God and what not to do and when to and when not to do something for God. But until you put off your own crown, drop your personality and throw away pride you cannot effectively praise nor worship God. This is the reason Jesus said unless you deny yourself, you cannot follow Him, “Then Jesus said unto his disciples, if any men will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me” Matt. 16:24.

“You have being a king and your own god all this while but if you desire to be with me, you must renounce and denounce everything” Jesus is saying.

The woman who came to Jesus with an alabaster jar of ointment used to be a sinner, a prostitute. But when she met Christ, she received the boldness that made her unmindful of what people would say about her action and went ahead and did what she did – emptying the entire content on Jesus feet and wiped the entire substance with her hair. Under the Jewish tradition she was not supposed to have walked into the house of a Pharisees, a Jewish leader. But she walked straight to Jesus not minding the gossips murmur and side-talks. Indeed she was a sinner but Jesus did not come for the righteous but for sinners.

There are people who are only pre-occupied with remembering and reminding others of the old life and negative history of other people’s life even after such people have changed!

When you are sensitive to God’s timing and leading, you will be available to do what God had asked most people to do and which they declined or refused to do. You don’t need to be called to do such assignments.

Jesus entered the house of Simon who because of the fear of his co-Pharisees was unable to offer Jesus water to wash his feet (a traditional and customary show of hospitality among the Jews) nor oil to anoint his (Jesus) head.

You cannot develop any feeling and regard for God until you have developed passion for Christ. But that woman walked straight into the house and directly to Jesus and broke the costly and expensive alabaster jar of oil on his feet because she so much valued Him. But Judas Iscariot one of the disciples of Jesus questioned this woman’s act of love and worship. “Then said one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son which should betray him, why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence and given to the poor? This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein” John 12:4-6. Judas remarks were not borne out of his love for the poor but as the treasurer of the Ministry who regularly stole from the purse of the Ministry; he had wished that the proceeds from the sale of such an expensive ointment would have been kept with him.

But for the woman, Jesus was the most important person in her life and she chose to lavish the content on Him.

And she wept while doing that, not because she desired anything from Jesus, but as a show of her gratitude towards Him as well as an expression of her love and passion for Him.

She washed Jesus’ feet with the tears that flowed from her eyes and wiped them clean with her hair which is her glory. This is synonymous with what the twenty four elders are constantly doing in heaven as they lay down their crown in praise and worship unto Jesus. The question now is: Are you ready for the same?
Praise does not stop with singing. Jesus said “Let men see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven”. You can also cause people to begin to praise God by your life and sacrifice because sacrifices also praise God. Solomon offered sacrifices unto God and God was moved and consequently visited him in the night and asked him what he (Solomon) wanted him (God) to do for him.

“And Solomon loved the LORD, walking in the statutes of David his father: only he sacrificed and burnt incense in high places. And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there; for that was the great high place: a thousand burnt –offerings did Solomon offer upon that altar. In Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said, “Ask what I shall give thee”. 1Kings 3:3-5.

Also the widow who gave God her last farthing had every good and cogent reason to keep back the money which was her last, yet she threw it into the offering box. She did not consider keeping it back into her bank account but joyfully handed it over to God because she rated God high and above every other thing in her life. And God was moved by her attitude of sacrifice.

“And he (Christ) called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury. For all they did cast in their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living”. Mk. 12:43-44.

A foreigner once shared with me how much people sacrifice in praise of the Lord. But over here people are very complacent because there are no challenges. That, people lose their lives the moment they become born again and are converted to Christianity. Years back, some people who got converted to Christianity in the Northern part of Nigeria were ruthlessly murdered, seriously wounded and battered while some only narrowly escaped been roasted alive. Yet these people were resolute and determined to become and remain Christians. They were driven by the passion they have for Christ and which many Christians over here do not have and also care less about.

It is the absence of this passion for Christ that makes them come late to church, refuse to redeem their pledges/vows to God, and find it very difficult to assist those in need while that driving force to move from the natural to the supernatural is lacking.

But for these other people, they believe that all things are possible with God. They do not rationalize the Word of God that they hear. So they have genuine passion for Christ and zeal for the things of God and the work of God.

The man also said that in another state in the North, if any one gets converted to Christianity, the Pastor and the new convert will go to the government house to officially report that the convert has decided to become a Christian. The government will either approve or disapprove of such decision. Where the government approves of it, the new convert will lose his or her family inheritance while the family disowns him or her. Yet these converts are usually joyous and glad to be disinherited by their families in order to be identified with Christ. What a sacrifice!

The man also said that in another State in the North, if any one gets converted to Christianity, the Pastor and the new convert will go to the government house to officially report that the convert has decided to become a Christian. The government will either approve or disapprove of it such decision. Where the government approve or it, the new convert will lose his or her family inheritance while the family disowns him or her. Yet these converts are usually joyous and glad to be disinherited by their families in order to be identified with Christ.

I then begin to wonder why people do not have this kind of passion for Christ and the gospel over here. But this other people reported about, will be so glad to lose their inheritance and be disowned by their people. While over here it is very difficult for “Diala” to marry “Osu”.

Their fear has always been “My people will disown me” and “They will not attend our wedding” whereas Jesus personally said, “Your parents will forsake you”. The Scriptures also add: “And Jesus answered and said, verily I say unto you, there is no man that hath left house, or brethren or sisters, or father or mother or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospels but he shall receive a hundred-fold now in this time, houses, and brethren and sisters, and mothers, and children and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life (Mk 10:29-31)

So whosoever is not ready to detach from his or her father, mother, brother and sister is not worthy to be Christ’s disciples and follower. This is the reason many people will go to hell. Therefore, until we come to the point where we can take risk and stake everything for the sake of Christ, we are not going anywhere. So, sacrifice is the greatest praise.

Many can praise and sing songs for the sake of financial and material rewards and gains and not necessarily unto Jesus. What is your own reason for praising God?.

Another question is? Do you really have any compassion for your colleagues, friends and relations that are heading to hell? Do you remember them in your prayers and ask the Holy Ghost to convict them.

The time has come when Doctors are expected to convert their fellow Doctors, Nurses converting nurses and patients under their care; lecturers converting their fellow’s lecturers, professors converting their professor – colleagues, husbands converting their wives and so on and so forth.

It is also very pertinent to ask if our look and appearance in any way praise the Lord. That is to ask: “Does your appearance or look in any way praise God?. Do you also praise God through your giving?. Do you not feel reluctant to give to God. Do you not give to Him only when you feel like? Anybody who only sits down to analyze sacrifices unto God does not have any passion for Christ and His kingdom.

Passion for Christ makes one humble. Jesus said in Matt. 11:29 “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart…”

How do people assess you and your claim and profession of being a Christian? Do they praise God because of you and wherever they find you? People should praise God because of your attitude and life-style. You cannot effectively praise Him without the Holy Ghost resident in you because it is the Holy Ghost that generates infectious praise inside of God’s people.

Mary paid a visit to Elizabeth at the time she (Elizabeth) was pregnant. After greeting Elizabeth, the baby in her (Elizabeth’s) womb began to praise God. “And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Judah; and entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elizabeth. And it came to pass, that, when Elizabeth, heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost and she spoke out with a loud voice…” Lk 1:39-42.

So if the little baby in the womb could praise God because of the presence of God, do you have any excuse?. Most people only stand rigid and indifferent during praise and worship session in services. This is not right before God.

The hour has come to praise the Almighty God. Praise Him everywhere and anyhow. He is our God. He does extra-ordinary things whenever He is passionately praised from the bottom of our heart.

When Paul and Silas prayed and offered praises unto Him, He rose up and everything around became apologetic. The prison wall and doors apologized for holding these men and the chains malted on their own and they were loosed. But in the case of Peter, it was an angel that appeared to secure his deliverance. So God is about to visit, loose and prosper somebody. And He will be with you in your going out and in your coming in as you learn to live by offering him sacrificial and quality praise. (Concluded.)

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