Praise is adoration of God for who He is, His person, His character, His name. It is loving God because He is God. The Bible gives more exhortations for praise than prayer, because God is altogether lovely, holy, and completely worthy of our worship. There are so many reasons to praise God, here are a few:
Praise is the atmosphere of the throne room of heaven. Revelation 4
Praise is where God lives. Psalm 22:3
Praise provides access into His presence. Psalm 100
We are created for praise. Ephesians 1:12, Isaiah 43:21
We are saved to praise. Psalm 106:47
God delights in it. Psalm 149:1, 4
God inspires it. Psalm 40:3
God is due it. Psalm 29
God commands it in the Scriptures. Psalm 34:1, 3
Jesus modelled it by example. Matthew 6:9
Praise is the God-given garment in exchange for spirit of heaviness. Isaiah 61:3
Praise stirs up faith. Romans 4:20-21
You are probably facing a battle today. Praise is a strategic weapon that comes before spiritual victory or deliverance. God releases power against the enemy when His people praise. God has been winning wars on the back of our praise throughout the ages. Look at these biblical examples.
Joshua bowed to worship, and God told him that Jericho was already in his hands. As the Israelites marched around the city, they walked out the victory already won in worship.
Joshua 5:14-15, 6:2
Gideon bowed to worship, returned to his camp, and reported, “Arise, God has given the enemy into our hands.” Judges 7:15
The Israelites used praise at God’s direction for winning a tremendous victory. They had not even reached the battlefront when God acted and completely destroyed their three-fold enemy. “When they began singing and praising …” 2 Chronicles 20:22
Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns. Suddenly a violent earthquake shook the foundations of the prison. The prison doors flew open, and prisoners were set free.
Acts 16:25-26
It is sometimes more important to persevere in praise than to continue to petition. Why? Because in praise, we take our eyes off people and stop struggling on the human level. We focus our spiritual eyes on God and see beyond ourselves and our problem. Then we can lay hold of His infinite ability, availability, and sovereignty. Praise stirs up our faith to stand in His mighty name.
Because God has already judged the adversary, and he is a defeated foe. Praise executes upon him the judgments that God has already written. Psalm 149:6-9
Because praise acknowledges the victory Christ already won. Jesus is far above all rule, authority, power and dominion, and every name in this age. Ephesians 1:20-21
Whilst it is encouraging to examine the power of praise, let’s never forget this one point:
we praise God because He is worthy of our praise – that is an end in itself. What God might do in response to our praise is entirely His call, by His grace.
True praise is not transactional – we don’t praise God in order to secure something from Him. We praise God because He is God and is always worthy of our praise.