Begin With Praise

 

Just as there was a gate into the Old Testament tabernacle, there is a gate into the presence of God. "Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise"(Psalm 100:4). Psalm 22:3 reminds us that God inhabits the praises of His people. God is present where there is joyful praise.

When we skip praise, we are missing the part of prayer that strengthens us for the prayer battles. Jesus implied this when he interchanged the word "praise" for "strength." Psalms 8:2 says, "Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger." Jesus  quoted it in Matthew 21:16 substituting the word "praise" for "strength." He is saying that even the simple, the toddlers, and babes, can stop the enemy with praise.

Paul Billheimer suggests, "Satan is allergic to praise, so where there is massive triumphant praise, Satan is paralyzed, bound, and banished."

Every Hebrew word for worship in the Old Testament teaches something specific about how to worship. For example, yadah, which is used over ninety times, means "to worship with extended hands, to throw out the hands, to give thanks to God." It is often translated as praise in the Old Testament, as in Psalm 107:8: "Oh that men would praise (yadah) the Lord for his goodness."

Dear Father, thank You for teaching us to worship in the ways that please You. 

By Him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to His name" (13:15).