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Praise is a Weapon

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Praise is a Weapon... This is how I fight my battles!

Praise is a Weapon

I heard somebody say once that praise is a weapon. After some study and ongoing confirmation and conviction, I truly believe that now even though I never would have thought of it that way before. To me, it’s always felt very counterintuitive and contradictory to offer up praise if I’m in the middle of a fight or battle.

However, I’ve learned that praise will silence the enemy, give us strength and lighten our load, and save us from our enemies. Therefore it’s an effective weapon. We can fight the enemy and even our own negative feelings with praise. Praise creates an atmosphere for the Holy Spirit to work and move and for God to answer prayers.

“Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger.” Psalm 8:2 (NIV)

“To console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.” Isaiah 61:3 (NKJV)

“I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies.” Psalm 18:3 (ESV)

Praise is a weapon that is different from other kinds of weapons

It’s both a spiritual offensive and a defensive weapon. God has given us different kinds of spiritual weapons to use. They are stronger and more powerful than any weapon of this world with which we might do battle. Praise as a weapon might seem unnatural but it IS supernatural.

“The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.” 2 Corinthians 10:4 (NIV)

Praise as a weapon might seem unnatural but it IS supernatural.

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We praise in and by faith

Praising in the middle of a battle DOES seem counterintuitive and contradictory. We praise when it doesn’t make sense to do so because we have faith in the power of God. Praise is a weapon of faith—it’s a fight of faith. We praise in spite of the circumstances surrounding us.

“Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.” Hebrews 11:1 (NLT)

“Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.” 1 Timothy 6:12 (NIV)

“Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the LORD! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation!” Habakkuk 3:17-18 (NLT)

Praise is often a sacrifice and act of surrender

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Praise Music Is a Spiritual Anti-Depressant

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Praise Music Is a Spiritual Anti-Depressant

Praise Music Is a Spiritual Anti-Depressant

We recently talked about some of the benefits of praise and praise music and how we should always start with praise.  This week I’d like to continue discussing some of the benefits of praise music and of praising God.  Another benefit of praise is actually for us not for God.  Praise music has the ability to make us feel better.  It can calm us down when we are anxious or angry.  It can bring joy and cheer us up if we’re depressed or upset.  Another thing it can do is alleviate fear.  Overall, it really improves our general sense of well-being.  Listening and singing to praise music is a great way to get through a hard time.

I jokingly said to my church small group members one time, “Praise is like spiritual Prozac!”  In all seriousness, I really do “use” it like that from time to time.  And…it works every time.  There may be times when I have to spend longer listening to and singing along to praise music, but it always changes my mood and perception. 

Praise is like Spiritual Prozac!

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How it helped me

I can remember a specific time in my life (one of the lowest points in my life) when I used praise like a spiritual anti-depressant.  It felt almost like I couldn’t exist without it.  I listened and sang along to praise music morning, noon, and night (if I wasn’t listening to encouraging podcasts).  I had songs downloaded to my phone, and I used my YouTube playlists.  In fact, I had to recharge my phone battery several times a day because I played praise music and listened to podcasts so much!  I remember I was even tanning at a tanning salon at the time, and I would turn their music down and put my phone with my praise music at the top of the tanning bed near my head so that I could even listen while I tanned.

The praise music was continuously playing.  I would turn the radio down in the car and listen to praise music on my phone while driving (before Bluetooth days).  Additionally, I would carry it around and listen as I cleaned the house, did the dishes, or did laundry.  I would take it outside and listen as I worked in the yard.  Basically, I listened to it nonstop.  I felt almost as if I would have a meltdown or go into a full-on panic attack if I didn’t have praise music playing.  As a result, it really helped me get through a very dark time in my life.

Biblical examples…

I think some of our friends in Biblical times also understood the benefits of praise music during difficult circumstances. Continue reading →

Why You Should Always Start With Praise

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Why You Should Always Start With Praise

Why You Should Always Start With Praise

One way to communicate with God is via prayer.  Another way we can and should communicate with God is via praise.  We can offer praise to God through speaking or singing.  Praise benefits both God and us.  Praise allows us to connect with God on a deeper level.  I’d like to spend a little time sharing with you some things God has shown me about praise and specifically why it’s so important to always start with praise.

Over the years, God really impressed upon me the importance of praise.  It’s honestly not an area that I’ve always been strong in.  To me, praise and worship of God have always felt a little awkward (with the exception of praise and worship music at church).  It seems a little fake if I try to praise God the way I’ve seen others do it in church and on TV.  I’m not saying THEY were fake.  It just didn’t feel genuine to me or seemed too forced when I would attempt to say things like “Oh Lord, you are most holy” or “You are worthy”.  So since it just felt too weird, I simply didn’t do it.

Praise God for who you need him to be

Then God softly convicted me about my lack of praise.  He showed me how I could still give praise to him without it feeling strange or insincere.  I felt like God told me one day to just praise him for who I needed him to be.  He wanted me to praise him for his attributes and characteristics that I needed to experience.

For example, if I need healing, I would say, “I praise you, God, because you are a Healer.”  If I need comfort, I can say, “Praise God that you are my Comforter.”  If I need to feel loved, I can praise, “Praise you Lord that you are Love.  Your word says God is Love.”  If I don’t know what to do in a situation or need direction, I can say, “Praise you, God, because you are my Guide.”

For me, this is a simple approach to praise.  It doesn’t seem phony, forced, or unnatural.  It’s almost like a prayer request, but instead, I am offering praise because it’s who God is.  At the same time, praising this way gives me peace and reassurance because not only am I praising God, but I’m also reminding myself that God is the answer to whatever it is I need at the time.

Praising God reminds us of his benefits

“Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits—who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.” Psalm 103:1-5 (NIV) 

Praise God for who you need him to be. #HowtoPraise #AlwaysStartWithPraise

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Praise as a part of prayer

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Start the Day Right…

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Start the day right...Here's an example of how this really shifted my mood from bad to good!

Start the Day Right…

“This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24 (ESV)

Success magazines and self-help sites are loaded with “start the day right” theories, especially at the start of a new year.  I’ve gotta say though, this “start the day right” thing really works!  I know…why am I so surprised that this actually works!?  I’ve been teaching this for years, and I’ve even experienced it on more than one occasion.  Nevertheless, I still surprise myself from time to time.

I’m going to tell on myself…

Several years ago (when I originally wrote this post) my husband Eric used to leave for work before I even got up most of the time.  Sometimes, not always, he would get on these kicks where he would set his alarm for super early but then hit the snooze button.  Consistently.  Over.  And over.  I’m a pretty light sleeper, and it typically takes me a while to even get to sleep.  I’m also a pretty cranky person if I don’t get enough sleep or if I’m overly tired.  Oh, did I mention that the sound of his alarm often wouldn’t wake him? So many times I had to wake him and tell him that his alarm was going off…every 9 minutes…for sometimes an hour.

Needless to say, this occasional morning snooze habit that he used to have tended to make me a little angry drive me insane.  I promise I really tried to stay calm and not get angry.  Really I did.  However, there was a particular day that was not the case.  On that morning it was all I could do not to take his alarm clock and knock him over the head with it.  I’m telling you, I had some choice words in my head!  I became extremely angry and cranky.

Moving past my feelings

I didn’t feel like getting up early to read my Bible and have my quiet time that day.  I didn’t feel like playing praise and worship music.  Nevertheless, I sucked it up and got up regardless of my feelings.  I made a decision to start the day right, even though it went against every grain in my body that day.

I went into the kitchen to make my coffee and whole-grain bagel (even though I felt like eating the plate of leftover Christmas fudge that was still sitting on the countertop).  I pulled up my YouTube praise and worship playlist and clicked “He Lifted Me” to listen to as I made my breakfast.  In full disclosure, I probably used a little more force than I should have to click “play” on the music. It really only takes a light tap, not a blow to the touch screen with my index finger. 🙂  I think I even muttered out loud to myself, “I don’t WANT to listen to praise music!” like a little pouting 3-year-old.  See what a baby I can be at times?  After that song was over, I was still angry but clicked on another song anyway, “O Praise the Name”.

Afterward, I took my breakfast and phone and went to my usual morning chair to read my Bible.  I did each of my reading plans, prayed, and journaled my thoughts.  Amazingly, I even finished before the kids got up.  I think I was still in a little funk but really didn’t pay much attention to it after that because I was on to get the kids up, ready, and off to school.

It worked!

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Our Soul Longs for God

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Our Soul Longs for God title image

Our Soul Longs for God

Recently I received an email from a reader questioning some strong emotions they have been experiencing even though they do not currently have an active relationship with God, nor are they involved in church or prayer. The reader expressed feeling an emotional draw and pull towards church. They communicated that they cry every time they hear a Christian or gospel song, in addition to experiencing overwhelming and even exhausting tears during the couple of times they have attended church as an adult. Their question was to ask how they could be experiencing such emotions and a draw to something with which they are not even that involved. My short answer: Our soul longs for God.

I think the REAL you, the deepest and eternal part of you—your spirit, is drawn to God, to Jesus.

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Deep down in our innermost being, our souls long for God. There are numerous scriptures in the Bible that talk about this.

Scriptures about how our souls long for God

“He has made everything beautiful and appropriate in its time. He has also planted eternity [a sense of divine purpose] in the human heart [a mysterious longing which nothing under the sun can satisfy, except God]—yet man cannot find out (comprehend, grasp) what God has done (His overall plan) from the beginning to the end.” Ecclesiastes 3:11 (AMP)

“Through the night my soul longs for you. Deep from within me my spirit reaches out to you…” Isaiah 26:9a (MSG)

“O God, you are my God, and I long for you. My whole being desires you; like a dry, worn-out, and waterless land, my soul is thirsty for you.” Psalm 63:1 (GNT)

“My soul (my life, my inner self) thirsts for God, for the living God. When will I come and see the face of God?” Psalm 42:2 (AMP)

“My soul (my life, my inner self) longs for and greatly desires the courts of the Lord;

My heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God.” Psalm 84:2 (AMP)

“I stretch out my hands to You; My soul longs for You, as a parched land. Selah.” Psalm 143:6 (NASB)

“My soul longs for your salvation; I hope in your word.” Psalm 119:81 (ESV)

“My soul longs for the Lord more than watchmen long for the morning; more than watchmen for the morning.” Psalm 130:6 (WEB)

“For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.” Philippians 2:13 (NLT)

“Behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord God, “When I will send hunger over the land, Not hunger for bread or a thirst for water, But rather [a hunger] for hearing the words of the Lord.” Amos 8:11 (AMP)

A hunger and thirst for Jesus

Something is missing without Jesus. Deep down something inside of us feels incomplete without him. Only Jesus can complete us. We have a hunger or thirst for something inside of us, and Jesus is the only one that can satisfy that hunger/thirst. Continue reading →

Praising God from A to Z

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Praising God from A to Z examples with praise songs

Praising God from A to Z

Last week I shared a way of praising God using the letters of the alphabet by saying a character trait or attribute of God for each letter and praising God for being that particular trait. I encouraged you to try a few different methods of this type of praise as another way of praising God on a regular basis. I mentioned that this week I would give some examples of praising God from A to Z with accompanying scriptures and praise songs.

So as promised…

Take Some Practical Steps and Use These Examples (and songs–click song title to play songs in YouTube) to Praise God From A to Z:

Praising God because He is Able

“And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” 2 Corinthians 9:8 (NIV)

“Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.” Ephesians 3:20 (NLT)

“He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises.” Romans 4:21 (NLT)

“Therefore he is able, once and forever, to save those who come to God through him. He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf.” Hebrews 7:25 (NLT)

“He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back.” Hebrews 11:19 (ESV)

Praise Song: God is Able (Hillsong Worship)

Praising God because He is Beautiful

“One thing I ask from the LORD, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple.” Psalm 27:4 (NIV)

“On that day the LORD of Hosts will become a crown of beauty and a diadem of splendor to the remnant of His people” Isaiah 28:5 (HCSB)

“But in that day, the branch of the LORD will be beautiful and glorious; the fruit of the land will be the pride and glory of all who survive in Israel.” Isaiah 4:2 (NLT)

“Your eyes will see the king in his beauty and view a land that stretches afar.” Isaiah 33:17 (NIV)

“From Zion, perfect in beauty, God shines forth.” Psalm 50:2 (NIV)

“Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end.” Ecclesiastes 3:11 (NLT)

Praise Song: What A Beautiful Name (Hillsong Worship)

Praising God because He is Compassionate Continue reading →

God From A to Z

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God from A to Z

God From A to Z

I was at a Moms in Prayer meeting a few weeks ago, and one of the moms mentioned a creative way to praise God from A to Z. Each week at the start of every Moms in Prayer meeting, we spend time praising God for one of his many attributes, characteristics, or personality traits. Our leader can either choose a prayer sheet with a pre-printed attribute and accompanying verses, or she can choose her own attribute and verses and customize our own prayer sheet for the week. Somehow we got into a conversation about choosing these attributes. She mentioned that she had once heard about saying a prayer of praise via the ABC’s of adoration.

I loved this idea. The concept is to say a character or attribute of God for each letter of the alphabet and then praise God for being that particular trait as you work your way through the alphabet. For example, I praise you God because you are Awesome, Bold, Caring, Defender, etc.

God from A to Z journal entry

God from A to Z journal entry

I took it on as a challenge one morning, and started writing some ABC attributes of God in my journal.

Making praise a habit

Praise is important, and we should be praising God on a regular basis.

“Praise the LORD, O my soul! With all that is within me, praise his holy name!” Psalm 103:1 (NET)

“Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.” Psalm 100:4 (NIV)

“Praise the LORD! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heaven! Praise him for his mighty works; praise his unequaled greatness! Praise him with a blast of the ram’s horn; praise him with the lyre and harp! Praise him with the tambourine and dancing; praise him with strings and flutes! Praise him with a clash of cymbals; praise him with loud clanging cymbals. Let everything that breathes sing praises to the LORD!” Psalm 150:1-6 (NLT)

I mentioned in a previous post about how praise (particularly separate from praise and worship) was always a little awkward and unnatural feeling to me. However, God convicted me about how I need to spend more time praising him…and not just for his benefit but also my own. Until it became a habit, it was sometimes a little hard to come up with what to say. This idea of praising God from A to Z would’ve come in handy!

In that post on starting with praise, I listed several reasons WHY it’s important, and WHY we should start with praise.

Praise God for who you need Him to be

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I Cry During Praise and Worship

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I Cry During Praise and Worship

I cry during praise and worship. Is that weird? Does anyone else do that? Truthfully, sometimes it does make me a bit self-conscious! I tend to hope nobody sees my tears or sees me trying to covertly wipe my eyes. What if they think I’m weird? What if they think something is wrong? What if they try to console me, and I have to just say, “Oh no, I’m fine. I always cry during praise and worship. I’m just weird like that.”

Of course, it never fails that they play a song at church where I’ll get really emotional, and then right as it finishes they’ll say, “Now turn around and shake somebody’s hand, and have a seat!” Oh great! Not only do I already feel a bit abnormal for crying, but now I have to let somebody see my puffy red eyes, wet face, and maybe even mascara streaks down my face (…that is on the rare occasion that I actually put mascara on that Sunday morning or was brave enough to attempt to apply it in the car while Eric was driving—mascara and lip stains are dangerous to apply in the car you know!).

Do I chance people seeing my blubbery face or do I just come across as rude and sit down quickly bending over as if to grab something out of my purse so people can’t see my face?

Then I remember Nancy

I remember when I was very young, maybe elementary school age, I would be in church singing along to the music, and I would see this lady cry during praise and worship. She did it every time. I don’t know why, but I would just sit there and stare at her sometimes. I couldn’t figure out why she was crying. So one day I asked my mom, “Hey mom, why does Nancy always cry during praise and worship? Is she sad?” I can’t remember my mom’s exact words, but she tried to explain to me that Nancy was not sad. Quite the opposite actually. My mom said she was crying because she was happy and because she loved God so much.

I didn’t understand then. It wasn’t until I was older and experienced some of the same emotions myself that I understood. Remembering Nancy has helped me process my reaction as an adult. It helps me to say, “It’s okay if I cry during praise and worship. I’m not crazy, and I’m not alone. Remember Nancy? She cried too.”

Why I cry

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