Acts 16:23-26 “And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they
cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely:
(24) Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner
prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.
(25) And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God:
and the prisoners heard them.
(26) And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the
foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors
were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed.”
This Bible story begins the unjust arrest of Paul and Silas. Because
they had cast a spirit of divination out of a girl, the local
Philippian authorities beat them and then threw them into a jail cell.
Besides the trauma of the severe beating, they were fastened in stocks
which clamped their arms and legs in an immobile position, causing
cramps and loss of circulation. The atmosphere there was depressing.
According to the standards of that day, a prison was more like the
resemblance of a dungeon. A dark, damp, stench-ridden place, with no
facility for waste or comforts of any kind.
Yet, in spite of the throbbing pain in their bodies and the
disheartening atmosphere, at midnight Paul and Silas were heard
praying and singing praises to God! What a strange sound this must
have been to the other prisoners, who were used to only hearing the
groans or cursings of those who had been beaten.
Then suddenly, there was an earthquake that shook the prison! The
doors flung open, and amazingly, the bonds of Paul, Silas, and every
other prisoner were released! What caused this mighty discharge of
power?
Praise Elevates us into God’s Presence and Power
Paul and Silas knew the secret of how to lift their hearts above their
troubles and enter into God’s presence and power. Through praise and
worship their hearts were raised into the joyous presence and peace of
God, and provided God a channel for his power to operate in their
circumstances.
The Bible says that God inhabits in the praises of His people (Psalms
22:3). In other words, God “dwells” in the atmosphere of His praise.
This means that praise is not merely a reaction from coming into His
presence - Praise is a vehicle of faith which brings us into the
presence and power of God! Praise and worship is the “gate-pass” which
allows us to enter the sacredness of His glory. The psalmist writes,
“Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with
praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name” (Psalms 100:4).
This corresponds with Jesus’ teaching, that His presence will inhabit
the gathering of believers who congregate in His name: “For where two
or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of
them” (Matthew 18:20). A “gathering in His name” means that Jesus must
be the focus, the center of the assemblage. He must be the one
preached about, sung about — the one praised and worshiped. “I will
declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I
sing praise unto thee” (Hebrews 2:12). Consequently, Christ’s
presence, along with His virtue and anointing, is manifested in this
type of gathering.
Have you ever noticed when “gifts of the Spirit” operate in a church
service? The power and anointing of the Holy Spirit usually becomes
evident, subsequent to a time of worship and praise. Some think that
worship is a response after the Holy Spirit moves upon them. However,
it’s the other way around. God’s presence responds when we move upon
Him with worship! Lifting up Jesus Christ through praise and worship
invokes the Lord’s presence and power to flow in our midst.
What is Praise?
Praise means “to commend, to applaud or magnify.” For the Christian,
praise to God is an expression of worship, lifting-up and glorifying
the Lord. It is an expression of humbling ourselves and centering our
attention upon the Lord with heart-felt expressions of love, adoration
and thanksgiving. High praises bring our spirit into a pinnacle of
fellowship and intimacy between ourselves and God — it magnifies our
awareness of our spiritual union with the most high God. Praise
transports us into the realm of the supernatural and into the power of
God. “Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall
walk, O LORD, in the light of thy countenance” (Psalms 89:15).
There are many actions involved with praise to God — verbal
expressions of adoration and thanksgiving, singing, playing
instruments, shouting, dancing, lifting or clapping our hands. But
true praise is not “merely” going through these motions. Jesus spoke
about the hypocrisy of the pharisees, whose worship was only an
outward show and not from the heart. “This people draweth nigh unto me
with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is
far from me” (Matthew 15:8). Genuine praise to God is a matter of
humility and sincere devotion to the Lord from within.
Unpretentious praise and worship pleases the Lord. He delights in the
love and devotion of His children. According to the scriptures, the
various expressions of praise bring blessing to the Lord. He eagerly
awaits the fragrance of our affections, desiring to manifest His sweet
presence and power in our midst. “...the true worshipers shall worship
the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to
worship him” (John 4:23).
Praise to God is a Lifestyle
All too often, praise to God is something that many people leave at
church, an event that happens only when they come together with other
Christians. However, praise should be a part of a believers lifestyle,
inter-mingled as a part of their daily prayer-life. At work, in the
car, at home in bed, or anywhere; praise to the Lord brings the
refreshing of the Lord’s presence, along with His power and anointing.
“...I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually
be in my mouth” (Psalms 34:1).
Praise is an expression of faith, and a declaration of victory! It
declares that we believe God is with us and is in control of the
outcome of all our circumstances (Romans 8:28). Praise is a
“sacrifice,” something that we offer to God sacrificially, not just
because we feel like it, but because we believe in Him and wish to
please Him. “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” (Hebrews 13:15).
Praise Sends the Enemy Running
Since praise manifests God’s presence, we also realize that praise
repels the presence of the enemy, Satan. An atmosphere which is filled
with sincere worship and praise to God by humble and contrite hearts
is disgusting to the Devil. He fears the power in the name of Jesus,
and flees from the Lord’s habitation in praise. “Whoso offereth praise
glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I
show the salvation of God” (Psalms 50:23).
When the children of Judah found themselves outnumbered by the hostile
armies of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, King Jehoshophat and all the
people sought the Lord for His help. The Lord assured the people that
this would be His battle. He told them to go out against them, and He
would do the fighting for them. So what did the children of Judah do?
Being the people of “praise” (Judah actually means Praise), and
knowing that God manifests His power through praise, they sent their
army against their enemies, led by the praisers!
So on they went, ahead of the army declaring, “Praise the Lord, for
His mercy endureth forever!” And the scripture says, “...when they
began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushments against the
children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against
Judah; and they were smitten” (2 Chronicles 20:22).
When God’s people begin to praise His name, it sends the enemy
running! I challenge you to become a person of praise, and you will
experience the release of the power of God!
Some Biblical Expressions of Praise
Declaring of thanks (Heb. 13:15)
Clapping hands and shouting (Psalms 47:1)
Musical instruments and dancing (Psm. 150:4)
Singing praise songs (Psalms 9:11)
Psalms, hymns, & spiritual songs (Eph. 5:19-20)
Making a joyful noise (Psalms 98:4)
By lifting our hands (Psalms 134:2)
By being still (Psalms 4:3-5, 46:10)
By being loud (Psalms 33:3, 95:1-6)
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"When God has partnered with his people, NOTHING can stand in their way"
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