As Christians, we should make praise a central part of our lives. Why is this important? Praise is one of the ways we thank God for His unfailing love and mercy, and it helps us focus on His goodness rather than negative circumstances. Praise also builds our faith, defeats the enemy, and brings us into God's presence.
There is always something to worry about, but there is also always something to praise God for. Even small things like waking up in the morning or having a roof over our heads are worth praising Him for. God loves to be praised and appreciated, no matter how big or small the thing we are praising Him for is.
Praise is also a powerful weapon against the devil's attacks on our joy. The devil wants us to focus on problems instead of solutions and to live in fear instead of faith. But when we give God praise in spite of our circumstances, we defeat the enemy's tactics and cultivate a deeper relationship with God.
One example of this is found in the story of King Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah in the Old Testament. When a great multitude rose up against Jehoshaphat, he was afraid and sought God's help. He proclaimed a fast throughout Judah (2 Chronicles 20:1-25) and the Lord's reply came through one of the prophets, "Hearken, all Judah, you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you King Jehoshaphat. The Lord says this to you: Be not afraid or dismayed at this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s” (2 Chronicles 20:15, AMP). After receiving this message, the situation improved for Jehoshaphat and the people he governed. He appointed singers to praise the Lord and "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 20:21, 22). Their enemies were defeated while they were praising God, and they spent three days gathering the spoils!
Praise and worship served as weapons on the frontline of battle, in the same way, when we focus on the goodness of God instead of worrying in the midst of trouble, we will find that praise and thanksgiving expands our capacity to receive from Him. Our praise has many dynamic effects, that's why it should be established as part of our everyday lives. Praise is also one of the ways we acknowledge God’s grace. When we praise God and allow Him to do what we cannot do, we experience His complete and perfect work in our lives.
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