by Adrian Williams
Since the fall of man and even when Jesus walked on this earth, it has always been the enemy’s motive to stop humanity from praising God. The enemy does not like it when we praise God, because he wants us to praise him instead. For this reason, not only is there major opposition to us coming into that place of praise and worship, but Satan is even more opposed to us living a lifestyle of continuous and consistent praise.
We find this account in the Gospel of Matthew:
“The blind and the lame came to him at the temple, and he healed them. But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and the children shouting in the temple courts, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David,’ they were indignant.
‘Do you hear what these children are saying?’ they asked him.
‘Yes,’ replied Jesus, ‘have you never read, “From the lips of children and infants you, Lord, have called forth your praise”?’” (Matthew 21:14-16, NIV).
We can see here how the enemy always wants to stop us from praising God. Praise serves as a protective barrier for us and our families. King David wrote, “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).
Wow. That is powerful. Praise coming from the mouths of children and infants establishes a stronghold of protection against our enemies. And it silences the avenger, our enemy Satan! We are guarded in God’s fortress, and our lives can rest in assurance because of the praise that comes from our lips to him.
That’s Why We Praise Him
While this is not an exhaustive list, praise has numerous benefits.
—Praise gets our thoughts off ourselves and onto God.
“Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise! For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods” (Psalm 95:2, 3, ESV).
—Praise makes the enemy flee.
“As they began to sing and praise, the Lord set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated” (2 Chronicles 20:22, NIV).
—Praise eliminates negativity.
“Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy” (Psalm 103:2-4, ESV).
—Praise invites his powerful presence.
“You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy” (Psalm 16:11, ESV).
God inhabits the praises of his people (Psalm 22:3).
One Who Exemplified Praise
This past Sunday, as I listened at Christ’s Church to Dale’s message on living a life of praise, I was reminded of my dearly departed father, the late great Robert Williams. If you missed Dale’s teaching last week, you can check it out here.
My dad exemplified praise in every sense of the word. While he made sure that our family attended church every Sunday and usually one day during the week, that was only a small part of his praiseful life. His mornings would always begin with some Scripture reading and prayer. I can remember growing up and waking up on Saturday mornings to see my father drinking his coffee and reading the Word of God before getting his day going. It was clear to see in his demeanor and the life he lived that Christ was the center of his life and his household.
The apostle Paul instructs us in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (NIV).
My father taught me that praise always changes my perspective in any given situation. It helps to move me from being “ME-focused” to “GOD-focused.” Praise loosens the bondages from our lives because we recognize who created us and it reminds us of who we belong to. When we begin to live a life of praise and worship to God, it silences the enemy, and we begin to walk in the freedom to reign by the power of the Holy Spirit and the integrity of God’s Word.
My father’s life was a reflection of Matthew 5:16, shining brightly for others to see the goodness of God in his actions. Through his unwavering faith he taught me that praise is not just an expression of joy, but a way to honor God in all circumstances. His legacy of faith continues to inspire me to live out the teachings of Christ, reminding me that I am called to be salt and light in the world (see Matthew 5:13-16).
Our very lives are an act of worship. I challenge you today to reflect on who or what you worship. Is the life that you’re living—right here, right now—a reflection of worshiping God or of yourself?
Adrian Williams has been a member of Christ’s Church for seven years. As a founding member of the John Maxwell Leadership Team, certified executive coach, facilitator, and speaker, Christian discipleship is his passion.