By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually (unceasingly, unlimited and uninterrupted, always at all times) that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. Hebrews 13:15.
Song is spiritual and very powerful. It can be diabolical or godly, holy or sinful: the devil was once a song and music director in heaven until he was cast down to the earth. Be careful what music you listens to – be careful with what you hear with your ears. How can you, after being defiled when you’ ve listened and danced to the music of the ungodly men and wome of the world, and now come to offer the sacrifice of praise to God of Zion, will he accept your offering, I wot not! How can you, after being defiled when you’ ve listened and danced to the music of the ungodly men and wome of the world, and now come to offer the sacrifice of praise to God of Zion, will he accept your offering, I wot not! Can you rejoice and dance to Babylon songs and rejoice and dance to Zion’s songs at the same time ? Are they the same? No, one is for the devil and the other is for God. You can’t sing and dance for the two, though they are both spiritual, but the source is different, you must chose from one of them – God or satan. Already, you’ve transgressed the word of God to get involved with worldly music, that’s friendship with the world, it is enmity against God. James 4;4. those that are crucified to the world and the world is crucified to them, are dead to the world, their affection is indeed on things above, don’t react or dance to the songs of Babylon, being renewed in the spirit of their thoughts, they grow daily above the evil and lustful infleuences of this present world.
All the creatures in heaven, angels, the living creatures and the twenty four elders are singing and worshipping God without ceasing day and night for the beauty of his holiness, glorifying him that was, who is, and who is to come, him alone worthy of all praises. All the creatures and created things on earth sing and show forth the praises and works of him who has created all things for his pleasure, praise and glory- unto our God be all the praises and worship, now, forever and ever, Amen.
Here on earth, the believers in Christ Jesus, saved by the grace through the blood of the Lamb are called upon to offer the sacrifice of praise without ceasing unto God through Christ Jesus as the expression of understanding and appreciation of what the Lord Jesus Christ has done in them and done for them and is doing on their stead in heaven as their faithful high priest – Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
Are believers in Christ not honor to be as God’s royal priesthood on earth? 1 Peter 2:9. Therefore, they have other things, apart from their body, to offer as a living sacrifice, which includes offering the sacrifice of praise to God continually (your praise shall continually be in my mouth. Psalms 34:1), the fruit of their lips, giving thanks to his name. It is not only to sing forth the praises of him who has called them out of darkenss into his marvelous light, but to show forth, as an attitude of lifestyle, bu their fruit, bringing praises and not reproaches, unto the name of God by their good works: men shoould praise and glorify God for their ways of life as light shinning more and more unto the perfect day.
First, obedient to God’s word and will is their banner, while offering the sacrifice of praise continually unto God is the expression of their trust in him who is at works in them, both to will and do according to his good pleasure, that he will continue his works in them, as they continue to serve him with gladness, even when their circumstance and situation shows otherwise (Psalms 100:2), and they will yet praise him for the help of his countenance – rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks. For this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.
The spiritually broken believers praise and worship God with their lips, but they also obey and honours him with their lifestyles, not one at the expense of the other like the hypocrite which honours God with his sweet voice in singing, but his heart is far from him, his lifestyle dishonouring God, such sacrifice of praise is not acceptable, it is abomination before God because it is with a wicked – sinful heart – take thou away from me the noise of thy songs; for I will not hear the melody of thy viols. But let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream. Amos 5:23-24. Matthew 15:18.
The spiritualy broken believers do not offer the sacrifice praise and worship songs to God to ignore living in conformity according to the gospel of Christ. Philippians 1:27. While they praise continually, they also tremble to the word of God through practical obedient life as obedient children. Note: an obedient man or woman to the word of God, but with the bad voice in singing praises of his God is better than the man or woman with a sweet melodious, angelic type of voice in worship, but live in defiance to the word of God – to obey God’s word is better than any sacrifce, including the sacrifice of praise, but those who really obeys God, will indeed praise him whose mercy endures for ever.
The state of your voice is not very important, as long as you sing from the heart to God, it is an acceptable sacrifice of praise because you are called to put on praise as a garment against the spirit of heaviness. Isaiah 61:3.
Though some are more gifted to sing than others, but each of us in Christ Jesus is a pontential singer and worshipper, called to worship God in spirit and in truth. This is going to be our primary work throughout all eternity – singing the praises of him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.Revelation 1:5-6.
In any situation, the joy of the Lord should be your strenght. It is a command to rejoice in the Lord always. Let your moderation be known unto all men, the Lord is at hand. Philippians 4:4.
The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tabernacles of the righteous becaue the right hand of God will do wondreous things and be exaltaed in their lives. Psalms 118:15. They live and walk daily in the spirit to cultivate and harvest one of its fruit – joy. The believer who is filled with the spirit of God will not strive: they will avoid or run away from the trouble makers- the spoilers of joy and peace. Proverbs 21:19. Violence shall no more be heard in their land, devastation or destruction within their borders; you shall call your walls Salvation, and your gates Praise. Isaiah 60:18.
God is more than their need and supply: this is why they give thanks in everything and rejoice evermore. They don’t ask anything from God in prayer, except they first render praises and worship in adoration to him, entering his gate with thanksgiving, and into his court with praise, before they make their requests known. Psalms 110:4. By offering daily the sacrifice of praise before God in daily devotion, we’re softening the soil of our spiritual garden before we plant the seed of any petition or request before God in prayer – delight (take great pleasure or joy above anything, not to murmur nor complain), thyself in the Lord, and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Psalms 34:5. They don’ t leave the presence of God after prayers, except they give thanks by faith for the answers to their expected petitions – be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. Philippians 4:8.
To this royal priesthood, Christ is their Saviour, their praise, being the Lion of the tribe of Judah, who has prevailed for them in heaven as their sacrrificial Lamb. They also are of Judah, as Christ brethren, who came out of his loins, the children of his praise, becasue they will praise the Lord (Genesis 29:35): for both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee. And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, behold I and the children which God hath given me. Hebrews 2: 12 -13.
Like Christ was anointed with the oil of gladness above his brethren (Hebrews 1:9), these royal priesthoods are living everyday cultivating and producing the joy coming from the fruit of the indwelling spirit of Christ in them. It cannot dry, except they chose to walk in the flesh (Joel 1:12), it’s operation and flows does not depends on any visible or tangible thing of the flesh and blood, or of the vanity of this life and vexation of spirit.
The heart knoweth his own bitterness; and a stranger doth not intermeddle with his joy. Proverbs 14:10. This is the joy which the friendliness of the world cannot give and her disaproval cannot take away. It is the inner jubilation and satisfaction which the troubles of this world cannot provoke or disturb or upset. Our praise and joy before God should not terminate in anything short of him. It should not be defined to the supply or scarcity of any provision and blessing for the comfort of this present world. We should count everything from exterior which brings or gives us joy and hapinness as temporal blessings or bonus which the heart must not attached itself to it, as not the true source of our joy or of its continuation – thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased. Psalms 4:7.
This joy springs up from within, from above, the joy of the spirit of God, and except we live and walk in the spirit, we can’t offer the sacrifices of praise to God continually, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to his name. It is the joy of belonginess to God in Christ Jesus, for the salvation by him – giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light. Colossians 1:12. The joy of the assurance that your name is written in heaven, yet a little while, you will soon be ushered into the everlasting gladness and joy. It is the joy of the Lord, money can’t buy it, no one give, or buy it, its uniqueness is incomparable, there is no joy like the joy of the Lord which should be expressed with thanksgiving for what there is or not, but not to make anything of the exterior, the object of our joy, except God: if I rejoice because my wealth was great, and because mine hand had gotten much; this also were an iniquity to be punished by the judge: for I should have denied the God that is above. Job 31:25-28.
As sorrowful, yet always rejoicing. 2 Corinthians 6:10. The joy of the Lord does not depend on what you are actually feeling, the mood you’re on – good or bad. Light is sown for the righteous, gladness for the upright in heart heart. We can mourn our earthly losses and grieve with those who are grieving, yet, there is that inner assurance, peace and joy inexplicable, full of glory, that all shall be well afterwards, nothing is lost or damaged: then we can weep, as though we wept not. Psalms 97:11.
Rejoice with trembling. Psalms 2:11. Live your spiritual life and devotion before God in exhilarating holiness. Be careful not to mock God by polluting and defillement of his praise – he is glorious in holiness, and fearful in praises. Exodus 15:11. Pure and undefiled religion is to keep yourself unspotted with the world. James 1:27. Not at home at their privacy, neither at church, or in the public places, the true children of Zion – God, don’t sing, react to, or dance to the tune and music of the songs of Babylon, the children of Satan from the world of darkness. They don’t dance or sing salsa, J. Hallyday, M. Jackson or T. turner, Rhihanna, Beyonce from the world etc. The Zion’s songs are the Psalmist, biblical inspirational hymns and spiritual songs of praises to the Lord, not to be rendered in style or be mixed up with ungodly hip hop, hard rock, reggae, exotic, seductive, corruptible and sensual songs or musics with the electric, seductive, disorder dances of the world to the Lord. The rythm of Zion’s songs should not be like the songs from Babylon. Those who are born in Zion sings the songs of Zion and not of Babylon in Zion, except they are the children of Satan who has invaded and inflitrated Zion with the songs of their father to destroy the pure sacrifice of praise unto God. If we are not supposed to sing the Lord’s songs in a strange land, we should not also bring the songs from a strange land into Zion, the glorious city of our God. They shall not be established before him that seats in his holy mountain of Zion, everyone that pollute the holy sacrifices of praise and worship of the God of Zion with the songs and styles coming from the world – And of Zion it shall be said, This and that man was born in her: and the highest himself shall establish her. The Lord shall count, when he writeth up the people, that this man was born there. As well the singers as the players on instruments shall be there: all my springs are in thee. Psalms 87:5-7. Note: whoso offers praise glorify God, but not as some of the praises from the pit of hell offers to contend against the praise awaiting God in Zion, showing the rebellion of Satan against God’s honour, and to pollute the holy sacrifice of praise unto God in the church.
Sing, O barren one, who did not bear; break forth into singing and cry aloud, you who have not been in labor! For the children of the desolate one will be more than the children of her who is married,” says the Lord. Isaiah 54: 1-3. In the world, those who are not happy for something, don’t give thanks for nothing, but they made known their grievances and discontentments. They write petitions to complain or stage protest against the authority that be. In Christ Jesus, the spiritually broken believers acts differently. They don’t complain before the Lord, neither are they angry against Christ for whatever reason. They don’t blame their pastor for their plights neither speak evil of the Lord: their soul is not cast down, still and yet, they praise the Lord for the help of his countenance, for their heart is always inditing a good matter touching the Lord – always having a reason to offer sacrifices of praise to God continually, the fruit of their lips, – except for some profane wicked men in the church, who are reaping the consequences of their foolishness ways of life, but blame and angry against the Lord for nothing. Proverbs 19:3. Apart from this, the overview and totality of the kingdom of God is in righteoussness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. Romans 14:17
The fallen saints should sincerely cry in contrition in repentance for their sins before the Lord, but the spiritually broken believers don’t cry as if they’ve been dissapointed by God for what has not been- hope delayed. Rather, they continue to give thanks and rejoice in the Lord their God for what has not been, as the expression of their faith, love and hope in Him, knowing fully well that what has not been shall be manifested in its due time through their unceasing sacrifices of praise to God – I will hope continually and I will praise you more and more. Psalms 71:14.
In God’s presence, there is fulness of joy (Psalms 16:11): let Israel rejoice in him that made him: let the children of Zion be joyful in their King. Psalms 149:2. With great joy do they draw water daily out of the well of salvation. Personal prayer and studying the word of God is not done by them for others to see or because somebody is around. Isaiah 12:3-6.
They are not afraid and never overcome by any feeling of emotional or physical tension, God is their exceeding joy. Psalms 42:2-4. Joy is the grease or oil to their hope, they can’t be discouraged in God, but always rejoicing in hope. Romans 12:12. They sing God’s high praises as if they are drunk with wine, but they are filled with his Holy Spirit, not conscious of their surrounding, not bothered of what others says or thinks of them. For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men (Romans 14:18): what time I am afraid, I will trust in thee. In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me. Psalms 56:3-4.
God dwells in the midst of the praise of his people. Psalms 22:3. The sacrifices of praise with thanksgiving is the easiest way to the heart of God and the manifestaion of his power. This was part of the reasons David was called a man after the heart of God because he prasied the Lord seven times a day for his righteous judgments. Psalms 119:164.
The Holy Spirit filled praise and worship will facilitate or pave the way for the over-flowing of his spirit and manifestation of his presence where demons tremble at God’s presence, people falls under the anointing and deliverances takes place without anyone chasing out the demons. Have you not read what is written, we’ve also seen this in our meetings, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him. 1 Samuel 16:22-23: (b) on several occassions, I’ve seen believers falling under the unction to prophesy during praise and worship seasons, considering the power which fell upon Elisha to prophesy victory, when the minstrel to play before God was given at his request. 2 Kings 3:15: (c) considering the effect of praise and worship, when the children of Ammon and Moab killed one another in battle against the chilldren of Israel, as Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem were singing and offering sacrifices of praise unto God through the prophetic instruction given by revelation to Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph. 2 Chronicles 20:13-23.
The unceasing offering of sacrifice of praise to God has a restorative powerful healing, remedy and soothing solution for the soul, body and spirit. For all intent and purposes, be happy in the Lord your God – a merry heart (freed from all anxieties, worries, fretfulness, jealousy, complaining, murmuring, anger, malice and hatred) does good like medicine, but a broken (depressed ungrateful, weary, discouraged, cast down, doubtful and saddened) spirit, dry the bones. Proverbs 17:22.
All the days of the afflicted are evil; but he that is of a cheerful heart hath a continual feast. Proverbs 15:15. Such shall sing of God’s power; yea, they will sing aloud of his mercy in the morning: for God hast been their defence and refuge in the day of trouble. They will sing unto the Lord as long as they live: they will sing praise to their God while they have their being. Psalms 104:33.
How can we be feasting daily on the bread of life and drinking from the well of salvation each day without receiving the fulness of joy flowing out from his presence unto us? Those who offers sacrifice of praise continually unto God, the fruit of their lips, giving thanks to his name, irrespective of the season they are in, will celebrate God in Christ continually to the end: for his loving kindness which is better then life, their lips shall praise him, and they will lift up their hands in his holy name – although the fig tree shall not blossom – I will rejoice. Neither shall fruit be in the vines – I will rejoice. The labour of the olive shall fail – I will rejoice. And the fields shall yield no meat – I will rejoice. The flock shall be cut off from the fold -I will rejoice. There shall be no herd in the stalls, – yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds’ feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. Habakkuk 3: 17-19. Psalms 63:3-4.
As King David danced before the Lord with all his might, we can also praise the Lord in the dance, but avoid dirty dancing, kwara kwara type of dance to seduce or provoke sex from the opposite sex before the Lord: neither like King David removed his royal clothes before the people of Israel to dance and praise God – that was a difefrent set up – Praise ye the Lord. Sing unto the Lord a new song, and his praise in the congregation of saints. Let Israel rejoice in him that made him: let the children of Zion be joyful in their King. Let them praise his name in the dance: let them sing praises unto him with the timbrel and harp. Psalms 149:1-3.
There is a danger, if we will not serve God with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things; therefore shalt thou serve thine enemies which the Lord shall send against thee, in hunger, and in thirst, and in nakedness, and in want of all things: and he shall put a yoke of iron upon thy neck, until he have destroyed thee. Deuteronomy 28: 47- 48.
From the rising of the sun to the going down of the same, the Lord’s name is to be praised. Psalms 113:3. Praise God in your prison like Paul and Silas prayed and sang praised God without shame of their situation, the earth trembled, prisoned door opened up by itself, and were freed from their chains by the supernatural power of God. Acts16: 25-34.
The reason of our existence is to serve God, praise and worship included, let everyhting that has breath hsould praise the Lord. Not only should we sing joyfully with courage and boldness unto the Lord, we should also play skilfully in well ordered manner with different voices of soprano, contralto, falsetto, countertenor, bass, tenor and solo and clapping of hands before God. Psalsm 47:1.
The time and period of preaching the undiluted word of God should not depreciate in value for praise and worship time in the church as an instance of happenings in many churches taking an hour or more for praises and worships while half an hour or minus is given for the word of God. In reality, the time allowance for the word of God is crucial as one thing that is needful, and we can keep praising God continually in an unaltered condition at home, while driving, listening to praise and worship songs, at office break, anywhere during the week after the church gathering.
Blessed are they that dwell in thy house, they will be still praising thee. Psalms 84:4.
We cannot have strong and fruitful relationship with God without increasing in the praise and worship in exuberant adoration of him – Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing. Psalms 107:21-22. We stood the risk of coming under a curse if we are not delightful in our God, serving him with joy, for his goodness and faithfulness towards us – Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! For he hath broken the gates of brass, and cut the bars of iron in sunder. Psalms 107:15-16. Our heart desire and blessings will not come just because we are crying profusely, murmuring or complaining bitterly before God, praise God continually for your blessings until they manifest – let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee. Then shall the earth yield her increase; and God, even our own God, shall bless us. God shall bless us; and all the ends of the earth shall fear him. Psalms 67: 5-7.
Praise is beautiful – comely for the upright, not for the sinners in Zion. The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord – Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! Let them exalt him also in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders. Psalms 107:31-32.