Praise 101

Praise:


Psalm 103:1a NLT


“Let ALL that I am praise the Lord…”


-This literally means ALL that we are. That includes our emotions, our thoughts, and our actions, our words, our motives (that’s a big one), our relationships, anything and everything that has to do with us.






-We should praise the lord in all these things. How? We do this by Choosing Godly emotions, choosing Godly thoughts, choosing Godly motives, choosing Godly relationships, choosing Godly Actions and the last one that is VERY important, choosing Godly Words.






-It’s no accident that words were the last thing I mentioned. Actually when I first wrote this, I did forget it, but it was revealed to me just important our words are. The Bible says that Life and Death are in the power of the tongue! Our praise should start with heartfelt words magnifying God and telling him how much we love him and thanking him for all that he has done. Our emotions, thoughts, actions, etc. will follow suit.






Words help us in thanking and praising God, they really do. That’s why I don’t get it at a lot of churches where they sit silent because that is the Devil’s playground. This is why words are important: When we speak, we are speaking with the Power and Authority that God gives us as believers. When we use our words for destruction, the carry destructive power, when we use them to build another up, they carry edifying power, it’s simple.






So, since words are so important, why not use them to tell our emotions, thoughts, actions, words, motives and relationships to LINE UP with word of the LIVING GOD?


This act in itself is Praise to God. What could be more pleasing to God than his children wanting every aspect of their life to line up with his word and plan for their lives?






God also inhabits the praises of his people (Psalm 22:3). And if the acts mentioned above, lining things up with God’s word, are praise, then wouldn’t it be accurate to assume that God would inhabit these actions? Of course he would!






There is a question that we must ask ourselves: What can I change to make my praise greater and more powerful than it’s ever been?






The solution to whatever our answers are is in the question: CHANGE! To ask God to help us grow in him and renounce the things keeping us from him! This is easier said than done though, trust me.






Also in Psalm 103, David gives a list of things he is praising God for. I think we should follow suit. To read Psalm 103 and model it after David’s list: not one thing was material, not one. Everything had to do with the goodness and mercy and love of God.






I Chronicles 4:1 NLT






“The descendants of Judah were Perez, Hezron, Carmi, Hur, and Shobal.”


Judah is praise, so these are the offspring of Praise:






Perez- this means Breakthrough


Hezron- this means a weapon


Carmi- this means vineyard or anointing


Hur- this means wall or protection


Shobal- this means abundance, overflow.






Let’s explore:


1) The first thing Praise brings us is a breakthrough. When we praise it’s like we are in a spiritual catapult and we are going to be launched into our breakthrough. This is because when we praise, we magnify God, not our situation. *Praise empties us so that we can be filled with more of God’s spirit, which lessens the amount of us, making us less likely to stand in the way of our own breakthrough like we sometimes tend to do*


2) The second offspring of Praise is a weapon. This is because Praise results in God’s presence which brings Spiritual light. This defeats Satan, who brings Spiritual Darkness! Because where light is, darkness cannot be. Light will always defeat darkness, always and in every situation. So when we raise our hands, dance, clap, sing and shout, we defeating Satan and everything he sets against us!


3) Our Praise also brings us a new/fresh anointing. When we praise God, we are not to do it to reap the benefits of it, although the benefits are amazing, if we praise for the right reasons. Praise brings anointing, and the anointing breaks the yoke (Isaiah 10:27)! The NLT translation says “The yoke of slavery” but Yoke means many different things:


- A bar of wood able to unite two animals to be able to work in the field


- Submission; Forced Subjection


- Burden; Load


- Oppression


- Bondage to Sin


- Slavery


- Servant hood


So, our praise produces an anointing that delivers us from the things mentioned above. So it’s natural to assume our praise will bring us freedom, royalty, the ability to fight, lighter loads to bear, and freedom from sin! When we praise him, we gain supernatural anointing to do the things that God as called us to do.


4) Praise brings to us protection. Our praise is a wall. Praise the ‘force field’ for the believer…google it if you don’t know what that isJ. It is a force field that can withstand any attack without a scratch. The moment that we enter into sincere, heartfelt praise a wall shoots up! That’s it. There is a force field around us that cannot be torn down! But the types of praise that can bring this wall (or force field) up are not limited to just raised hands, dancing, singing, clapping, and shouting, but rather through every act of praise and worship I have mentioned so far: Right Thought, Right Motives, Right Emotions, Right Words, etc.


But there is one action of praise that I haven’t mentioned yet. This is ULTIMATE form of praise: Love. When we love people, that force field shoots up around us AND them.


The Apostle Paul said even if he spoke with the tongues of angels, but didn’t have love, he was just a bunch of noise.


Jesus said if you hate your brother then you can’t be a disciple.


So it is safe to say that Love is importantJ.


5) Last but not least, our Praise produces an abundance and overflow. When we praise, it brings abundance to our spirits. Praise will always bring you more than enough!






Whatever is boxing you in, holding you back, and keeping you in, Praise will bring you up and over it!






Imagine this scenario: You are an aunt in a teacup and you are unable to get out. Now imagine that someone pours water into that cup and you float on up and over the edge.






That is what praise does for us!






And times that are the hardest on you, are the times your praise will bring you even more overflow!






Whatever you are believing God for, keep praising for it, because one day your enemies will see that OUR GOD IS JEHOVAH JIREH and that HE WILL PROVIDE!






Abundance is superior quality and quantity; it is a place of ruling!






~ ~ ~






There is one qualification for praising God. Just one, it isn’t having money, a nice house, a nice car or anything like that.






The qualification to praise God is having breath in your body (Psalm 150:6)






The very breath is a commandment to Praise him! And if he doesn’t get it from us, he will get it from the rocks!






~ ~ ~






When we praise we are giving God his place in the throne room of our temple (our bodies). This happens when we choose to praise God in the midst of our mess.


When God is on his throne in our temple, the Red Sea we have feared will part, the Jordan River that we couldn’t cross will split. The mountains and hills we couldn’t climb, they run and roll back! (Psalm 114)


The Presence of Almighty Jehovah in us will cause all of these things to happen because The Red Sea, The Jordan and the Mountains and Hills do not see us...THEY SEE GOD’S PRESENCE and NOTHING can go against that.






Nothing can come against us when we PRAISE!






It is no coincidence that Jesus is the Lion of the Tribe of JUDAH (Praise)






Lions are Kings


Judah is praise






JESUS is the KING of the tribe of PRAISE






If Jesus is your Lord and King, praise him and put him in his rightful place!!






Love,


Drew

Praise Perspective

Everyday on the way to school, I drive by a place that has some particularly painful memories. And everyday Satan bursts into my mind and brings back things I have tried to bury. I have noticed though, that when I am listening to Praise and Worship music and just praising God, that often times I don't even think about it until after I have driven by it. It has happened several times and it really just amazed me the power that Praise has!

I was thinking about it today and God really opened it up to me that Praise moves us past our hurt, our failures, our temptations and trials and it moves us into a state of protection in the Spirit. Not only that but it opens our hearts to recieve from the Holy Spirit that which will help us overcome and the strength to carry on. I heard Joyce Meyer say on several occassions that the most powerful weapon in our spiritual arsenal is praise!

Another aspect of Praise is that of a retaliation against the enemy by the presence of the Almighty God. For instance, I struggle a lot in my mind and in my thought life. But I have learned that just rebuking the thoughts aren't enough. That I have to usher in the presence of God with my praise and where God is, Satan CANNOT be! It is amazing what sincere praise can accomplish!!


In Christ,

Drew :D

Revival

I was just listening to K-LOVE and the lead singer from "The Museum" was talking about a trip to Wales that the band took. They said over 90% of people over there do not know who Jesus is or what he has done for them. But a person over there told him.."We are praying for your church in America, because it is one generation away from becoming like this". That hit me so hard. I literally almost cried. To think about my generation, leading the church into the ground is very sobering. It just shows that my generation needs to step it up and get on fire for God and not let things from our pasts, or what others say about us discourage us from spreading the Gospel. We, myself included, need to be on our knees before God more than ever before, begging for strength, courage and boldness to go out into the world and be able to keep our faith, not only that, but share it...its really sad to think about people who are calling themselves Christians and living a lifestyle that is hindering others from coming to know Christ because they see "Christians" acting just like they are. So the thing is, either get things right or step out of the way. Because the only thing that is holding the Gospel back, in the end, is us...We need a pure, Holy Ghost Fire filled revival, and I can feel something getting ready to happen...whether it is just at one particualr church, or something in general, I know I am not the only one that is feeling this...but nothing will happen unless we are all on our faces before God asking him to change US, to do a work in US. We can't do anything about other people but pray. It will start with just one person surrendering all to God Almighty....

God As A Father, Jesus As A Brother

Anyone that knows me, knows that I go through a lot with my family. To put it as simple as possible, my step-dad and my brothers hate me. My step-dad hates me because I am a Pentecostal believer and he is Baptist. My brothers hate me because my step-dad hates me. So It's a very tense and stressful household. This fact used to really bother me. I used to cry myself to sleep wanting things to change.

But now, I have come to realize that it doesn't really matter how my family feels. All that matters is how God feels towards me. God is my Father, I need only to please him. God is one that is there for me and provides for all of my needs. God is the one that shows me unconditional love and acceptance.

Also, Jesus is my brother! I can talk to him about anything and he is right there, listening to every word I have to say. :)

God is there for you, and he is available to be anything you need him to be. He able to be you're Parent, Your Companion and Your Friend.

Don't let other people bring you down, remember...You Are A Child Of The Almighty! He will never leave us nor forsake us!!

I know this was short, but I really felt this in my spirit,

I hope it was a blessing,

Much Love,

Drew

Stepping In-The Anointing of God

This is from a note I posted on Facebook on the 25th of August...

I was really thinking about the Anointing of God on the way home today and God put in my spirit that we can never do anything to its full potential without acknowledging the anointing that we have. We try so hard to make things happen, but when something falls through, we wonder why. Perhaps it's not because it wasn't meant to be, but rather because we didn't acknowledge the anointing that God has given us as believers. 

The Bible says that unto each man is given a measure of faith, the same goes for the anointing of God. Whatever we do, washing dishes, laundry, homework, our Jobs, everything apart from sin carries the anointing of God on it. Not only that, but once we acknowledge the anointing, we are given the Grace we were meant to have to do whatever it is that we are doing. So if acknowledge the anointing on my homework, I receive the Grace I need to carry it through!

This year at school, God told me that I have a brand new anointing on my mind and on my school work. And as I pray that I am able to stay in the anointing, and as I ACKNOWLEDGE the anointing, I have noticed that my attention span is noticeably increased, I am doing my homework, I care more about my grades, and all because I have started to acknowledge the anointing I have been given!

The same goes for uncertainty and fear in something that you have to do, when we tap into that wondrous anointing of God, fear has to flee, it has no hold anymore!! 

The anointing of God brings POWER to the believer...that is what the anointing of God is for. To give power. The Holy Spirit also helps us in this arena! Acts 1:8 in the Amplified Bible reads:But you shall receive power (ability, efficiency, and might) when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be My witnesses in Jerusalem and all Judea and Samaria and to the ends (the very bounds) of the earth.


I love this verse! And I personally believe that both Acknowledging God AND his Anointing brings about a change introduced by the Holy Spirit and gives us exactly what the verse above tells us he will bring!

I believe whole-heartedly that there are situations in mine and your lives that we could REALLY use a revelation of the Anointing of God in!! 

**If we acknowledge the anointing of God in all we do, then what we do will be anointed for other people**

There is a lot in this note that I didn't already have prepared so I KNOW it's from the Lord :)

Much Love

Drew

Traces of Grace: Drew's Story

Traces of Grace: Drew's Story: My Name is Drew Barker. I am 19 years old and have been a Christian a little over two years. God has delivered me from so much including: ...

Revive Us Again+My Testimony

This is something that has really been on my heart the past few days, and I figure that it will make a good first blog post :)


There is a song that is almost universally known among Christians who listen to Contemporary Christian Music, that song is called "Hosanna" sang by Brooke Fraser of Hillsong. 


There is a verse in the song that says:


 "I see a generation, rising up to take their place, with selfless faith, selfless faith. I see a near revival, stirring as we pray and seek, we're on our knees, we're on our knees"


I have said this on Facebook a few times, and I am having difficulty impressing upon people what exactly I am feeling. Which I guess is why no one ever responds to it when I mention it. 


What I feel is this: There is a HUGE revival coming to this nation, and it will be through teenagers and young adults like myself that are going to usher it in. A generation that through the sex, drugs and alcohol, will emerge from the ashes with our banners in the air. 


My name is Drew B. I am 19 years old and I am in my second year of college. For obvious reasons, I'm not giving my last name or college. I have been a christian for a little over two years now and I am hoping to one day become a youth evangelist. I am taking advantage of Social Networking such as blogging and YouTube to kick start my ministry and share the greatness of an Almighty, All Powerful, Loving God.  


I have a past that I am not the least bit proud of, but it's there. I was delivered from homosexuality. I don't speak about it a lot, I haven't even mentioned it on YouTube yet, however I feel the time is coming when I will have to. But I don't want people reading this and not know who I really am.  God has delivered me from so much, and it is only by his grace that I am here today. Not even a week before I got saved, I tried to overdose on painkillers. I prayed to God that I wouldn't wake up, and when I did, I felt like a failure. But I am so glad that I was spared and brought out of the rubble that was my life at the time. I was involved heavily with Witchcraft and the Occult, because I wanted to be in control of my life. That led me to being possessed by a Demon that was cast out of me the night I got saved. It's a very, very sticky things to come from the things I have came from, but God is still God through it all...So that is my testimony..now onto the rest of the blog.


There are two definitions of Revival that I really like..
1. An improvement in the condition or strength of something
2.An instance of something becoming popular, active, or important again. 


When you think of Revival, please don't associate it with a for or five day series of sermons from some evangelist. Revival is SO MUCH MORE!! 


The first definition of revival is to improve the condition or strength of something. In this case we are talking about the revival of our Spirits and of our relationship with God. It renews our strength and gives us hope and joy. The Christian life is not easy, it was promised to be the exact opposite. And there are times where we are so tired in the Spirit and are confused and wondering why things are going wrong. I was at this point last night, wondering why I was facing what I was facing. But I started praying and while I was listening to "Hosanna" the verse listed above started and I felt the presence of God. Pure, Raw and Reviving, he revived my Spirit and gave me hope and peace to know that all things are in his hands. So no matter what you are facing, no matter how far you feel you have fallen, you are never too far from God. You can always be Revived :)


The second definition says that Revival is the instance of something becoming important again, or active again. This is where we see the ones who have fallen away from the things of God and those who have turned back and have started to revert back the ways of the world. 
This type of Revival is for those people. When the Holy Spirit gets a hold of them and they repent from their backslidden state. They are revived and God becomes important to them again, they feel their spirits kick into action again, and on back on fire for God. I have also experienced this type of Revival. Even thought I was a Christian, I fell away from God, I went back to my past,to the place I never wanted to go because I felt lonely, forsaken and unloved. But once I turned back to God, I had never experienced such a newness in my spirit or restoration in my walk with God. So if you are reading this, and you have fallen away from God, please turn back to him...He loves you, He wants you to be revived with his Spirit and with his Love.


I think of Revival also as bringing someone back to life after they have flat-lined. God gives us life when we become Christians, he gives life and meaning to this walking corpse and breathes into us the very breath of God...


I hope this post has touched you :)


In Christ,


Drew B.