Lifestyle: The Power of Praise & Worship

There is so much power in worship. Certainly we haven’t even tapped into the true power that it carries. I believe that if we did, we would do it more often. As a result we wouldn’t leave God’s Presence. Worship wasn’t meant to be just an event at your local church but rather a lifestyle. That is to say, our desire should be to live in a constant awareness of God’s Presence. We achieve this by living a lifestyle of worship.

God wants to be your best friend. He is someone you can talk to on a regular basis as one speaks to his friend. Often, we believe that we must change our voices to sound more holy before we approach God. (This is only because of bad examples we have learned from in the past). This isn’t true however. You can talk to God in a normal voice as you would a friend. It’s important to keep the lines of communication open always.

In today’s blog I talk about the importance and power of worship. I want you to know what you have at your disposable. It is ready for you. However, you must decide to make worship a priority in your life.

1. A lifestyle of Praise & Worship Brings Joy

You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore. Psalm 16:11

If you find yourself lacking joy, it’s time to get into God’s Presence. Many Christians live in depression but we really don’t have to. Yes, hard times come. There are times when we can become depressed. However, the key is to not stay there. Instead, allow God’s truth to rise on the inside of us. Begin to praise Him even when you’re going through a hard time. Certainly this is easiest if you have already developed a lifestyle of worship.

Too many Christians only come to God when they’re in trouble. Even non-Christians do it. Non-Christians call out to God for deliverance but once delivered they continue living the way they did before. This is so sad because God wants to have an intimate relationship with us. For this to happen we must develop it every day. Above all, we must make worship a lifestyle!

When you are depressed, praise Him! If you feel like you’re going through a hard time and don’t know your way out, likewise, Praise Him. He is so good, and He wants you to know Him. He wants to have a relationship with you!

2. A lifestyle of Praise & Worship Activates the Prophetic

And Elisha said, “As the Lord of hosts lives, before whom I stand, surely were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, I would not look at you, nor see you.But now bring me a musician.” Then it happened, when the musician played, that the hand of the Lord came upon him. And he said, “Thus says the Lord…” 2 Kings 3:14-16 (Emphasis mine)

The above is a very interesting portion of Scripture. I encourage you to read the whole chapter. Here Elisha was asked to prophesy. He was put on the spot. Of course, at that time in history it was very common. The people wanted to hear from God but only the prophets were the ones that had this ability. However, the good news is that in the day we are living we can hear from God on our own. Therefore, stop searching for a prophet to tell you your future. Ask Jesus and He will speak to you!

Worship is a great way to get acquainted with God’s voice. As a result, when we worship God, we get to know Him better. We must train our ears to hear God’s voice. We want to hear God’s voice for others but also for ourselves.

If you want to move in the prophetic, I suggest that you start worshipping God. Ask Him to speak to you. I assure you that He is more than willing to speak and to tell you His secrets. Making worship a lifestyle will launch you into hearing God’s voice for yourself and others.

3. Praise & Worship Causes God to Fight for you

And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who should sing to the Lord, and who should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army and were saying: “Praise the Lord, For His mercy endures forever.” Now when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were defeated. For the people of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir to utterly kill and destroy them. And when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, they helped to destroy one another. So when Judah came to a place overlooking the wilderness, they looked toward the multitude; and there were their dead bodies, fallen on the earth. No one had escaped. 2 Chronicles 20:21-24

What an amazing account of history! God shows us how powerful praise & worship truly is. Instead of sending out the best troops first, Jehoshaphat was advised to send out the praise & worship leaders to the heat of the battle.  Since the army trusted God and began to praise Him, God began to fight for them. It wasn’t even a very complicated wordy song. However, it was a song from the heart. They worshiped with everything in them.

Praising before seeing the victory

It must have been confusing for the opposing armies to have seen. Here is the army coming against them but they are singing. It’s as if they are celebrating their victory early. In fact, they were. They knew that God had already given them the victory. You need to know this too. God has given you the victory over any situation you may be in right now.

4. A Lifestyle of Praise & Worship Brings Provision

When Jehoshaphat and his people came to take away their spoil, they found among them an abundance of valuables on the dead bodies, and precious jewelry, which they stripped off for themselves, more than they could carry away; and they were three days gathering the spoil because there was so much. And on the fourth day they assembled in the Valley of Berachah, for there they blessed the Lord; therefore, the name of that place was called The Valley of Berachah until this day. Then they returned, every man of Judah and Jerusalem, with Jehoshaphat in front of them, to go back to Jerusalem with joy, for the Lord had made them rejoice over their enemies. 2 Chronicles 20:25-27

Look at what else praise & worship caused. There are so many benefits to worshipping Jesus. Not only did God give them the victory. He also gave them an abundance of provision. They had to keep going back and forth to the camp because there was so much provision.

In conclusion, as we make praise and worship a lifestyle, we see all the benefits He has for us. It opens our eyes to see circumstances differently. Instead of a victim mentality that most of us have we develop a victor’s mentality. We are overcomers.

Develop a lifestyle of praise and worship today!

Steven Stoffelsen Author of Trusting God’s Timing