LESSON SIX – PRAISE

Heb. 13:15 — Through Him then let us offer up a sacrifice of praise continually to God, that is, the fruit of lips confessing His name.

THE HIGHEST EXPRESSION OF A SAINT’S SPIRITUAL LIFE

Praise is the highest work carried out by God’s children. We can say that the highest expression of a saint’s spiritual life is his praise to God. God’s throne is the highest point in the universe, yet He sits “enthroned upon the praises of Israel” (Psa. 22:3). God’s name and even God Himself are exalted through praise.

SPIRITUAL VICTORY DEPENDING ON PRAISE

When you pray, you are still in the midst of your situation. But when you praise, you soar above your situation.…Many times praise works where prayer fails. This is a very basic principle. If you cannot pray, why not praise? The Lord has placed another item in your hands for your victory and for you to boast in victory.

We need to learn to maintain this lofty spirit, this spirit that surpasses all attacks. Prayers may not bring us to the throne, but praise surely brings us to the throne at any time. Prayers may not enable us to overcome every time, but praise does not fail even once.…Nothing moves the Lord’s hand as quickly as praise. Prayer is not the fastest way to move the Lord’s hand; praise is the fastest way.

Spiritual victory does not depend on warfare but on praising. We need to learn to overcome Satan by our praise. We overcome Satan not only by prayer but also by praise. Many people are conscious of Satan’s ferocity and their own weaknesses, and they resolve to struggle and pray. However, we find a very unique principle here: Spiritual victory does not depend on warfare but on praise.

THE PRACTICE OF PRAISE

We should not only pray to God but also learn all the more to praise God. We need to see the significance of praise at the very beginning of our Christian walk. We must praise God unceasingly. David received grace from God to praise seven times a day. It is a good exercise, a very good lesson, and a very good spiritual practice to praise God every day. We should learn to praise God when we get up early in the morning. We should learn to praise Him when we encounter problems, when we are at a meeting, or when we are alone. We should praise God at least seven times a day. Do not let David beat us in his praise. If we have not learned to praise God every day, it is hard to have the kind of sacrifice of praise spoken of in Hebrews 13. (CWWN, vol. 48, “Messages for Building Up New Believers,” pp. 247, 251-254, 249)

OUT OF THE MOUTHS OF BABES AND SUCKLINGS THE LORD HAVING ESTABLISHED STRENGTH (PRAISE)

Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings the Lord has established strength (praise— Matt. 21:16) because of His adversaries, to stop the enemy and the avenger (Psa. 8:2).

We have seen that babes and sucklings are the youngest, smallest, and weakest among men, indicating the highest consummation of the Lord’s work in His redemption. In God’s salvation, the top consummation is to perfect the smallest and the weakest to praise God.

PRAISING THE LORD BEING THE HIGHEST EXPERIENCE OF OUR ENJOYMENT OF CHRIST

When we enjoy Christ’s redemption to the uttermost, we will be bold to praise the Lord. When we are discouraged and disappointed, we may sign and groan. But when we praise the Lord, this is the highest experience of our enjoyment of Christ. The enjoyment of Christ will make us so strong to utter a complete and a perfected praise to the Lord. We all have to learn how to praise. This is the highest consummation that God has completed in His redemption through Christ.

We all need to be the babes and sucklings in the church life. We may not be old in our physical age, but in our Christian experience we may be like tired and fatigued old folks. If we are still young in the Lord, we will praise the Lord on the way to the meetings. When we were in Elden hall in Los Angeles, a certain brother was shouting praises to the Lord while he was driving to a meeting. A policeman saw him, followed him, and told him to pull over. The policeman asked the brother what happened to him. Then the brother said, “I was praising Jesus!” Then the policeman let him go. This is the right way to come to the meeting. When we drive to the meeting, we should sing, praise, and shout, “Amen! Hallelujah! Amen! Lord Jesus! Amen!” Many of us will not do this because we have become too old. To be old means to be weak. We need to shout more, say Hallelujah more, say Amen more, praise more. Our meeting should be full of joyful noise.

The Lord does such a consummate work because of His adversaries. He does this to insult Satan. It is as if God says, “Satan, you have done that much. Let Me show you how much I can do. I can do much, much more than what you can do. Look at all My children now. They are all babes and sucklings praising Me.” This praising shuts Satan’s mouth. The enemy’s speaking is stopped by our praising. The Lord establishes strength, perfects praise, out of our mouths because of His adversaries (within), for the stopping of the enemy and the avenger (without).

OUR PRAISE NEEDING TO BE PERFECTED

We Christians may praise the Lord, but our praise needs to be perfected. We need to praise Him for His splendor above the heavens and His excellency on earth. Then we can praise Him for His incarnation for Him to come to visit us. Then we should go on to praise Him for His human living, for His death, for His resurrection, for His ascension, and for His kingdom. We have to praise Him with all these matters. Then our praises will be perfected, completed. This praise is the strength out of the mouths of babes and sucklings. Such perfected praise is the ultimate consummation of the Lord’s work of incarnation, human living, death, resurrection, ascension, and coming back to rule on this earth.

When we come to the Lord’s table, we stop every kind of human speaking and human doing. We stop our work. We are here at the table to do only one thing—to praise Him. In order to praise, we must stop our work. Thus, at the Lord’s table, we all are the real babes and sucklings. While we are here being stopped from all of our doings to praise the Lord, the adversaries, the enemy, and the avenger are all defeated. This is a shame to God’s enemy.

We need to remain in the condition and spirit of the Lord’s table. Our Christian life should be like the Lord’s table. When we go home after the Lord’s table, we should continue to praise the Lord. We have to learn not to do too much. On the other hand, we should not be lazy. The point is that we should stop our human doings and be those who simply praise the Lord. (Life-study of the Psalms, pp. 60-61, 69)

References: CWWN, vol. 48, “Messages for Building Up New Believers,” ch. 16; Life- study of the Psalms, msg. 5

THE LORD SHALL GET THE GLORY

Praise of the Lord— His Victory and Exaltation – 1095

• The Lord shall get the glory
  If we will sing His praise,
  And angel hosts will listen
  When we our voices raise;
  The world around will hear us
  Give glory unto God,
  And Satan’s hosts will tremble
  And flee our conqu’ring rod.

• Our mouth shut up defeats us
  And wins the Devil’s smile;
  So why not open battle
  And chase him all the while.
  By “sacrifice of praises”
  And shouts of victory-
  ‘Twill cost us but our faces
  God’s chosen fools to be!

• The world has never helped us
  To shout our Savior’s praise,
  Nor given Him the glory
  Nor lent one thankful phrase;
  So need we ask permission
  To praise th’ ascended Lord?
  Cry out! Release your spirit!
  Much grace He does afford!

• O brothers, be not silent!
  O sisters, cry aloud!
  The sound shall tell God’s triumph
  And blessings far abroad.
  Now is the time to praise Him,
  Yes now, at any cost!
  O joy in your salvation,
  And in His mercy boast!