Understanding The Power Of Praise :David Oyedepo

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Praise is cardinal to the believer, because it is his cheapest access to the Most High God. It is also one of his surest access to the realm of the miraculous. Praise is also a preservative of the blessings of God. Blessings may come without it, but it takes praise to preserve the blessing

 

Introduction

Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee. Psalm 67:3

Praise is cardinal to the believer, because it is his cheapest access to the Most High God. It is also one of his surest access to the realm of the miraculous. Praise is also a preservative of the blessings of God. Blessings may come without it, but it takes praise to preserve the blessings. It is to one's blessings what salt is to meat – it keeps it from decaying.

In Malachi 2, the priests stood the risk of losing God’s blessings, because they had ignored the ways of God.

 

And now, O ye priests, this commandment is for you. If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name, saith the Lord of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings: yea, I have cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to heart. Behold, I will corrupt your seed, and spread dung upon your faces, even the dung of your solemn feasts; and one shall take you away with it.  Malachi 2:1–3

 

By not remembering to give God the glory due to Him, the priests stood to have dung spread on their faces, and you know that dung represents shame and reproach. This is precisely why I want to introduce you to a life style of praise, not a church agenda of praise, so that you will never experience shame or reproach.

The greatest obstacle facing you in life will never require more than praise to become a miracle. No obstacle can escape the touch of Jesus, and you invoke that touch by intense, hearty praise; not just with the lips, but praise coming from the depth of your soul!

Unfortunately, the power in praise has been ignored in the body of Christ. People think it is for those who don’t know how to pray, but that is far from the truth. I have proved in my life that praise is much more effectual than the longest fast any man can engage in. Also, although prayer (no matter how fervent) has it's place, it cannot compete with praise in potency. Praise makes things work cheaply!

There is a highway of praise. It’s a freeway – you just keep going on from triumph to triumph, victory to victory! Everything keeps going straight for you.

Concerning Jesus, the Bible says He was not ashamed to call us brethren. He’s the Lion of the tribe of Judah, so we belong to the tribe of Judah. Judah means praise (Genesis. 29:35). We belong therefore to the tribe of praise; so when we are out of praise, we are out of tune with our destiny.

You belong to the tribe of Judah, so triumph is your heritage

(Genesis.49:8–12). When praise becomes your life style, triumph becomes your heritage; therefore, the son of wickedness will no longer be able to exact upon you (Psalm. 89:22).

Jacob pronounced these terrific blessings upon Judah in Genesis 49:8–9:

Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise: thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies; thy father’s children shall bow down before thee. Judah is a lion’s whelp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up?

That is where a life style of praise takes you! There’s a degree of comfort and restful confidence that comes on those who live a praisefull life style.

Do you want to go up? Praise is the ladder to use! Just trigger off that Judaic nature inside you! You will be so restful. You will couch like a lion, and when you wake up, anything you find will be food for you.

Also, note that because you belong to the tribe of Judah, you're of the company of those that must be praised by others, by reason of your outstanding results and undeniable breakthroughs! That's your place in God, and it's time to take that place.

Nothing greases life like praise! When any system or engine lacks grease, it begins to make a cracking noise. That is how many lives in the body of Christ are today, because they lack the grease of praise.

It is time to train up in praise! Training leads to triumph. Every military formation draws strength and victory from training. If you're not trained, you're not ready for triumph. Training is what begets triumph. As we train up in praise, through the things I'll be sharing with you in this book, you will begin to triumph in every phase of your life!

A man can praise his way out of penury into plenty, out of sickness into health, and out of smallness into greatness! Yet praise is one of the most neglected or ignored spiritual weapons in Christendom, and I think it’s purely as a result of ignorance.

God is saying, "It's time to understand the new syllabus." It's not what we are used to. God is restoring the tabernacle of David to the Church. If you look at the prophecy of Amos, it says, "Then shall the tabernacle of David be restored..." (Amos 9:11). There must be a restoration of the tabernacle of praise before Jesus will come. And that's the realm we're entering into now, the realm where nothing answers until praise is offered!

Praise is not focusing on happenings, it is focusing on God's faithfulness. It is focusing on the efficacy of Scriptures. It is focusing on the integrity of God and the insight that you have received. This is what makes praise endless!

I believe there is an encounter for you in this book! You will be introduced to a new way of living – a life style of praise!

 

Chapter 1:

Have You Praised Him?

There is this tradition with Christians, and which has been carried over into the charismatic circle. Every time someone has a problem, people ask, "Have you prayed?" But that's not a complete question. It is also common to hear someone tell you: "I have so and so problem, please pray along with me."

Everybody knows about prayer, so much so that even when their prayers are not being answered, they don't bother to find out why. Many have done everything in trying to solve their problems except the right thing.

But when Paul and Silas prayed (while in chains in the prison), and there seemed to be no response from heaven, they switched over to praise, and God intervened (Acts 16:25–26)!

Looking also at two outstanding events in the ministry of Jesus (the feeding of the five thousand and the raising of Lazarus from the dead), we see that they both answered to praise. Jesus showed us that whenever a problem will take God, then give it praise; because praise will always get God on the scene. Whatever appears difficult in your life is only waiting for your praise, to fall down flat like the wall of Jericho. So, have you praised Him?

When something stronger than you is fighting you, stop struggling; rather, just celebrate God from the depth of your heart. He will step in and all the devils will step out! Don't forget that God is "fearful in praises, doing wonders" (Exodus. 15:11).

Do you want to see God step into your affairs? Then, praise Him! Somebody is reported as having low sperm count, which is why his wife is not pregnant. All he needs is God! Have you not read of the virgin who conceived in Luke 1? How did it happen?

And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. Luke 1:35

"The power of the Highest" is all it takes! Look at Psalm 66:1–3:

Make a joyful noise unto God, all ye lands: Sing forth the honour of his name: make his praise glorious. Say unto God, How terrible art thou in thy works! through the greatness of thy power shall thine enemies submit themselves unto thee.

When you praise God, the greatness of His power shatters the plan of the enemies. I do not mean the praise you do religiously in church. I mean praising Him from the depth of your heart, not mere singing songs for fun.

Praise is a mystery, because as you praise God, things are mysteriously handled from the "headquarters" of heaven, while you just watch the events unfold before you.

The greatest obstacle before you will not require more than praise to be converted to a miracle. Praise made one little boy's lunch to be enough to feed five thousand men! It brought Lazarus out of the grave, after he had been dead for four days! Even his beloved sister, Martha, said, "He stinketh", because decomposition had started taking its toll on his body.

But when God steps in, there is nothing decomposition can do. When He came to the graveside, He recomposed Lazarus' system, and he that was dead came forth from the grave, alive! (John.11:44.)

The wall of Jericho, the heaviest wall in its days (upon which six chariots could run side by side), "dissolved" in the hands of praise! The Bible says, "The wall fell down flat..." (Joshua. 6:20).

In Jeremiah 32:27 God asks:

Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?

The Psalmist said, "Let everything that has breath, praise the Lord" (Psalm. 150:6). In other words, God is saying, "If there is still any breath in you, you can catch Me. Just praise Me and I will come down. I will flush the devil out for you, just give Me the remaining breath in you. Give it to Me in praise and I will come down to rescue you from the den of lions."

Friend, He's always there! Every time you're shut in and there seems to be no way out, just praise God. As you do, there will be an earthquake, the prison gates will be shattered, and you will walk out into liberty! May the tabernacle of David, which is praise, find a place in your heart, so that you can have pleasures forever more!

A praising and jumping saint is always pressure–free. I have passed through the highways of death many times, but my heart was never shaken.

God's presence was too thick around me to allow fear in.

But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel. Psalm 22:3

Praise is an invitation that God can never turn down. Every time praise rises up to God, He steps in. That thing which the devil thinks is enough reason for you not to praise God, let it be the very reason for which you are praising Him. For when He stretches forth His hand, who can turn it back?

It is time to celebrate God. It’s time to give Him a chance to handle that situation. You have cried enough, now praise Him! Come out of those things that make you shed private tears and praise Him.

You Were Created To Praise Him

This people have I formed for myself; they shall shew forth my praise. Isaiah 43:21

The reason why many Christians are frustrated and miserable in life is because God's purpose for their lives is not being fulfilled. The purpose of every product is determined by the manufacturer. Until you know the purpose for which you were created, and keep to it, you can not live a fulfilled life.

Why did God make you? What did He create you for? When you discover and apply yourself to that purpose, you then begin to experience the best of God’s plan for your life.

God has created you and me for a purpose, and it is clearly established in Scriptures. In 1 Peter 2:9, we are told:

But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that YE SHOULD SHOW FORTH THE PRAISES OF HIM WHO HATH CALLED YOU out of darkness into his marvellous light:

That is why no Christian is at his or her best without praise. You are never at your best as a child of God, if you don't live a life of praise.

God created you to show forth His praise. No wonder He called David a man after His heart. David lived up to God's purpose for creating him, that was why he won God’s heart. When you are out of God's purpose, you become miserable; and because the purpose of God for your life is distorted, you can't have testimonies.

Until you give God what is due unto Him, don't expect what is due to you. That is why a praising Christian is an ever–shining, reigning and ruling person!

Praise Pleases God

I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving. This also shall please the Lord better than an ox or bullock that hath horns and hoofs.  Psalm 69:30–31

Faith is not as potent as praise. While faith draws on God's faithfulness, praise draws on God's personality. Hebrews 11:6 says:

But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

God is pleased, so He moves to honour faith. But when God is pleased with praise, He comes down in person. God's faithfulness is triggered off by faith, while praise compels His presence.

Now, let's consider this illustration. If the President of your country gives you a note to a place, when you get there, even with the note in your hand, the security men would still want you to first identify yourself. This is because anybody can present someone else's signature.

But can you see the President of your country in person and mistake him for someone else? Can any security man at the gate ask for his identity? His note was his word; yet, you were still required to identify yourself before you were let in. But when the President appears in person, the gates would be flung wide open! Even the gateman would be very happy to be the one on duty that day!

This shows that somebody's note does not have as much power as his presence. Likewise, with faith, you are bearing a heavenly note in your hand.

But with praise, God is with you!

When God is pleased, exploits explode and you no longer live the ordinary life. Everything begins to answer to you in your business, career and Family. Miracles, signs and wonders begin to answer to you. It's time to mean business with God!

He said, "You shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart." Learn to praise Him with all your heart. When you magnify Him, He magnifies your destiny; when you praise Him, He raises you. God is about to do something in your life. Will you praise Him?

When God is pleased, anything can happen. Do you want to see something happen in your life, business and Family? All you need to do is just please Him with your praises.

There are some points to remember as you do so.

Acknowledge Him!

And now, O ye priests, this commandment is for you. If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name, saith the Lord of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings: yea, I have cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to heart. Malachi 2:1–2

Every act and favour of God need to be appreciated and acknowledged. When you take any act of God for granted, it becomes a curse. You will not suffer curses!

...This commandment is for you...

Acknowledging God is a commandment. If you do not lay it to heart to give glory to His name for every goodness and mercy you enjoy, He will send a curse upon you. In fact, He said, "...Yea, I have cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to heart."

You do not acknowledge Him by mere words of the mouth. It is not even saying it simply because everybody else is saying it. You have to mean what you're saying from the depth of your heart. Every favour you do not appreciate God for depreciates, and every blessing whose source you don't acknowledge, disappears.

God is faithful and cannot deny Himself. When I think of all that He has done in my life and ministry, I am amazed. More so as I can't remember ever asking Him to do them. This moves me to quickly acknowledge that He alone is the One in charge! I can't raise even an ant (on my own), it's Him. It is purely by the hand of God. So we keep celebrating Him. Our song has always been, "See what the Lord has done!" That is why the devil has continually been frustrated in his bid to pull down the work.

Never take God's faithfulness for granted. When you do, you will be grounded! Always acknowledge that He did it all. Each time you see very strange acts, quickly acknowledge, "This is purely the hand of God!"

He said, "...Lay it to heart." Just as only hearty prayers get across to God, only hearty praises move Him. Announce to Him continually, "Lord, I recognise that You are the One that has made the difference in my life."

For every little increase you see in your business, go into your room and sing praises to Him. That is my secret. I don't ask Him for anything. I just dance, dance and dance before Him! So, He just keeps dazing me with His blessings. Once I asked Him, "Won't You even let someone pray before You answer?" His reply was, "There are people that before they call, I answer, and while they are yet speaking, I perform."

When you can see and acknowledge Him for what He has done, you provoke Him to do more.

For they got not the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them: but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst a favour unto them. Psalm 44:3

Our experience of terrific victories and triumphs in our ministry has been by reason of His favour. Kings bow to us, because of He that is in us.

Be Grateful!

In 1977, a younger one of mine was celebrating his birthday, and he said to me, "My brother, what gift do you have for me today?" I said, "Open to Deuteronomy 28:47. I want to leave you with something that will help you all the days of your life." He was actually expecting me to give him money. Let me show you the same thing now.

Because thou servedst not the Lord thy God with joyfulness, and 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

You can never be fruitful except you are grateful. Every seed sown in ingratitude falls on the rock and has no future.

If you look at the book of Malachi, before God said, "Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse...", He said, "Lay it to heart." It is one step after the other. In the kingdom of God, gratitude determines altitude. It is not strength or sweat, but gratitude. You never go higher than you lift Him. One of my sons in the ministry said, "You don't need to be strong to be a success, you just need to be smart." It's smartness to be grateful, so go ahead and be grateful!

Let me help you to see some abundance around you. You have probably never been on admission in the hospital for a year or more now. You probably have never required medical aid to sleep. You sleep on your own bed, eat your own food and wear your own clothes. You know of course that it is not so with several other people. So be grateful for it!

When you refuse to see His hand, you frustrate Him and compel Him to stop blessing you. Look back and see what you were and where you were before you gave your life to Christ. Shouldn't you be grateful to Him?

Let's praise Him for the abundance of all things! When you become blinded to His doings in your life, life remains colourless. Ingratitude is spiritual blindness. God is a sweet God. May you never miss that sweetness the remaining days of your life. Just be grateful and there is no way you can end your journey in the pit!

Every mountain before you can be leveled. All you need is to maintain a high frequency of praise and a sense of gratitude.

Don't Complain

Every one who complains ends up a convict, but every singing and jumping saint stays on top as a celebrity.

This testimony will thrill you: "I’m a fish farmer. God re–directed my steps back to a farm facility at Ipaja and gave me a ministry to feed the hungry through the dissemination of fish protein. I asked God, ‘How do I start?’ And He answered, ‘Start by breeding cat fishes. But then, rehearse with ornamental fishes.’

We got a set of broodstock and suddenly, someone came and stole them all. However, five pieces were left behind. This was in November. Not feeling bad at all (rather, we praised God), we started working with the five pieces, and by February, we had almost 25,000 of those fishes through reproduction!

My staff said to me, ‘Sir, how are we going to sell all these fishes, since they are not the ones people want now?’ I said, ‘We have a God of miracles. Since we pay our tithes, AGIP, offering, parental obligations and so on, God will daze us.’ Confidently, we waited.

Then one day, we saw a white man on our facility, somebody brought him. He is the sixth in the ornamental fish world (I’ve read of him in American magazines). He came for aquatic plants, but the Holy Spirit had directed our steps to put a sample of the fish in a glass and he saw it and said, ‘You breed this kind of fish here?’ I said, ‘Yes.’ He asked, ‘What kind of drugs do you give them?’ I said, ‘We don’t use drugs here.’ He said the ones he gets from Singapore must be given drugs within 48 hours of being put in a glass tank, otherwise, they would die. He then decided to take some samples with him to Germany.

He went with about 20 pieces and behold, he came back about 15 days later to say we should give him 1,500 pieces! By the grace of God, today, even

though the fishes have not been sold in Nigeria, they are now in Czechoslovakia, Poland and Germany!

The interesting thing about it is that the man pays cash up front! And since we started business with him (about three months ago), someone else has taken samples to Singapore."

Adediran, M.

They stole his fish, but not his heart; so he just gave glory to God, and the God of multiplication came, multiplied the fish, and brought someone to take them out to Europe!

Here is another testimony from a sister in church:

"I used to be a crying baby before I joined Winners' Chapel. On Friday, when I was about leaving the office, I received a letter which said I should report in Abuja within the next two weeks.

I was slightly afraid, because I knew that if I had to report in Abuja, then my Family would be flushed out of the apartment we had just moved into last December. I was a little worried and at a point, I said, ‘God is not a God of confusion’. I told myself that He just gave me this apartment, so He can't send me out of it.

After the Sunday praise worship service here, I found myself praising God, thanking Him that at least I was only transferred and not dismissed or terminated. And at that instance, God intervened!

When I got to the office on Monday, I went to my boss' office, to have him sign some letters that I would take to Abuja. My boss said, ‘Fatuashe, so you want to go on transfer to Abuja and you didn't let me know? Anyway, I've phoned the person that signed that Staff Order, that you're not reporting in Abuja. Since I have an appointment there on Wednesday, I will personally take the Staff Order to Abuja.’

That was exactly what he did and came back yesterday. Now, I don't have to go on transfer to Abuja anymore!"

Fatuashe, K.

She said,"I found myself praising God, that I was only transferred and not dismissed or terminated." And God intervened in her case! No matter how legitimate your reasons, "Neither murmur ye.." is a commandment (1Corinthians. 10:10). No reason is acceptable to God for complaining.

When you complain to man, you get their sympathy, but when you complain to God, you incur His anger! And if God catches you complaining, He cancels all the favours He had lined up for you, and also takes away the ones He had earlier given.

Friend, there is everything to praise Him for. Everyone who lives in complaint lives in defeat; but he who lives in praise, lives in victory. Make your choice!

Give Him Thanks!

It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High:  Psalm 92:1

You do not know what you are missing when you are not giving thanks to God and praising Him. God inhabits the praises of His people. And the Bible says it is a good thing to give thanks to Him. That means, it's a bad thing to be unthankful.

If you are thoughtful, you will discover that there's always something to thank God for.

In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ

Jesus concerning you. 1 Thessalonians 5:18

The will of God is that no matter where you are now, you should give thanks to Him, and by so doing, you will obtain the promise. Even for the miracles you see in other people's lives, genuinely give Him thanks. Don't let anything pass without a thanksgiving response from you to Him.

We have never looked for food to eat in my home and nothing good finishes there. What is at work? Thanksgiving! Nothing ever finishes in the hands of a thanksgiver, everything just keeps multiplying.

Look at this story in Luke 17:12–19:

And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off: And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go show yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.

And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger. And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.

After every act of God, He waits on the other side for an acknowledgement from you. This shows that God keeps record of your activities. Every act of His that is not acknowledged disqualifies you from receiving further blessings.

Perfection is obtainable through praise. The other nine lepers were cleansed, but only the one that returned to give thanks was made whole.

Our ministry has never had any form of crisis since its inception fifteen years ago. We have neither had a misunderstanding to settle among us nor a breakaway; only years of colourful, hitch–free operation, all by the mystery of thanksgiving. The month of July is set apart annually for thanksgiving and praises in all our churches worldwide. So, God just keeps showering us with favours of all kinds! We return like that leper continually, to give Him thanks, because He is worthy!

You have enjoyed all manner of deliverances, favours, liftings and promotions, so give Him thanks. At every point in your life, learn to say, "Thank You, Jesus." At every turn of event, learn to say, "Praise the Lord." By doing this, you are getting yourself set for a change. I see amazing changes coming your way!

The force of thanksgiving was what lifted Lazarus out of the grave, where he had been dead and stinking for four days. It was by the same mystery that five loaves and two fishes multiplied to feed five thousand men, with twelve baskets–full gathered as left overs! We are seeing such manifestations also in our days.

A sister shared this testimony sometime ago in church: "I went out on Thursday and my car stopped in the middle of the road. I tried to start it, but it wouldn't start. Some people who were standing by asked, 'Madam should we give you a push?' I said ‘no’. I remembered it was our month of praise and started praising God in the car.

I didn't come out to open the bonnet, because I didn't know what to do. But as I sang praises, I started the car again and it responded, just like that!

Also, somebody had collected some goods from me and I hadn't heard from her. In fact, she gave me the impression that everything was settled and that she had finished selling them.

But on Friday night, my husband came home, bringing almost all the goods back. I looked at them and wasn't discouraged. Somehow, I just had this peace. I said, 'It's my month of praise, God will be glorified.' I spread the goods out on the table, thanked God and went to sleep.

I woke up the following day and had a leading to go somewhere. And lo and behold, when I got to the place, just by giving praise, I sold more than all what the lady claimed to have sold in four months! I sold them at just one place, one day and at once!"

Nelson, P.

First Peter 3:13 says:

And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good?

The Psalmist tells us that it is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord. So giving thanks also grants you access to the hurt–free zone of life.

Lift Your Hands To Him

No matter what valley you are trapped in, praise will raise you out of it.

Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and 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

The cheapest way out of every pit is to raise your hands up in praise to God, then will He pull you out with those raised hands.

There is a proverb that says, "It is a child that lifts up his hands that the adult carries or picks up." Every climbing is done with your hands, so also is every lifting only made possible with your hands lifted up. Until your hands are lifted up to Him in acknowledgement of His faithfulness and grace, you remain grounded.

They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed. Psalm 34:5

If you can't see the abundance of His grace, you have frustrated it and don't expect any more of it. But when you lift up your hands, you provoke Him to do it again and again.

Look at this testimony: "I had a lot of financial problems, having to take care of three children alone. So during the Breakthrough Explosion, I said to God, 'At this Breakthrough Explosion, I want You to meet my needs.' I came here on Thursday, saddled with a lot of burdens. There was nothing for the children to eat in the morning. I told them to drink gari and go to school, that they shouldn't worry, that our God is alive and was going to surprise us.

That afternoon, I came to the service, full of joy, and all that the Bishop said that day was directed at me. He said, 'When your burdens are too much, you overbug God and you are overwhelmed by your problems. Why don't you leave everything to God and rather begin to intercede for others.' I went home that day filled with joy.

At the end of the Bishop's teaching yesterday, he prophesied, saying, 'Somebody will come and look for you.' When I got home, I still drank gari with joy and began to sing and praise God. I didn't know what came upon me. Then suddenly, someone that had been owing me some amount of money came in and said, 'Madam, you are so full of joy. I have come to pay the 2,000 naira I was owing you.'

This morning also, someone visited me and gave me some amount of money – 2,500 naira all together!"

Egboka, A.

Friend, if your hands are not lifted up to God in praise and thanksgiving, you might die in the pit. Praise is your only way to keep staying at the top.

Praise ye the Lord. Praise, O ye servants of the Lord, praise the name of the Lord. He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill; That he may set him with princes, even with the princes of his people. Psalm 113:1,7–8

He won't raise you until you praise Him. He makes the barren woman that praises Him to keep house. Every time you raise your hands in praise, God raises you up.

This testimony will also thrill you: "I started fellowshipping here on

February 26, 1997. Before I came here, I was in a business that did not glorify

God. I came here in the heat of the holiness message, and one day, the Bishop while preaching said, ‘Leave that business, leave it!’ But I said in my heart, ‘Bishop, you are a preacher. This is Lagos, and you don't understand what these things are all about.’ Immediately I finished saying that, he said, ‘You don't have to tell me this is Lagos. God created Lagos and He knows that this is

Lagos.’

I came for the WOFBI June special course and at the end of it, I knew I couldn't go back to that business any more. The Lord then spoke to my heart, about going into petroleum or kerosine business. With the little money I had, I rented an office and bought a tank. But there was no money for the supply. I needed about 60,000 naira for the first supply.

At the Hosanna Night on Friday, the Bishop said, ‘Look at that thing that is bothering you and praise God for it.’ So, I looked at the 60,000 naira and praised God for it. On Monday, somebody walked into my office and gave me 60,000 naira!"

Obba, C.

The more you praise God, the more He raises you. Remember, God has defined the purpose of your creation. Until you accept, adapt and identify with it, you will never be at your best.

I can now ask you when you are stranded, "Have you praised Him?" When you have prayed and the angel He has sent with the answer still has not come (remember Daniel's 21–day's ordeal), you can invite Him to step in in person. To invite Him, just praise Him in the dance! Make a joyful noise to the Lord in praise!

You have cried to God enough over that business, that child, that sickness, that husband, that wife. Now praise Him! You have fasted until you almost lost your intestines. Now switch on the praise knob! Relax and give Him what turns Him on.

It is wisdom to praise Him. From today, as you celebrate God at home, at work, on the road, in the air, in every place, blessings will be your portion forever! May your life be testimony–packed from this hour!

There shall be no more regrets on your path, in Jesus' name!

Chapter 2: 

Prayer And Praise

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