Oh! Sometimes my heart just sings. There have been times when I wake up with songs of praise in my spirit, and my mouth singing - mostly new songs of praise to God. Sometimes it comes as an awakening shudder in the day. At such times, I've come to master for myself that, my spirit usually hangs in the balance of spiritual judgement: while the prince of fleshy desires strives to draw downward unto perdition on the conscience of my soul, the Spirit of God puts me to remembrance of my settled portion above. And I jump to a sudden, silent awakening! "Who's there"? My spirit would ask in opposition to the Knight of darkness. But, often by then, the devil had flown away. At some point, especially at the depth of my spirit's travail, all the Spirit had to do was to offer me quick access through praise; praise to God. It often comes without much persuasion because, if your spirit knows the voice and character of the Spirit of God, it triggers itself on and flows alongside. This also is a time of clean and clear revelations from above - of things above, within or beneath. Such is the grace of a praise-filled life.
It's often said that praise moves God. But the better truth is that praise - deep, passionate and true praise - aligns our spirit with the Spirit of God to enable us to see, hear, feel, experience and participate in the blessings of God's constance and in the things He reveals. If the angels in heaven stopped praising, they would wither off; if the elders in worship reclined to rest from praise, they would never have been made worthy. Therefore the angels and saints above feed on praise; praise to Jehovah.
There is a world of difference between praising God and living a life of praise: whereas a person who praises from time to time taps from the secret of blessings above, that soul which dwells in praise worships at all times. To praise enough and to offer true worship which effect one can rely on, one has to actually "dwell" in God's house, as the psalmist says. It is hardly maintained through physical participation alone because praising God the true way leaves a hole of desires for more in you that, unless your spirit opens to it, it may either be veiled from those graces given to the eyes of praise or you may find yourself struggling with reasons to truly praise. You need no longer wonder why the sad news often emanating from the sections of the levite in today's ministries.
Being in a church choir is a good thing and learning to praise is commendable. However, these physical endeavours are not enough to admit your spirit into the realm of praise-consciousness. Living a life of praise takes more than physical appearances; it's an actual living. Praise is where your spirit lives secure; praise is a home and, until your spirit finds a home in praise, you will struggle as a believer. One now no longer wonders why the enemy fights against the consciousness of praise. The reason he may affect the praise part of the church is not because people do not praise, it's because most who do praise do not live the life of praise. Praise has its life! Praise has its spirit! The spirit of praise understands the spirit of the prophet because both see clearly what matters to them.
To live a life of praise, one has to unclench oneself from mundane rights and lay hold on the rights above which can never be denied him whose spirit aligns. To live a praise-life, you can be the 'yes' man for God even when every other thing yells 'no!' To enter the praise realm, there is need to often die to self - dropping below all you may have known as final, and stretching upwards for what your spirit sees while he praises. Living a praise life may require that you make conscious efforts to keep the will of God (letting His will alone in matters which concern you, thereby setting free your spirit away from worries and focusing unto praise) enthroned in your subconscious and conscious living. To live a praise-live, you may have to thread the lonely path of the prophet...until a sea of convincing whispers remind you, again and again, that God never changes and that, rather than you moving Him, your heart's constance in praise will actually draw you closer to Him - to His wholeness. That's when nothing else moves you until the spirit of praise moves. Since praise is deeply spiritual, one may often praise without singing out or appearing to soliloquize. True praise filters your words and releases edifying responses. Desire to live in that praise consciousness from today!
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