Rock Family Church of Morgantown WV
Power of Praise
  • Scene = Harvest Field
    Luke 8:4–8 (NLT)
    Luke 8:4–8 NLT
    4 One day Jesus told a story in the form of a parable to a large crowd that had gathered from many towns to hear him: 5 “A farmer went out to plant his seed. As he scattered it across his field, some seed fell on a footpath, where it was stepped on, and the birds ate it. 6 Other seed fell among rocks. It began to grow, but the plant soon wilted and died for lack of moisture. 7 Other seed fell among thorns that grew up with it and choked out the tender plants. 8 Still other seed fell on fertile soil. This seed grew and produced a crop that was a hundred times as much as had been planted!” When he had said this, he called out, “Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.”
    4 One day Jesus told a story in the form of a parable to a large crowd that had gathered from many towns to hear him:
    5 “A farmer went out to plant his seed. As he scattered it across his field, some seed fell on a footpath, where it was stepped on, and the birds ate it.
    6 Other seed fell among rocks. It began to grow, but the plant soon wilted and died for lack of moisture.
    7 Other seed fell among thorns that grew up with it and choked out the tender plants.
    8 Still other seed fell on fertile soil. This seed grew and produced a crop that was a hundred times as much as had been planted!” When he had said this, he called out, “Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.”
    ​

    Truth is God’s Word

    Truth comes from God vs your truth- 2+2=3 relative vs absolute
    Thy Word is truth
    Faith begins where the will of God is known – because God’s Word is truth.

    Life Lesson: God’s kingdom is based on truth

    Truth is sometimes inconvenient to the flesh
    Truth supersedes facts
    Truth never changes - consistent - eternal- for all time- every generation- OT and NT
    Truth is for all people - no exceptions - all races - both genders
    Truth establishes boundaries
    Everything – love – faith – healing
    ​

    Truth Must Be Told

    Parable of Sower
    The Sower sows the Word = truth
    Mark 4:10–14 (NLT)
    Mark 4:10–14 NLT
    10 Later, when Jesus was alone with the twelve disciples and with the others who were gathered around, they asked him what the parables meant. 11 He replied, “You are permitted to understand the secret of the Kingdom of God. But I use parables for everything I say to outsiders, 12 so that the Scriptures might be fulfilled: ‘When they see what I do, they will learn nothing. When they hear what I say, they will not understand. Otherwise, they will turn to me and be forgiven.’” 13 Then Jesus said to them, “If you can’t understand the meaning of this parable, how will you understand all the other parables? 14 The farmer plants seed by taking God’s word to others.
    10 Later, when Jesus was alone with the twelve disciples and with the others who were gathered around, they asked him what the parables meant.
    11 He replied, “You are permitted to understand the secret of the Kingdom of God. But I use parables for everything I say to outsiders,
    12 so that the Scriptures might be fulfilled: ‘When they see what I do, they will learn nothing. When they hear what I say, they will not understand. Otherwise, they will turn to me and be forgiven.’”
    13 Then Jesus said to them, “If you can’t understand the meaning of this parable, how will you understand all the other parables?
    14 The farmer plants seed by taking God’s word to others.
    The Sower sows the word – the job of a math teacher is to teach math. The job of a preacher is to teach the Word. Do your job! The Sower did not ask the ground is he would like some seed – or is this a good time?
    Sometimes truth is inconvenient – only to the complacent, but truth is heartily welcomed by the hungry and humble.
    ​
    Direction = from mouth to ears
    All the soils were touched by the Word – they heard what was said –
    They all started with the same opportunity (same Sower, same Seed) - but each outcome was different
    There is nothing wrong with the Seed – ever
    There MAY be some flaws with HUMAN Sower, but look past them!
    John the Baptist was a rough and crude individual, but Jesus said he was the greatest prophet of the Old Testament.
    You pastor may never be on the cover of GQ magazine, but if he or she is good enough for God to send, he or she needs to be good enough for you to receive!
    Look past the package to the product!
    ​

    Truth Must Be Received

    Truth must also be respected , listened - loveit –
    Direction - from ears to brain –
    you tell your truth to others by your reception or how well you listen –
    Soil type = rocky soil
    ​
    Need the seed
    Without the Seed you're just dirt - no harvest
    · We are made from dirt - we need the seed!
    · Heed the seed - let it in
    · Weed the seed - keep junk out
    ​

    Sowing is Initiated by God

    Equal opportunity -

    same chance - given to all

    Same seed – same Word

    in nature different seed is used depending on the circumstances - adapting to climate and soil type –
    · Growth zone 1-6 temperature and rainfall
    The Kingdom of God is the only field where the soil is expected to adapt to the seed!

    same Sower - Jesus is the same

    yesterday, today and forever

    same time – now

    not some here now and some there later

    same amount – enough

    we have all been given THE measure of faith, faith comes by HEARING (or HEEDING) the SEED of the Word

    Same price - Free of charge

    · Freely given - freely give
    Grace factor - God gives you a chance - don’t blow your seed!
    · End time warning - last chance to hear and repent - time is running out

    Truth Must Be Understood

    Soil type = shallow soil –
    · shallow faith – shallow understanding – shallow living – temporary results at best - undependable
    · comprehend- at least in theory –
    · grows roots – for a little while until times get tough – then we revert back to old ways – human reasoning
    Direction - drops from head to heart

    Life Lesson: the SOIL (hearts) determines the ROOTS of revelation, then the FRUIT

    Soil Conditions:
    The soil (SOUL) conditions must present BEFORE sowing –
    · you don’t spray weed killer after planting! – will kill the seed
    · You don’t till the soil after planting – will destroy the roots
    ​

    Grace Factor: The Human heart is the ONLY field that is allowed by God to till, spray and fertilize after seeding!

    ​
    Life Lesson: Don’t HARDEN when you HEAR – (Hebrews 3)
    · Don’t HEARDEN your HEART when you HEAR the Word – as the children of Israel did in the wilderness – and be destroyed –
    · their example was written for our admonition to heed the seed (1 Cor 10).
  • God empowers you when you empower God
    · God inhabits the praise of His people – Psalm 22:3
    · God seeks worship spirit truth
    · Praise attracts God - do you want his undivided attention? Then give him yours.
    · God has feelings - wants to be appreciated, just like you
    · God is hurt when ignored or forgotten
    · Jesse DuPlantis - was close enough to sense that Jesus was hurt by someone else
    · Jesse praised God until GOD felt better.

    The benefits of praise

    God ordained praise for our benefit

    Praise changes our attitudes

    · praise puts the enemy to flight
    · praise give something for God to inhabit
    · Praising God can bring answers to perplexing problems
    · Praise allows you to rise above your circumstances, doubts, and fears.
    · Praise lets you see things from God’s perspective.
    · The power of God is unleashed in praise
    · Praise activates the power of God because praise is the language of faith
    · Praising God greatly affects our emotions
    · Praise encourages our heart – the joy of the lord is our strength – Nehemiah 8:10
    · Praise overcomes negative emotions and depression
    Psalm 43: 5 –why are you cast down, oh my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I will yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.

    Praise brings joy

    Neh 8:10 – the joy of the lord is our strength
    · Praise is an offensive weapon
    · Have you praised enough to offend the enemy?

    Praise brings victory

    · You will not find a victorious Christian who was not continually praising the lord!
    · Praise appropriates God’s blessings in faith before we see the answer
    · Praise gets your eyes off of the conflict and onto the conqueror
    · Praise gets your eyes off of the dilemma and onto the deliverer
    · Magnify God instead of your problem
    · Romans 10:6-8 – your own mouth determines whether or not you receive your victory
    · A joyful church is a victorious church
    · Praises the language of faith
    · Praises the language of victory
    · Praises the language of heaven
    Victory follows praise
    · God is working in your behalf even though you may not see any evidence.
    · That is the time to praise God, because it releases the power of God to work in a greater measure in your behalf!

    Praise releases your faith to God

    Psalm 117:1-2 – praise the lord, all you nations: praise him, all you people. For his merciful kindness his great towards us: and the truth of the lord endures forever. Praise ye the lord.

    Praise puts God on the scene

    Psalm 22:3 – God inhabits the praises of his people

    Praise provides blessings

    If we praise God properly, we will have more answers to our prayers with less struggle and effort!

    Praise produces fruit

    Psalm 67:5-6 – let the people praise you oh God, led all the people praised you. Then shall the earth yield her increase, and God, even our own God, will bless us

    Praise provides a path for healing

    Luke 17:11-19 – ten lepers

    Praise provides deliverance

    at the midnight hour – Paul and Silas freed from jail
    Acts 16:22 – sang praises at midnight

    Praise lifts our spirits

    Phil 4:4 – rejoice in the lord always, and again I say rejoice.

    1- Responsive praise - what God did

    · lowest form - reactive - even world gives thanks - many times God is not praised for the most obvious though - life, health, two arms, sunny day, hot water, clean, any water, Bible, church,
    · Spiritual blessings - lift up your voice because you hear God’s voice
    · Praise will clear your vision with tears of memory
    · Home work – count your blessings and praise God for each one – regularly

    2- Prophetic praise - what God will do

    · Praise him in advance
    · Praise starts a chain reaction
    · My morning prayer to the Trinity - we will do great things together

    Praise Your Way Out

    · Praise basket – missionary who contacted smallpox praised her way to health
    · Not half hearted
    · The praise basket needed to be filled with praises so it would outweigh the basket of the test and trial
    · The praise cure
    · Praise heals the body - Praise your way out of sickness
    · Breaks the chain
    · Kicks open the door
    · Praise shines the light – so you can see

    Praise Fights the Battle – its God’s, not yours

    We don’t know what to do – but our eyes are on you.
    Praise lets God fight your battles for you
    King Jehoshaphat defeats enemies
    2 Chronicles 21:12–19 NLT
    12 Then Elijah the prophet wrote Jehoram this letter: “This is what the Lord, the God of your ancestor David, says: You have not followed the good example of your father, Jehoshaphat, or your grandfather King Asa of Judah. 13 Instead, you have been as evil as the kings of Israel. You have led the people of Jerusalem and Judah to worship idols, just as King Ahab did in Israel. And you have even killed your own brothers, men who were better than you. 14 So now the Lord is about to strike you, your people, your children, your wives, and all that is yours with a heavy blow. 15 You yourself will suffer with a severe intestinal disease that will get worse each day until your bowels come out.” 16 Then the Lord stirred up the Philistines and the Arabs, who lived near the Ethiopians, to attack Jehoram. 17 They marched against Judah, broke down its defenses, and carried away everything of value in the royal palace, including the king’s sons and his wives. Only his youngest son, Ahaziah, was spared. 18 After all this, the Lord struck Jehoram with an incurable intestinal disease. 19 The disease grew worse and worse, and at the end of two years it caused his bowels to come out, and he died in agony. His people did not build a great funeral fire to honor him as they had done for his ancestors.
    ​
    The lord is mighty in battle – Psalm 24:8
    Praise unleashes God’s military power – 2 Chron 20:20-21
    2 Chronicles 20:20–21 NLT
    20 Early the next morning the army of Judah went out into the wilderness of Tekoa. On the way Jehoshaphat stopped and said, “Listen to me, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem! Believe in the Lord your God, and you will be able to stand firm. Believe in his prophets, and you will succeed.” 21 After consulting the people, the king appointed singers to walk ahead of the army, singing to the Lord and praising him for his holy splendor. This is what they sang: “Give thanks to the Lord; his faithful love endures forever!”
    · The Israelites took a position of praise – they marched out offensively against the enemy that did not have to fight.
    · Praise was used as an offensive weapon against the enemy.
    · Just praise me and watch me work!
    · The enemy cannot tolerate the praises of God’s people!
    · Psalm 22:3 – God inhabits the praises of his people.
    · Praise causes God to come on the scene!
    · The battle is God’s – victory is yours!
    ​
    Reasons to praise God – he is good!
    Psalm 136:1-9 – has three parts
    · Verses 1-9 One – the praise to God as the great creator
    · Verses 10-15 Two – God is praised for his delivering power to their forefathers
    Your faith can be encouraged by looking back at what God has done for you
    · Verses 16-26 Three – recounts the victory God has given Israel and praises him for his greatness
    Praise unleashes the lord’s military strategy
    · Praise confuses the enemy!
    22 At the very moment they began to sing and give praise, the Lord caused the armies of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir to start fighting among themselves.

    3- Sacrifice of praise - who God is

    · Crazy praise - don’t make no sense
    · When you don’t feel good – when you don’t feel like praising God – When you feel sick - when you are sick
    · When under attack- know God’s got your back
    · When you don’t feel like saying anything
    · when you don’t see or feel anything happening
    · When things go backwards or wrong
    · Don’t throw in the towel, throw up your hands

    Praise flips the script on the enemy

    Joshua defeats Jericho
    Joshua 6:1–3 NLT
    1 Now the gates of Jericho were tightly shut because the people were afraid of the Israelites. No one was allowed to go out or in. 2 But the Lord said to Joshua, “I have given you Jericho, its king, and all its strong warriors. 3 You and your fighting men should march around the town once a day for six days.
    ​

    Praise surrounds the enemy

    · Johashephat was surrounded by the enemy, but Joshua surround Jericho
    · Personal question – who is surrounding who in your life?

    Praise gives all its got – if only a shout and a pot

    Joshua 6:16 (NLT)
    16 The seventh time around, as the priests sounded the long blast on their horns, Joshua commanded the people, “Shout! For the Lord has given you the town!
    · Jehoshaphat had a song; Joshua had a shout!
    Joshua 6:20 (NLT)
    20 When the people heard the sound of the rams’ horns, they shouted as loud as they could. Suddenly, the walls of Jericho collapsed, and the Israelites charged straight into the town and captured it.
    Faith believes. Faith trusts. Therefore, faith praises!
    · Demonstrate your confidence in God by praising him even before the Jericho falls down in front of you.

    Praise gives strength to your spirit – Romans 4:20

    · If God could use the praises of the children of Israel to defeat the enemy, how much more can God use our praises who are born again sons and daughters to overcome the devil’s schemes!

    Praise God for his faithfulness to his promises

    · He is faithful who promised – Hebrews 10:23
    · We are to praise the lord for his victory and deliverance in our lives
    When circumstances look the worst; praise does its best
    · that is the time to boldly proclaim God’s praises for his faithfulness to his Word
    · They overcame him by the blood of the land and the word of their testimony – which was praise

    Repeat the cycle of praise - because God is faithful

    · When God answers - repeat as necessary
    · Heaven is filled with praise
    · Let forever start today!
    Summary
    1- past - God did it before
    2- prophetic - God will do it again
    3- sacrifice praise - God is not done
    Closing - always praise God
    · God is always worthy of praise, so always praise God
    · Go back to the basics of praise
    · Return to your first love

    BONUS! Praise Scripture

    1 John 4:4 – greater is he who is in me and he who is in the world
    Phil 4:13 - I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me
    1 Peter 2:24 - by his stripes I am healed
    Romans 8:37 - I am more than the conqueror through Christ
    2 Cor 2:14 -- God always promised me the victory in every circumstance
    Phillip 4:19 - all of my needs are met according to God’s stretches and glory through Christ Jesus
    Isaiah 54:17 - no weapon was formed against me can prosper
    Luke 1:37 - nothing is impossible with God
    Romans 10:12 -- The lord is rich in mercy to all who call upon his name
    Numbers 23:19 – God cannot lie
    Romans 4:21 - what God has promised, he is able to perform
    2 Cor 2:14 – now thanks be unto God which always causes us to triumph in Christ
    1 Cor 15:57 – but thanks be to God, which gives us the victory through our lord Jesus Christ
    1 John 5:4 – for whatever it is born of God overcomes the world, and this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith
    Psalms 103:1-4 – bless the lord, all my soul: in all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the lord, oh my soul, and forget not all his benefits: who forgives all my iniquities; who heals all my diseases; who redeemed my life from destruction; who crowned me with loving kindness and tender mercies.

      • 2 Chronicles 21:12–19NLT

      • 2 Chronicles 20:20–21NLT

Rock Family Church of Morgantown WV
web@rockfamily.org
304-292-1128
https://rfcwva.faithlifesites.com
3 members