Praise and worship are a subject of vast and inspiring scope, and the Bible record abounds with testimonies of praise and worship playing an integral part in warfare, intimacy, overcoming difficulty, releasing God’s presence and many other manifestations of God’s power. Because of the vast scope and importance of thanksgiving, praise and worship, and the varied applications and purposes they play in our fellowship and participation with God, they inevitably form an integral part of anyone’s prayer life. Thanksgiving, praise and worship are like the golden thread that is interwoven through every other kind of prayer. Prayer is essentially communication with God and, as a born again child, such communication is as natural to our spirit man as breathing is to our natural man. The believer does not have to manufacture elegant or spiritual-sounding prayers to impress God. The simple heartfelt overflow of the heart constitutes true prayer. Psalm 100:4 tells us that praise and thanksgiving brings us into the presence of God. Psalm 22:3 says that God inhabits the praises of His people. In giving a model prayer for us to follow, Christ Himself also encouraged us to come boldly before the throne of our Father, and as part of this take time to honour and worship His name. Because all prayer must be made in the presence of God, praise is integral to our prayer strategy and fulfilment. It provides and ever available avenue to step across the threshold of the natural and the supernatural, into the very presence of the One who wants to answer our requests.
Posted on: Sat, 18 Jan 2014 20:50:19 +0000