PRAISE – PROOF OF MY FAITH

“Then they BELIEVED HIS WORDS; they sang HIS PRAISE” – Psalm 106:12

PRAISE is PROOF of MY FAITH: “Then they BELIEVED HIS WORDS; they sang HIS PRAISE” (Psa.106:12). As long as the Israelites believed God’s Word, they sang His praise. When you have faith, you will praise God; but when you do not believe God’s word or promise, you’ll complain, criticise, grumble, murmur, find faults, and be dissatisfied, discouraged, and depressed. Praise is Proof of Faith; complaining and murmuring are marks of unbelief and fear.

Any life that’s characterised by those negativities most likely does not really believe in God or in Jesus Christ! Why? Whoever believes God’s Words, will sing His praise! You will never have a complaint in your life concerning anything, if you believe in God and in His promises! Praise is Proof of Faith. When we praise the Lord, we’re standing our ground in His Word, and demonstrating our Faith in his ability and power. It doesn’t matter what troubles the man of faith might be passing, he has chosen to extol and praise His God, not momentarily when things are comfortable, but perpetually! David declared: “I will extol You, my God, O King; and I will bless Your name forever and ever” (145:1).

As for the Israelites, they could praise God only after He had destroyed their enemies – the Egyptians – before their eyes. They lived by sight. They only believed when the miracles God did for them: “the waters covered their enemies: there was not one of them left” (v.11). That is living by sight: after all the problems are solved; after the storm has been stilled; after the enemies have been drowned and the last of them destroyed, then they praised God. Anybody can do that. Even the heathen person would be thankful, when all his problems are solved.

In the New Covenant, we live by faith. We’ve received Grace to walk by faith (2Cor.5:7). We can believe God’s Word even before we see the enemies drowned in the sea. We can praise God while the walls of opposition are still standing against our progress. David said, “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies” (Psa.23:5a). The problems may still be staring us in the face, but we have faith in God and will praise Him. The problems may never get solved if we’re always complaining and murmuring. Some people’s murmuring only adds to their problem. The more they harbour bitterness in their heart against their offenders, the more they destroy their body, soul, spirit, and relationship with God.

Faith is intricately connected with praising God: “Saying, I will declare Your name to My brethren, in the midst of the assembly I will sing PRAISE to You. And again: I will put My trust in Him. And again: Here am I and the children whom God has given Me” (Heb.2:12-13). The earlier verse referred to us as Jesus’ brethren. Hence, these verses describe what Jesus does in the midst of His Church: He proclaims the Father’s name to His brothers; sings His PRAISE and puts TRUST in Him. We are called to follow our elder Brother and His example in believing (faith) and exalting (praise) our heavenly Father.

Psalm 22:3 says, “But You are holy, enthroned in the PRAISES of Israel” We make a throne for God by our praises. Praise forms the throne on which God sits as King of kings. That is why heaven is a Place of perpetual praise. The angels are constantly praising God, because praise is the substance of His throne. When the Holy Spirit comes into our hearts, He brings heaven into our hearts. We can now prepare a throne of praise for our God in our hearts, our homes, and the church.

When we praise God, we are saying, “Lord God, You are King and here is the throne we have prepared for You to come and sit on”! Beloved, do you want God to dwell in your heart and home? Simply prepare a throne of praise for Him there! Let your life be filled with the Spirit of Praise – that’s the proof of your Faith!