THE PRAYER PERSPECTIVE: PRAYING WITH PRAISE

Hello my name is Pernell Hill and welcome to the Prayer Perspective, a biblical view point on the principles and practices of prayer. Each perspective will have Prayer Take-Aways, these are steps you can use to maximize your prayer discipline.

Praise is one of the highest forms of prayer. It is the practice of communicating that which is complementing of God. In other words all that which is good about God is complimented all the time. The word compliment is defined as a polite expression of praise or admiration. The ministry of prayer is diverse and among the different strategies or approaches you will find praise. The more you get acquainted with God, this should help when you’re desiring to offer Him praise or admiration as your prayer mood.

Praise was never designed for the individual to praise himself. It would be weird if you prayed to yourself, and it would be wrong if you offer praise to yourself. This is different from affirming yourself. When you affirm you’re communicating confidence; speaking in a manner that empowers the soul. But when you praise yourself you risk living in pride, because you make it all about you and not God, this doesn’t make you a bad person, its just that your priority is wrong. Proverbs 27:2 says Let another man praise (admire) thee and not thine own mouth, a stranger, and not thine own lips.

One of the goals of praising God, is to draw His presence, to get Him to come where you are. Psalm 22:30 says But thou are holy O thou that inhabits the praises of Israel (His people). Think of it like this, let’s just say you heard that someone was speaking well of you, they were telling everyone that attends, how wonderful you are, now wouldn’t you want to be there to hear for your self, wouldn’t you like to inhabit that place; of course you would.

If we want God to draw near to us then we should practice praising Him. Remember praise is a form of praying. We have to get to this point; where there is intentional prayer there should also be intentional praise. Praise is intricately woven into the fabric of prayer.

Prayer Take-Aways

1. Praise is one of the highest forms of prayer.

2. Praise is a practice which is complementing of God.

3. Praise was never designed for the individual to praise himself.

4. Proverbs 27:2 Let another man praise (admire) thee and not thine own mouth, a stranger, and not thine own lips.

5. One of the goals of praising God is to draw his presence.

6. Where there is intentional prayer, there should also be intentional praise to God.

7. Praise is intricately woven into the fabric of prayer.