Sometimes it feels like life brings us round and round to the same subjects. When that happens, there are really only three reasons why:
- There is a new angle to look at.
- God wants to encourage you in a specific area.
- We didn’t get the message the first time, and we’re walking through it again with the Lord as a patient parent wanting us to grow.
Today feels like all three of those reasons coming into play at once. Much of what I am sharing stems from our recent Bible Study at the Ellermann house. I cannot stress enough how important it is to be involved in fellowship beyond just Sundays and Wednesdays! The gathering at the Ellermann house is incredible and truly has something for everyone—I challenge you to make every attempt to attend whenever you can.
A good teacher always gives homework, and it was in working through that very homework that I was inspired to present this message.
The Foundational Text: 1 Samuel 30:1–8
We have all heard the story of David at Ziklag. When David and his men returned, they found the city burned and their families taken captive by the Amalekites. The people were so bitter they even spoke of stoning David.
“…But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.” (1 Samuel 30:6)
David asked Abiathar the priest to bring the ephod, inquired of the Lord, and was told to pursue, overtake, and recover all. This narrative opens up three profound dimensions of what true praise actually means.
1. Praise is a Position
When David asked for the ephod, he was asking for a literal “robe of approach to God”—a priestly garment worn only during special occasions.
- Crossing a Barrier: Only the high priest was supposed to wear the ephod. By taking it, David took a risky position to get into close proximity to Yahweh.
- Ministering to God First: The priest’s primary call was to minister to Yahweh, not the people. By putting it on, David chose to first minister to God, remembering His past faithfulness. Praise sets a precedent of a faith-filled memory and an immovable present reality.
2. Praise is Prophetic
When we look at Matthew 13:35 and its original reference in Psalm 78 (written by Asaph, a worship leader from the lineage of Levi), we see the purpose of praise: creating an atmosphere for God’s presence.
- Declaring What He Will Do: When you praise God for what He has done, you are prophesying what He will do in your current situation.
- Personal Remembrance: David didn’t just remember delivering Israel from giants; he remembered the God who sat with him during the cold nights tending sheep in the fields. God wasn’t just a distant muse; He was the intimate inspiration behind every Psalm.
3. Praise is Warfare
We often overlook praise as a weapon, but during the triumphal entry in Matthew 21, Jesus quotes Psalm 8:2 to shut down the chief priests: “Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies you have prepared praise… to still the enemy and the avenger.”
- The External Enemy: Praise stops doubt, mental attacks, and torment in its tracks because it demonstrates a steadfast, unshakeable grounding in faith.
- The Internal “Avenger”: Drawing from the biblical concept of the “city of refuge,” praise deals with the internal flesh that craves retribution, bitterness, and unforgiveness. Praise floods the heart with love and heals the hurt.
Conclusion: Recover All and Rebuild
Let’s look back at Isaiah 61:3–4: those given the garment of praise are called “oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord… They shall build up the ancient ruins; they shall raise up the former devastations.”
Praise brings restoration instead of wallowing in destruction. David strengthened himself in the Lord, praised Him, took back what was stolen, and recovered all.
Never miss an opportunity to praise—whether with shouting, singing, dancing, jumping, or expressing supreme joy in the Lord! You can change an atmosphere in your church, workplace, school, or marketplace when you truly understand what praise is.
