Discovering the Power of Praise, Part 2

Rejoice in the Lord always, again I say rejoice. That's Philippians 4-4 and this is Destined for Victory. In just a few moments, Pastor Paul Shepherd will deliver his message, Discovering the Power of Praise.

But before we get started, he has been kind enough to join us from his studio in California to offer a few words of encouragement about the year ahead. And Pastor, it is hard to believe we're in the last few days of the year. So much focus on setting goals, you know, losing weight, exercising more, coming up with just the right New Year's resolutions.

Certainly these aren't bad things, but let's talk a bit about what you're feeling in the perspective that we as believers of Jesus should have as we face another new year. Yeah, I think it is great to set goals. You know, these turn of a new year, that's a great reset time.

It's kind of a built-in reset button, refocus button. It gives us the opportunity to say, okay, take a deep breath and think about where you've been. And finally, about where you want to go from here. And let's make some practical plans to get it done. It's a good thing.

I don't fight anybody who's making great goals. And don't get bent out of shape when you set a resolution and you've already broken it by January 13th. Get back to me at the end of January. Yeah, really, just don't even bother getting upset about it. When it comes to weight loss, I definitely need to do that. And man, when this pandemic hit, it so shook me that it just took me off that focus.

And I hear my friends say, oh, man, I lost X number of pounds during the pandemic. I said, don't worry, I found them and picked them up. So you found them.

You might have lost them, but I got them covered. So don't worry about it. But the reality is setting goals is good. But at the end of the day, I think what we've got to do is keep the main thing, the main thing. And for me, at least, that means I am determined to get stronger. I am determined to get better. I am determined that I am going to have progress in my life.

Setbacks happen, but progress toward the things that are really important. The goals I've been given in scripture is what I'm focused on. I want to encourage our listeners, as we move toward and as we move into 2022, let's keep the main thing the main thing and let God take us to deeper depths and higher heights in our relationship with Him. That's what it's all about, isn't it, Pastor? Drawing closer to Jesus day by day so that we can be conformed more and more into His image. If you want God to like what He sees when He looks at you, just give Him praise because praise looks good on His people. We live in a world where folks are walking around damning God and cursing God and denying God's existence. But when He sees His child worshiping Him and praising Him, it looks good on you.

You want to make over? Just get into praise. God's Word is filled with verses about praising God. In good times and in bad, we are encouraged to bless His holy name, to praise Him for all He has done and for all He is going to do. Why is praise so important? Find out next in today's Destined for Victory message, Discovering the Power of Praise. Once again, here's Pastor Paul Shepherd. We live in a world where folks are walking around damning God and cursing God and denying God's existence, but when He sees His child worshiping Him and praising Him, it looks good on you.

You want to make over? Just get into praise. Get into praise.

Get into worship. You look better. Not only to God, I think you look better to other folk when you have a countenance that's been made radiant by the praises of God.

I know that's true because when you look sad, none of us want to look at you. Come on, let's just be honest. Don't you know those folk, when you see them coming, you already say, oh, Lord.

Do you know the type of people I'm talking about? You see them, their face, their very face. Oh, Lord, really? It can't be that bad. Whatever you're going through, it can't be that bad. Your face is all messed up. You know those people, you hardly want to ask them how they are. Do you know the type there, folk? I try not to ask how they are because I really don't want to hear their response because they're complainers.

They constantly look at the wrong side of everything. Oh, you know, I'm really going through it. And they start in on their sad song and you need to learn.

No, no. Put on the garment of praise. Get that depression up off of you. Depression is a very real thing.

But the way to combat it is not just let the doctors help regulate your hormones. That's important and all that. But you need to regulate your lifestyle with praise. Because, yes, you've gone through some difficult times.

I'm not discounting that. But if it wasn't for God, it had been worse than it was. And if you want to come out, praise is what's going to help you get out. And so you look best when you are praising God. And all of us are getting older.

We need to look as good as we can. I told you, you done hit your prime. You're on the other side of that, most of us now. Feel some of these young, cute folks. I love you all. I'm not hating on all you young, beautiful people. I love to see your beauty.

God bless you. Old folk, be like me. Don't get mad when you see other good-looking folks, younger and more spry than you. Rejoice with them.

Celebrate with them. Don't be some old cranky somebody who's always down on the young folk, always down on these people. No, no. Or you're bigger than you used to be and they all fit and stuff like that. Don't worry about it. Don't worry about it. I see these young men.

They all got that nice 32-inch waist and all that. And I see them. Go ahead, brother. I used to have one. I used to have one.

Glory to God. And I'm not going to unsave you because you got one. You can look real good. And all of that in your shirts and they all cut and you bumped and you got pecs and stuff.

Go ahead. Not hating on you at all. I love these young folks. Sisters, you all join in.

Stop getting mad at these little cute girls, all foxy and stuff like that. They saved and a four, you saved and something else. Both of you all saved. That's all I'm saying. I'm going to the same heaven you're going to.

When the charity come get me, they got a seat just my size. Don't get mad at these cute people. You used to be it now.

You're on the other side of that. But I'll tell you how you can improve your looks getting older like I am. Just be a praiser. Just be somebody who gives God all the time. His praise, his glory, his honor, his worship. Amen.

Just let it become you. That's what the Psalmist said. It becomes the righteous.

It is fitting. It is appropriate for us to be people who constantly give God praise and worship for he is certainly worthy of that. Number seven, praise is a spiritual sacrifice that pleases God. Now, let me help you understand every now and then I hear people say, you know, I didn't feel like coming to church today, but I'm going to give God a sacrifice of praise. I said, No, darling, that's not what that means.

I know we using me. I don't feel like it, but I'm a sacrifice and give God praise. That's not what the Bible says. That's a misuse of the term in the scriptures. Sacrifice in the scripture means offering. Remember what the Old Testament priest did?

They came and brought God the goats and the bullocks and all that were required under the Old Testament and they brought the offering for the people. Sacrifice is offering. Sacrifice is not I don't feel like it, but I just want to clear you up. So never again say I don't feel like it, but I'm a give God pray. No, no, that's not the sacrifice he's looking for because that's driven by your emotions.

You should never let your emotions drive the car. So the sacrifice he's looking for is I give him the offering of praise. I'm giving him an offering. See in the Old Testament, the priest had to come offer the sin offering for the people. They had no ability to approach God for themselves. And to be able to understand what God did for you in Christ is absolutely amazing. In Christ, nobody has to go to God on your behalf because Christ already offered the sacrifice for all of us. So now, because he made your sin sacrifice once for all, the Bible says on the day that Jesus died on that cross, the veil in the Old Testament temple was rent from top to bottom, meaning man didn't try to tear his way into God's presence.

God from the top tore it down because the sacrifice of Jesus was so perfect. There's never any other barrier to keep you from God because of what Jesus did. You can walk right into the Holy of Holies. You can walk into the place where only the high priest could go under the law.

And if he wasn't right, he'd go in there and drop dead. You better be glad for Jesus. Because if it wasn't for Jesus, none of us would belong in the Holy of Holies. But because he made the sacrifice, you and I can walk right up into God's presence and say, Father, in the name of Jesus, and he hears you. And so what's the offering? Since Jesus offered the sacrifice for my sins, what's the offering that will matter to God? What do you give the one who has everything?

I got the answer for you. You give him praise. You give him worship. That's the one thing he wants from you. He doesn't need yours.

Well, you know, I don't feel like it, but here I come. No, no, he's looking for you to come in there and say, God, you did so much for me in Christ. I am so complete in Christ that I come to just tell you thank you. I love you. I worship you. I honor you for who you are.

What do you give the one who has everything? You give him praise. Remember what Jesus said to the woman at the well when she started talking about? Well, you know, our fathers created this space. This is our place of worship.

And Jesus said the hour is coming. In fact, it's here now when it won't matter where you worship, it will matter that you worship God in spirit and in truth. That's what God's looking for people who will give him worship and praise. God loves it when we love him just because he is God. Yes, we appreciate all that he does, but you've got to learn to just love him for who he is.

He does what he does because he is who he is. Don't go away. We're only about halfway through today's Destined for Victory message with Pastor Paul Shepherd, Senior Pastor of Destiny Christian Fellowship in Fremont, California. Be sure to subscribe to Pastor Paul on YouTube to watch some of his best video clips. For more details, be sure to visit pastorpaul.net. That's pastorpaul.net.

There you can listen on demand to recent messages or find a variety of resources at our online store. Now let's continue. Here's Pastor Paul with the rest of today's message, Discovering the Power of Praise. You got to learn to be Mother Brazil.

The late Mother Brazil told us years ago. She said I was at the home of a noted missionary, American missionary, and I was at his home when he came back from a long trip and there were some of us gathered there to fellowship with him and greet him. And he came back with a couple of suitcases and one of them had gifts for various ones, loved ones, and he opened it up and began giving out the gifts. She said, but I was struck by the fact that while others were excited about the little souvenirs and gifts that he was bringing them and they're unwrapping them and say, Oh, this is so beautiful.

Thank you. And all that he said, I was struck because his little two or three year old girl, when she knew her daddy was home, she ran in the room and she wrapped her arm around his leg and she held on to him. And she said, I heard her saying, I got my daddy. I got my dad.

Everybody else is happy because they get the souvenir and getting a little something that he thought of them. She said, I got my daddy. Do you know that little child can have anything she wants, especially when you love on a parent like that. Oh man, I'm telling you, when you love on a parent like that, you render them weak.

Come on those little children. I'm talking about that love of those little children when you are not mad and spoiled and bratty and give me this and give me that and you just learn how to love on them. And I'm sure it happens with grand. See, I'm not in the grand family yet.

We are believing God for that. When that happens, I'm sure I'll be able to relate. Some of y'all say, oh, it's going to be worse than when your kids were little because you just spoiled. I've heard the rationale. Some of them say, see with the grand, you can spoil them as much as you want because you don't have to have them in your house all the time.

Is that true? Some of you grandparents spoil them all you want and then when you tie them, send them on back home. And leave your kids and say, what have you done?

You can say, it's payback. You worked my nerves. Let me make your life interesting now. But nothing like being loved on by your child.

Just loved on. Just nothing quite like it. And then it's worse with the gender thing. Daughters can really get to a dad in a special way and sons can really get to their mama in a special way.

I've noticed, I've seen those dynamics and it's just amazing. But you've got to learn that there is a release of blessing that just comes from being loved well. Being loved well. Nothing quite like it. And I tell you, when it comes to the spiritual, if you just learn to love God and give him that sacrifice, that offering of praise and worship, he'll do so many things to bless your life.

Nothing quite like it. And so we've got to learn to give him the spiritual sacrifice. Let me give you a Bible for this. Hebrews 13, 15. Therefore, by him, let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God. What is that sacrifice? In this case, he says the fruit of your lips, giving thanks to his name.

Fruit of your lips. Make a sacrifice, include what you say to God. Not only worship him with the giving of your tithes and offering and worship with being in the service, but give him the fruit of your lips.

Say it to him that I love you. I appreciate you. Lord, I reverence you. Lord, I give you praise.

There's no one like you. He says, make that a continual offering of praise, the fruit of your lips, giving thanks to his name. That's Hebrews 13, 15. And then 1 Peter 2, 5 says this, and you as lively stones are being built up into a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, watch this, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. Jesus paid the price, but we still have a sacrifice to give. It's the sacrifice of praise.

And we want to give him that every chance we get. That's why I say don't wait till you get to church. Church ought to be the overflow of a lifestyle of praise. You see just how we worshiped and praised earlier here today. I can tell some of y'all been praising him before you got here. Because you don't want church to be the one and only time you say something to God.

Church ought to be the overflow. I've been talking to him all week. I've been worshiping.

I've been adoring. I've been praising him, thanking him for the answered prayers, trusting him for those I'm still waiting on. And when I get among God's people, see David said, I will magnify the Lord with me.

I can do it by myself now. I don't need you because I can't get through without you, but it's just a dynamic that's released when all of us collectively give God praise. And I don't know about you, but I want to be on the praising side for the rest of my life. I want to worship more than I do anything else. Praise more than I do anything else. Glorify God more than I do anything else.

And so you want to get good at being a priest, a New Testament priest who offers to the Lord your sacrifice of praise every chance you get. Three more things. Number eight, praise is a prelude to victory.

Oh, let me park here for a little bit. Some of us need some victories. Why? Because we're in spiritual warfare. The enemy of your soul hates you trying to take you out, trying to make your life miserable, trying to keep you. See, the enemy loves to mock God by making somebody who ought to be praising God start cursing God. That's what the enemy wants.

If you don't believe that, look at Job. Read the Old Testament book of Job and you'll see that here was a man who was upright and the enemy came into God's presence said, well, you know, the only reason why he's upright and living so well is because you haven't let me get to him. And so the enemy said, let me touch his life and then you'll see that his worship isn't genuine. And the Lord allowed it to happen. And you know the story. You've read the book of Job. The man lost 10 children in one day. 10 children die and he loses his wealth.

And what does he do? He keeps on worshiping. The enemy said, well, see, all right, but there's one more thing. You got to let me touch his body. If you let me touch his body, he'll curse you to your face. And the Lord allowed it to happen. And he was smitten with afflictions that were horrible. But the Bible says on this worst time in his life, Job said the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord. Let me help you understand something that proves that your worship doesn't have to come from your emotions.

There's no doubt in my mind that job would have been crying as he said that tears flowing heart filled with grief. But you can worship through grief. You can worship through heartache. You can worship when times are tough.

Why? Because worship isn't driven by your emotion. Your worship is driven by your spirit.

And my spirit is connected to God. The Lord gave, Job said, and the Lord has taken away. Now, Job didn't understand the theology. You know, all the faith folks say, well, see, that's not right. The Lord didn't take it. The devil took it. And God still allowed it.

Why would you make such a distinction? As if somehow he were living better. The devil couldn't have done it. No, the devil did it because he had a one on one with God. And God said, let me make a test case out of this man.

And I'm going to show you that he's worshiping me for real. And so don't mess up your theology. The fact of the matter is sometimes you don't understand why something happens in your life. Now, see, stop playing.

How many of y'all will be honest enough to say there have been times when you said, Lord, why did you let this happen? And you did not get an answer. You don't get all the answers.

I'm so tired of these people who keep trying to get an answer to every question here on earth. We know in part we prophesy in part. There are some things you won't understand on this side of heaven. That's why you got to walk by faith and not by sight, because there's some stuff.

If you let sight control things, you're going to be messed up. We all have things we don't get all of your famous faith walking leaders. All of them have mysteries. They just some of them are too prideful to tell you about them. But I've met some of these same people.

And in the green room, before we go out and have the big meeting, you hear what really happens. And the fact of the matter is we all have mysteries. Anybody who doesn't have any mysteries, my grandmama would say keep on living.

Just keep on living. You got some mysteries coming. There are going to be some things you just say I don't get it. It's in the Bible. So you're not by yourself. The folk who walked with God in the scriptures had times where they say really?

You got to be kidding. And you don't always get the answer right away. See, we love it when and I had and I beseech the Lord as to why he allowed this to happen.

And at two in the morning, he woke me up and he told me Okay, every now and then you might get one of those I promise you nine times out of a 10 at two in the morning, you're gonna be laying there talking about I don't get it. Do you want to take your praise to the next level? Learn to praise God not only for what he does, but for who he is. Keep in mind now there are only two days remaining to request your copy of Pastor Paul's brand new book lessons from the vineyard. Part of becoming more like Jesus is by going out in the world and bearing fruit using our gifts and abilities to lead others to faith in Christ, and of course helping them grow in that faith.

Pastor Paul shows you how in lessons from the vineyard. It's our thank you for your most generous year end donation of $25 or more to Destin for Victory. And don't forget all gifts received by midnight tomorrow are tax deductible for this year. Call 855-339-5500 or visit pastorpaul.net to make a safe and secure donation online. You can also mail your gift to Destin for Victory, post office box 1767, Fremont, California 94538.

Again, Destin for Victory box 1767, Fremont, California 94538. God can be as silent as anybody you know. He doesn't give you all the information. You got to learn to walk by faith and not by sight. But if you need a breakthrough because the enemy is coming against you, one of the ways you get a spiritual breakthrough in spiritual warfare is you praise. That's tomorrow in Pastor Paul Shepherd's message, Discovering the Power of Praise. Until then remember, he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion. In Christ, you are Destin for Victory. .