Praise: My Key to Unlimited Open Doors. By Pastor Emmanuel S. Olowokere. Dec. 6, 2009.
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Sermon synopsis
I’m sure you could point to more than one reason why you may be hesitant praising the Lord. But you need fulfill only one condition to so do. Check Isaiah 38:19:
“The living, the living man, he will give you praise, as I do this day: the father will give the story of your mercy to his children” (Bible in basic English)
As long as you are alive, praise is not what you must think of doing, but what you must do, as that wonderful verse declares.
By now, you and I are not in the dark on God’s plan for us in December. We know it’s our month of Unlimited Open Doors as the Book of Revelations 3:8 attests:
I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name. (King Jame Version)
What we need to add to that knowledge is the fundamental or golden rule to open doors. If you said “praise” you were right on the money!
A “praise-ful” man is a thankful man. And what are you to be thankful for? Have you considered your life? How about salvation? Between these two, you should be sold on giving thanks.
For one, without life aspirations of whatever variety or magnitude are redundant. Thought I heard someone say “dead men don’t aspire?” Spot on sister! And of course without salvation you wouldn’t even be reading this message.
C’mon ye living, praise ye the Lord!
Anything that defies limitation is a golden rule. And Praise happens to be that. There’s no going wrong with praise; it is universal. Whereas God answers a prayer based on whether or not it passes the “ask anything according to His will” test as 1 John 5:14 shows, 1 Thess 5:18 makes us understand praise is always in His will . Why else would He require it of the living or even want to raise stones to praise Him?
Praise has the power to open all doors. Praise takes a dead thing in your hands and converts it to a living. For instance, Lazarus had been shut in in death for 4 days, but through praise or thanksgiving, his doors were open and he was brought back to life as John 11:29- 44 accounts; verse 41-42 particularly:
“Jesus raised his eyes to heaven and prayed, “Father, I’m grateful that you have listened to me.” (The Message translation)
Similarly in Acts 16: 25-27 Paul and Silas experienced open doors when they could use one badly. Having prayed, the dynamic duo resorted to praises, and pronto, the prison gates flung open! Their praises opened the prison gates!
Acts 25-26: Along about midnight, Paul and Silas were at prayer and singing a robust hymn to God. The other prisoners couldn’t believe their ears. Then, without warning, a huge earthquake! The jailhouse tottered, every door flew open, all the prisoners were loose.(The Message translation)
Truth is: Praising God in trying times messes the devil up big time. He becomes unsure how to respond. You want to do praise pre-intervention, so you can sing and celebrate post-intervention. This is because praise celebrates who God is, while thanksgiving focuses on what God has done.
Dearly beloved, praise is the key to your Unlimited Open Doors this December. Embrace it!
Have a blessed and “praise-ful” week in His presence.
