Embracing Praise: Our Native Language of Worship

Devotional

Day 1: Understanding the Words We Sing

Understanding the words we sing in worship is crucial for meaningful praise. When we grasp the depth and significance of the lyrics, our worship transcends mere habit or emotion and becomes a heartfelt expression of our faith. Singing with conviction allows us to connect more deeply with God, making our worship more impactful and sincere. This understanding transforms our worship from a routine activity into a powerful declaration of God's truth and love.

Knowing the meaning behind the lyrics helps us to align our hearts and minds with the truths we are proclaiming. It ensures that our worship is not just an emotional response to a melody but a deliberate act of adoration and reverence. By understanding the words we sing, we can fully engage in worship, allowing it to shape our thoughts, attitudes, and actions. [34:16]

Psalm 47:7 (ESV): "For God is the King of all the earth; sing praises with a psalm!"

Reflection: Think about a worship song you often sing. Do you understand the meaning of its lyrics? How can you deepen your understanding of the words to make your worship more meaningful?

Day 2: Praise as Our Native Language

Praise is our spirit's native language, much like how a bilingual person naturally speaks their first language. We were created to declare God's goodness, mercy, and love. This means that praise should come naturally to us, flowing from a deep understanding of who God is. When we recognize that our primary purpose is to glorify God, praise becomes an instinctive response to His greatness and love.

Understanding that praise is our native language helps us to see it as an integral part of our identity as believers. It is not something we do only in church or during specific times but a continuous expression of our relationship with God. This perspective encourages us to cultivate a lifestyle of praise, where our words, actions, and attitudes consistently reflect our adoration for God. [37:09]

Psalm 34:1 (ESV): "I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth."

Reflection: How can you incorporate praise into your daily routine, making it a natural and continuous expression of your faith?

Day 3: Praising in All Circumstances

We are called to praise God at all times, whether we are on the mountaintop or in the valley. Our circumstances may change, but God's character and faithfulness remain constant. Therefore, our praise should not be dependent on how we feel but on who God is. Praising God in all circumstances is a discipline that requires us to focus on His unchanging nature rather than our fluctuating emotions or situations.

Praising God during difficult times can be challenging, but it is a powerful act of faith and obedience. It shifts our perspective from our problems to God's sovereignty and goodness. By choosing to praise God regardless of our circumstances, we acknowledge His control over our lives and trust in His plans. This act of praise can bring peace, strength, and hope, even in the midst of trials. [41:40]

Habakkuk 3:17-18 (ESV): "Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation."

Reflection: Think of a challenging situation you are currently facing. How can you choose to praise God in the midst of it, focusing on His unchanging character?

Day 4: Spiritual Warfare Through Praise

Our enemies are not people but spiritual forces that seek to rob us of our purpose and relationship with God. When we praise, we are engaging in spiritual warfare, drowning out fear, anxiety, depression, and sin. Praise is a powerful weapon against the enemy, as it shifts our focus from our struggles to God's power and victory. It reminds us of God's sovereignty and His ability to overcome any obstacle we face.

Engaging in spiritual warfare through praise involves recognizing the spiritual battles we face and intentionally choosing to praise God despite them. This act of praise can break the chains of fear and despair, filling us with God's peace and joy. By praising God, we declare His authority over our lives and invite His presence to work in our situations, bringing transformation and deliverance. [48:19]

2 Chronicles 20:22 (ESV): "And when they began to sing and praise, the Lord set an ambush against the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah, so that they were routed."

Reflection: Identify a specific area in your life where you feel under spiritual attack. How can you use praise as a weapon to combat these spiritual forces and invite God's victory?

Day 5: Praise Involves Our Whole Being

True praise is loud, joyful, and involves our entire being. It is not just about singing quietly in our hearts but about fully expressing our adoration for God with our voices, bodies, and instruments. We are called to praise God with everything we have because He is worthy. This means that our praise should be enthusiastic and wholehearted, reflecting the greatness of the God we worship.

Involving our whole being in praise allows us to experience the fullness of worship. It engages our emotions, thoughts, and physical actions, creating a holistic expression of our love for God. This type of praise can be transformative, as it aligns our entire selves with God's presence and purposes. By stepping out of our comfort zones and embracing a more expressive form of worship, we can deepen our connection with God and inspire others to do the same. [53:30]

Psalm 150:3-6 (ESV): "Praise him with trumpet sound; praise him with lute and harp! Praise him with tambourine and dance; praise him with strings and pipe! Praise him with sounding cymbals; praise him with loud clashing cymbals! Let everything that has breath praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!"

Reflection: How can you step out of your comfort zone in worship and involve your whole being in praising God? What specific actions can you take to make your praise more expressive and joyful?

Sermon Summary

### Summary

Good morning, everyone! Today, we continued our series "More Than a Song" with a fun game to distinguish between Disney and worship lyrics. This light-hearted activity led us into a deeper discussion about the importance of understanding the words we sing in worship. We emphasized that worship is not just about melodies or feelings but about truly understanding and meaning the words we sing to God.

We explored the concept that praise is our native language, much like how a bilingual person naturally speaks their first language. Our spirit's native language is praise, and we were created to declare God's goodness, mercy, and love. We delved into the meaning of praise, which goes beyond mere admiration to adoration and worship of God. Praise answers the questions of when, who, and why we praise. We praise God at all times, in all circumstances, because He is unchanging, faithful, and sovereign.

We discussed the importance of praising God even in difficult times, drawing from personal experiences and biblical examples. Praise is not limited to our feelings or circumstances; it is a discipline and an act of obedience. We also clarified that our enemies are not people but spiritual forces that seek to rob us of our purpose and relationship with God. Therefore, we praise to drown out fear, anxiety, depression, and sin.

Finally, we emphasized that praise should be loud, joyful, and celebratory. It involves our whole being—our voices, our bodies, and our instruments. We are called to praise God with everything we have because He is worthy. We concluded with a challenge to step out of our comfort zones in worship and a reminder from Psalm 150 that everything that has breath should praise the Lord.

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Key Takeaways

1. Understanding the Words We Sing: It's crucial to know the meaning behind the lyrics we sing in worship. This understanding allows us to sing with conviction and not just out of habit or emotion. When we grasp the depth of the words, our worship becomes more meaningful and impactful. [34:16]
2. Praise as Our Native Language: Just as a bilingual person naturally speaks their first language, our spirit's native language is praise. We were created to declare God's goodness and love. This means that praise should come naturally to us, flowing from a deep understanding of who God is. [37:09]
3. Praising in All Circumstances: We are called to praise God at all times, whether we are on the mountaintop or in the valley. Our circumstances may change, but God's character and faithfulness remain constant. Therefore, our praise should not be dependent on how we feel but on who God is. [41:40]
4. Spiritual Warfare Through Praise: Our enemies are not people but spiritual forces that seek to rob us of our purpose and relationship with God. When we praise, we are engaging in spiritual warfare, drowning out fear, anxiety, depression, and sin. Praise is a powerful weapon against the enemy. [48:19]
5. Praise Involves Our Whole Being: True praise is loud, joyful, and involves our entire being. It is not just about singing quietly in our hearts but about fully expressing our adoration for God with our voices, bodies, and instruments. We are called to praise God with everything we have because He is worthy. [53:30]
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Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[31:22] - Disney or Worship Game
[34:16] - Importance of Understanding Worship Lyrics
[35:45] - Enter His Gates with Thanksgiving
[37:09] - Praise as Our Native Language
[38:37] - Meaning of Praise
[41:40] - Praising in All Circumstances
[43:19] - Personal Struggles and Praise
[44:51] - God's Presence in Praise
[46:30] - Praise Beyond Feelings
[48:19] - Spiritual Warfare Through Praise
[49:50] - Story of the Red Sea
[51:19] - Enemies of Our Soul
[52:53] - Who We Praise
[53:30] - Loud and Joyful Praise
[55:03] - Using Our Bodies to Praise
[57:17] - Reasons to Praise God
[59:24] - Prayer and Challenge
[60:57] - Psalm 150: Call to Praise

Bible Study Guide

Observation Questions

According to Psalm 150, what are some of the ways we are instructed to praise God?
In Psalm 34:1, when does the psalmist say we should bless the Lord?
What does Ephesians 6:12 say about the nature of our enemies? How does this relate to the sermon’s discussion on spiritual warfare through praise? [48:19]

Interpretation Questions

How does understanding the meaning behind worship lyrics enhance our worship experience? [34:16]
What does it mean for praise to be our "native language," and how should this affect our daily lives? [37:09]
Why is it important to praise God in all circumstances, and how can this practice impact our faith during difficult times? [41:40]
How can praise serve as a form of spiritual warfare against fear, anxiety, and other negative forces? [48:19]

Application Questions

Reflect on a time when you sang worship songs without fully understanding the lyrics. How did this sermon challenge you to approach worship differently? [34:16]
Think about your daily routine. How can you incorporate praise as a natural part of your day, similar to how a bilingual person naturally speaks their first language? [37:09]
Share a personal experience where praising God in a difficult situation helped you. How can you encourage others to do the same? [41:40]
Identify a specific fear, anxiety, or negative thought that you struggle with. How can you use praise as a weapon against it this week? [48:19]
The sermon emphasized that praise should be loud, joyful, and involve our whole being. What is one practical step you can take to express your praise more fully during worship? [53:30]
How can you remind yourself to praise God even when you don't feel like it? What strategies can you use to make praise a discipline rather than an option? [46:30]
Psalm 150 calls for everything that has breath to praise the Lord. How can you encourage those around you to join in praising God, especially those who may not be familiar with worship? [01:00:57]

Sermon Clips

1. "When we praise God, we are positioning ourselves in the natural for whatever he wants to do in the supernatural and that positioning cannot be this it has to be this because you are positioning your body for what God is wanting to do in the supernatural our praise is not limited to our feelings because our feelings change we should not rely on our feelings ever we should just be obedient and disciplined to do what God is calling us to do so we need to remember that we praise at all times all the time continuously." [46:30] (49 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "Our spirit has a native language and that is praise we were created to declare the goodness of god we were created to speak of his mercy and his love we were supposed to just be speaking in our native language to him saying how good he is how amazing he is declaring the goodness of god everywhere we go so if that is gonna be our natural language to me our spirit has a native language and that is praise we were created to language then we need to really understand what praise means." [37:09] (32 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "When we praise God, we cannot be quiet. The Bible says in 1 Chronicles, Have you ever heard a quiet trumpet? I haven't. Because praise is supposed to be loud. You cannot fully praise God and be silent at the same time. It just doesn't work that way. Praise is not. It's about what makes us comfortable. It is about us fully displaying the glory of God and talking about how good He is. We are praising Him and only Him, right?" [54:11] (44 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "We praise God no matter how we feel because praise is not optional it is not one of those like man I'm tired today you know I didn't sleep good last night so I'm just I just don't feel like praising you know or maybe you're saying yeah I feel overwhelmed and I just I'm just gonna skip it today like all together I'm not even gonna try let's just let's just skip it all right or maybe you're saying it will be hypocritical of me to praise because I don't feel it but let me tell you that as christians it is more hypocritical for us to do only the things that we feel like doing." [46:30] (38 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "We praise the drown anxiety we are praising to drown fear we are pressing to drown a depression we are pricing to drown hopelessness we are praising to dry to drown sin we are praising to drown sin number one and also because we need to cry we want to die you're all in our goings and줄s says in God through us in the Trinity Church we are praising to drown this sin give with us are waiting for only God and see this God that kita? sexual confusion. We are praising to drown sickness. We are praising to drown what is trying to rob us from the purpose that God has placed in our lives." [51:19] (22 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

6. "We praise because you're sovereign. I praise because you reign. I praise because you rose and defeated the grave. I praise because you're God and God alone. Because you're the one that is in control. Because you're the one that has my tomorrow in your hands. Because you're the only one that knows the beginning from the end. You are sovereign. I praise you because you reign. Because you're the one on the throne. Because you are the king of kings. And you're the Lord of lords. Because you have done everything. Because you're the Lord of our lives." [57:17] (27 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

7. "We praise God and don't allow your circumstances to rob you of your praise maybe you are like us like red and i and just saying god i don't know how this story is gonna end i don't know what you're actually writing i know that i want this to be done but while i am in this situation i'm still gonna push myself to put my hope in you and praise you again and then the more words i will praise when i feel it and i praise when i don't i'll praise because i know that you're still in control because my praise is a weapon it is more than a sound oh my praise is a shout that brings jericho down." [44:51] (42 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

8. "We praise God above. And God alone, he's the only one who deserves our adoration and our devotion and our worship. We praise God. The Bible says in Isaiah 25, oh, Lord, you are my God. I will exalt you. I will praise your name for you have done wonderful things. Plans form of all faithful and sure. I will praise your name. Sing praises to God and to his name. Sing loud praises to him who rides the clouds. His name is the Lord. Rejoice in his presence. We praise God and God alone. Nobody else, nothing else. We praise only God." [52:53] (42 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

9. "Because when I praise you are by my side when you are praising God is right there with you you might be the only one in the room physically but he is with you when you're praising he is near when you're praising him you feel his comfort and his joy and his strength he is with you so we need to praise God and don't allow your circumstances to rob you of your praise maybe you are like us like red and i and just saying god i don't know how this story is gonna end i don't know what you're actually writing i know that i want this to be done but while i am in this situation i'm still gonna push myself to put my hope in you and praise you again." [44:51] (50 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

10. "We need to understand the things that we are singing we need to understand what we are saying because then the words will actually have meaning and we can sing with more conviction not just out of feelings not just out of a good melody but understanding what we are saying they are not just empty words we are singing to God so we need to understand what we are saying right when we praise God when we sing and worship we are taking the focus off of ourselves and putting it on God and that's why we start every Sunday with praise and worship." [34:16] (37 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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