Unveiling The Five Enemies Of Praise! By David Oyedepo
Click HERE for Previous MESSAGES by Bishop David Oyedepo
Topic: Unveiling The Enemies Of Praise!
Welcome to November! I believe everyone of us has secured our total health covenant certificate in the course of the month of October, 2019 and just like my own encounter which turned forty years last month, I pray that each of us will keep telling the story of our own diverse encounters this season for life in Jesus name! This week, we shall focus on: Unveiling The Enemies Of Praise!
We discover from scriptures that praise is one of the most powerful spiritual weapons that provoke the acts of God, yet, many are not aware of its potency. On the other hand, those who know are yet to experience the benefit embedded in it. We must understand that while there are several wonders in praise, there are also enemies of praise which stops the acts of God in our lives. This is because it is acceptable praise that works!
Also Read: Unveiling the Rewards of Righteousness! By David Oyedepo
Erroneously, many people sing without actually praising God. They sing for different reasons and with different motives, which make their songs of no effect. Thus, it is one thing to engage in praise and another for our praises to be acceptable. To experience the wonders of praise, we must understand what it takes to make it acceptable. Thus, it is important to note certain hindrances to praise which we must watch against.
What Then Are The Enemies Of Praise?
1. Murmuring And Complaining: It is written, Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer (1 Corinthians 10:10). No matter how legitimate our reasons, ‘neither murmur ye…’ No reason is acceptable to God for complaining. The shortest way not to get results or get destroyed is to have a case against God. When we stop seeing what God has not done, everything keeps getting done in our favour. It is time to recognise that it is dangerous to give room to murmuring and complaining. Every time we murmur, we invite the destroyer. Everything we murmur about never grows, rather it diminishes. When murmuring stops, accomplishment begins. When complaining stops, triumph begins. When we complain to men, we secure sympathy but when we complain to God, we incur His anger (Numbers 11:1). There is nothing to complain about but there is everything to praise God for.
2. Spirit Of Heaviness: Heaviness is a spirit. It is one of the key strategies of satan to strip God’s people naked. He knows that with heaviness, God is absent and when God is absent, we become a cheap prey in his hands. It is written, …the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness… (Isaiah 61:3). The reason the devil steals joy is to make victims of men but we have the gift of joy from the Most High God. He has not withdrawn it. If it is not seen, satan has stolen it. Satan calculates heaviness for God’s people because he knows no one can stop the fiery acts of God when man is giving Him quality praise. That is why we must fight heaviness more than we fight any other sin.
3. Discontentment: Until we are satisfied with Jesus, we will never smell contentment. Our satisfaction with Jesus is what provokes heaven to satisfy us. The Bible says, But godliness with contentment is great gain (1 Timothy 6:6). There is a lot of godliness in the church today because God’s Word is coming alive but there is not enough contentment to match. People are rating the worth of life with physical possessions. This is unscriptural! Jesus said we should beware of covetousness. Contentment is the treatment for covetousness. Until we are satisfied, we cannot be merry and until we are merry, we cannot sing (James 5:13).
4. Holding On To The Past: There are so many Christians under this trap. It is playing the fool! It is a slap on God’s face! As far as God is concerned, our lives today cannot be worse than our lives yesterday. Even if we cannot see it, say it the way God has said it. For it is written, But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day (Proverbs 4:18). I have always said that where I am today is the worse place I can ever be. This is because my tomorrow by virtue of scripture, by revelation and by the Holy Ghost is already eternally programmed and sealed by the blood to be better than today. Thus, we must live in the reality of scriptures not circumstances.
5. Being Offended In Him: The times we have been offended in God are our stumbling blocks in life. It is written, And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me (Matthew 11:6). Every time we mark God wrong, we make our path crooked. For instance, in Matthew 11:2-3, John the Baptist was facing a great crisis and as such he began to wonder if Jesus was truly the Messiah. If He was, He should have done something about his case. I am persuaded that this is the reason he was beheaded because there is nowhere in the scriptures where it was foretold that he will be beheaded. If we do not want to be beheaded, then we must refuse to be offended in God (Job 9:4).
In conclusion, the Spirit of the Lord exchanges our heaviness with the garment of praise. He releases us into a life of continuous, endless praise that brings us into union with God. However, you must be born again. Are you born again? If you are not, this is an opportunity to do so. Simply say the following prayer: Lord Jesus, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me of my sins. Cleanse me with Your precious Blood. Today, I accept You as my Lord and personal Saviour. Thank You, Jesus, for saving me! Now, I know I am born again!
For further reading, please get my books: Understanding the Power of Praise and Wonders of Praise. I invite you to fellowship with us at the Faith Tabernacle, Canaanland, Ota, the covenant home of Winners. We have four services on Sundays, holding at 6:00 a.m., 7:50 a.m., 9:40 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. respectively. I know this teaching has blessed you.
Write and share your testimony with me through: Faith Tabernacle, Canaanland, Ota, P.M.B. 21688, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria, or call 01-4548070, 01-4548280, or E-mail: feedback@lfcww.org, Facebook: David Oyedepo Ministries International, Twitter: @DavidOyedepoMin.
Bishop David O. Oyedepo is a Nigerian Christian author, architect, preacher, and the founder and presiding bishop of the mega church, Living Faith Church Worldwide, also known as Winners’ Chapel.