*DAY 3/9 UNCOMMON PRAISE, UNCOMMON GLOW | MONDAY 13-03-2023*

 *DAY 3/9 UNCOMMON PRAISE, UNCOMMON GLOW | MONDAY 13-03-2023*

*PART 1 | TRUTHS ABOUT PRAISE*

● Let me share with you some fundamental truths about praise this morning...

*Truth 1 | Praise does not change God. Praise changes you.* 

● If you praise God and you do not change, your praise is fake.

● *John 4:24,* Jesus says ... True worshippers worship God in spirit and in truth.

*What does it mean?*

● True worship must change you and cause you reflect the nature of God  in your life on  earth.

- Is God great? His greatness  MUST reflect  in you

- Is God holy? His holiness  MUST reflect in you.

- Is God powerful? His power  MUST reflect in you.

- Is God good? His goodness MUST reflect in you.

- Is God love? His love MUST reflect in you.

- Is God rich? His richness MUST reflect in you.

- Is God kind? His kindness MUST reflect in you.

- Is God glorious? His glory MUST reflect in you.

*Truth 2 | Praise does not benefit God. Praise benefits you.* 

● Praise is at your own advantage, not at the advantage of God. Whether you praise God or not God is still God.

● *Psalms 92:1*  IT IS A GOOD THING TO GIVE THANKS UNTO THE LORD, AND TO SING PRAISES UNTO THY NAME, O MOST HIGH:

*WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF PRAISE?*

*BENEFIT 1 | Consistent Praise changes your level from glory to glory.*

● Anytime you praise God for the last blessing, you secure the next. blessing. Meaning, you give God a good reason to continue to bless you and continue to change your level

● *Hosea 4:7* "As they were increased, so they sinned against Me; therefore will I change their glory into shame."

● The will of God for you is from glory to glory, from increase to increase.

● *2 Corinthians 3:18* But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the LORD.

● *1 Thessalonians 4:10* And indeed you do it toward all the brothers which are in all Macedonia: but we beseech you, brothers, that you increase more and more;

● *Psalms 84:7* They go from strength to strength, every one of them in Zion appears before God.

● I pray today that your level should change from glory to glory not from glory to shame in the Name Of Jesus Christ!!!

● I pray today that your level should change from strength to strength not from strength to weakness in the Name Of Jesus Christ!!!

● I pray today that your level should change from increase to increase not from increase to decrease in the Name Of Jesus Christ!!!

*BENEFIT 2 | Consistent Praise fills your heart with joy*

● You cannot have a praiseful heart and not have a joyful soul.

*Fact  |* God cannot anoint you with the oil of joy and not cloth you with the garment of praise.

● In other words, you cannot be anointed with joy and not be clothed with praise.

● *Isa 61:3* To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.

● You know what? The same way you apply oil on your body before you put on your clothes. The same way apply everyday the oil of joy on your soul and put on the clothe of praise on your soul.

● Hear me and hear me well ... *The cure to depression is the combination of the oil of joy + the garment of praise.*

● Today, The Bible says, "The anointing breaks the yoke" ( *Isaiah 10:27* ). I pray that the anointing of joy will break the yoke of sadness, depression, stress, worry, discouragement, hopelessness...

● I pray that from now any garment of sorrow will be replaced with the garment of praise in the Name Of Jesus Christ ! 

*Fact  |*  You cannot have praise in your heart and not have a new song in your mouth.

● Anytime your heart is full of praise, your mouth will be full of songs.

● *What does it mean?* It means in other words that if your praise does not fill your heart with joy, your praise is fake.

● In *Psalms 40:3,* the psalmist says, “He has put a new song in my mouth, even praise to our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.

● *James 5:13* Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms.

● Hear me and hear me well ... When David says that God has put a new song in his mouth, what David means is that … God has filled his mouth with laughter and his tongue with singing.

● God cannot put a new song in your mouth without laughter. Anytime there is a new song, it is spiced with laughter ...

● In *Psalms 126:2,* we read, "Our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The LORD has done great things for them."

● In *Job 8:21,* we read, "He will fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with happy shouting.

● Today, I have a message for someone among us ... God told me to tell you he will fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with happy shouting !

● Yes You’ve been weeping. Yes You’ve been upset. Yes There have been tears, and pain, and heartbreak. 

● Yes I know things look dark. But, I can hear the voice of God telling me to tell you from *Psalm 30:15* ... "For his anger endures but a moment; in his favor is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning" 

● I don't know who I am talking to this morning. But I can hear God telling me to tell someone again from *Psalms 30:11*..."I will change your sorrow, your sobbing and your mourning into dancing. I will remove your sackcloth and clothe you with joy"

● Today morning, someone is allowed to sing : So long, bye bye... So long, bye bye ... Goodbye to my pain ... And my sorrow ... So long, bye bye...

● Welcome to your dancing season. Welcome to your season of laughter.  Welcome to your season of celebration. Welcome to your season whereby your neighbor will ask you … What is the secret of your laughter ?

*BENEFIT 3 | Praise makes your face shine.*

● What does it mean? It means in other words that if your praise does not make your face to shine, your praise is fake.

*This Morning, Let us look at Moses.*

● After spending 40 days and 40 nights in the presence of the Lord, The Bible records to us that he came back to the people with the two tablets in his hand and with a glowing and radiant face, not a gloomy face.

● We read in *Exodus 34:29* Moses came down from Mount Sinai, carrying the two tablets with God’s words on them. His face was shining from speaking with the LORD, but he didn’t know it.

*AMP* says ... the skin of his face was shining [with a unique radiance] because he had been speaking with God.

*ERV* When Moses came down from Mount Sinai, he carried the two stone tablets of the agreement. Because he had talked with the Lord, his face was shining, but he did not know it.

● Let me go straight to the point ... *If you praise and you are still sorrowful, your face is not glowing, something is wrong with your praise.*

● Hear this ...  There is a difference between prayer and praise ... 

*What is the difference ?*

Prayer talks to God. Praise looks to God

● The reason why Moses' face was shining was because he was not only talking to God but he was also looking to God face to face.

● *Exodus 33:11* And the LORD spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. And he turned again into the camp: but his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, departed not out of the tabernacle.

*THE  IMPACTS OF PRAISE ...*

● What happens when you look to God?

*1st fact : You cannot praise unless you look to God, unless you focus on God.*

● Looking to God means keeping your eyes on the Lord. It means looking to God for help. 

That is all what praise is all about. 

● *Psalms 34:5* says ... All who look to him will be radiant. Their faces will never be covered with shame.

*2nd fact : You cannot look to God without shining.* As a matter of fact, you cannot praise without shining.

● Today, as you engage to praise ... I pray ... Start shining ! Start shining ! Start shining like the sun in the Name Of Jesus Christ ! Start shining in the midst of darkness in the Name Of Jesus Christ !

● According to *Prov 15:13,* "a glad heart makes a shining face". 

● When your heart is at joy, your face will shine. When there is sorrow in the heart, the spirit is broken and the face is gloomy. 

● Today, receive the oil of gladness to shine.

● Refuse your face to look old. Refuse to have a gloomy face. 

● Fill your heart with praise and it will make your face to shine.

● As the Lord liveth, Any gloomy face is destroyed by the oil of gladness. May your face continue to shine. As you praise today, look at your face and tell it to shine. 

● In *Psalm 34:5,* we read ... They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed.

*Let us look at Psalms 34:5 from other versions say ...*

*CEV* Those who look to God will shine; their faces are never ashamed.

*3rd Fact  : You cannot look to God without being affected by the radiance of his glory.*  You cannot look to God without an impact of glory, of light on your face. 

● The more praiseful you are, the more glorious you will be. Hallelujah !

*4th fact : You cannot look to God without being affected by the ray of his joy.* There is joy in his presence. There is joy in praise. Anytime you engage in praise, God will put a smile on your face.

*CSB* Those who look to him are radiant with joy; their faces will never be ashamed.

*ERV* If you look to him for help, he will put a smile on your face. You will have no need to be ashamed.

*NIRV* Those who look to him have joyful faces. They are never covered with shame.

*5th fact  : You cannot look unto God and end up in shame.* You cannot look unto God and end up in reproach

● *Psalms 34:5* says ... All who look to him will be radiant. Their faces will never be covered with shame.

*What is reproach ?*

- It is a state and mark of shame and disgrace attached into someone's life that results in their becoming a laughingstock, having to endure the ridicule, mocking, and scoffing of onlookers.

● From Scriptures, in *2 Peter 1:3,* In Christ, we are redeemed for glory and virtue not for shame and reproach.

● Again, in *Joel 2:26-27* God has promised his people to never be ashamed again. 

● In *Isaiah 61:7,* he promised to restore to his people double for their shame

● In *Joshua 5:9,* he promised to roll away reproach from his people

● As you praise God, as you look unto God in praise, I pray that all area of shame and reproach in your life will be wiped away in the Name Of Jesus Christ !

*Benefit 4 |* Praise is the best medicine to heal the broken hearted and keeps the heart free from hurts

● *Numbers 21:8* The LORD said to Moses, "Make a snake, and put it on a pole. Anyone who is bitten can look at it and live."

● Watch this Scripture clearly .... Anyone who is bitten can look at it (at the snake - symbolizing Christ lifted up on the cross) and live. 

● Meaning anyone who is bitten and decides to look at the wound will die.

● Yes he has hurt you. Yes she has hurt you. Yes they have hurt you. Yes he has left you. Yes she has left you. Yes they are ungrateful. Yes they have disappointed you. Yes they did not treat you well. 

● Now, can you shift your focus ... Say with me ... It is time to shift the focus ...

● Can you stop looking or focusing or meditating or magnifying the wrong people did to you and start magnigying the good the Lord has done to you?

*Benefit 5 |* Praise is key to a happy heart and a happy life

*3 THINGS ABOUT A HAPY HEART*

*1- A happy heart makes a happy face*

*Proverbs 15:13* A joyful heart makes a cheerful face, but with a heartache comes depression.

*2- A happy heart makes everyday a happy day*

*Proverbs 15:15*  Every day is a terrible day for a miserable person, but a cheerful heart has a continual feast.

*3- A happy heart is the best medicine ever*

*Proverbs 17:22* A joyful heart is good medicine, but depression drains one’s strength.

*CONCLUSION*

*1- Happiness does not start from outside. Happiness start with praise within you.* You are a determinant factor. 

- Don't expect your spouse to make you happy.

 - Don't expect a happy and joyful marriage, if you are not yourself first of all happy and joyful. 

- Only happy men and women can make a happy marriage. 

*2- No one is responsible of your happiness.* No one makes you angry. You choose to. No one makes you bitter. You choose to. No one makes you sad. You choose to.

Choose to praise. Choose to give thanks. Choose to worship

*3- Remember always that there is no happy life.* There is only happy men and women who make a happy life.

*PRAISE POINTS*

● Father, thank you for anointing me with the oil of joy and for clothing me with the garment of praise. 

● Father, thank you for filling my heart with praise and putting a new song in your mouth.

● Father, thank you for my dancing season. Thank you for my season of laughter.  Thank you for my season of celebration. 

● Father, in the Name of Jesus Christ, Thank you for anointing me with the oil of gladness. I won't live sad and unhappy. *( Zeph 3:14 )*

● Thank you for filling my heart with joy and making my face to shine.

● Lord I praise you for the radiance of your glory everytime I look at you. 

● Lord I praise you for the ray of your joy. 

● Lord I praise you for taking away shame /reproach in my life. 

● Father, thank you for changing my life from glory to glory not from glory to shame

● Father, thank you for filling my heart with joy and making my face to shine

● Father, thank you for healing the broken hearted

● Father, thank you for making me happy

*✍🏽Pastor TD Kasuku*