The Power of Praise: Where Does Your Praise Point?

Many Christians feel like the cow who saw a milk carton and wondered why her milk had to be pasteurized, homogenized, vitaminized, and fat removed. Her best was not good enough.

Do you ever feel like that? Is your Christian life going anywhere? Do you get more excited about twenty other things than about your relationship with Christ?

Jesus’ early followers considered Pentecost the anniversary of the giving of the Law at Mount Sinai. The Spirit’s coming at Pentecost connected the Old and New Testaments. Obedience to God is central to both. The Spirit empowers you to please God.

At Pentecost, roaring wind, tongues of fire, and inspired speech marked the coming of the Holy Spirit. Fire represents God’s purifying presence to burn away the impurities of your heart and set it aflame to ignite the hearts of others.

Words about Jesus on your lips reveal fire in your heart. At Pentecost, the Spirit ignited 120 hearts that filled Jerusalem’s air with praise to God. We are free in Christ to praise God. The power of the Holy Spirit enables us to control our tongue and use it to talk about Jesus.

Genuine praise attracts. If I praise my shampoo, you might try it if you are dissatisfied with your own. To what does your power of praise point?

Receiving the Spirit and being filled with the Spirit are not the same thing. You receive the Holy Spirit when you receive Jesus Christ as your personal Forgiver and Leader. That does not guarantee that you are filled with the Holy Spirit.

Imagine two people in a car with one set of controls. Only one can drive. The other must submit to the driver’s control. Is Jesus the driver in your life?

Do you consistently become impatient, find it almost impossible to forgive those who wrong you, and refuse to give yourself away? Are words about Jesus rarely on your lips? These all mark a self-controlled life.

A Spirit-filled life bears fruit. On the day of Pentecost, Peter steered the conversation toward Jesus. His sermon was Christ-centered. He talked about Jesus’ life, death, resurrection, and exaltation to the throne of God. In Acts 2:37, thousands under conviction cried out, “What shall we do?”

Peter told them to turn from selfishness and rebellion against God. That is repentance. He told them to turn to Jesus for forgiveness, guidance, and purpose. That is faith. Baptism is the icing on the cake. It is a public testimony of identifying with Christ and His church.

The early Christians were single-mindedly committed to teaching, fellowship, and prayer with pure motives. God empowered them to share their material blessings with their needy members.

When God is in control, you will want to be with other believers, continually praise Him, and be a giver. People remember what excites you. Is that Jesus Christ and His church? What is your takeaway? See additional free spiritual growth resources for Christians.   #freediscipleshipresources #freeevangelismresources #freechristianleadershipresources 

God has empowered me to write His Power for Your Weakness—260 Steps Toward Spiritual Strength. It’s a free, evangelistic, devotional, and discipleship e-book. Pastors have used it in Malawi, Mozambique, and Zambia to lead 6,714 people to Christ and teach the basics of Christianity to 15,936 people. I invite you to explore and use it in your setting.

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