134. Have You Taken Your Vitamin PRAISE?

Psalms 34:1-4 NKJV  I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.  (2)  My soul shall make its boast in the LORD; The humble shall hear of it and be glad.  (3)  Oh, magnify the LORD with me, And let us exalt His name together.  (4)  I sought the LORD, and He heard me, And delivered me from all my fears.

This Psalm is so rich and full of instruction for God’s people to live fearless.  One of the things that we can learn is the importance and power of praise and worship.  Praise and worship is powerful and instrumental in insulating ourselves from fear.  It’s like going to the Doctor and receiving a supernatural inoculation against fear.  I call it vitamin PRAISE.

You see, praise and worship builds you up by focusing your attention on Him.  They remind the Believer of His everlasting presence with them, bringing everything in life and in our circumstances back into perspective by helping us to again see God as He is.  When we praise Him and magnify His name He doesn’t get any bigger, but it reminds us of just how big He is compared to our circumstance.  Our worship reminds us of His great love that fills us.  As we bask in His presence thinking on Him and proclaiming His love we are filled again to overflow and empowered to walk in love which casts out fear (1 John 4:18).

Fear can’t stay when God’s love is known and experienced.  It is dispelled like water off a ducks back and retreats like wax before a fire.  Praise and worship to God builds up our spiritual immune system to defend against fear.  The more we magnify His Name, boldly proclaiming the reality and truth of whom He is and all that He has done, the more we become aware of His great love.  The more we become aware of His love not only does fear dissipate, but the more we want to praise and worship Him.  This creates a cycle keeping us in a perpetual attitude and consistent practice of praising Him, all the while developing greater immunity to the symptoms of fear.

Look back at verse 1.  David said, “I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.”  He’s talking about a lifestyle of praise and worship to our Lord.  It’s easy to worship when everything is great, but when difficulties arise we should worship Him all the more.  In fact, that is when we need to the most.  When sickness, car problems, unexpected bills, threats and any other undesired things comes up in life, fear will begin to try to get a foothold in your mind and in your heart.  Don’t let it.

Instead begin to do what verse 2 says, “My soul shall make its boast in the Lord; the humble shall hear it and be glad.”   Begin to brag on God and magnify His Name.  Recount the good things He’s done for you through Christ and all the times He’s come through.  Remember His faithfulness and fear not.

Then rejoice.  Verse 3 says you can find some other people to join in and worship Him with you.  So grab your spouse, your kids, call a friend from church, or the dog if you have to and “…exalt His Name together.”

As David magnified the Lord he was delivered from ALL his fears.  As you magnify the Lord in your praise and worship to Him your fears WILL go too.  God is bigger than any of your fears.  Make a habit of praising and worshiping the Lord daily.  Take your vitamin PRAISE and build up your resistance to fear.  Praise the Lord and Fear Not!