Praise Warrior
Living in the Presence of God
by
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CHAPTER 1
WHAT IS A PRAISE WARRIOR?
Have you ever experienced a Praise and Worship service that felt like a preview of heaven? I had that privilege in 1990 at a Billy Graham Crusade in Knickerbocker Arena in Albany, NY. I was part of a 3,000 member choir singing a hymn along with a “congregation” of about 15,000 people. The building literally shook, and it felt like the roof was going to lift off! Corporate praise in heaven will be even more awesome than that! But, before corporate praise, comes personal praise. The purpose of this book is to explore what God teaches us about praise and worship. “God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth" (John 4:24).
Does the term Praise Warrior strike you as somewhat of an oxymoron? Let me explain the term by referring to one of my favorite Scripture passages in Matthew 4. Jesus had just been baptized by His cousin John and withdrew to the wilderness “to be tempted by the devil” (verse 1). The fact that Satan had the audacity to think that he could cause the Son of God to sin staggers the imagination, but he went even further:
“Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world, and their glory; and he said to Him, "All these things will I give You, if You fall down and worship me." Then Jesus said to him, "Begone, Satan! For it is written, 'You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.' Then the devil left Him; and behold, angels came and began to minister to Him” (Matthew 4:8-11).
Before we consider the tremendous truth that this passage teaches, let us consider exactly what praise and worship mean. Praise is the attitude of thanksgiving and devotion to God for His blessings, holiness, and works. Worship is the act of honoring God, bowing low before Him, and having a deep sense of awe and an awareness of His presence. Together they define our relationship with our Lord and determine the course of our spiritual lives.
In the Bible passage above we are privy to Jesus’ first spiritual battle as He begins His earthly ministry. Satan knows how important the battleground for our heart is. He will try every trick in the book to prevent us from having an intimate relationship with our Heavenly Father. He will try lies, bribes, and the distractions of the world to prevent our developing an eternal spiritual bond. It is nothing short of spiritual warfare of universal proportions.
Jesus does not hesitate for a moment. He immediately rejects Satan’s lie as well as his attempt to bribe Him with a promise he has no power to fulfill. Even more amazing, Jesus completely strips Satan of any power over Him, by quoting Scripture!
This is the essence of Praise Warrior. Praising the Lord at all times is our natural response to the love of the Lord. The Word of God teaches us why He is worthy of worship and exposes Satan’s lies, guarding our hearts and minds from the love of the world.
If you were to ask me how I would describe a Praise Warrior based on my personal experience with the Lord, I would characterize this person as one developing a heart like David’s. “He raised up David to be their king, concerning whom He also testified and said, ' I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My heart, who will do all My will” (Acts 13:22). I do not compare myself to David, the anointed King, but I do identify with the David, the repentant sinner. The longer I linger in the presence of the Lord, the more I love Him, the more I desire to worship Him and the more I want to obey Him. God embraces the praises of His blood-bought children and welcomes our obedient service. Deep abiding faith and joy is the byproduct of becoming a committed Praise Warrior.
The Bible is God’s love letter to us. He wants us to know Him intimately and bond with Him spiritually. As we grow spiritually we will learn to delight in His love and His blessings forever.
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About the Book
Rejoice always! You’ve probably read the verse, but what does it mean? Praise Warrior is the result of Gail Appel’s search for an understanding of what that admonition means and how to obey it. The Christian experience is meant to be joy filled, and the source of that joy is a vibrant, personal relationship with God on a daily basis. Over the course of thirty-five years, Gail has tasted deeply from the well of spiritual water within the Word of God. This book organizes devotional material to make the most of your time with the Lord. Meditating on God’s attributes, the names of Christ, who we are in Christ, and how to rejoice in the Spirit changes our hearts forever! Kingdom living is the privilege of every believer, and we don’t need to wait for eternity to experience joy on a daily basis.
About the Author
Gail Appel is a wife, small group Bible teacher, intercessory prayer warrior, and author who lives in Chattanooga, Tennessee. She is passionate about Jesus and is an active servant in her local church. She is the author of Prayer Warrior: Praying According to God’s Will. She honed her research skills while earning a degree in anthropology from the State University of New York at Brockport.