Isaiah 61:3
Beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment
of praise for the spirit of heaviness.
If we are not wearing the garment of praise, we are not to
able to walk in the righteousness that belongs to us. First the garment then
the robe of righteousness.
Isa. 61:10, 11 He has clothed us the undergarment of
salvation, then the garment of praise, and then the robe of righteousness will
spring forth for people to see.
Exodus 28:2-4
We wear these a garments for
1) Glory and Beauty
2) To consecrate him
3) That we may minister to God in the Priests office
Exodus 30:8 he shall burn incense upon it a perpetual
incense before the Lord.
Ephesians 5:15 We are to God a sweet
savour of Christ
Revelation 5:8: Golden vials full of incense, which are the
prayers of the saints.
As saints, as Priests, we are offer up perpetual (continuing, non-ending) Praise and Prayers unto God.
Psalm 22:3 You God, that dwelled in the praises of Israel,
he dwells in ours too.
Job 29:14 I put on righteousness and it clothed me. My
Judgment was as a robe and a a crown of royalty.
Psalm 132:9 Let your Priests be dressed with a righteousness
.
Luke 15 Bring the best robe and put it on him, and put a
ring on of his hand and shoes on his feet.
God has given us the best robe to put on, his righteousness.
As the Prodigal son was brought back into right standing with the Father, so
we are brought in to right standing when we put robe on.
Isaiah 11:5 Righteousness will be the girding of his loins
and faithfulness the girding of his emotions. Righteousness will under gird
you and stabilize your emotions.
Isaiah 59:1-6, 17 His arm brought salvation unto him and his
righteousness sustained him. He put on righteousness as a breastplate, the
garment of vengeance for clothing and zeal as a cloak. Jesus to us.
Isaiah 62: 1-3 Righteousness thereof goes forward as
brightness and the salvation as a lamp that burns. Gentiles will see your
Righteousness and all kings your glory. You will be called by a new name.
You will also be a Crown if of glory (beauty) in the hand of
the Lord, and a royal diadem in hand of our God.
What I would like to get across is have is the true purpose
and necessity of praise as our garment. How many times have you heard that Praise
prepares people to receive from God, or it sets the mood for the sermon. That
is true, but only a small part of it. I mentioned three things that praise is
for at the beginning.
1) For glory and beauty
2) Consecration
3)That we minister to God
Praise is not something we do if we feel like it. It is as
necessary to the spirit man, and as clothing is to the physical body. You
wouldn't think about going out without your clothes. Then why do we try to
function in the Spirit realm without our spiritual garments on. We should not
start our day with out praising and Worshipping our God. Not just for what he
does but for who he is. It is as much a commandment to praise as it is to
love. How do you love the Lord your God with all your body, soul and spirit?
By worshipping Him in Spirit and in truth. David Worshiped God with every
fibre of his being, or with all his might. II Sam. 6:14
Psalm 104:33, Psalm 63:4,5, Psalm 146:2, Psalm 34:1-3, Psalm
103:1-3
All these scriptures show that it is an act of your will to
bless the Lord. You must decide to put on clothes. If you can't decide what to
say, read the Psalms to him.
Psalm 100 is an excellent one. Also Psalm 135, 136, 138, 144
- 150
Psalms 134 is an exhortation to praise the Lord.
Behold Bless the Lord all of you servants of the Lord,
which stand by night in the House of the Lord. Lift up your hands in the
Sanctuary and bless the Lord. The Lord that made heaven and earth, bless you
out of Zion.
We owe it to our God to bless him, for he is a good and His
mercy endures forever. God is not a selfish God, that wants all the praise and a
return nothing to us. Any thing that he asks us to do is always a benefit to
us. Praise has so many benefits for us. It edifies, brings deliverance, peace,
joy and so much more. But most of all it brings us into fellowship with Him.
Psalm 22:3 It purifies our speech and produces only a
precious words that God is worthy of. (Isaiah 6: 1-10)and prepares us to speak
to others.
Praise means - Thanksgiving, psalm, confession, courage,
Excellency, glory, commendation, to bless, declare, to stretch out the hand,
to speak well of, boast, to hymn.
God will speak to us, answer prayers, and bless us more
when we minister to Him then when we merely petition Him.
