Praise is defined as: "Bragging, or boasting; holding in high esteem; honoring and adoring."

Someone once wrote: "How greatly we need a school to teach the power of praise! This simplest, and yet mightiest, of all privileges is in danger of being either perverted or forgotten." ~J.F. Jensen.

Yet seasoned soldiers, in this world's armed forces, frequently brag, or boast, about their military commanders or leaders. Even though it is more fiction than fact, because genuine boasting (praising) can only be produced as a result of 'knowing' that someone, on a personal level.

As 'seasoned', or experienced, Prayer Warriors praise, it is part of our stealth bomber for offensive action against the forces of darkness. Other than prayer, there is nothing on earth that satan and his cohorts fear as true praise. They do not know how to cope, because praise is usually offered as a confirmation of GOD's power to intervene miraculously before it actually occurs. Read 2 Chronicles 20: 21,22. Praise is the nemesis. Evil cannot triumph over a praising Prayer Warrior.

There are 3 levels of praise: 1st) For our Commander-in-Chief;  2nd) For what He has already done; and 3rd) For what He can still do, according to His will.. And from these flow five distinct blessings to those doing the praising:

1) It refreshes and rejuvenates our strength. Praise brings inner renewal and reminds us of Whom is really in charge. Worry leaves, it also drives out frustration, stress, and depression. Praising GOD is like receiving a heavenly transfusion. It strengthens our faith and trust.

2) It clears and sharpens our physical and spiritual vision. The devil and his evil angels delight in darkening everything with gloom and doom; making difficulties into impossibilities, and molehills into mountains. They will try to make themselves seem to you bigger, much wiser, and stronger than they really are.

But heavenly light pierces their black shroud when Prayer Warriors start boasting and bragging...praising their Commander-in-Chief! Not only that, but it lifts us above the battle and lets us see things from GOD's perspective.

3) Praise cleanses us of self. It reminds Prayer Warriors that we are not the ones who win this war. Self, or our wants, desires, attitudes, etc...cancels the power of prayer and praise. "...without Me you can do nothing." ~John 15:5.  "I can do all things through CHRIST  who strengthens me." ~Philippians 4:13.

4) Praise supplies power to our intercessions. It brings heaven's heavy artillery into action, and prepares the way for speedy answers. Heaven is very near when we start praising our heavenly Commander-in-Chief. "But Thou art holy , O Thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel." ~Psalm 22:3. Our GOD actually resides, or lives, in our praises!

5) Praise is more effective in our spiritual warfare than the atom bomb is in a military offensive. Praise releases GOD's power. Merlin Carothers of the Foundation of Praise writes: "An important step in the act of praising God is to take our eyes off the threatening circumstances and look to God instead... We are not to be blind to the very real threats of evil in our lives...But we are not to be preoccupied with the appearance of evil around us. See it, admit our helplessness...then turn it over to God." ~Power of Praise 13,14. The battle isn't ours, but God's!

Praise brings our Commander-in-Chief's presence, His power and His heavenly forces to our aid. 

But what is praise? Is it just saying the words "Praise the LORD!" or "Praise GOD!" Are there other words to it?

The best way of explaining is through an illustration:

"Oh, Dad, you are the greatest dad in all the world!" squealed sixteen-year-old Sandy. "You knew exactly what my car needed to look smart. You are so wise and knowledgeable, and so understanding of me."

Sandy tagged along as her dad added a couple extra little swirls to the stripes he'd put on her car. "Oh, Dad, you are the best!" Sandy hugged him. "Aren't you?" she wasn't expecting an answer, she'd already experienced his expertise.

Sandy wasn't just thanking her father for his abilities to spruce up her car; she was praising him for what he was in her estimate. She knew her father well.

Praise is seeing the One we love doing what He does, and exclaiming: "Oh, Father, You know how to do everything! You are the greatest!" This is what Jehoshaphat did, it is recorded in 2 Chronicles 20:6, he began his prayer with...

"...O LORD GOD of our fathers, art not Thou GOD in heaven? and rulest Thou not over all the kingdoms of the heathen? and in Thine hand is there not power and might, so that none is able to withstand Thee? Art Thou not our GOD...?"

So, Prayer Warriors as you begin to praise, fix in your mind our glorious Commander-in-Chief and target His accomplishments.

Praise the Father for His... 

Praise the Father because...

Praise our AWESOME  Father who...

Praise our righteous heavenly Father who is...

Praise our merciful Commander who...

Praise our compassionate Father whose love is...

What is it about praise that "acts" as a code to open heavens gates and gets us immediately into the Headquarters of the High Command?

The answer of course is that praise takes our thoughts off ourselves and what is happening, and focuses our attention totally on our Commander-in-Chief. Which is where the Prayer Warriors attention should always be. Why? Because we know our Commander.

We know beyond doubt that our Commander-in-Chief is a miracle-worker, and that there is no limitations on His power. We know that we can trust Him no matter what, in the good times and the bad.

And remember, satan and his evil cohorts hate it when we pray, and praise, our heavenly Commander. They simply cannot remain in the presence of a Prayer Warrior who is immersed in praise.

CHECK IT OUT: Whenever you encounter a heavenly Headquarter scene in the Bible, you'll find the angels all praising GOD. Not leaping up, clapping, or waving their arms... but bowing in adoration their faces to the ground...or singing in unison in a choir "Holy, Holy, Holy...!" Praise is the language of heaven!!

Prayer Warriors, never stop sharpening and expanding your battle skills. Our Commander-in-Chief is waiting for us to expand our abililties to take a stronger role in His earthly army.

The following story is found in The Kneeling Christian (published by Zondervan in 1977), p126:  "At one time in his life Praying Hyde (John Hyde) was led to ask for four souls a day to be brought into the fold of his ministry. If on any day the number fell short of this, there would be such a weight on his heart that it was positively painful, and he could neither eat nor sleep. Then in prayer he would ask the Lord  to show him what was the obstacle in himself. He invaribly found that it was want of praise in his life. He would confess his sinfulness and pray for a spirit of praise. He said that as he praised God seeking souls would come to him..."

Think of what Prayer Warriors could accomplish for our awesome heavenly Commander-in-Chief if we were all praising Him!

What battles are you, dear friend, fighting right now? Have you tried the praise method of warfare? Remember the words of our Commander-in-Chief in 2 Chronicles 20:15-17, He said: "Be not afraid or dismayed at this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but GOD's... You shall not need to fight this battle, take your position, stand still, and see the deliverance of the LORD."  

Someone once said "Praise and Thanksgiving go together like a hand in a glove."  Praise focuses on who our heavenly Family are, while Thanksgiving is an expression of what GOD has done or is doing for us or whom we're praying for.

The little illustration in Praise Power equally demonstrates a gratitude attitude. After praising her dad for his great work and how wonderful he was, Sandy's next words are: "Thank you, thank you, thank you. A thousand times, thank you!"

As we teeter on the edge of eternity, and satan's wrath continues to explode in greater violence, deception, and depravity, we are not taken by surprise. Our heavenly Commander carefully laid divine plans for an 'armed force' of  Prayer Warriors to battle in His strength and power against this tide of evil.

We know from personal battle experience this war is won inch by inch only via the means our GOD has supplied us. And when the enemy sees the light of faith on our faces and hears our praises and thanks keeping time with the cadence of our marching, they tremble.

Take a brief glance with me at one of JESUS' prayers. This happened just before He commanded the dead Lazarus to come out of his grave. In the hearing of everyone, He said: "Father, I thank You that You have heard Me..." ~John 11:41,42.

You and I, as members of GOD's armed forces on earth, must learn from our Commander's example the secret of a gratitude attitude BEFORE our prayers are answered.

In 1 Thessalonians 5:18, Christians are commanded to: "Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is GOD's will for you in CHRIST JESUS."  And: "Always give thanks to GOD for everything, in the name of our LORD JESUS CHRIST." ~Ephesians 5:20. It is not our business or responsibility to calculate how our prayers are to be answered; but to obey, praise, and give thanks to our loving, heavenly Father, and leave the outcome to Him. Remember, He knows the end from the beginning, and He never makes mistakes.

Has misfortune so dashed your hopes and sapped your strength that you wish the ground would open beneath your feet and bury you? Just make sure that that hole reverberates with praise and thanksgiving to GOD. House burn down? Praise and thank GOD, for you have an eternal mansion in the heavenly kingdom. Lose your job? Praise and thank GOD, because He is giving you a crash course in faith and trust. Has your spouse or sweetheart quit you? Praise and thank GOD, because now you can understand a little of His pain when people quit Him. Have your children rejected your Christianity? Praise and thank GOD, because now you know something about His feelings when the human race insist on going their own way. Whether life pats you on the head or punches you in the face, praise and thank the Father. A better day is on its way!

If we, Prayer Warriors especially, can show satan and his cohorts that we are not intimidated by their evil, the battles will be won much quicker. We don't know how much longer this war will last, but all praise and thanks go to our heavenly Family, because satan and his evil and everything associated with him was defeated on the cross.

The challenge I bring to you, Prayer Warriors, is we must practice the priciples and skills that have been shared with you. They are not just for reading material. Battle by battle, defeat the enemy, bring honor and glory to the Father's name. Also, demonstrate His character before others. The greatest untapped power source on earth is yours. Start using it!