By Bishop David Oyedepo
There are battles in your life that appear obviously mightier than your strength, and tougher than your wisdom. Because of the complex nature of the battles, you don’t know what else to do. You have done all you know to do, but all to no avail. When you switch over to praise, God will show up in your favour.

Last week, I taught on what happens in praise. This week, I will show you what I have titled, Making praise to happen! I want you to know that your praises constitute a covenant trigger for your blessings. The Bible says: “Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee. Then shall the earth yield her increase; and God, even our own God, shall bless us. God shall bless us; and all the ends of the earth shall fear him.” (Psalm 67:5-7). That is, the earth is not permitted to yield her increase without your praises.

Our church, no doubt, is an addicted giving church, made up of giving people. But why is not every giver prospering? It is because there is a missing key. Ignorance is no excuse in law. “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.” (Hosea 4:6). Let all that desire to see their harvest praise God. You are the one to make praise to happen! Murmuring and complaining are hindrances to praise.

No murmurer is entitled to God’s blessing. Every complainer complicates his/her case with God. Divine supplies will always respond to the praises of God’s people. If you are not a praising believer, you are not permitted to prosper. Giving is sowing the seed, speaking positive words is watering the seed, while high praises reap the harvest.

Joel 3:13 says: “Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe…” You cannot bring in the harvest without the sickle. High praise is the sickle for the harvest of your seeds sown. The seed of your time, energy, and resources will only respond to high praises. God always reacts against murmuring. What makes you murmur is that you do not regard the works of the Lord and the operations of His hands in your life.

According to Psalm 28:5, “Because they regard not the works of the Lord, nor the operation of his hands, he shall destroy them, and not build them up. So, beware!”

Two principal types of seed in Scripture: Service or stewardship seed: This entitles you to returns. “And ye shall serve the Lord your God, and he shall bless thy bread, and thy water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee. There shall nothing cast their young…the number of thy days I will fulfil.” (Exodus 23:25-26). Everyone involved in promoting God’s kingdom is entitled to returns.

Returns answer to praise. Your harvest is ripe, but you have to put in the sickle of praise to have it. All labour in the kingdom entitles you to returns. (Proverbs 14:23).

Material seed: God says your material seed entitles you to His return (Malachi 3:6-10). Your harvest is guaranteed, when you sow you seed according to scriptures (Luke 6:38). Also, your giving is a seed which entitles you to a return. From these two channels, you are entitled to double blessings. For your shame, you shall have double (Isaiah 61:7). Solomon sowed love seed (I Kings 3:3,13). Besides, he was a celebrated singer and he wrote 1005 songs (I Kings 4:32) and he was blessed mightily (I Kings 4:22-23).

Why is the devil after your joy?

1. He wants to rub you of God’s presence, which makes supernatural difference. You can’t carry God’s presence without the fullness of joy. He knows that with God’s presence, you are untouchable and ‘unarrestable’ (Romans 8:31). Don’t let the devil puncture your joy. If he does, you stand to lose God’s presence.