April 12, 2015

Hebrews 13:8 & 15 NIV - Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever… 15 Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise…

The Writer of the Book of Hebrews points to Jesus as the Ultimate One. He is greater than Abraham and the Patriarchs, greater than Moses the Lawgiver, greater than Joshua the Warrior, or David the King, or Solomon the Wise, or one of the prophets.  Christ is greater than the Priesthood of Aaron; He is greater than the most righteous of the saints, and greater than the most powerful of angels.  He is the Great mediatorial HIGH PRIEST and the SACRIFICE.  He is the Lord Jesus Christ, who not only mediates the New Covenant, but also secured it with the shedding of His own blood.  He sacrificed his life for us in order to draw Humanity near to the Father.  Therefore, since Jesus offered all of the Sacrifices Himself: Sin, Atonement, Consecration, Sanctification, Devotion, Fellowship…everything, there remains only ONE Sacrifice left for us to offer: THE SACRIFICE OF PRAISE.

The Sacrifice of Praise is a PROPHETIC, and POWERFUL flow of worship that is beyond the limits or range of thought, of categories, or even of experiences.  It is when the Spirit reveals to us the great love and mercy of God in a way that transcends our circumstances and causes our own Hearts to cry out: 

Psalm 57:11 NIV – Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth.

“BE EXALTED O GOD, ABOVE THE HEAVENS!”  This is true worship: transcendent and transformational!  The Sacrifice of Praise is catalytic because it is only offered through Jesus.  Therefore, it is the same creative, sustaining, and powerful flow of the Word of God that is alive, vibrant, and active in the earth right now.  Even when your Life is barren, broken, and marred…even when you feel bound and imprisoned, you can still DECLARE the POWERFUL Word of the Lord within the Sacrifice of Praise!  This is Paul and Silas “singing hymns” in a Philippian Jail cell.  This is Job having lost everything, and yet boldly declaring: “I know that My Redeemer Lives!”

Beloved, there IS power in the Name of Jesus, but it is not given as a “tag line” for our prayers or some sort of Religious “Branding.”  The name of Jesus is Given that we may Personally Know and Prophetically Release in worship THE WORD of God in the fullness of His POWER, for the Glory of the Father!