1) PRAISE GLORIFIES GOD.
AT the First Christmas Night, the angels sang, “Glory to God in The Highest and on earth peace, goodwill towards men”.
Again in Psalm 50 it says, “Whoso offereth praise, glorifieth Me.
2) SINGING & HOLY SPIRIT FILLING.
Ephesians 5:18b &19 “Be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord,” Somehow, there is a divine link between fervent Christian singing & Holy Spirit Infilling.
At the dedication of King Solomon’s Temple, the singers were gathered to praise God in unison. 2 Chronicles 5:13 &14, “It came to pass, as the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of the LORD; So that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud; for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of God.” At the 1st Symphony of Solomon’s Temple in praising God the Holy Spirit came down like a cloud – no one is able to do anything. Everyone is Lost in The Awesome Wonder of The Presence of God The Holy Spirit!
3) REVIVAL DAYS ARE DAYS OF SINGING & PRAISING GOD.
In the Great Moravian Revival of 1727, there were days of Blessed Singing. Many hymn writters originate from the Moravian Church. Among them is James Montgomery who wrote “According To Thy Gracious Word”. Among the favourite is ,
Prayer is the soul’s sincere desire,
Uttered or unexpressed;
The motion of a hidden fire;
That trembles in the breast.”
Among the converts of The Moravian Movement were John & Charles Wesley, who founded the Methodist Church. Charles Wesley wrote 6,000 hymns. If it takes Charles Wesley each week to compile 4 hymns – 6.000 hymns equals 4 hymns weekly for 28 years!
4} CONVERSION BY SINGING
During a Christian Camp that I attended long ago, I heard a brother giving his testimony. He said he fell into the drug habit and was caught and sent to jail. He lamented, “Curiosity Kills; curiosity kills the cat! Curiosity kills the tiger! He took drug out of curiosity. There in the prison – alone and desolate – he heard singing, singing of Sunday School songs which he learnt as a child. The words in the songs came with convicting power by the Holy Spirit. There and then he accepted Christ as his Lord & Saviour.
5) Homer Rodeheaver – Song Leader In Billy Sunday Crusade.
Billy Sunday was a powerful soul winner during the early 20th century in North America. Mettings were held in tents and converts would walk down the saw dust trail to receive Christ publicly. However, Billy Sunday was unable to speak as he was delayed by some unforeseen event. So Homer Rodeheaver the Song Leader took over the Entire Meeting in the singing of many gospel songs. As the singing progressed the Spirit of God descended in great power. The Song Leader was led to give the invitation there and then & many responded, got up went forward toward the platform to accept Christ as Saviour.
6) GARMENT OF PRAISE FOR THE SPIRIT OF HEAVINESS (Isaiah61:3)
Perhaps you are feeling down now. Don’t despair, if you feel cold in winter you have to put on winter clothes. You might not feel warm instantly, but after a while with your body heat built up you will definitely feel warm So put on the garment of praise; start praising God and you, too, will feel the warm of the Holy Spirit enveloping you.
7) SINGING PRAISES TO GOD MORE POWERFUL THAN JUST PRAYING.
When Apostle Peter was in prison, the Church prayed. God sent an angel to deliver him. The chains fell off Peter’s hands and the prison iron gate opened by itself. But when Paul & Silas prayed & sang praises to God – ALL THE PRISON DOORS WERE OPENED IMMEDIATELY & ALL THE CHAINS FELL OFF ALL THE PRISONERS’ HANDS!! (Acts 16). So Prayer saved Peter one person while Praising Saved Paul, Silas & All The Other Prisoners!
Note: The iron gate that opened on its own accord in Acts 12:10 is the First Automatic Gate In The World. Many years later some wise guy invented the Automatic Gate powered by Remote Control & Electricity! The English word “automatic” is not a translation, it is actually a direct transliteration from greek “automate”.
8)CONTINUAL FEAST
But a Cheerful heart has A Continual Feast (Proverbs 15:15)
For a period of 10 years I drove weekly from Singapore to KL for work. It was a jouney of 4 hours each way. Looking back at those days brought gladness to my heart. In the beginning I listened to “HYMNS TRIUMPHANT 1 & 2 by the London Phiharmonic through music tapes. Later I could sing almost all the songs by memory It was a continual feast of song after song on my four hour ride back. Happy times passed fast. In no time I reached home.
9) THE CHIEF EMPLOYMENT OF HEAVEN.
There be three things which are done on earth 1) Preaching 2) Praying & 3) Singing.
In the Heavenly Kingdom we will no longer be preaching or witnessing. There is no need to pray as we are already in the Immediate Presence of God. But we will continue to sing and praise God all the time. Revelaion 19:1″ And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto THE LORD OUR GOD.” ALLELUIA means PRAISE YE THE LORD. ALLELUIA is repeated 3 more times in Rev. 19.
One of the Best Compilation on earth is Handel’s MESSIAH. When the queen of England 1st heard it she stood up in Standing Ovation. JESUS IS KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS> AMEN & AMEN.