I really sense that God is calling our prayer groups to a fuller, freer, more abounding, joyful, whole hearted, God-absorbed praise. Not so much because of the resulting wonders that such praise might bring but because God himself is so wonderful, magnificent, beautiful beyond our imaginings. He is the creator of the stars, the seas, the galaxies, the God of colour, music, dance and wonderful art. He is the Lord and the giver of life.

Scripture is full of encouragement to praise God. “Honour him with all your strength and do not tire for you can never praise him enough,” it says in Sirach 43.30 and in 1 Peter 2.9 we are called to be “a people set apart to sing the praises of God”. Likewise in Isaiah 43.21 we are called to be “the people whom I formed for myself that they might announce my praises.”

In Ruth Ward Heflin’s wonderful book, “Glory” she tells us to “remain in praise until you are clothed with power from on high.” And I have found from my own experience that in the midst of anointed praise the Holy Spirit gives light to solve the puzzles of life. In the early days of the CCR praise of God was the normal way for leaders to approach decisions and fruitfulness followed. As it says in Psalm 49.4 “I will solve my riddle to the music of the lyre”. In 2. Kings 3.15 the Lord’s word came while the minstrel played and sang. Thus in praise together resentments are dispelled, the walls of division crumble, the prophetic word is spoken, gifts of the spirit are poured out, often followed by a deep contemplative silence.

The word in my heart is :“Give the power back to God. The battle is mine says the Lord.” Ruth Heflin writes, “When you and I worship we are unstopping our bottles of perfume and pouring them out. Let us not in any way be skimpy, just giving him a dab or two. Let’s be lavish, generous and worship him with words and songs of love.”

Last week in our prayer meeting in Mohill we moved beyond our usual time of praise. The praise was loud, long and growing in freedom. I felt a great joy. I love to dance and I wanted to dance in joy before the throne of God and felt in some way we were in harmony with the praises going on in heaven. After the meeting a prophetic friend said to me, “for the first time in ages I have felt we allowed God to be on his throne and in the praise and worship unseen things were happening.”

FIGHTING WITH THE WEAPON OF PRAISE

If you, like us, feel that the Holy Spirit is longing to create new praise in your group why not begin now, enter his gates with thanksgiving, his courts with praise. He says “Stay in praise until you are clothed with power from on high”. At this time I sense a call to the Catholic Charismatic Renewal to fully open up the gift of praise. Out of it everything else will flow.

Some books I recommend to help you in this are “Glory” by Ruth Ward Heflin (McDougall Publishing) and 2 Corinthians 5:11-14 has some wonderful scripture about the anointing that follows praise and worship. I always remember a prophecy from the 1970s that was given by Hazel McElvoy during the tense time of the workers’ strike in Northern Ireland. “You are my army and I am calling you to fight, not with worldly weapons, but with the weapons of Praise. Praise is the short cut to holiness, the work and the weapon are one.”

This Pentecost let us full-heartedly give the Lord a novena of praise in honour of his Holy Name and pray in a special way from Ascension Thursday to Pentecost.