When is the Right Time to Praise?

            Have you ever been in a battle?  OK, who among us hasn’t?  The better question is probably have you ever wondered how you were going to make it through a battle?  I often find it interesting to see how different people face and deal with the battles in their lives.  How many times have you or I been in a battle and wondered if God was able to deliver or help us?  How many times have we wondered what the outcome was going to be and if this just might be the battle that destroys us completely?

            That brings me to my thought for today.  When do we praise God?  When is the right time to praise Him?  Generally speaking, many of us take the Miriam approach and praise God when the battle is over and we have clearly won.  I am referring to Exodus 15, after the Israelites crossed the Red Sea.  In that chapter, Miriam, Moses’ sister, picked up a tambourine and had herself a praise party.

^{Exodus 15:20} Miriam the prophetess, Aaron’s sister, took the timbrel in her hand, and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dancing. ²¹ Miriam answered them, “Sing to the Lord, for He is highly exalted; the horse and his rider He has hurled into the sea.”

         
   It is very common and very appropriate to praise God for the good things He has done.  So many times we could talk about how He has come to our aid and brought victory and deliverance.  Of course He is worthy of our praise and thanksgiving in those moments. 
        
    Yet there is another approach that we find in Scripture.  In 2 Chronicles 20, Jehoshaphat was facing a battle with Moab and Ammon.  There was fear and uncertainty among the people as to whether or not they could be victorious.  Yet, we find a powerful principle instituted that day.  They went into the battle in praise.

^{2 Chronicles 20:20} They rose early in the morning and went out to the wilderness of Tekoa; and when they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Listen to me, O Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, put your trust in the Lord your God and you will be established. Put your trust in His prophets and succeed.” ²¹ When he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who sang to the Lord and those who praised Him in holy attire, as they went out before the army and said, “Give thanks to the Lord, for His lovingkindness is everlasting.” ²² When they began singing and praising, the Lord set ambushes against the sons of Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; so they were routed. ²³ For the sons of Ammon and Moab rose up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir destroying them completely; and when they had finished with the inhabitants of Seir, they helped to destroy one another.

            This one is a bit less common.  How many of us ever find ourselves entering a battle in an attitude or mindset of praise?  Yet, how often do we come out of a battle in the same manner in which we entered the battle?  If we go into a battle with a mindset of defeat we come out of the battle defeated. 

            Therefore, the challenge that is before us is this –

PRAISE ON BOTH SIDES OF THE BATTLE!!

            Is this easy?  Nope.  Is it natural?  Not usually.  Is it powerful?  You better believe it.  And seeing as usually we are either going into a battle, in the midst of a battle, or just coming out of a battle, that means the answer to my question of when is the right time to praise is this – THE RIGHT TIME IS NOW.