Introduction
There are evenings when you do not come before God with a light heart. You arrive with a head full of prayer requests, situations weighing on you, "mountains" that seem to never move. And yet, what God is waiting for that evening is not first your list of needs. It is a sacrifice of praise. An offering that rises from your lips before you have even seen anything change.
The text that carried the evening "Overflow Worship: Sacrifice of Praise" was Hebrews 13:15: "Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name." Three words to remember: through him, continually, fruit of lips. That is everything. It is the path that prepares the night of your miracles.
Outline of the Article
1. "Through Him": Praise Begins With the Holy Spirit
The first phrase of the verse is "through him." You cannot offer a true sacrifice of praise if the one who fills you is not there. The preacher repeated it like a refrain: "Holy Spirit, fill this jar of clay that I am." Without him, you can do nothing.
The sacrifice of praise is not first a technique or a good mood you force yourself to put on. It is the fruit of a heart that is inhabited. You begin by desiring his presence, you say yes to him, and the Spirit fills this vessel of clay that you are. Only then does your praise become a pleasing fragrance.
2. "Continually": Praising Even in the Face of Mountains
In the Bible, a sacrifice costs something. A sacrifice of praise is praising when it is not the easiest moment to do so. It is telling God, in the face of your difficult situation: "Whatever may happen, you remain God."
Hosea 14:2 already says it in the Old Testament: "We will offer the fruit of our lips instead of bulls." The offering of your lips is more powerful than a bull placed on the altar. Praise is giving witness of respect and honor to God, even when nothing has moved yet in your life.
If every trial makes you stop praising, your life will not move forward at the pace God has planned. Praising continually means refusing to let the circumstance have the last word.
3. "The Fruit of Lips": Your Word Is Powerful
This sacrifice is very concrete: "the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name." These are words. Spoken words. You can praise in your heart, yes, but there comes a moment when your mouth must open.
Ecclesiastes 8:4 says: "The word of the king is supreme, and who may say to him, 'What are you doing?'" Now God has made us kings and priests (Revelation 1:6). So your word, when it comes out of a heart filled with the Holy Spirit, is powerful. It does not fall into a void.
4. A Praise That Prepares the Miracle
The link with miracles is 1 John 5:14: "This is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us." A praise that aligns your heart with God prepares a request that is according to his will. And then everything changes.
Jesus says in Mark 11:23: "Whoever says to this mountain, 'Be taken up and thrown into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him." And Psalm 33:9 adds: "He spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm." If he made you a king and a priest, what you command through his Spirit can happen too.
5. Where There Is Sacrifice, There Is Fire
This is the phrase that closed the message before the prayer: "Where there is the sacrifice, there is the fire." You cannot expect to see the fire of God fall on your life if you place nothing on the altar. Fire responds to sacrifice, not to emptiness.
The wall of Jericho fell after seven days of marching and a shout of praise (Hebrews 11:30). Your night of miracles begins when you offer your praise before you have seen the result.
Key Takeaways
- Everything begins with the Holy Spirit. Without him filling your jar of clay, there is no true sacrifice of praise.
- The sacrifice of praise costs something. It is praising when things are not going well, telling God that he remains God no matter what happens.
- Your mouth must open. The fruit of lips is spoken words, not just an inner thought.
- Your word is powerful because God made you a king and a priest in Christ.
- Where there is a sacrifice, there is a fire. Put something on the altar, and expect to see God respond.
Personal Application
- What is the "mountain" in front of which you stopped praising these past months? What do you want to say to God out loud tonight?
- When you open your mouth to pray, is it more often to complain or to give honor? What can you change this week?
- Is there a place in your home where you can set aside ten minutes each day for a "sacrifice of praise" before even presenting your requests?
- On what specific point do you want to ask the Holy Spirit to fill "the jar of clay" that you are?
- What word of authority, aligned with God's will, do you finally need to dare to speak over your situation?
Verses Cited
- Hebrews 13:15, foundational text
- Hebrews 11:30, the walls of Jericho
- Hosea 14:2, the offering of the lips
- Ecclesiastes 8:4, the word of the king is powerful
- 1 John 5:14, asking according to his will
- Mark 11:23, speaking to the mountain
- Psalm 33:9, he spoke and it came to be
- Revelation 1:6, kings and priests
FAQ
What is a "sacrifice of praise" according to Hebrews 13:15?
It is a praise that costs something, offered to God through Jesus, and it takes the concrete form of the "fruit of lips," words spoken that acknowledge his name, even when the circumstances do not make it easy.
Why start by praising before asking for a miracle?
Because praise aligns your heart with God, prepares your request to be "according to his will" (1 John 5:14), and reminds you of who he is. Where there is the sacrifice, there is the fire: God responds to a heart that honors him before expecting anything in return.
Can I only praise in my heart, without speaking?
Yes, you can, and God hears it. But the text speaks of the "fruit of lips": there comes a moment when the word must come out. Your mouth speaks what rises up from your heart, and that word, when spoken in Christ, carries real power.
Never miss a sermon from Impact Centre Chrétien Montréal
A clear summary of every new message, delivered to you.
to take notes and ask questions.