Before reading this post, watch this video please:

For those of you who found the video a little confusing, I have to tell you that the language spoken in this video is mainly Spanish. I understand clearly what the preacher is saying but there are other Spanish speakers who may start criticizing what’s going on in there.

The video took place in a Congress of Pentecostal churches inside a Coliseum, here in Puerto Rico. All the churchgoers in this video are basically just praising the Lord, shouting with all their hearts and voices.

The critics of this video describe this scene as: a disturbance, a mess, a turmoil, a racket, a brawl, full of violence, hostile, a revolt, turbulent, a riot, an uprising…some may even compare it mockingly to a WWE show.

But, do their opinions really matter? What does the Bible say about this? What did Jesus do about this, when he saw people praising and giving a shout to God?

What the Bible says about praising the Lord:

Psalm 22:3 “Yet you are Holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel”

Psalm 50:23 “He who sacrifices thank offerings honors me, and he prepares the way so that I may show him the salvation of God.”

So, should we praise God with our voices or should we keep silent?

Psalm 69:30 “I will praise God’s name in song and glorify Him with thanksgiving.”
Hebrews 13:15-16: “Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise-the fruit of lips that confess His name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.”

What did Jesus do when confronted with people giving a shout of praise?

Luke 19:37-40 “When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen: ‘Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!’ ‘Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!’

Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, ‘Teacher, rebuke your disciples!’ ‘I tell you,’ he replied, ‘if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”

I ask you now: Are you a Pharisee or are you a disciple of Christ?

Is Heaven a silent place where nobody shouts and praises the Lord?

Revelations 7:9-10 “After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a LOUD voice: ‘Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.’

My conclusion: those who praise the Lord with a LOUD voice, please the Lord. You don’t have to like it, they are not praising you. God is the One who has to like it, He knows our heart, He knows if we are thankful to Him.

But beware!!! Do NOT become like a Pharisee and start criticizing what you do not understand… or worse: may you never become a person who mocks the manifestations of the Holy Spirit. There’s a very, very thin line between criticizing and the blasphemy of the Holy Ghost which is the ONLY unforgivable sin.

Be thankful, give a shout to the Lord with all your voice and your heart. God is pleased when you do it.