How Do I Get My Cat To Actually USE His Scratching Post?

My cat, Felix, is four years old. He's tore up the bottom of my Mom's chair and my couch. I bought him a scratching post but he won't use it. He does nothing more than sniff at it. I even rubbed catnip all over it in hopes to entice him over but all he did was lick the post and then walk off. HELP D: