Shoulder To Shoulder #1233 -- 4/5/21 ---- "Stand Up! Stand Firm! Stand Strong! (part Eleven -- The Projectile of Praise)"
Posted by: lifeunlimited <lifeunlimited@...>
SHOULDER TO SHOULDER is a weekly letter of encouragement Bob has written since 1997, covering many topics
selected to motivate people to be strong students of the Word and courageous witnesses of Jesus Christ.
It is a personal letter of encouragement to you, written solely to help "lift up hands that hang down".
"The world will not be destroyed by those who do evil,
but by those who watch them without doing anything." -- Albert Einstein
“There is a common, worldly kind of Christianity in this day,
which many have, and think they have -- a cheap Christianity
which offends nobody, and requires no sacrifice, which
costs nothing, -- and is worth nothing.” – J. C. Ryle
"Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica,
for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the
Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so." -- Dr. Luke (Acts 17:11)
Shoulder To Shoulder #1233 -- 4/5/21
Title: "Stand Up! Stand Firm! Stand Strong! (part Eleven -- The Projectile of Praise)"
My Dear Friend and Fellow Kingdom Seeker:
"KRISTOS VOS KRES!" CHRIST IS RISEN!
Today I greet you for the final time -- at least for awhile -- from the desert country of Yuma, AZ. We leave Wednesday on our return trip to our home in the Ozarks before returning next month to the mountain country of eastern Arizona's White Mountains for another Summer of ministry with Greer Chapel. Although our Yuma ministry officially concluded the last Sunday of March, nineteen Chapel de Oro members gathered yesterday in our home to celebrate the resurrection of our Savior and King, the Lord Jesus Christ. After some coffee and donuts, we sang and sang before observing Communion. Donna Pease had selected wonderful songs of the resurrection and life in Christ.
It would have been wonderful to have had you hear joining in with us as we sang songs like, . . . "Alive, Alive, Alive Forevermore", . . . "He’s Alive Again", . . . "Christ the Lord Is Risen Today", . . . "He Lives", . . .. "He Paid a Debt", . . . and "Our God Reigns". It was a wonderful time we'll not soon forget. We didn't have the big choir, the auditorium-style pageantry, and the rafter-shaking sounds of the organ, but we did spend time in the Lord's presence -- like a family, actually. It left us hungry for our next "family reunion" -- either Chapel de Oro or heaven; either one will be just fine.
It is not coincidental, I think, in God's plan that we look at today's subject in adjacent proximity to the celebration of Easter. The eight preceding days were volatile with events that stirred human emotions to their peak, but it was all sandwiched in -- like book-ends on a library shelf -- with times of praise. They began with the praise and rejoicing of a people celebrating the arrival of their long-awaited king -- only to see him arrested, tortured, and executed as a criminal. They ended with the announcement that He wasn't dead. He had been dead, . . . but He wasn't anymore! He was alive. He had been seen -- not just by one, or even a few, but by hundreds. Scripture tells us according to Paul that by the time of the Day of Pentecost He had been seen by well over 500 people.
No wonder it was a time of praise!
So, as we near the end of our study on spiritual warfare, it is fitting that we also hit the high note of praise. Not only because it focuses on our risen Christ, but also because it is a wonderful tool for dissuading and even defeating the enemy. And, that's what I want to address today -- the "Projectile of Praise". I will do that right after you consider . . .
THIS 'N' THAT:
+ It's Twitter Again: Has Twitter's heart gone all a'flutter yet? Not in the least. Once again they are censoring free speech, freedom of expression, and freedom of religion. Yesterday they took on one of the most courageous Christians we have in Congress, Marjorie Taylor Greene, and suspended her twitter account right after she posted "He is Risen! Happy Easter!" Read the account at https://www.con-alerts.com/twitter-drops-the-mask-mtg-is-banned/ . Twitter subsequently said that it was "in error", but why is that hard to believe?
+ You MUST Watch This! Obviously you don't have to, but this is one of the most powerful Easter-related songs I've ever heard. Watch these two sisters use the familiar "Hallelujah" tune to describe the death and resurrection of Christ. You'll want to pass it on. Go to https://www.godtube.com/watch/?v=1C911JNU&utm_source=GodTube%20Must-See%20(PD)&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=04/03/2021&utm_source=GodTube%20Must-See%20Video&utm_campaign=GodTube%20Must-See%20Video&utm_medium=email&utm_content=4582619&recip=521085018 .
+ PRAY FOR MY FRIENDS: Please pray for "M", "M2", and their families. They are two of the four key leaders of the Farsi ministry we began in 2006. It began with "M" when he was just 18 years old, and has grown to be the largest social media ministry to Farsi speakers in the world with over 750,000 visits a month to their social media network. Both men were hospitalized with COVID-19 in their respective cities in eastern Europe until last Tuesday. They are now recuperating at home with ongoing monitoring and tests.
+ America's War With Judeo-Christian Values: Dennis Prager is one of my favorite political and cultural analysts. If I were to become part of the Jewish faith, I'd want to be like him in his beliefs. Here's a great article by Dennis, entitled "America's Current Civil War Rages Over Judeo-Christian Values". It's well worth reading. Thanks, Dennis Prager! Go to https://www.dailysignal.com/2021/03/30/the-american-civil-war-is-over-judeo-christian-values/ .
+ Unique Jewish Jewelry: I suppose because I am a strong supporter of Israel and receive a number of messianic news reports, this particular link comes to my Inbox every so often. I normally delete it because it sells products. However, Friday I noticed its advertisement about Passover jewelry. When I clicked on the "Rings" section, I was pleasantly surprised to see that almost all of them were wonderful scriptures from the Old Testament -- most of which would be clearly appropriate for Jo Ann and me. So, in case anyone is interested, you might want to check it out at https://www.israelblessing.com/?smt=78791&c=matzoh&utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=Email&utm_content=Logo&utm_campaign=IB_ALL_NSL_Email_Newsletter_passover0321&eid=7704737e-439e-4be1-beed-8cf7a3ec6b16&_bta_tid=088615508821392249610116096612880204377008312762450212570394031838542980177401361107773420305378233661 .
+ U.S. Church Membership Below 50%: For the first time since polling began, fewer than 50% of Americans claim specific church membership. This is according to a recent Gallup poll. Go to https://www.dailywire.com/news/u-s-church-membership-dips-below-50-for-first-time-poll for details.
+ Some Excellent Articles From FRC: There are some excellent articles from Tony Perkins and the Family Research Council that I believe are worth reading, heeding, and passing on. Check them out at https://www.frc.org/washingtonupdate/20210324/usa-today .
+ Muslims Continue Seeking for God: Here's another wonderful story of a young man from North Africa who had such a hunger in his heart and a sense of hopelessness that he relentlessly sought after God. Go to https://www.christianaid.org/missions-insider/2021-young-man-in-north-africa-walks-tough-path-to-christ/?SC=M213EC0004&utm_source=Master+List&utm_campaign=760958dc2e-MIR_2020_03_12_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_0ce53ed3ca-760958dc2e-14852601 .
QUOTES FOR THE WEEK:
> "Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name." -- Hebrews 13:15
> "Praise is the rehearsal of our eternal song. By grace we learn to sing, and in glory we continue to sing. What will some of you do when you get to heaven, if you go on grumbling all the way? Do not hope to get to heaven in that style. But now begin to bless the name of the Lord." -- Charles Spurgeon
> "We would worry less if we praised more." -- Harry Ironside
> "The climax of God's happiness is the delight He takes in the echoes of His excellence in the praises of His people." -- John Piper
> "The LORD is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him." -- Exodus 15:2
> "I don't care where it is, what part of the world it's in, if we have a praise church we'll have successful Christianity." -- Dwight L. Moody
> " Satan so hates the genuine praise of Christ that his fiery darts of discouragement are not effective against us when we respond in praise." -- William Thrasher
> "Faith comes through God's Word and through praise. Faith grows as you praise the Lord." -- Wesley Duewel
> "Let everything that has breath praise the LORD! Praise the LORD!" -- Psalm 150:6
REVIEWING THE FOUNDATIONAL PRINCIPLE:
As I noted in last week's letter, we need to look at the power of words because they are the way we express ourselves. The old adage, "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never harm me." is actually not true. It is a catchy thought, but it is an incorrect thought. The reason is because words have power. In fact, words Are power.
We noted in my previous letter that what we say comes from what is in our hearts. The Bible states that, “Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.” (Mt 12:34). It also tells us that what we think in our thought life reveals who we really are. “As a man thinks in his heart, so he is.” Prov 23:7). Ir is important to remember that because one of the best ways to combat the enemy and the deceitfulness of the flesh is to praise God – not merely at a given moment, but to develop a praise-driven lifestyle.
When it comes to praise, then, the secret is not to try to audibly praise God more, but rather to be sure your hearts are praising hearts. That means we have developed a disposition of praise that recognizes God's goodness with the propensity to express it in praise to Him and praise to others about Him.
We can never overestimate the importance of being a person of praise. It should be the natural expression of every Christian. It should be our second nature to praise God. It should be as natural to us spiritually as breathing is physically. The word itself appears 123 times in the Bible. 100 of them are found in the Book of the Psalms. This should be no surprise, because music is one of the best media for praising God. Think of how many songs you know that have the word in their lyrics.
The very first time the Bible records the word praise is an interesting scenario. It is the story of Jacob's wife, Leah. Apparently sibling revival between Leah and her sister, Rachel, ran deep. Remember that Jacob hired himself out to his uncle, Laban, in order to marry the one he loved, Rachel who was the younger of the two. Laban pulled a "switcheroo" on Jacob and when Jacob lifted the veil of his new bride, he discovered he had unintentionally married older sister Leah. It took another seven years before Jacob was able to marry the real love of his life, Rachel.
When they all began to have children, Leah got pregnant first and gave birth to Reuben. Rachel was barren. Scripture tells us that Leah was glad because she thought maybe Jacob would come to love her. Gen 29:30 clearly states that Jacob loved Rachel more than Leah, so Leah had her hopes up that he would change after Reuben's birth -- but it didn't happen. Then Leah had a second son, Simeon. She concluded that God had done this because He had seen her hunger for Jacob's love. Apparently nothing changed.
Then she had a third son, Levi. She was convinced that Jacob would now love her because she had borne him three sons, but apparently Jacob continued to love Rachel more. Keep in mind, Rachel has not borne a single child through all this time, so you can imagine what was going through her mind and what her heart must have felt. Think about what she might have felt when she discovered that once again her older sister had outdone her with a fourth pregnancy while she had not become pregnant even once as far as the record shows.
The fourth son's birth seems to indicate a significant change in Leah's attitude. And that's where the first use of the word "praise" is found: "And she conceived again and bore a son and said, "This time I will praise the LORD." Therefore she named him Judah. Then she stopped bearing" (Gn 29:35).
Now, there is an abundance of truth to "unpack" in this simple story, but I can focus on only this. The phrase, "this time" indicates a change of attitude in Leah's heart. She had longed for Jacob's love and praise and had come up short all three times. It seems that Leah had learned that her sense of worth and acceptance was to come from God and not from any human, nor was it to come from her apparent fertility, because she said, "This time I will praise the Lord." Sometime it takes a long journey before we learn to praise the Lord. Having learned her lesson, Leah appropriately named her fourth son, "Judah", which means, "Praise".
From that day onward, Judah and his descendants carrying has namesake constantly played critical roles in the life of the Jewish people. When they camped in the wilderness, the Tribe of Judah was always positioned on the East side and displayed its banner as the prominent one over the other two tribes that camped under its protection, namely Zebulon and Issachar. The banner carried the image of a lion.
In the wilderness, the tribe of Judah would be the first tribe to break camp and lead the processional, with the other tribes in their allotted positions as they moved to a new location. After entering Canaan, Judah also led the tribes going into battle, such as at Jericho. After Joshua died, the Israelites asked God which tribe should lead them in battle against the Canaanites to occupy its allotted land first. God chose Judah.
Judah was also the tribe of the Jewish royal monarchy. Following King Saul's suicide after his defeat by David and Solomon were from the Tribe of Judah, as were numerous successors. Most importantly, Jesus the Messiah was born physically of the Tribe of Judah.
I have wondered if there was any serious significance to Judah seeming to be "first" in so many of the biblical stories. Even as I have done additional research for today's letter, I see more clearly than ever why that was so important in God's scheme of things. In Hebrew the word Judah means means more than just "praise". It is far more specific and precise. It literally means “the praise of the Lord.” Judah was to take the lead for all of Israel to unashamedly declare that it was by God's strength that the Israelites conquered their enemies. They could have deified Moses or Joshua, or some other future leader by pouring out their accolades upon them for the victories they enjoyed. However, Israel had to learn the real leader was God. Having Judah go first, was saying “the praise must go up to God; the glory must go to God."
So, Judah goes first. Praise always leads the way into the new things of God. But, it is not just ordinary praise ---- it is Royal Praise. As such, Judah's praise had three very important elements that still reside in true praise even today ---- power, authority, and rule. Leah had no earthly idea what her own experience in child birth mean in the future birth of a people, the birth of a nation, and the birth of Christ-followers. Praise . . . true and genuine praise, . . . always contains those three elements -- God's power, God's authority, and God's rule over what lies before you.
When you consider the symbolism of it all, we can see what kind of role praise takes in life, but especially in spiritual warfare. When you praise the Lord with your whole heart, you have the authority, the power, and the reign of Christ being released into a situation. The significance of this is clear ---- praise should always lead the way. We will see why shortly.
AN EXAMPLE -- BATTLING AMMON, MOAB, AND EDOM:
There are numerous events in the Bible that reveal the significance of praise in spiritual warfare. One such story is found in I Kings 15 and II Chronicles 20. It is the story of King Jehoshaphat, the son of Asa, and the fourth king of the Kingdom of Judah, in succession to his father. His children included Jehoram, who succeeded him as king. He ruled Judah from 870 B.C. and ruled for about 25 years. His name means, "Jehovah Has judged". He was one of the most righteous kings in all of Israel's long history, dying at age 60, and his reign was characterized by some of the most extensive sweeping forms in Jewish history.
The reason I have chosen this story of the kingdom of Judah under King Jehoshaphat is because it beautifully illustrates how God responds when we choose to praise Him in the middle of spiritual conflict. There are two things we can do in facing attacks from the enemy that are “in your face” approaches,---- 1) quoting scriptures back at him and 2) choosing to praise God in the middle of the battle.
Praise may be the most fundamental weapon, other than the "Sword of the Spirit, the Word of God" of course, you have for spiritual warfare for two reasons ---- First, because of how it relates directly to God and focuses on Him, and Secondly, because of how it activates the other weapons. I contend that it is one of the most overlooked and least used weapons in our arsenal against Satan, and few people think to even consider its impact. Praising Him is to display and use His Word. It is to brandish it before the battle, wield it during the battle, and lift it in victory after the battle.
You might say that praising God is much like a pep rally – “psyching up" the team and the fans before the game, then encouraging them during the game, and finally, celebrating after the game. In the life of the believer, praises to God bring down His presence and make Him to show His presence before the battle, His power during battle and His glory and blessing following the battle.
THE ENEMIES OF PRAISE: (II Chron 20:
So, in II Chronicles 20, we find the formation of an alliance against Jehoshaphat and his kingdom of Judah. In Chapter 19 we find a list of major reforms undertaken by Jehoshaphat. Apparently this angered three of Judah's perennial enemies to the south and east ---- the Ammonites, the Moabites, and the Edomites (identified as "Mt Seir" or the "Meunites" in the story, the place of their territory). The text reads, . . .
"Now it came about after this that the sons of Moab and the sons of Ammon, together with some of the Meunites, came to make war against Jehoshaphat."
But just who are these people? Well, it's quite interesting to learn a little about them because they were constantly coming against Judah. They were like a "thorn in the flesh" who tended to attack at the most inopportune moment. So, let's look more closely at these three groups that teamed up to fight against Judah.
1. The first kingdom is Ammon. The word literally means, “inbred”. Well, Ammon was the son of Lot. If you remember the story, following the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, One of Lot's daughters suggested that they get their father drunk so that they could have children. Ammon was the result of incest with Lot's youngest daughter. You remember that Lot was Abraham’s great nephew. The land they occupied is that of modern-day Jordan today. In fact, Jordan's Capitol city is Amman, the modern version of “Am-man”.
Their two primary gods of many were Molech & Milcom. Their lifestyles followed those of their mothers and their gods honored those lifestyles -- immoral behavior, specifically sexual perversion. Moral values. You can get some good information about them at https://www.gotquestions.org/Ammonites.html .
1) Molech was the god of sexual rituals and child sacrifice. His idol was almost always made of iron hollowed out to serve as a furnace. Fire would be built inside the belly of the god, the idol would be heated to extreme "white-hot" temperatures, and the baby, still alive, would be placed on the outstretched hands and arms of the idol. We can only imagine the excruciating suffering the dying child experienced. For more information, go to https://www.gotquestions.org/who-Molech.html
2) Milcom was the other main god of the Ammonites. He was a local supreme god called El', who served as a rival to Israel’s El’ Ohim. You can learn more about him at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milcom.
Together the Ammonites represent idolatry and child sacrifice. It sound strangely familiar to me -- sexual perversion of all kinds and the murder of pre-born and sometimes newborn babies.
2. The second kingdom is Moab. That word means, “son of my father”, born out of incest with Lot's oldest daughter. Remember that Lot was Abraham’s great nephew. Their territory was on the escarpments east of Dead Sea between Ammon to the north & Edom to the south.
1) Baal-Peor was one of their two main gods. Baal-Peor means "Lord of the House of Horus". If you recall, Horus was an Egyptian deity with a falcon-head. Horus is the son of Osiris and Isis, therefore "the divine child" of the holy family triad. Horus' right eye was the sun or morning star, representing power and quintessence, and his left eye was the moon or evening star, representing healing. He was the god of the skies.
2) The Moabites also worshiped Chemosh, who was the warring god of destruction. The Moabites were notoriously fierce and savage fighters who operated as marauding bands attacking suddenly, often unnoticed until it was too late.
For more detail than I have time or space to cover, see https://www.gotquestions.org/Moab-in-the-Bible.html.
3. The Third kingdom was the Edomites, identified here as "Mt. Seir" or "Meunites". These people lived south of the Dead sea and were the direct descendants of Abraham and Sarah's Egyptian slave, Hagar. The end result was the birth of Esau. You remember the story of how Abraham sent them out into the desert areas because of Sarah's jealously and hatred toward them. The Edomites are the direct descendants of Esau. In the New Testament they are known as the Idumeans. There is uncertainty as to which gods they worshiped, but they were numerous, and may have included El, Baal, Qaus and Asherah.
Now, why do I point out these three tribes or kingdoms of people who were preparing to come against Jehoshaphat and Judah? Because of what they represent in our culture. If you want to know the truth, nothing will hinder victory and/or praise more than immorality, disregard for life, and a rebellious prideful spirit. Those are the enemies of Praise.
THE SCRIPTURAL BASIS FOR PRAISE BEING A WEAPON:
Just in case you are wondering whether or not praise is a weapon for spiritual warfare, let me refer to nine scriptures that I believe form the logic of using praise to unsettle and defeat the powers of darkness. Take time to consider each one:
1. Ps 22:3, 25-31 –
"You are holy, O You who are enthroned upon the praises of Israel." Note the setting of the Psalm. God is enthroned upon praise.2. Ps 21:13 –
"Be exalted, O LORD, in Your strength; We will sing and praise Your power." Praise exalts God’s strength and power.3. Ps 28:7 – "The LORD is my strength and my shield; My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart exults, And with my song I shall thank Him." Praise recognizes God’s strength & protection.
4. Ps 42:5,11 – "Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why have you become disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him For the help of His presence.. . . The help of my countenance and my God." Praise expresses the truth that Hope and help are in God.
5. Ps 106:47 – "Save us, O LORD our God, And gather us from among the nations, To give thanks to Your holy name And glory in Your praise." Anticipated praise motivates God to act in delivering us.
6. Isa 61:3 – "To grant those who mourn in Zion, Giving them a garland instead of ashes, The oil of gladness instead of mourning, The mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting. So they will be called oaks of righteousness, The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified." Praise has healing elements.
7. Joshua 6:20 (6-21) – "So the people shouted, and priests blew the trumpets; and when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, the people shouted with a great shout and the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight ahead, and they took the city." Notice that the walls fell because of praise, not swords.
8. Judges 7:20 (9-23) – "When the three companies blew the trumpets and broke the pitchers, they held the torches in their left hands and the trumpets in their right hands for blowing, and cried, 'A sword for the LORD and for Gideon!'" Notice the Midianites were defeated through praise.
9. II Chron 20:18-19, 22-23-- ". . . all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before the LORD, worshiping the LORD. The Levites, from the sons of the Kohathites and of the sons of the Korahites, stood up to praise the LORD God of Israel, with a very loud voice. . . . 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. 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."
That last passage from II Chron 20 deserves some serious scrutiny, so I hope you'll go back and read chapters 18-20 carefully. The ramifications of the power of praise in warfare are monumental. Jehoshaphat made an alliance with King Ahab, a wicked king -- remember Ahab and Jezebel and Elijah? -- to fight against a common enemy. Ahab sought counsel from his priests, but Jehoshaphat asked for a prophet of God. When he came, he prophesied against Ahab, making Ahab angry. Turning to deception and disguise, they went against the enemy.
Ahab's disguise was discovered and "at random" one of the enemy soldiers fired an arrow that struck Ahab in a hinged joint of his armor, mortally wounding him. Ahab died, Jehoshaphat returned safely only to be confronted by a prophet of God who rebuked him for making an alliance with Ahab. Jehoshaphat repented, and began seeking after God. The result was many years of reforms that drew all of Judah into more devoted relationship with God.
Perhaps because they heard of Ahab's defeat and death, the Ammonites, Moabites, and Edomites decided to attack Judah, but Jehoshaphat cried out to God for rescue, and the revival that ensued is remarkable. All of Judah came before God and cried out to Him. God moved in the heart of one of the men who gave Jehoshaphat and the people assurance that they were to go down to meet the enemy triad, praising God as they did, and that God would give the victory.
The rest is history. Chapter 20 is packed with a deeply moving narrative of what happened when the people sought God, obeyed God, and lifted their voices is praise. It is one of the most graphic descriptions of the power of praise in warfare found anywhere in the Bible.
The spirit of that event seems to have been captured in Psalm 149. It shows us the power of praise. It talks about having praise in your mouth and a sword in your hand. Can the message be any more clear than that? Praise is a weapon given to us for battle as well as an expression to be used in everyday life. Look at what it says:
" Praise the LORD! Sing to the LORD a new song, And His praise in the congregation of the godly ones. Let Israel be glad in his Maker; Let the sons of Zion rejoice in their King. Let them praise His name with dancing; Let them sing praises to Him with timbrel and lyre.
"For the LORD takes pleasure in His people; He will beautify the afflicted ones with salvation. Let the godly ones exult in glory; Let them sing for joy on their beds.
"Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, And a two-edged sword in their hand, To execute vengeance on the nations And punishment on the peoples, To bind their kings with chains And their nobles with fetters of iron, To execute on them the judgment written; This is an honor for all His godly ones. Praise the LORD!"
THAT, my friend, is the power and authority of praise!
THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF PRAISE:
With that story in mind, consider some of the things that praise actually accomplishes. I will merely list them; you can do your own contemplating, asking how some of them may fit your circumstance.
1. Praise tests you.
1) It tests your understanding.
2) It tests your faith.
3) It tests your obedience.
2. Praise lifts your spirits and strengthens you with confidence.
3. Praise makes you more sensitive and alert to reality.
4. Praise notifies Satan of Christ’s defeat over him.
5. Praise Witnesses to others.
6. Praise honors and glorifies God in the situation.
7. Praise releases God’s power.
8. Praise declares the truth of God’s Word.
9. Praise heals wounds.
10. Praise lifts heaviness, discouragement, depression, and oppression.
11. Praise dislodges demons and destroys strongholds.
12. Praise breaks curses.
FINALLY:
Even as I have reviewed this story again, the impact of praise has become even more intense. I have read the story many times and have preached about it often; but I am seeing the dynamics of praise in ways not seen before. Apart from the "sword of the Spirit, the Word of God", I know of no other weapon or tool of spiritual warfare that is any more effective.
You see, contrary to what some have assumed, Praise doesn’t Overlook your problems; it Overpowers your problems. Praise focuses on the Victor, not the victory.
This is what the Psalmist had in mind when he sang, . . .
“I will bless the Lord at all times. His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul will make its boast in the LORD; The humble will hear it and rejoice. O magnify the LORD with me, And let us exalt His name together. I sought the LORD, and He answered me, And delivered me from all my fears." ” (Ps 34:1-4)
So, allow me to conclude with these seven suggestions:
1. Prepare your heart and mind to become a person of perpetual praise. Make the decision “beforehand”. Become a praising person as a lifestyle.
2. Eradicate the “Anyhow’s” of your praise. They are an acknowledgement of dissatisfaction or perceived defeat, and you just say, "well, praise the Lord . . . . anyhow.", as if you are not pleased with the outcome.
3. Be ready to eradicate Ammon, Moab, and Mt. Seir. Any form of sexual perversion, immorality, or idolatry . . . whether it be in deed or in mind . . . will render you impotent and incapable for battle. If you have the devious mind of an Ahab, the immorality of Ammon, the idolatry of Moab, or the carnality of Edom, you are destined to defeat. It will be inevitable.
4. Assess your battle through the prism of praise. If you try to analyze the battle from human perspective, you will succumb to the prophets of Ahab. If you, on the other hand, will notice the amazing colors gleaming from the Sword of the Spirit's prism, you will see the facets and hues of victory in all its glory.
5. Lift up Praise before you fight. Notice how often in the Old testament -- Israel at Jericho, Gideon's 300 and the Midianite army, Joshua and the Amalekites, and Jehoshaphat and the godless triad. Praise preceded victory. Praise leads the parade.
6. Wield Praise while you fight. It sustains during the fight. It is what motivates one to keep going.
7. Celebrate in Praise after the fight. It maintains perspective, and keeps your focus properly fixed on your God Who gave you the victory.
"... thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." (I Cor 15:57).
NEVER overlook the mighty weapon of praise.
In His Bond, By His Grace, and for His Kingdom,
Bob Tolliver -- Romans 1:11
"A fire kept burning on the hearthstone of my heart, and I took up the burden of the day with fresh courage and hope." -- Charles F. McKoy
Life Unlimited Ministries
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Copyright April, 2021
"If Jesus had preached the same message that many ministers preach today, He would never have been crucified." -- Leonard Ravenhill
"The time will come when instead of shepherds feeding the sheep, the Church will have clowns entertaining the goats." -- Charles H. Spurgeon
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