“For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does.”
(2 Corinthians 10:3 NIV)
Ever feel personally at war? Ever feel like your family, or community, or nation, or the entire world was at war?
On one hand we know that as Christians that we are at war with the enemy of our souls who is always prowling like a lion, seeking to kill, steal, and destroy. This is why God gives us the Full Armor of God to protect us and to fight with. The Armor is (obviously) not a physical “weapon” like a gun or knife or missile. But it is one of the weapons God gives us in this war. Another is our voice.
Psalm 29:4 says, “The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is majestic.” God’s voice has power. We are made in the image of God; if we are in Christ we have that power. Praise is a weapon in the war against our enemy. Why were the Israelites successful in a war against three other armies? Because before the army went the choir singing praise to God. He caused the enemies to turn on and destroy each other and the Israelite army didn’t even have to fight. Why did the earth quake and the jail’s chains fall off of Paul and Silas? Because they were singing hymns of praise to God.
Praise is a weapon.
When we feel embroiled in times of “war” we may not feel like praising God. Or we may relegate our praise to a few songs sung on a Sunday morning. But our individual (and corporate) praise changes things. It should change our internal attitude toward our circumstances. Our enemy can’t fill us with dread, anger, fear, or misery when our song, our mind, and our heart are focused on praising God. But I believe it also changes the spiritual atmosphere around us. Last summer our town had a slew of gang-related violence and a group of churches got together to pray and praise in the park. Almost immediately the atmosphere changed and the violence ceased; the ringleader was even found drowned. The praise made the change.
Praise is a weapon.
Hallelujah! Praise the Lord! We sing to our God a brand-new song so that all your holy people will hear how wonderful you are! May your Church be enthused with joy because of you, and may your sons and daughters pour out their joyful praises to their King. We break forth with dancing and make music, singing your praises with the rhythm of drums! You love to give us victory. We triumph in the glory of God, and our joyful praises will rise even while others sleep. Your high and holy praises fill our mouths because our shouted praises are their weapons of war! These warring weapons will bring vengeance on the nations and every resistant power. Your praise-filled warriors will enforce the judgment decreed against our enemies. This is the honor you give to all your children. Hallelujah! Praise the Lord! Amen and Amen!! (adapted from Psalm 149 TPT)
“King Jehoshaphat bowed down with his face to the ground, and all the people of Judah and Jerusalem fell down in worship before the Lord. Then some Levites from the Kohathites and Korahites stood up and praised the Lord, the God of Israel, with a very loud voice…After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the Lord and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying:
“Give thanks to the Lord,
for his love endures forever.”
“As they began to sing and praise, the Lord set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated. The Ammonites and Moabites rose up against the men from Mount Seir to destroy and annihilate them. After they finished slaughtering the men from Seir, they helped to destroy one another.” (2 Chronicles 20:18-19, 21-23 NIV)
“After they had been severely flogged, [Paul and Silas] were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks. About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose.” (Acts 16:23-26 NIV)
“Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8 NIV)
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:10 NIV)
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” (Ephesians 6:10-17 NIV)
“So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” (Genesis 1:27 NIV)
(from a post published May 28, 2022)
“We Praise You”
Let praise be a weapon that silences the enemy
Let praise be a weapon that conquers all anxiety
Let it rise, let praise arise
We sing Your name in the dark and it changes everything
We sing with all we are and we claim Your Victory
Let it rise, let praise arise
We’ll see You break down every wall,
We’ll watch the giants fall
Fear cannot survive when we praise You
The God of breakthrough’s on our side,
Forever lift Him high
With all creation cry, “God we praise You”
Let faith be the song that overcomes the raging sea
Let faith be the song that calms the storm inside of me
Let it rise, let faith arise
This is what living looks like, this is what freedom feels like
This is what heaven sounds like, we praise You, we praise You
This is what living looks like, this is what freedom feels like
This is what heaven sounds like, we praise You, we praise You