I am so excited to share with you this point of the revelation that hit me on subject of worship. I have already endeavored to share with you how I have found in scripture and in personal experience that worship can be thing that firstly is created as a unique song that is within you that takes you to a deeper form of worship. Secondly, worship is the gate to the very presence of the Most High God. Thirdly I want to share how I have found that worship, songs sang to honor my Father God-these songs become a vital tool in battle against all that would hinder us from the abundant life that Jesus Christ came to bring. When we sing and praise God it ushers in the very presence of God into that place, whether it be your room, a church sanctuary or around a campfire, God's presence can wash over you. Wherever that presence is, satan and his attacks are powerless.
Four things I know to be true about worship.
1) God has placed unique and powerful songs within each of his precious children that are just waiting to pour out.
2) God dwells within the praises of his people.
3) Worship is a powerful tool against Satan's devices.
4) We can tap into a depth of intercession as we identify with the heart of those around us in song.
+Psalm 149:1, 3, 6 "Praise the Lord! Sing to the Lord a new song. Sing his praises in the assembly of the faithful…Praise his name with dancing…Let the praises of God be in their mouths, and a sharp sword in their hands…"
"Undefeatable Weapon of War"
+ Ephesians 6:12 "For we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but against the evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against those mighty powers of darkness who rule this world and against wicked spirits in the heavenly realm."
Now I want to draw your attention to a specific line in the verses I've been focusing in on. Do you see how it says in the last portion "Let the praises of God be in their mouths, and a sharp sword in their hands…"? Praises in their mouth as they hold a sharp sword in their hands; worship is a weapon of warfare. When God enters a room, satan cannot stay. In the laws of the Israelites we hear God tell his people "You must be holy as I am holy" no sinful thing can enter into his presence. Just as all darkness flees to the furthest corners of a room when the light switch is turned on, the light of his presence cannot be withstood by a sliver of darkness. During worship services in foreign countries during a crusade, spontaneous healings can take place right in the middle of worship. There is an injection of God's healing power right into the thirsty vein of a people in desperate pursuit of the presence. Bondages of the enemy are broken as God shows up in our worship, the well thought out plans and battle strategies of the enemy are broken in an instant.
When I was in Nicaragua this past summer with my youth group there was one evening in particular where we attended a church service. Our bus driver, Carlos drove us there and sat out with the bus during the two hour service. In the service there was some awesome worship, I was a very powerful and touching experience to sing along to worship song hearing the church singing in Spanish as my group sang just as passionately in English. There was something about the unity that the scene stirred that particular pricked my heart, and I believe the heart of God. He responds to hearts in unity, to hearts focused on him. We were none-the-wiser of how God was moving on our behalf this night. The service went well and two men even gave their life to Christ. However, it isn't to this point that I am taking you to. Come along further. We departed from this church and as we were driving away from the building Carlos, our driver, pulled over. Through our interpreter, Louis, Carlos told us that while we were in the service his daughter was taken into the Hospital. She had a heart attack and was rushed there to be treated. Carlos had stayed at the church because it was his job he didn't want to let us down or those who had contracted him. At his solid servants heart's display tears spilled generously down my cheeks and passed by hanging jaw. How could he stay when his daughter has been rushed to the hospital in such a state? What's more-his daughter was three years old. Carlos had pulled the bus over cause he knew that "when we prayed, God did things." However, his request for prayer wasn't that she would make it through, for you see-even while we were still in the service, as we worshipped the Lord his daughter was found in stable condition. She was going to be perfectly fine. He was asking simply for prayers for her continued health. I don't know if you caught that or not-his three year old daughter who had a heart attack was firstly attacked, secondly restored. The enemy was perhaps attempting to get us distracted from the service where he was going to lose two more souls for eternity-he didn't want the testimonies and the dramas to impact those lives. But God in his infinite power and wisdom intercepted the advances of satan and right in the midst of or worship intervened on our behalf. The enemy went for a swing and the power of the Spirit in worship blocked it and cut him down.
In the scriptures you find numerous examples of how music and worship was a piece of war. In Numbers 10:9 there is a reference to how the people would blow a trumpet to remind the Lord of his promises and to call him to rescue you. The same scripture goes on to say to also blow the trumpet in times of gladness to remind the Lord of his covenant. We worship to ask the Lord to act on our behalf and quell the enemy's strategies and we worship to magnify God.
Another example in scripture that we see is that of Jericho. God told Joshua in Joshua 6 that the land was already his, he just had to follow his instructions, and what were they? He was to walk around the walls, and on the 7th day of this they walked around the guarded city with shouts and trumpets. They were using music, shouts-to break down the walls. They enforced the victory that God has bestowed to them-with worship. In worship the walls and strongholds of the enemy fell down.
In the same way as we worship we can rid ourselves of a spirit of depression, as Bill Johnson says "Physical obedience brings spiritual release." The very act of worshiping is sending the enemy running with his tail tucked between his legs. Do you see the amazing tool we have in worship? Do you see the threat it is to the enemy. When a child of God truly gets a hold of who they are in Christ, when they are worshiping and have their focus on God-there is NOTHING the enemy can do to attack them. Arm yourselves with praise on your lips and a sword on your hand. Let's break down the walls the enemy has built and take the territory that we have been given by God and let's do it in the midst of our worship.
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amen
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