(Part 4 – continued from same day)
Another weapon He wants us to use in this time is our praise. As we remember His Greatness and all He has done, stir up our faith for all He will be faithful to do, and see ourselves standing in His promised victory, He wants us to praise Him in advance for that victory that is ours! As we say in another song He had us learn for choir in this season, “Every battle has been won, so I’ve already overcome. I will lift my
voice and sing. Praise precedes the victory!” Like David, when we play “our harp” of praise and worship to the Lord, it drives away “distressing spirits.” Our praise has been ordained to silence the enemy and is a weapon that goes before us to route him and bring about his defeat (II Chronicles 20, Psalm 8:2, Matthew 21:16).
I felt as though I could jump out of my skin when the Lord showed me the wording of the Amplified in the well known account of II Chronicles 20. After Israel sent forth their worshipers on the front lines to praise the Lord as they marched toward the enemy, it says, “And when Judah came to the WATCHTOWER OF THE WILDERNESS, they looked at the multitude, and behold, they were dead bodies fallen to the earth, and none had escaped!” (II Chronicles 20:24) The phrase “watchtower of the wilderness” should be absolutely exploding with revelation for those who have been in this season described in this note! This is the place in this wilderness of testing where we seek the Lord; we “come up here,” ascending into the the realm of the Spirit to get the Lord’s perspective, to peer off into the distance to see what’s on the horizon, and wait for the Lord’s next direction. When “Judah“ came into this “watchtower of the wilderness,” they were then able to look out on the horizon and see their enemies already defeated. Judah means PRAISE!
In a previous note I mentioned how the Lord was telling me not to use praise and worship as a refuge to escape from what He was asking me to do. His intention was not to say that praise and worship is ever wrong, or that it’s not an important part of every battle, but rather that I could not expect to console myself with praise and worship instead of obeying the difficult thing He was asking me to do. On that occasion, He was calling me to a different form of battle. This is why personal relationship with the Lord is essential. We do not apply whatever formula we want in our situation; we seek the Lord to hear what counsel He is giving. He will put different weapons in our hands at different times in the battle. Just as there will be times when His instruction is to “fight,” there will be other times when He instructs us not to “fight,” but to worship. As we follow His instruction and bring (Judah) Praise into the watchtower in the wilderness, we can then look out on the horizon in the realm of the Spirit and see our enemies already slain!
The Lord is my Light and my Salvation— whom shall I fear? The Lord is the Stronghold of my life— of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked advance against me to devour me, it is my enemies and my foes who will stumble and fall. Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then I will be confident. … For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent and set me high upon a rock. Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me; at his sacred tent I will sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the Lord. … I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord. parts of Psalm 27
I will praise you, O LORD, with all my heart; before the “gods” I will sing your praise. I will bow down toward your holy temple and will praise your name for your love and your faithfulness, for YOU HAVE EXALTED ABOVE ALL THINGS Your NAME and Your WORD. When I called, you answered me; you made me BOLD and STOUTHEARTED. May all the kings of the earth praise you, O LORD, when they hear the words of your mouth. May they sing of the ways of the LORD, for the glory of the LORD is great. Though the LORD is on high, he looks upon the lowly, but the proud he knows from afar. Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life; you stretch out your hand against the anger of my foes, with your right hand you save me. The LORD will fulfill [his purpose] for me; your love, O LORD, endures forever– do not abandon the works of your hands. Psalm 138
“I’m counting on you. Be strong.”
As we complete the testing of the wilderness, fire, and grave, and seek the Lord for His divine strategies for taking down Jericho, He is calling us to be strong and courageous as He prepares to lead us forward to fulfill His call. There is a price to be paid (a theme He has continued to confirm from the Word, and also made this the unexpected theme
from films this past weekend – perhaps more on this later..?). We must allow Him to continue to cause His iron to enter our souls until we are ready to get in our assigned place and pay that price. He is calling us to be ready to stand against the established authority of men, and do what is “wrong” according to man in order to do what is truly right according to Him and His Word. Because of this, He wants us to cry out to Him in any areas where our hearts may be weak, faint, overwhelmed, or failing, and allow Him to make them fixed, established, secure, steadfast, bold, and STOUT ~ courageous, resolute, valiant, and undaunted.
And shall say to them, Hear, O Israel, you draw near this day to battle against your enemies. Let not your [minds and] hearts faint; fear not, and do not tremble or be terrified [and in dread] because of them. For the Lord your God is He Who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to save you. Deuteronomy 20:3-4
Be strong, courageous, and firm; fear not nor be in terror before them, for it is the Lord your God Who goes with you; He will not fail you or forsake you. Deuteronomy 31:6
He said to them, “Is not the Lord your God with you? And has he not granted you rest on every side? For he has given the inhabitants of the land into my hands, and the land is subject to the Lord and to his people. II Chronicles 22:18
I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. Luke 10:19
(As always remembering that our battle is not against flesh and blood ~ Ephesians 6. Our desire is to enforce God’s judgment on the enemies in the spiritual realm who are deceiving and destroying people, so that the people can truly know the Lord and be saved, healed, delivered, and set free!)
“If we can stop him, we shall prevent the collapse of Western civilization… No pressure.” ~ Sherlock Holmes
“‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.”
Copyright © Laura Jewell Tyree
