|
Christian
Education Pre-K-12
Richmond Academy
| |
Warring For Breakthrough
Psa 22:3 (KJV) “But thou [art] holy, [O thou] that
inhabitest the praises of Israel.”
(Translated) “Where the Lord’s people praise Him, there His authority is
established.”
The key to maintaining the victory is the authority of God in your life.
Eph.6 tells us we do not war against flesh and blood, but against
“principalities and powers of darkness (vrs.12).” Look at Psalm.149:8 (KJV)
“To bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron;”
“kings and nobles” = principalities & powers. They are here to harass and
criticize the saints.
What is it that stops and binds the enemy? Psa 149:6 (KJV) “[Let] the high
[praises] of God [be] in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand;”
The high praises of God and a two-edged sword - his is the relationship between
worship and spiritual warfare. The more we praise Him, the more authority of God
is given to us so can bind the enemy and render him powerless.
What is a “high praise” = exaltation. The more we exalt Him, the greater the
deliverance.
David exalted the Lord by saying the Lord prepares a table before me in the
midst of my enemies. (Psm.23:5) This table is fellowship with God. When the
battle is great, when you believe God has forsaken you – PRAISE!
2 Ch 20:17-19 (KJV) “Ye shall not [need] to fight in this [battle]: set
yourselves, stand ye [still], and see the salvation of the LORD with you, O
Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; to morrow go out against them:
for the LORD [will be] with you. (18) And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with [his]
face to the ground: and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell before
the LORD, worshipping the LORD. (19) And the Levites, of the children of the
Kohathites, and of the children of the Korhites, stood up to praise the LORD God
of Israel with a loud voice on high.”
When the Moabites invaded, God told Jehoshaphat not to fight, but to have his
men take up their positions – so they could watch the salvation of the Lord.
Their response was worship. Praise on high = above everything else (to stir up).
As they began to praise, the Lord ambushed and confused the enemy until they
were fighting among themselves.
The connection: To pray without the act of worship will produce resistance from
the enemy and will produce discouragement.
If our worship does not cause us to seek the face of God and intercede in
spiritual warfare, then our worship is not from our hearts and by the spirit.
GENUINE WORSHIP provokes GOD to arise and take notice.
Worship is the “high praises” (exalting Him) and Warfare is the intercession.
True spiritual warfare is focused on VIOLENT force of the spirit realm. [The
warfare is not based on anger, fear or pride, but on a deep desire to hunger for
the righteousness of God.]
KINGOM OF GOD = the rule of Christ. So wherever Jesus is in charge, the Kingdom
of God is being manifested.
Remember Psalm 22:3 “God inhabits the praises of His people,” but it
means “the Lord’s rulership is realized wherever God’s people praise Him.” In
other words, “the adoration of the Lord prepares us to yield to the authority of
the Lord.” (this is how you can tell if you have truly entered in – are you
yielded to what God wants next?)
Worship makes room for God. In an atmosphere of worship; the presence of God is
manifested to transform the heart of the individual.
When Joshua took Jericho, he did not do it by military force, but in obedience
to the Word of God – “A shout.” What was the shout? Probably the greatness of
God! And the walls fell down and victory was won. [shout = to split the ears] To
release the greatness of God with His power. A praising people are essential to
God’s strategy of victory and warfare.
Ezekiel 28:11-19 speaks of Lucifer’s glory before his fall. Verse 13 clearly
says “you were in Eden the garden of God;" verse 16 “out of the
mountain of god.” This is a prophecy about Lucifer. Lucifer guarded the
glory of God by leading the worship of God.
·Gabriel was to guard the word of God
·Michael was to guard the power of God
·Lucifer was to guard the glory of God
BUT PRIDE! Verse 13 – Every precious stone (building) was your covering
(protection)…with tabrets (musical notes that drum) and pipes (a bezel – to hold
the stones causing different sounds). The protection around the glory of God was
musical sounds emanating from Lucifer’s being. Lucifer = light bearer (Morning
Star). So along with the sounds, a radiance of spectacular light came forth
enhancing the glory of God. And I believe the same thing happens when we worship
in spirit and truth which causes the enemy to go hay-wire. The glory of God is
ushered in. The power and greatness of this “son of light” must have been beyond
imagination. Yet Lucifer became so enthralled in the worship, he craved the
attention for himself. So God had to throw him down from the mountain of God.
Today God is calling us up to that same mountain to radiate the glory of God
that comes through a people who will worship in spirit and truth. But we must
cast down the enemy.
The enemy keeps us from coming in with strategies that keep us from worship. Dr.
Zacharias once said, “A people will never be able to worship corporately
until they are worshipping individually.” We have the strength of God
through Christ Jesus to see the manifestation of the glory of God, but the
continual attacks of Satan with bitterness, unforgiveness and pride keep us from
worshipping. I WON’T HAVE IT IN MY LIFE. I must worship. And I need others to
worship with me before this darkness overtakes God’s people. We absolutely must
win – God’s way. WORSHIP & DISTRACT SATAN FROM CARRYING OUT HIS PLANS AGAINST
YOU.
Satan wants the glory --- So we must give it all to God as an expression of
praise as we violently oppose the enemy with our worship. James 4:7 "Submit
yourselves unto God and resist the devil…"
What is true intimacy but worship? It is an active expression to the one you
love. Dance with God and you can dance on the serpent’s head.
-Pr. Steve
May Newsletter
2008 | Warring For Breakthrough |
Pastor's
Journal 2007 | Be Strong |
Wanted
| |
Biblical
Counseling for Leaders
|
