SW-Worship as a Weapon
Worship as a Weapon
Intro
Play Glory clip 1:30 – 1:35
Going into Battle. Preparing your hearts and minds. Spending time in prayer and in worship might have seemed a waste of time to some. But those men understood something. We all die. What matters in the end is: did you die well? Did you die doing what God called you to do? Even on the eve of battle, when the very real possibility of dieing was in front of them they turned their hearts to the Lord. What do you do in troubling times? Do you freak out, and run around like a chicken with it’s head cut off? Do you get carried away by the storm that is blowing? Or can you put all that out of your minds for a while and find a quiet place in order to find the heart of God?
When your life is going crazy or maybe even threatened, you might look like the dumbest dude around if you were to just take some time and worship the Lord.
Want to talk to you about another true story about preparing for a battle.
2 Chronicles 20
A bunch of armies had banded together to destroy God’s people…
(2 Chronicles 20:3) "And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah."
Imagine if, truly, everyone at school hated you and was out to get you…for real. What would you do? Quit? What if quitting wasn’t an option? What if there was nowhere to run, and you just had to face what was coming your way?
Many of you, while you don’t face this kind of literal situation, face difficult circumstances, and sometimes it feels like the whole world is against you. But you can choose to react the same and see the same kind of miraculous results.
After the people sought the Lord with prayer, fasting and worship, they got a word from the Lord…
2 Chronicles 20:15-17 (NKJV) "And he said, “Listen, all you of Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you, King Jehoshaphat! Thus says the Lord to you: ‘Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God’s. Tomorrow go down against them. They will surely come up by the Ascent of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the brook before the Wilderness of Jeruel. You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, who is with you, O Judah and Jerusalem!’ Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the Lord is with you.”"
King JehosaPHAT kicked it up a notch though…
2 Chronicles 20:21-24 (NKJV) "And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who should sing to the Lord, and who should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army and were saying: “Praise the Lord, For His mercy endures forever.” Now when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushes against (the enemies), who had come against Judah; and they were defeated. …they helped to destroy one another. So when Judah came to a place overlooking the wilderness, they looked toward the multitude; and there were their dead bodies, fallen on the earth. No one had escaped."
Praise brings the Presence
Psalm 22:3 (NKJV) "But You are holy, Enthroned in the praises of Israel. "
Satan used to be the worship leader in Heaven – he hates sincere worship
Paul and Silas in Prison
Acts 16:25-26 (NKJV) "But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed."
The Key:
Worship when you don’t feel like it. Call to mind the goodness of God. The promises of God.
Never leave you nor forsake you
Not alone
He has plans to prosper you…give you a future and a hope.
He has already provided all the grace you will ever need.
If you get stuck, draw your Sword and open to Psalms and read the praises aloud like Psalm 27…