Understanding the powerful role of praise and song in our relationship with God
THE IMPORTANCE OF OUR PRAISE
In 1 Samuel 16, we learned that anointed music and sound are two of the spiritual weapons of the Kingdom of Heaven to push back evil. Whatever David experienced as he played, when he became King, he realized he needed the presence of God to fulfil God’s purpose for the nation of Israel. So, he brought back the ark of the covenant (which represented God’s presence) and set it up in the tent in Zion. So, it is for us today. We need the presence of God in our lives and in our assemblies to fulfil our kingdom mandate. Praise is the pathway to God’s presence – Psalm 22:3-4. However, the sound of praise without reverence for God is merely noise (See 1 Samuel 4 and 5). If we desire God’s presence when we praise, we must be people who know how to reverence the LORD. Reverence for The LORD is part of the score sheet of our praise.Praise stops the advancement of wickedness – Psalm 7:14 -17. Praise is the answer when we are confronted with wickedness and temptation. The power of temptation is blunted when we lift up audible and sincere praise to the LORD Jesus. His presence comes to strengthen us. Praise is an act of the will – do not wait for all conditions to be favourable. In Psalm 18:3, David declared, “I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised. So shall I be saved from my enemies.”Praise spotlights God – the fundamental reason for praise is that God is worthy regardless of our situation.
THE GARMENT OF PRAISE FOR THE SPIRIT OF HEAVINESS
Life is going to have trials and tribulations. We are going to have to learn to rock and roll with God through the good times, bad times, and in-between times. Isaiah 61:1-4 speaks to an anointing released by the Spirit of the LORD. Specifically, in v 3, we have been granted the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. It is speaking about an oppressive, heavily burdened spirit that seems to settle on some of us, especially if we may be grappling with trauma, fear, crisis, or doubt about God or where our lives are heading. However, if it is a spirit, then it is something over which we have authority. One of the ways we exercise that authority is by putting on the garment of praise.The Hebrew root for the word ‘garment’-atah- shows praise as more than just a piece of clothing thrown over our shoulders. It literally is like a cloak, teaching us to wrap or cover ourselves, leaving no opening through which hostile elements can penetrate. This garment repels and replaces the heavy spirit. We must put it on. Remember, as born-again Believers, we are one spirit with the LORD (1 Cor 6:17). The light inside of you must be activated by God’s glory and presence that you carry. In Isaiah 60:1(Amplified), the LORD says to His people:“Arise [from spiritual depression to a new life]. Shine, [be radiant with the glory and brilliance of the LORD] For your light has come and the glory and brilliance of the LORD has risen upon you. For, in fact, darkness will cover the earth and deep darkness will cover the peoples, but the LORD will arise upon you, and his glory and brilliance will be seen in you. Nations will come to your light and kings to the brightness of your rising.”
SEND JUDAH FIRST IS A BATTLE STRATEGY
The command is to arise from the spiritual depression. You can stay in the realm of the dead and dust [the dead do not praise God; they are unable to emit sound] or you can make up your mind to acknowledge the presence of Christ through His Holy Spirit in you and begin to dress yourself with the garment of praise. “Send my presence before you in the heart of the circumstances.” Let the glory of God rise within you. The phrase, “send Judah first” (taken from Judges 1) is not just a cliché. It is a battle strategy. The most primitive meaning of the Hebrew word – halal – is to cause to shine. The commentary in the Spirit-Filled Life Bible states that with our praise “we are throwing the spotlight on our God who is worthy and deserves to be glorified. The more we put the spotlight upon Him, the more He causes us to shine. Modern medicine attests to the value of bringing a depressed person into a brightly-lit room, acknowledging that light greatly helps to heal their depression. How much more will praise introduce the light of God and bring us into the joy of the LORD!”
GET OUT OF THE LOOP
A song loop is a section of music that keeps repeating itself for an indefinite number of times. The devil has us confined in our negativity. We keep repeating low vibrational sounds that do not produce breakthroughs. As Phil Driscoll, the anointed musician explains, “If the devil can keep you to sound like the problem, he will keep you in the problem.”Dissonant sounds are jarring sounds, full of tension and anxiety. They are part of life but you can’t live in those sounds, they need to be resolved and released. So, consonant sounds; agreeable, soothing, and melodious words must be introduced into your score sheet. Break through the dissonant sounds of tension, fear, and anxiety with the consonant sounds of praise as you lift your hands to the living God.Dress yourself then in the garment of praise. Practise putting it on. Let the Presence of God strengthen you to face difficult circumstances in life. You will have to go through trials, but what a difference the Presence of God makes.