Praise Through to Your Victory

Though we are in the world, we are not of the world. There are many forces of darkness that wage war against the people of God. The devil walks around like a roaring lion, seeking for someone to devour. That is why the Bible tells us to put on the full armor of God.

As we praise God, He has a strategy of how our victory will manifest. Our work is to praise Him, and as we do so we plunder the kingdom of darkness.

In 2 Chronicles 20  King Jehoshaphat within his boundaries, enjoying his peace within his borders. This is until his enemies rose up against him, all at once (verse 1). Enemies of the children of God have always been there, lifting a finger against His people. Even today, they still keep trying to raise a finger against God’s loved ones. They keep forgetting that whoever touches us touches the apple of God’s eyes:

Zechariah 2:8

For thus says the Lord of hosts: “He sent Me after glory, to the nations which plunder you; for he who touches you touches the apple of His eye." 

The enemies of Jehoshaphat were the Ammonites, the Moabites and Mount Seir. I do not know what name your enemies have: sickness, lack, depression etc. King Jehoshaphat was faced with a situation that he did not know what to do about. He even feared:

2 Chronicles 20:3

And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.

Though he feared, God had a word for Him, through Jahaziel:

2 Chronicles 20:15

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...'

Do not be dismayed or fear that mountain that is standing before you. The battle belongs to our God. There is no one who could understand what king Jehoshaphat was going through and how he felt, being faced by 3 kings. I may not know what you are going through; the only one who knows what you are going through and what you are feeling is you besides God Himself. This God is saying to you that you should not fear, as He is on your side, and it is Him in whom you live, move and have your being (Act. 17:28). He understands that we cannot fight on our own strength, and tells us that we should realize that it is His battle, that it is His strength that will win the battle for us.

Jehoshaphat ran to the Lord, when He ran into trouble. Who do you run to when you are faced by trouble? The Bible says that the name of the Lord is a strong tower, the righteous run to it and are safe (Prov. 18:10). When they turned to the Lord, He gave them praise as the way to access their victory. As they praised Him, they were considering what He had done for them previously. Praise causes you to focus on God’s faithfulness in the previous battles, and realize that the same God who came through for you is the same one who was with you, and who will order your steps, never changing in causing His purpose over your life to come to pass.

   

2 Chronicles 20:21-30 (AMP)

When he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers to sing to the Lord and praise Him in their holy [priestly] garments as they went out before the army, saying, Give thanks to the Lord, for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever! ²² And when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushments against the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir who had come against Judah, and they were [self-] slaughtered; ²³ For [suspecting betrayal] the men of Ammon and Moab rose against those of Mount Seir, utterly destroying them. And when they had made an end of the men of Seir, they all helped to destroy one another. ²⁴ 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! ²⁵ When Jehoshaphat and his people came to take the spoil, they found among them much cattle, goods, garments, and precious things which they took for themselves, more than they could carry away, so much they were three days in gathering the spoil. ²⁶ On the fourth day they assembled in the Valley of Beracah. There they blessed the Lord. So the name of the place is still called the Valley of Beracah [blessing]. ²⁷ Then they returned, every man of Judah and Jerusalem, Jehoshaphat leading them, to Jerusalem with joy, for the Lord had made them to rejoice over their enemies. ²⁸ They came to Jerusalem with harps, lyres, and trumpets to the house of the Lord. ²⁹ And the fear of God came upon all the kingdoms of those countries when they heard that the Lord had fought against the enemies of Israel. ³⁰ So the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet, for his God gave him rest round about.

May our enemies destroy one another, as they try to destroy us, in 2015. No harm will come near you.

Psalm 91:7

That a thousand will fall on your side, and 10,000 on your right hand side, and none of them shall come near you.

The same people who came afraid and dismay went back with joy, over their enemies. Today we rejoice over our enemies; I am not talking about human beings, but forces of darkness, that have been given the assignment of frustrating the people of God. The humans who are being used to frustrate the purpose of God by these forces of darkness will also be a witness, and turn to God.

As God gave Jehoshaphat rest all round him from that time, God is assuring us of rest, also reassuring us not to fear nor be dismayed. In this time, there are tough spiritual battles going on against the people of God. These are battles that we are telling God that Him being on our side, no one can be against us (Rom. 8:31), that He is greater Who is in us than he who is in the world (1 Jn. 4:4). The enemies of God’s purpose over our lives cannot prevail, and we should not allow them to prevail in our lives, as these have been sent by the thief, whose work is to steal, kill and destroy (Jn. 10:10). Understand the times and the seasons, and do not be ignorant of the schemes of the devil.

When the enemies came against Jehoshaphat, he did not resign and just sit down with his hands folded, saying there is nothing he could do; rather, he turned to God. I do not know what is facing you, enemies that when you remember of them your heart skips a bit; is it rent? Debt? A court or family case? Exam? Whatever it is, fear not, and remember whose you are. Whatever the situation is that is making your heart skip a bit, fear it not. The battle does not belong to you; it belongs to God. Our business is to position ourselves, and see the deliverance of our God. As we position ourselves, we have a role, and that is praising God all through. Praise alone is a weapon that causes an outflow of victory. Someone may tell you to go for 100 day fast, another tell you to “sow a seed”; today, the Lord wants us to praise, as just as it worked for Jehoshaphat, it will work for us. As it worked in those days, it still works:

Psalm 100:4

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.

Praise rises up to God like a sweet smelling aroma, and allows the heavens to come to our rescue. Praise allows God to intervene, as we raise our faith to Him. Praise raises our faith in God, and positions us to receive from God. Jehoshaphat did not know the result of the praise they raised up, but yet he obeyed and did it. True worship praising from us, in truth and in spirit, will cause us to see the manifestation of our victory. You may not know how, but you just praise; God knows how the victory will come about.

God caused the battle field to be the greatest source of miracles for the children of Israel then. As we raise praise to God today, God knows how to give you a lasting calmness, and an abundance of miracles, right there in the battle field. A human being’s help is temporary and is short-lived, but not God’s. God’s help is lasting. People are even capable of manipulating you with what they give you, reminding you of what they did for you, and so on. As people help you, they do not offer lasting solutions, as this time they may pay for your rent, but next month you will still need rent. Let us seek from God, who gives without sorrow or regret, and gives us lasting solutions.

As you praise, do not praise to manipulate God to move in your situation. Praise with a genuine heart, considering what He has done for you, and leave the business of Him sorting you out to Him. How we will receive an abundance of miracles and an abundance of rest for the remaining part of the year is His business. Our business is to praise Him.

Consider and recount God’s faithfulness over your life so far, and give Him thanks; praise Him for it all. Consider His provision, protection, health, life, and His goodness, in general over your life, and praise Him all through. 

Blessings. 

-- Pastor Mary Mugo. 

(30/01/2015 Kesha Service Sermon, Teaching Transformation Ministry)


Pastor Mary is a pastor at Teaching Transformation Ministry. We are located along the Thika-Ruai Flyover Junction (at the Thika Rd./ Bypass intersection), next to Eastgate Restaurant.