‘Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand.’ Psalm 149:6 NKJV
The Christian life is a battlefield with an enemy who’s out to defeat us every day. But Papa God has given us strategies for winning, and praise is one of them. When Israel’s army went into battle, the tribe of Judah led the way. The name Judah means ‘praise the Lord’. So when you go into battle, go with ‘the high praises of God’ in your mouth and He will go before you.
This is the ‘praise strategy’ that toppled the walls of Jericho for Joshua, and caused Jehoshaphat’s enemies to destroy one other before the battle even began (see 2 Chronicles 20). It’s a decision to praise God when you face a situation you can’t handle; to focus on Him instead of on your problem. You may not feel worthy—but He is! You may not feel able—but He is! Remind God of His promises. Nothing moves Him like the sight of His children praising His name and claiming His promises in the face of adversity. Jesus said, ‘I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven; what you prohibit on earth will be prohibited in Heaven, and what you permit on earth will be permitted in Heaven.’ (Matthew 16:19 GNT)
Praise invites God to step in to your situation, so use it. And find somebody to join you in praise (see Matthew 18:19). Multiply your impact before the throne of God. The Bible says, ‘About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing praises to God, while the other prisoners listened. Suddenly a strong earthquake shook the jail to its foundations. The doors opened, and the chains fell from all the prisoners.’ (Acts 16:25–26 CEV)
So, the word for you today is: use the ‘praise strategy’!
SoulFood: Heb 11:17–13:25, Mark 7:1–13, Ps 88:1–9a, Pro 11:24–26
The Word for Today is authored by Bob and Debby Gass and published under licence from UCB International Copyright ©