Spiritual Warfare – Part 10

If you haven’t yet read Part one of this study, please click here.

THE WEAPON OF PRAISE

We learned much about praise from the battle of Jehoshaphat, but let’s just look at a few other verses about Praise and Rejoicing.

Habakuk 3:17-18

The short book of Habakuk who was a prophet around the time of Jeremiah, (2nd half of 7th century BC) is worth reading, and applying to some of our situations today. Habakuk had heard of all God had done for the Israelites in the past, but as he looked around in his day, he didn’t see that evidence of a Lord who loved His people. So he determined to sit and talk to God, listening for what He had to say about the situation. He records God’s response, and his own, in his short book towards the end of the Old Testament.

Habakuk was obviously changed by his divine encounter and vowed to praise the Lord during whatever difficulties he had to face. Do you know others who have done the same?

If you think Habakuk was “extreme” and it is not “normal” to praise God at a time of stress and difficulty, then read some of the psalms. So many times the psalmist sings God’s praises during times of great difficulty.

Without reading on in this study can you think of other Biblical characters who kept their confidence in God during times of difficulty?

The verses below speak of people praising God during difficult circumstances.

• Acts 16:25
• John 11:22
• Daniel 6:10
• Jonah 2:1-9

If you are feeling, as Jonah did that, you have seaweed around your head, and whale on all sides, or if you feel imprisoned by your situation as Paul did, or surrounded buy lions like Daniel, or bereaved like Mary and Martha, then it is a good time to praise God for who He is and watch in anticipation of His solution.

One of the reasons for Jesus’ life was to replace our weariness with praise.

Read Isaiah 61:1-3

It is our individual responsibility to put on the “crown of beauty”, the “oil of gladness” and the “garment of praise”, remembering that God is still in control of ALL the world including our very small part of it.

Hebrews 13:15 encourages us to offer a sacrifice of praise.

Why do you think the writer used the word “sacrifice”?

How often is your praise a sacrifice?

Much is said and written, both on and off the internet about styles and quality of praise and worship, in all types of christian meetings, and these things can be discussed endlessly, but whatever style meetings we prefer, our personal praise is what God hears. That will only become “right” as our individual lives become instruments of praise witnessing to God’s glory in the world around us.

Learn Psalm 145:1-2 by heart. Can you make the decisions included in those verses today?

Can you find praise songs on disc or internet to play daily to encourage you and those around you?

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