Powerful Praise Births Victory!

Text:  2 Chronicles 20:1-4, 13-17

Have you heard the saying that there are two times to praise the Lord - When you feel like it and when you don’t?  Any other time you don’t have to praise Him.  David said in Psalm 34,  "I will bless the Lord at ALL times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth".  "Continual" means repeated without pause; uninterrupted.  Praise is to be an everyday part of life no matter what’s happening.  Whether I’m having a high moment or low moment, my focus should stay on God basically because of who He is.  He is Alpha and Omega; the beginning and the end; King of Kings; Lord of Lords; Creator; The Great I Am; He’s Jirah, Our Provider; Great Physician.  He is worthy of our praise all day and everyday no matter what kind of day it may be.

Another reason for our praise is simply obedience. Exodus 34:14 tells us: “For the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God", and He demands and desires our praise.  The first commandment (Exodus 20:3) backs this up, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me”.  Psalm 150:6 states, “Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord.  Praise ye the Lord”. 

In the Old Testament, it was noted several times that God’s people were not to appear before Him empty:

Psalm 149:5:  “Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud upon their beds".

Psalms 149:6:  “Let the high praises of God be in their mouth".

Hebrews 13:15:  “By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to His name".

Often times, when crisis arises in our life, the devil comes to amplify the crisis in addition to the real problem just to make it worse.  His goal is to make you feel guilty, unworthy, or like a total loser. He loads his gun and shoots you with fear and doubt.  Most of the time,  it’s so subtle you don’t realize you’re under attack.  The enemy is throwing his best shot called "distractions".  We are natural beings with feelings, thought patterns, and a will.  You really don’t feel up to fighting back.  If you would remember in Hebrews 13:5, God said, "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee".  

Praise is a weapon that will overshadow the enemies weapons of fear and doubt and cause him to lose his grip on any situation.  Praise is not a problem when things are going good.  When you can praise when trouble is all around you, you are telling God, “I know the enemy is trying to kill me and my family, but I know you’re my God."  You’re acknowledging Him as Lord over your situation.  Your praise becomes a sacrifice.  

In the Old Testament, the sacrifice of animals called for a death. The same is true in the New Testament realm of sacrifice.  We have to die to our comfort zone, our egos, our desires, and our constant focus on our problem.  If truth be told, trouble comes to all of us.  Many times people think that those of us in ministry “have it all together", like we don’t have problems, or we always have enough money and don’t experience attacks from the enemy.  The impression of some may be that we’re insulated from the difficulties of life.  Jesus said in John 16:33 that we would have tribulations in this life, but he didn’t stop there.  He said "be of good cheer, I have overcome the world".  No one is exempt.  It doesn’t matter your position of leadership in the church or on your job.  Think it not strange when you encounter problems in your life.  But remember:  Jesus has promised us victory!

Whatever you’re going through, I want you to know that a powerful praise will birth victory.  So go ahead and praise God for what you already know - that you are already blessed and delivered according to the word of God. There’s a supernatural power that is released in praise that alters both the physical and spiritual realm.  If we are going to get a break through in our personal lives, in our churches, in our cities, we must understand the power of praise.

What is praise?  Simply expressing approval, esteem for someone.  The French origin of praise is “Priesier” meaning “to  prize”.  Prize is to cherish something or someone, to estimate of worth.  When we praise Him we are estimating His worth.  We are esteeming Him.  The purpose of praise is to get God into your environment.  The power of praise is the presence of God at work in your life.  

When God is present, things change.  When praising God, you’re actually gathering all the facts you know about Him and putting them into words of praise and words of thanksgiving.  You are agreeing with what He has already said and shown us about who He is.  So the less you know about Him - the less you’re able to praise Him.  If you want to praise God more, you need to have a relationship, a revelation of Him.  The only way you can have that is through His Word.

Remember, there are benefits that come with praise.  It puts God to work.  Ephesians 3:20: “Now unto Him that is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us".  Allow me to inform you that God specializes in the impossible.  Luke 1:37 “For with God nothing shall be impossible".  

Our text reveals that Jehoshaphat, King of Judah, knew this.  He was threatened by a vast army that struck terror in his heart.  Faced with the greatest crisis of his life, he began to seek God through fasting, praying, and confessing his helplessness. He called the people together for a praise session.  He commended God for His power over all people and situations.  He testified to how God had been faithful to His people in past and present, and no one could withstand God.  Then he reminded God that his people were helpless without Him, but confirmed that He was assured God would deliver them out of the hands of their attackers.  2 Chronicles 20:12:  "Oh our God, wilt thou not judge them? for we have no might against this great company that cometh against us, neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon thee".  We need your direction.  Tell us what to do.  God, we’re not moving until we hear from you because you are our God, and we trust you.

Jehosphat was standing on Proverbs 3:5:  "Trust (Hebrew word: B’takh -meaning complete reliance, cling to, confide in, set one’s hopes and confidence upon) in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding".   Why?  Isaiah 55:8:  “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways.”  Our own understanding is like a broken reed.  If you lean on it, it will fail.  Our own ways may prove to be uncomfortable and hedged with thorns.  But if we acknowledge Him with total submission, He promised to direct our path.

The Spirit of God came upon Jahaziel in 2 Chronicles 20:15-16:  “Be not afraid or dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not your's, but God’s. To morrow go ye down against them".  Verse 17: "Ye shall not need to fight in this battle.”  Jehoshaphat responded to the threat of war with Praise, expectancy, and obedience.  After all, their name is Judah meaning “Praise”.  This is how we should respond in the face of adversity.  Praise is the secret to the power of God.

Jehoshaphat has gotten direction from God, and all he had to do was act on it.  They rose up early in the morning and headed to battle.  He continued to praise and encourage the people.  In verse 20, he said "believe" (Hebrew word: “aman”), meaning be stable, resistant to move, change, firm, steady, firmly persuaded. This is the same as Paul in Romans 8:38 who says that he is persuaded that neither life (with all afflictions/distresses it brings), nor death, things present (going through now), nor things to come (things may befall you in your walk with Christ) will separate him from the love of Christ which will surely save, protect, and deliver those who believe in and through Him.

That Hebrew word,  Aman, ties in with another word called FAITH.  Hebrews 11:6  “Without faith it is impossible to please him (God)”.  You don’t have to have much.  Matthew 13:31 states “a grain of mustard seed”, which is enough to be effective, enough to cause one to be obedient to God.  Not like that dead faith in which the walk doesn’t match your talk.  Not that of demonic faith, like the fig tree full of leaves but no fruit.  In other words, you have the form of Godliness but no heart.  

You must have that dynamic faith - the faith that leads to action and involves the whole man because faith without works is dead.  Then he appointed singers (praise team) and positioned them frontline with instructions to lead this army.  Why?  Ask Saul in 1 Samuel 16 who was the king appointed by God and became disobedient.  God allowed evil spirit to overtake him.  Saul called for David, a skilled musician who played music on a harp and drove the evil spirit away.  Satan is allergic to praise.  Jubilant praise can paralyze Satan.  It’s the antidote to the poison of Satan’s oppression.

Jehoshaphat instructed the praise team to sing unto God.  I want you to thank Him for His goodness, faithfulness and His Excellency.  Tell Him we’re celebrating His love and our victory because praise that’s right will drive the devil away.  As they sang praises, God heard their songs of faith, and He set ambush against their enemy causing them to turn on each other and slay one another.  Judah arrived to the battleground, and the enemies were all dead.  All they had to do was collect the spoil which took them three days, and they returned home filled with joy.

That praise team leading the army wasn’t just having a casual praise session.  They were handling serious business.  Their praise had put flesh on their faith.  Praise that’s attached to faith opens the door for God to work for you, in you, and through you.  God can’t do anything other than what He has promised.  That praise team at the head of the army was praising God as though the army coming at them was already dead.  Praise sparks victory!  They were rejoicing in God’s faithfulness before He could be faithful.  They believed that the One who had made the promise would do exactly what He said, “Ye shall not need to fight in this battle" (2 Chronicles 20:17); verse 15:  "for the battle is not yours, but God’s".

 What happened back then is still current today.  Allow me to share this testimony.  The first Sunday in January 2011, God forewarned my church family through His Prophet Bishop Wilson that we were going to be faced with something that year, but we were going to witness the move of His Hand.  God said to tell us “Work the Word and Work the Works”.   A week later (January 6), our eldest sister was diagnosed with stage four rectal cancer.  I can’t describe the devastation our family experienced.  My faith level was nowhere to be found.  Psalm 30:5 states “ weeping may endure for a night, but JOY cometh in the morning". 

Early the next morning, I was sitting alone at my work station.  A co-worker approached me and asked, “What was the Word on last Sunday?”  I stated, "Work the Word and Work the Works".  She proceeded to tell me that God awoke her in the night and had her to pray for rectal cancer.  He told me to send it back to hell from whence it came.  I then realized God was giving me divine direction in this situation.  I then informed her of my sister’s diagnosis.  She stated, “God has anointed my hands.".  Taking my hands into hers, she stated, “I am transferring the anointing to you.  Go get your family together, lay hands on your sister, and send that cancer back to hell from whence it came”.

I declare unto you this day, my family came together that very night and offered God Praise and Worship in songs, then Communion, and Prayer (laying of hands on sister).  After the Praise session, the Spirit of God came upon my sister Mary, stating, “Do Not be afraid; I healeth thee” and my niece, Nekedria, “Do not be afraid; I have thee in the palm of My Hand”.  

Today, I can testify that my sister is cancer free and back on her job full time.  It all came through Working the Word in order to Work the Works.  Talking about a powerful praise, we had to demonstrate it with expectancy, and  believe that God would perform His Word.  Since that experience, my life and my faith in God has not been the same.  We had to demonstrate faith attached with praise, expectancy, and obedience which birthed victory.

In conclusion, when you’re faced with what’s seemingly an impossible situation, remember Jehoshaphat and my testimony.  Seek the Lord through prayer and fasting.  It will bring Jehovah Shalom to your rescue (peace of God, rest of God, wholeness, free from anxiety/fear).

Confession:  Announce to God that you need Him. For it’s "in him we live, and move, and have our being".  Acts 17:28.

Obedience. Shows love for Christ.  John 14:15 “If ye love me, keep my commandments”.

Trust in the Lord and His Word, giving thanks always.

Lastly, Let the high praise of God be in you at all times.  I declare unto you "a powerful praise will birth victory"!

~ Evangelist Brenda Hansley