Get Loud

I can remember being in pre-algebra in seventh grade. The teacher I had was probably one of the most structured and disciplined teachers I’ve ever had. She told us the first day what she expected, how we were to format our homework assignments. Name, date, hour in the upper right hand corner; lesson number and page number in the upper left hand corner; lesson title in the middle and it had to be underlined with a straight edge. There were even more detail-oriented instructions but they take away from my point. When you followed every instruction perfectly, were in class everyday, on time everyday, and completed all your homework over the course of a week, you had what she called a “Perfect week.” And as a reward for your diligence you would write a “Rave Review” home to mom and dad boasting your accomplishment.

Halah is to rave or boast upon the Lord. To be clamorously foolish. If we will give attention to the words in this definition we will have a more vivid understanding of Halah. Halah is to RAVE. RAVE: "to talk wildly, as in delirium." Someone who is delirious is in "a state of violent excitement or emotion--Frenzy. A more or less temporary disorder of the mental faculties, as in intoxication, characterized by excitement." Paul, when he said in Ephesians 5:18 to "be filled with the Spirit," compared it to being intoxicated. I don’t know if you’ve ever hung out with a drunk person before, but they lose control of their tongue! They say some off the wall things! They act like they ain’t got no sense! They stumble around when they walk! Their speech is incoherent! They often get very affectionate and cling on you!

Now, the danger here is that a person drunk in alcohol loses control of their body and mind and it causes them to be dangerous cause they didn’t give it to anybody-they just up and lost it! But I dare somebody to get drunk in the spirit and lose control! When you lose control in the spirit its not lost, its found in the arms of God! When you let go and let God have his way! He’ll order your steps in his Word! Let go and let God have his way and he’ll bridle your tongue to give him praise! He’ll give you a brand new walk! He’ll give you a brand new talk! He’ll give you a brand new dance!

I just wanna get drunk in him! I don’t care if you think I look crazy! I ain’t here to impress you! I ain’t here to rave on you! I’m here to get delirious for God! Paul says the preaching of the cross is foolishness! But to whom is it foolish? Only those that are perishing! I don’t wanna perish! I want everlasting life! So I’m gonna lose myself and give God Halal! You might not understand my praise but I JUMP because JESUS UNDERSTANDS MY PRAISE! I wanna get drunk in the spirit and get all clingy! I just wanna be close to you Lord Jesus! Just a closer walk with with thee! Grant it Jesus if you please! Daily walkin close to thee! Let it be, dear Lord, let it be!

Again, in Acts 2:13-15 when the people saw the disciples after they were baptized in the Holy Spirit, they thought that they were intoxicated. They said they had way too much to drink! Go ahead and tell your neighbor “that man up there is drunk” cause I been on some stuff! Some powerful stuff! What I’m on package stores don’t carry it! What I’m on drug dealers don’t push it! What I’m on, Budweiser don’t manufacture it! What is this I’m feelin now? That has me spellbound? That cheers me up when I’m sad and blue? And gives me joy such joy I never knew? Cleans me up and it sets me free, loosed all the chains that came to bind me! Placed a new song in my heart to sing! Hallelujah! Yes I’ve been redeemed! Its your spirit Lord! Living inside of me! And where the spirit of the Lord is…

RAVE: to express great [in an extreme degree] or extravagant [spending much more than is necessary; excessive; exceeding the bounds of reason; going beyond what is justifiable; unrestrained] admiration [to regard with wonder, pleasure, approval].

Halah is to be CLAMOROUS. CLAMOROUS: "A loud and continuous sound." The church ought never get quiet enough that you can hear the hum of the lights! You shouldn’t be able to hear nobody snorin! You shouldn’t even be able to hear a baby’s cry if everybody just gives a loud and continuous, that is perpetual, never-ending praise to the Lord! Focused towards the Lord in raving, this would describe Halah. Halah is to be clamorously FOOLISH. When you go to a football game or a concert, you get clamorously foolish! Folk paint their chests and faces and scream til they get hoarse, that’s clamorously foolish! Doing the wave and hooping like some monkey is clamorously foolish! Its clamorously foolish to yell and cheer while the other team is shooting a free throw or kicking a field goal or is on 4th down with 1 yard to go and going on a long count! These things are foolish because whenever it’s a skilled athlete who has learned to ignore distractions, they’re done in vain! But because God does not ignore his praises, they’re never done in vain! Naw the tree withereth, and the grass fadeth, but the word of God will not return to him void! He inhabits the praises of his people! Did you get that? He won’t ignore his praises because that’s where he lives!