THE POWER OF PRAISE AND WORSHIP
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OUTLINE
1.VICTORY
2.BREAKTHROUGH
3.FREEDOM
4.DELIVERANCE
5.REVELATION
6.JUDGEMENT
7.HEALING
THE MESSAGE
THE POWER OF PRAISE AND WORSHIP
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1.VICTORY
When we praise and worship the Lord , we will experience victory in our battles.God inhabits the praises of His people. When we praise and worship Him , His presence will descend among us and the presence of God will fill every situation that we are facing and we will experience certain victory in all our battles.When Jehoshaphat was a facing a great battle he proclaimed a fast and sought the Lord with all his people. The Lord heard their cry and promised them victory . Then Jehoshaphat sent singers and worshippers ahead of his army . As they praised and worshipped the Lord, the Lord caused the enemies to fight each other and destroy themselves. When we praise and worship the Lord in times of battle , the Lord will cause confusion in the camp of the enemy and make them destroy themselves. The Lord will grant us a glorious victory.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
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PSALM 22:3
" But You are holy, Enthroned in the praises of Israel."
2 CHRONICLES 20:1-24
After this, the Moabites and Ammonites with some of the Meunites came to make war on Jehoshaphat.
Some men came and told Jehoshaphat, "A vast army is coming against you from Edom, from the other side of the Sea. It is already in Hazazon Tamar" (that is, En Gedi).
Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the LORD, and he proclaimed a fast for all Judah.
The people of Judah came together to seek help from the LORD; indeed, they came from every town in Judah to seek him.
Then Jehoshaphat stood up in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem at the temple of the LORD in the front of the new courtyard
and said: "O LORD, God of our fathers, are you not the God who is in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. Power and might are in your hand, and no one can withstand you.
O our God, did you not drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel and give it forever to the descendants of Abraham your friend?
They have lived in it and have built in it a sanctuary for your Name, saying,
’If calamity comes upon us, whether the sword of judgment, or plague or famine, we will stand in your presence before this temple that bears your Name and will cry out to you in our distress, and you will hear us and save us.’
"But now here are men from Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir, whose territory you would not allow Israel to invade when they came from Egypt; so they turned away from them and did not destroy them.
See how they are repaying us by coming to drive us out of the possession you gave us as an inheritance.
O our God, will you not judge them? For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you."
All the men of Judah, with their wives and children and little ones, stood there before the LORD.
Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jahaziel son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite and descendant of Asaph, as he stood in the assembly.
He said: "Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the LORD says to you: ’Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s.
Tomorrow march down against them. They will be climbing up by the Pass of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the gorge in the Desert of Jeruel.
You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you.’ "
Jehoshaphat bowed with his face to the ground, and all the people of Judah and Jerusalem fell down in worship before the LORD.
Then some Levites from the Kohathites and Korahites stood up and praised the LORD, the God of Israel, with very loud voice.
Early in the morning they left for the Desert of Tekoa. As they set out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, "Listen to me, Judah and people of Jerusalem! Have faith in the LORD your God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will be successful."
After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the LORD and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying: "Give thanks to the LORD, for his love endures forever."
As they began to sing and praise, the LORD set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated.
The men of Ammon and Moab rose up against the men from Mount Seir to destroy and annihilate them. After they finished slaughtering the men from Seir, they helped to destroy one another.
When the men of Judah came to the place that overlooks the desert and looked toward the vast army, they saw only dead bodies lying on the ground; no one had escaped.
2.BREAKTHROUGH
When we praise and worship the Lord , we will experience a breakthrough in our lives and the hindrances to our blessings will be removed. When Joshua was facing the wall of Jericho , the Lord instructed them to walk silently around the city for six days and on the seventh day they were to make a great shout unto the Lord. Accordingly on the seventh day the people joined together and made a great shout unto the Lord and the wall of Jericho collapsed to the ground. When we praise and worship the Lord , the walls of resistance will come down and we can enter into the promises of God in our lives.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
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JOSHUA 6:1-20
Now Jericho was tightly shut up because of the Israelites. No one went out and no one came in.
Then the LORD said to Joshua, "See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men.
March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days.
Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams’ horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets.
When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have all the people give a loud shout; then the wall of the city will collapse and the people will go up, every man straight in."
So Joshua son of Nun called the priests and said to them, "Take up the ark of the covenant of the LORD and have seven priests carry trumpets in front of it."
And he ordered the people, "Advance! March around the city, with the armed guard going ahead of the ark of the LORD."
When Joshua had spoken to the people, the seven priests carrying the seven trumpets before the LORD went forward, blowing their trumpets, and the ark of the LORD’s covenant followed them.
The armed guard marched ahead of the priests who blew the trumpets, and the rear guard followed the ark. All this time the trumpets were sounding.
But Joshua had commanded the people, "Do not give a war cry, do not raise your voices, do not say a word until the day I tell you to shout. Then shout!"
So he had the ark of the LORD carried around the city, circling it once. Then the people returned to camp and spent the night there.
Joshua got up early the next morning and the priests took up the ark of the LORD.
The seven priests carrying the seven trumpets went forward, marching before the ark of the LORD and blowing the trumpets. The armed men went ahead of them and the rear guard followed the ark of the LORD, while the trumpets kept sounding.
So on the second day they marched around the city once and returned to the camp. They did this for six days.
On the seventh day, they got up at daybreak and marched around the city seven times in the same manner, except that on that day they circled the city seven times.
The seventh time around, when the priests sounded the trumpet blast, Joshua commanded the people, "Shout! For the LORD has given you the city!
The city and all that is in it are to be devoted to the LORD. Only Rahab the prostitute and all who are with her in her house shall be spared, because she hid the spies we sent.
But keep away from the devoted things, so that you will not bring about your own destruction by taking any of them. Otherwise you will make the camp of Israel liable to destruction and bring trouble on it.
All the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron are sacred to the LORD and must go into his treasury."
When the trumpets sounded, the people shouted, and at the sound of the trumpet, when the people gave a loud shout, the wall collapsed; so every man charged straight in, and they took the city.
3.FREEDOM
When we praise and worship the Lord we will experience freedom from our bondages. Paul and Silas were beaten repeatedly and bound and put in prison. In the midst of their pain and bondage , they began to praise and worship the Lord and the Lord delivered them in a mighty way . They did not murmur and complain against God because of their pain and suffering . They did not wait till God delivered them before they offered praises unto God. When we praise and worship the Lord in the midst of our bondage and pain and suffering , we will experience freedom from our bondages .
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
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ACTS 16:23-26
After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully.
Upon receiving such orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.
About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.
Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everybody’s chains came loose.
4.DELIVERANCE
When we praise and worship the Lord , we will experience deliverance from demonic oppression. Saul was tormented by an evil spirit. So they brought David to play the harp before him. David was a worshipper and as he played the harp and worshipped the Lord , the evil spirit would leave Saul and he would be refreshed. When we praise and worship the Lord , we would experience a deliverance from the oppression of enemy. As we put on the garment of praise , we would be delivered from the spirit of heaviness . Praise and worship would drive out the spirit of fear and doubt and unbelief and we would be filled with a strong faith as we extol the greatness of the Lord.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
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1 SAMUEL 16:14-23
Now the Spirit of the LORD had departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD tormented him.
Saul’s attendants said to him, "See, an evil spirit from God is tormenting you.
Let our lord command his servants here to search for someone who can play the harp. He will play when the evil spirit from God comes upon you, and you will feel better."
So Saul said to his attendants, "Find someone who plays well and bring him to me."
One of the servants answered, "I have seen a son of Jesse of Bethlehem who knows how to play the harp. He is a brave man and a warrior. He speaks well and is a fine-looking man. And the LORD is with him."
Then Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, "Send me your son David, who is with the sheep."
So Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread, a skin of wine and a young goat and sent them with his son David to Saul.
David came to Saul and entered his service. Saul liked him very much, and David became one of his armor-bearers.
Then Saul sent word to Jesse, saying, "Allow David to remain in my service, for I am pleased with him."
Whenever the spirit from God came upon Saul, David would take his harp and play. Then relief would come to Saul; he would feel better, and the evil spirit would leave him.
5.REVELATION
When we praise and worship the Lord , we would receive a revelation of His will and purpose. When the kings of Israel ,Judah and Edom went to battle against the king of Moab , they faced a a great danger when they ran out of water for thier troops . They sought the mind of the Lord from Prophet Elisha. The prophet Elisha called for a harpist to play before him . As the harpist played and worshipped the Lord , the hand of the Lord came upon Elisha and he received a revelation of the promise of God to His people. The Lord provided the water they needed and also promised them victory in the battle. When we praise and worship the Lord , we create a conducive atmosphere to receive divine revelations and guidance and promises .
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
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2 KINGS 3:1-20
Joram son of Ahab became king of Israel in Samaria in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and he reigned twelve years.
He did evil in the eyes of the LORD, but not as his father and mother had done. He got rid of the sacred stone of Baal that his father had made.
Nevertheless he clung to the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit; he did not turn away from them.
Now Mesha king of Moab raised sheep, and he had to supply the king of Israel with a hundred thousand lambs and with the wool of a hundred thousand rams.
But after Ahab died, the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel.
So at that time King Joram set out from Samaria and mobilized all Israel.
He also sent this message to Jehoshaphat king of Judah: "The king of Moab has rebelled against me. Will you go with me to fight against Moab?" "I will go with you," he replied. "I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses."
"By what route shall we attack?" he asked. "Through the Desert of Edom," he answered.
So the king of Israel set out with the king of Judah and the king of Edom. After a roundabout march of seven days, the army had no more water for themselves or for the animals with them.
"What!" exclaimed the king of Israel. "Has the LORD called us three kings together only to hand us over to Moab?"
But Jehoshaphat asked, "Is there no prophet of the LORD here, that we may inquire of the LORD through him?" An officer of the king of Israel answered, "Elisha son of Shaphat is here. He used to pour water on the hands of Elijah. "
Jehoshaphat said, "The word of the LORD is with him." So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him.
Elisha said to the king of Israel, "What do we have to do with each other? Go to the prophets of your father and the prophets of your mother." "No," the king of Israel answered, "because it was the LORD who called us three kings together to hand us over to Moab."
Elisha said, "As surely as the LORD Almighty lives, whom I serve, if I did not have respect for the presence of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, I would not look at you or even notice you.
But now bring me a harpist." While the harpist was playing, the hand of the LORD came upon Elisha
and he said, "This is what the LORD says: Make this valley full of ditches.
For this is what the LORD says: You will see neither wind nor rain, yet this valley will be filled with water, and you, your cattle and your other animals will drink.
This is an easy thing in the eyes of the LORD; he will also hand Moab over to you.
You will overthrow every fortified city and every major town. You will cut down every good tree, stop up all the springs, and ruin every good field with stones."
The next morning, about the time for offering the sacrifice, there it was—water flowing from the direction of Edom! And the land was filled with water.
6.JUDGEMENT
When we praise and worship the Lord , we would bring down the judgement of God upon the evil doers. We would be able to bind the forces of wickedness from carrying out their destructive activities against us. The Lord would vindicate us and render justice to us and enforce His divine vengeance on our foes as we praise and worship Him exhuberantly.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
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PSALM 149:6-9
May the praise of God be in their mouths and a double-edged sword in their hands,
to inflict vengeance on the nations and punishment on the peoples,
to bind their kings with fetters, their nobles with shackles of iron,
to carry out the sentence written against them. This is the glory of all his saints. Praise the LORD.
7.HEALING
When we praise and worship the Lord , we will experience healing and miracles in our lives. The leper who worshipped Jesus was healed from his leprosy. The ruler who worshipped Jesus had his daughter raised from the dead. The Canaanite woman who worshipped Jesus received deliverance for her daughter from demon possession.When we praise and worship the Lord , in the midst of our pain and suffering , the Lord will be moved with compassion on us and He will perform a miracle in our lives.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
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MATTHEW 8:1-3
When He had come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed Him.
And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean."
Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, "I am willing; be cleansed." Immediately his leprosy was cleansed.
MATTHEW 9:18-26
While He spoke these things to them, behold, a ruler came and worshiped Him, saying, "My daughter has just died, but come and lay Your hand on her and she will live."
So Jesus arose and followed him, and so did His disciples.
And suddenly, a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years came from behind and touched the hem of His garment.
For she said to herself, "If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well."
But Jesus turned around, and when He saw her He said, "Be of good cheer, daughter; your faith has made you well." And the woman was made well from that hour.
When Jesus came into the ruler’s house, and saw the flute players and the noisy crowd wailing,
He said to them, "Make room, for the girl is not dead, but sleeping." And they ridiculed Him.
But when the crowd was put outside, He went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose.
And the report of this went out into all that land.
MATTHEW 15:21-28
Then Jesus went out from there and departed to the region of Tyre and Sidon.
And behold, a woman of Canaan came from that region and cried out to Him, saying, "Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed."
But He answered her not a word. And His disciples came and urged Him, saying, "Send her away, for she cries out after us."
But He answered and said, "I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."
Then she came and worshiped Him, saying, "Lord, help me!"
But He answered and said, "It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs."
And she said, "Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table."
Then Jesus answered and said to her, "O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire." And her daughter was healed from that very hour.
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