Title: Position Yourself
Theme: Setting ourselves in the right position of praise so the Lord can deliver us.
Text: Matthew 6:9-14, 2 Chronicles 20:14-23
Offering: 2 Corinthians 9:5-7 Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren to go to you ahead of time, and prepare your generous gift beforehand, which you had previously promised, that it may be ready as a matter of generosity and not as a grudging obligation. (6) But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. (7) So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.
2 Chronicles 20:15 And he said, "Listen, all you of Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you, King of Judah! Thus says the Lord to you: 'Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God's.
(16) Tomorrow go down against them. They will surely come up by the Ascent of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the brook before the Wilderness of Jeruel.
IOW – I know where you are and I also know where the enemy is.
(17) You will not need to fight in this battle.
Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, who is with you, O Judah and Jerusalem!'
Introduction
Last Sunday we talked about Prayer. The importance of prayer.
You can’t separate prayer and praise.
Notice the Lord’s Prayer or Disciples Prayer
Lord’s Prayer
Matthew 6:9-14 In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. (10) Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. (11) Give us this day our daily bread. (12) And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors. (13) And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. (14) "For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
Notice how Jesus begins and ends this prayer.
Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name . . . For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.
Worship and Praise invites the Presence of the Lord
“But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.” (Psalm 22:3)
Psalms 22:3 NKJV But You are holy, Enthroned in the praises of Israel.
Matthew 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them."
Spirit of Praise and Worship
John 4:23 But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.
Truth – mental state
Spirit – spiritual state
Utley’s Guide to the Bible
"in spirit and truth" The term "spirit" (see Special Topic at Joh_3:8) speaks of a worship that is not locally or physically based. The term "truth" was used in the Greek world to speak of a mental concept, while the Hebrew background was that of faithfulness or trustworthiness. See Special Topics on Truth at Joh_6:55; Joh_17:3.
Have you ever been going through the motion and you “Get It”? I mean I have seen it on peoples face, they are going through the motion and then ‘BAM’ it hits them. The mental connects with the spiritual.
This is where you want to be. This is how you should pray, until they connect. This is why prayer dosne’t have a time limit. It may take a while or short time. It is when you reach this you know you are truly praying.
When you get these two connected, watch out?
Praise: Sometimes is an act of faith – King of Judah
2 Chronicles 20:14-23 Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, in the midst of the assembly. (15) And he said, "Listen, all you of Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you, King Jehoshaphat! Thus says the Lord to you: 'Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God's.
(16) Tomorrow go down against them. They will surely come up by the Ascent of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the brook before the Wilderness of Jeruel.
IOW – I know where you are and I also know where the enemy is.
(17) You will not need to fight in this battle.
Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, who is with you, O Judah and Jerusalem!' Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the Lord is with you." (18) And Jehoshaphat (King of Judah) bowed his head with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem bowed before the Lord, worshiping the Lord. (19) Then the Levites of the children of the Kohathites and of the children of the Korahites stood up to praise the Lord God of Israel with voices loud and high.
(20) So they rose early in the morning and went out into the Wilderness of Tekoa; and as they went out, Jehoshaphat (King of Judah) stood and said, "Hear me, O Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem: Believe in the Lord your God, and you shall be established; believe His prophets, and you shall prosper."
(21) And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who should sing to the Lord, and who should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army and were saying: "Praise the Lord, For His mercy endures forever." (22) Now when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were defeated. (23) For the people of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir to utterly kill and destroy them. And when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, they helped to destroy one another.
Praise Binds the Enemy
Psalms 149:1-9 Praise the Lord! Sing to the Lord a new song, And His praise in the assembly of saints. (2) Let Israel rejoice in their Maker; Let the children of Zion be joyful in their King. (3) Let them praise His name with the dance; Let them sing praises to Him with the timbrel and harp. (4) For the Lord takes pleasure in His people; He will beautify the humble with salvation. (5) Let the saints be joyful in glory; Let them sing aloud on their beds. (6) Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, And a two-edged sword in their hand, (7) To execute vengeance on the nations, And punishments on the peoples; (8) To bind their kings with chains, And their nobles with fetters of iron; (9) To execute on them the written judgment-- This honor have all His saints. Praise the Lord!
James “Resist the devil and he will flee from you!”
When we praise, God works. It shows God that we are on the same page with Him. It is no longer about us and our power.
Praise Releases the Burdens of Depression and Heaviness: The Great Exchange
Isaiah 61:1-3 "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, Because the Lord has anointed Me To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound; (2) To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn, (3) To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified."
Jesus came that we would no longer be carried by a spirit of depression and no hope but by a Spirit of Worship.
A Command of Praise: Psalms 150
Psalms 150:1-6 Praise you the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power. (2) Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness. (3) Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp. (4) Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs. (5) Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals. (6) Let every thing that has breath praise the LORD. Praise you the LORD.
READ: Psalm 150. (Then paraphrase as follows . . . by Phil Morgan
v1 Praise Him if you’re here, praise Him if you’re there.
v2 Praise Him if He’s done this for you, praise Him if He’s done that for you.
v3-5 Praise Him if you can play any kind of instrument, praise Him if you can just crash a cymbal.
v6 FINALLY - if you don’t fall into any of the above categories - IF YOU’RE BREATHING WILL YOU PRAISE HIM?! He’s worthy of it!)
Conclusion
It is time that we positioned ourselves for the defeat to the enemy. God will fight our battle.
It is time to praise him in spite of your circumstances.
It is time to praise through your circumstances.
