The Bible speaks of the Holy Ghost as being the comforter. Aren’t you glad for the spirit of the Lord? He is the comforter.
In our scripture text it says that God would appoint, or as the NKJV says, God would console those who mourn in Zion. There is enough of God to comfort all who mourn around the world. But his word specifically states those in Zion or those in God’s house are going to get God’s attention.
God’s people who are in:
ÿ Calamity
ÿ Desolation
ÿ Crisis situation
ÿ Mourning
ÿ Trouble
ÿ Hard times
ÿ Difficult circumstances
Will surely get his attention. And if there is anybody who I want to have their attention – it’s God. I want his eyes upon me. I want his ear tuned in to my cry. I want to be underneath the umbrella of his protection. I want to live in the secret place of the most high and abide under his feathers and under his wings.
The Bible says that he will give us beauty for ashes. In Bible times it was the custom for the people of that day to in great times of mourning and difficulty lay in ashes. Just think about that. You’ve got a problem in your life and you just sit down in a pile of ashes. There is nothing beautiful about ashes.
But the scripture says he is going to take your difficult, disgusting, depressing and horrible situation and give you beauty. He is going to pick you up out of the ash pile of life and make something beautiful out of you.
The Hebrew word for ashes is epher and the Hebrew word for beauty is pheer. Just move the e and you have a new word. And just as quickly as it takes for you to move one letter God is going to turn your sorrow into joy. He speaks and it is already done.
You may feel like your life is ugly and insignificant right now. But sometimes things that appear ugly just need the right climate to grow. There is a species of century plant called the “Maguey”. It grows for years with great course leaves as thick as two hands put together. It’s three inches thick and very long. It puts out sharp thorns and it’s just as ugly as can be. The longer it’s alive and the more it grows, it just gets uglier all the time. But suddenly it shoots up in just a couple of days and a great shaft tall and thick begins to grow. It decks it’s spreading head with thousands of flowers and becomes a beautiful plant.
The possibility of all that fragrant beauty was always in that detestable ugliness. Just as the fragrant beauty of your life is sometimes hidden underneath the calloused ritual. It is smothered by daily schedules and monotonous grind. Sometimes painful experiences cause beauty to come forth.
Isaiah said he will give you beauty for ashes. God knew you would be burnt by life’s experiences. But he also knew he could replace that burnt out mess with something beautiful.
Bill Gaither wrote the song that says:
Something beautiful something good
All my confusion Jesus understood
All I have to offer him is brokenness and strife
But he made something beautiful out of my life.
Whatever God’s hands touch becomes beautiful. All you need tonight is a touch from the master’s hand.
Ecclesiastes 3:11
He hath made every thing beautiful in his time:
ÿ When Job was burnt by life he burnt the devil because he fell down and praised God.
ÿ Daniel, lions den – he prayed and thanked God
ÿ Abraham, sacrifice his son – I and the lad will go and worship
ÿ Hannah, the day she gave Samuel back to God – My heart rejoiceth in the Lord.
ÿ Paul, in prison – rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice
Oil of Joy for mourning.
Oil was used to apply to the face to make the face shine, instead of mourning which disfigures the face and the countenance and makes it unlovely.
When in mourning no oil would be applied to the face so that people would know that person was in mourning.
The oil of joy is the Holy Ghost.
Like a well of living water
Joy unspeakable and full of glory
Even in hard times – JOY
The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.
When I came to the church early Sunday morning I began to talk to the Lord in prayer. I was praying for one particular family in this church. While I was praying I began to realize that I was under a spirit of heaviness.
Let’s talk about this spirit of heaviness. It includes:
ÿ Heaviness
ÿ Inner hurts
ÿ Depression
ÿ Despair
ÿ Dejection
ÿ Hopelessness
ÿ Broken hearted
ÿ Suicidal tendencies
ÿ Self pity
ÿ Excessive mourning
ÿ Insomnia
ÿ Sorrow or grief
The root of this spirit of heaviness can at times come from:
ÿ A lack of praise
ÿ Bitterness
ÿ Being unthankful
The spirit of heaviness will attempt to steal your JOY.
Without joy we have the tendency to move into self pity.
Psalm 69:20
Reproach hath broken my heart; and I am full of heaviness: and I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none.
The devil wants you to feel sorry for yourself. He wants you to feel alone and depressed. But don’t let him lead you down that pathway. For the Bible says:
Romans 8:28
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
Listen to what else the bible says:
Isaiah 43:1-7
1 But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.
2 When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.
3 For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee.
4 Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life.
5 Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west;
6 I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth;
7 Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.
This is talking about a God that is concerned about you. He cares for you.
In 1983 the National Institute of Mental Health said 1 in 5 have significant symptoms of depression.
Depression affects Christians because they get so wrapped up with the process of living day to day that they begin to lose interest in and neglect God’s word. They feel the weight of serving God because the joy is gone and they are left with the dull mechanics of Christian living.
Like a dark tunnel with no exit
King Saul was affected by depression. He called for David to play and sing the anointed Psalms.
Isaiah 59:19
So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him.
You can give in to depression or resist it.
Romans 6:16
Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
Don’t give in to the spirit of heaviness – but use the word of God like a sword.
ÿ When the devil says your no good remind him of 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
ÿ When the devil says your not saved just tell him I know I’m saved because I was there when it happened.
ÿ When the devil says to worry, just remind him that God said don’t worry about anything
ÿ When the devil says be sick just tell him by his stripes I am healed
ÿ When he says be afraid remind him God said my peace I give to you.
ÿ When he says be defeated you say we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
We are all going to face adversity. Even Paul did.
2 Corinthians 1:1-11
Binding Matthew 18:18
Satan, in the name of Jesus, I bind your spirit of heaviness. According to Matthew 18:8. I recognize that you have taken advantage of me. Now I resist you in Jesus name. James 4:7 says “Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” Go in the name of Jesus and don’t bother coming back again.
Loose – Holy Ghost, oil of joy, praise
Praise silences the devil
Psalms 8:1-2
1 O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens.
2 Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.
That you might still – that you make the devil shut up!
In Matthew, Jesus said thou hast perfected praise – he was interpreting the scripture not misquoting.
Praise is a garment of the spirit. Put on the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.
We must literally cloth ourselves in praise. We must put it on.
Every morning we decide what to wear. In the same way we must decide to put on the garment of praise.
In the Hebrew the word used for garment was more than something draped around the shoulders but it literally teaches us to wrap or cover ourselves in praise. The garment of praise is to leave no openings or holes which hostile spirits can penetrate.
When you are – then put on praise
¸ Under heaviness
¸ Depressed
¸ In despair
¸ Dejected
¸ Have inner hurts
¸ Hopelessness
¸ Broken hearted
It’s a matter of our will!!
Praise prepares us for miracles
Jonah
Jonah 2:9-10
9 But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD.
10 And the LORD spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land.
Something in Jonah’s prayer got the attention of God – praise
Paul and Silas
Acts 16:25
25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.
Put on the garments of Praise
Hebrew word – tehillah – to sing praise
It is used in Psalm 22:3 where it says God inhabits the praise of his people. God manifest himself in the midst of exuberant singing.
2 Chron. 20:22 – God sent ambushments
Psalm 34:1 I will bless the Lord at all times his PRAISE shall …
Psalm 40:1-3
Psalm 66:1-2
There is protocol to see:
¸ Pope
¸ President
¸ Queen of England
And there is a protocol for seeing the King of Kings
Isaiah 60:18
…but thou shalt call thy walls Salvation, and thy gates Praise.
God is surrounded in a city, by a wall called salvation. The way to get into that city is through the gate of praise.
We don’t gain access to his presence by needs and petitions but by praise.
