Worship is warfare

Worship is warfare

April 11, 2009

Many or our battles can be won from the place of worship. King David was a man of war who understood worship as a powerful means of warfare. He declared, “Let Israel rejoice in Him that made Him: let the children of Zion be joyful in their King. Let them praise His name in the dance: let them sing praises unto Him with the timbrel and harp. For the Lord takes great pleasure in His people. Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud upon their beds. (Psalms 149:2-5).

As David declared in the above passage of scripture, “Let the saints be joyful in glory.” The adversary will do everything possible to keep God’s people from being joyful. He knows that upbeat praise cause people to be joyful in glory which set them free. I have watched people that entered into extravagant worship set free from discouragement and depression. It is the joy of the Lord that is our strength and in His presence there is fullness of joy. It is the peace of God that crushes Satan under our feet as we dance with joy before our King.

David was both a lover of God and a worshipping warrior of God. Many of David’s’ battles were won from the place of worship. He understood that being joyful in glory with extravagant praise is the key to accessing the heart of God and thus the mind of God. As a man with the responsibility of governing a nation, defeating the enemies of Israel and dealing with his own son, Absalom, who betrayed him, in order to prevail mentally, emotionally and spiritually, he needed God’s help. David discovered that, he could rest in God’s peace, love and joy. In doing so, the Lord would deliverer him from all his enemies. Abiding in God was his secret weapon as he declared in Psalms 91: 1-3,
He that dwells in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord He is my refuge and my fortress: my God in whom I trust. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge, my shield and my fortress: my God: in whom I trust. Surely he shall deliver you…

We are Atmosphere Changers
Through worship we can change the atmosphere around us. When people come into my home for the first time, one of the things they tell my wife and I is that they feel a great peace and the presence of God. Our home is a home of worship. Through worship we can usher in God’s presence wherever we are and at any time. I can walk into a restaurant, a garage or a grocery store, and impact the atmosphere around me with the presence of God. Because God inhabits the praises of His people, you become a lighthouse for His presence. We impact the atmosphere of our homes and workplace with the presence of God for the Kingdom of God comes in His presence. As we enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise, the portals of heaven open and the glorious spirit of God is poured out in our midst.

The adversary loves to bog us down with distractions, thus keeping us from the main thing which is intimacy with God. Because of our ‘business with life” we can become spiritual dry and ineffective for Christ. You cannot expect to minister on Sunday if you have not been with the Lord on Monday. People often tell me that they are too busy to worship. This is because their concept of worship is listening to worship tapes or singing in a quiet place. Worship however is a matter of our spirit connecting with God while our bodies are on the earth. We were created with a spirit that has a natural body, not a body with a spirit. You can make a conscious for your spirit to touch the heart of God at any place at any time.

I can be in the presence of God while doing most anything. It’s a matter of being God conscience to worship Him with my heart. We are called to do all things as unto the Lord. People have the concept that they meet with the Lord on Sunday, while God created us to be a temple for the Holy Spirit to commune with Him every day. We can meet with the Lord any time we choose. Many Christians come to Church with the motive to worship in order to obtain a blessing. As Jesus told us, the Father is looking for those who will worship Him in spirit and in truth. God is looking for worshipers who will continually dwell in His presence; then when they come to Church they release a blessing.

Enter into His Presence with Boldness
The apostle Paul tells us we have a New Testament Covenant that enables us to enter into His presence with boldness. “Having therefore, brethren boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus. By a new and living way… And having a high priest over the house of God; Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts…” (He. 10:19-22).

I tell you this; the Lord wants you to approach Him with “boldness.” He wants you to know of His great love for you and His favor is for you. We come boldly before God because of what He has done for us. When we understand that it is not about us, or whether we are worthy or not, but it is His passion to receive us in love, then we are set free to enter into His presence with extravagant praise to dance and be joyful before Him. In doing so, you will find a freedom in your soul that you have longed for.

Now the Lord is that Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty” (2 Cor. 3:17)

Rejoicing with thanksgiving breaks the religious bondage that holds God’s people captive. It is the “happy feet” with rejoicing hearts that dance freely before the Lord that opens the prison doors and sets the captives free. Often in my home, I will draw out my sword that I have hanging on the wall, and dance before the Lord. As I dance to upbeat worship, the portals of heaven open above me and the spiritual atmosphere changes around me. As I dance proclaiming the word of God the entire atmosphere of my home changes from that of being ordinary to that of being filled with God’s glorious presence. It is through extravagant worship that we open the gates for the King of glory to come in. David tells us that the Lord is mighty and strong in battle. God is a man of war who fights on our behalf.

Lift up your heads, O ye gates: and be lifted up, you everlasting doors, and the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of Glory” the Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. Who is this King of Glory? The Lord of Hosts, He is the King of glory. (Ps, 24:7, 8, 10).

The battle is not ours but the Lords. He is our victory! I encourage you to daily rise up and worship the Lord. Even in the midst of a crowd, you can worship from your heart. While others may not hear you, the Lord does. The result of this is that His presence comes upon you, which becomes visible to those around you. When this happens to me, I smile with delight because of the joy that is within me. I image to others I look like the cat that just ate the canary.

For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon you, and His glory shall be seen upon you. And the Gentiles shall come to your light and the kings to the brightness of your rising (Is. 60:2-3)

källa: http://www.destinyeastgateministries.org/2009/04/11/4-warshipwarfare/