The power of praise in spiritual warfare is one powerful tool that many Christians are not aware of. Praise is an act of worship towards a deity especially in song. It is an expression of gratitude and a way of acknowledging the Sovereignty of the Almighty God. But, what are the spiritual benefits of praise? And, what is the power of worship and praise in spiritual warfare? We can trade all our spiritual battles to God with praise.
Many of us view praise as a form of entertainment in church. We are not fully aware of the weight that praise carries in the heavenly realms. Furthermore, we are ignorant of the power that praise has in spiritual warfare. In this article, we shall learn about the battles won through praise in the Bible, and how praise brings God’s presence. Additionally, we shall also learn about the secret power of praise, worship as a weapon of warfare, and so much more.
How Does Praise Bring God’s Presence?
Praise is actually a form of sacrifice.
When offered to God in truth and in spirit, it pleases the Lord. The Bible says that God inhabits the praises of His people, Psalms 149:4. When we praise, He comes down from heaven and abides in our hearts. And, this way, we gain the power to fight spiritual battles through praise.
The Power of Praise and Worship in Spiritual Warfare
Praise is a form of worship that penetrates the heavenly realms and turns lives around in the physical world. It is the kind of worship that has power to bind up the enemy, and bring down his strongholds. Additionally, is a powerful weapon that we can use to render powerless the attacks of the enemy.
1. Praise Has Power to Cause Confusion on All the Plans of the Enemy
There was a time when the Ammonites, the Moabites and some of the Meunites ganged up in war against Judah. Jehoshaphat was the king of Judah during this time. When king Jehoshaphat learned about the vast army that was coming to make war on his nation, he resolved to inquire of the Lord. He cried to God for help, and God asked him to instruct the best worshippers to praise. The Lord asked Jehoshaphat not to fight against the army, but to sing praises.
Praise As a Weapon Bible Verse
2 Chronicles 20:21-24 (NIV) – “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.” 22 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. 23 The Ammonites and Moabites 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. 24 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.”
A Battle Won Through the Power of Praise
Jehoshaphat and all the people of Judah sang praises to the Lord as He had instructed them to do. The power of the praises that came from their voices brought about confusion among the enemies that had ganged up against them. Their enemies turned against one another. This is how powerful praise can be. If there are people who are plotting evil against you or trying to bring you down, you don’t need to stress yourself up. All you need to do is to rise up in praise. Praise the Lord in the morning, at noon, in the evening and at all times. Let the praises of the Lord fill your lips each second. Let the power that lies in the praises that overflow from your lips to declare confusion among your enemies.
Isaiah 54:17 (NIV) says, “No weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and this is their vindication from me,” declares the Lord.
God’s Assurance to Protect Us from Spiritual Battles
God has given us an assurance that He will protect us from all the weapons of the enemy. We can wage off the weapons forged against us through praise. When you realize that the enemy is planning to attack you in any way, do not fret. Give praises to the Lord in His mighty heavens. Praise Him for His acts of power and for His surpassing greatness. The heavenly family will come down to your defense. They will fight for you. They will bring your enemies to shame and disgrace. Weapons forged against you through witchcraft will be disgraced by the power of praise. Evil plans made by your enemies to make your boss sack you will be frustrated through the power of the praises that flow from your heart.
Every weapon of magic spells, sorcery and forces of evil in the spiritual realms will be broken by the power in praise. Praise the king of kings in the heights above. Exalt His name through praise above the earth and the heavens. There is great power in the praises of your heart and lips. In the same way that He caused confusion on the people of Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir, He will do so to anyone that will rise up against you. God will do the same to anyone that will forge whatsoever weapon against any aspect of your life.
2. The Power of Praise in Bringing Down Strongholds and Principalities of the Devil
The devil is always looking for new ways to prevent us from receiving the blessings of God. He desires to see us giving up along the way. He sets up obstacles and barriers in the way of our breakthroughs and blessings. When the Israelites approached Jericho on their way to Canaan, the people of Jericho set up such a mighty wall to prevent them from passing through the city. This was one of the greatest barriers that the devil was setting up in their way. The devil did not want them to proceed to Canaan; he wanted them to give up so that God would look like a fool to them.
Joshua 6:1 (NIV) – “Now Jericho was tightly shut up because of the Israelites. No one went out and no one came in.”
Spiritual Battles that Can Be Won Through Praise
There are many ways that the devil uses to set up obstacles and barriers in our way of life. Sometimes he uses lack, financial constraints and hardship to prevent us from attaining out goals. He also uses sickness and illnesses to prevent us from fulfilling our God-given purposes on earth. His main aim is to make us doubt the power and might of our God. Inasmuch as we may not be able to see the barriers that he sets with our physical eyes, he makes sure he does so. If you experience extreme hardship while trying to pursue your dreams, just know that the devil is at work in setting up barriers in the way of those dreams.
How the Wall of Jericho was Brought Down by the Power of Worship and Praise
Joshua inquired of the Lord on what they were supposed to do now that Jericho was shut up. God did not ask Joshua to find tools that would help them to bring down the mighty wall. Instead, He asked them to give shouts of praise. It is the power in the shouts of their praises that brought down the stumbling block that was preventing them from proceeding to Canaan. The obstacle came stumbling down as they shouted and praised the Lord.
Joshua 6:20 (NIV) – “When the trumpets sounded, the army shouted, and at the sound of the trumpet, when the men gave a loud shout, the wall collapsed; so everyone charged straight in, and they took the city.”
What Is the Breakthrough Power of Praise in Spiritual Warfare?
Is there any barrier that is preventing you from experiencing full-scale prosperity and success? Do you feel like there is a stumbling block between you and your dreams, happiness or peace? Are you stressed over a mighty hurdle in your life and you cannot figure out a way to remove it from your path? Well, God has good news for you today. This is His message to you: PRAISE! All those barriers are coming down today as you praise. Tell the Lord, ‘as you brought down the walls of Jericho through praise, I ask you to bring down every hurdle in my life today as I praise.’
God’s Promise to Fight our Battles
Isaiah 40:4-5 (NIV) says, “Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. 5 And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it together. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
May the glory of the glory of the Lord be revealed in your life by the power of your praise today! Let all the hills and mountains be made low through your praise today! Do not struggle to bring down the stumbling blocks in your own way, praise the Lord!
Isaiah 45:2-3 (NIV) – “I will go before you and will level the mountains; I will break down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron. 3 I will give you hidden treasures, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the Lord, the God of Israel, who summons you by name.”
May the Lord inhabit your praises so that He may go before you and bring down all the mountains! May the power in your praise make the heavenly family to break down the gates of bronze and the bars of iron that are limiting your progress!
3. The Power of Praise in Spiritual Warfare Loosens All the Chains That Are Holding You Captive
When Paul and Silas were in prison, they did not cry out in sorrow. Instead, they chose to praise the Lord in the cell. Their feet had been fastened in the stocks by the jailer. They could not move or make any step forward. But, there is one thing that they were still able to do in their bondage. They realized that they had the ability to praise the Lord.
Worship As a Weapon Bible Verse
Acts 16:25-26 (NIV) – “About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose.”
The power in the praise that Paul and Silas offered to God made everyone’s chains come loose. They were all delivered from bondage.
The Deliverance Power of Praise and Worship
There are many chains that tie us down. Sad enough, we are not in a position to see them because most of them are spiritual chains. They may be chains of generational curses, affliction and diseases or any other thing. These chains tie down our progress; we cannot move forward or make any improvement. Additionally, they limit our growth and expansion. And, spiritual chains cause stagnation in life too. However, one thing that they cannot limit is our ability to praise. They cannot limit our ability to tell of the goodness of the Lord through worship and praise.
May God grant us the grace and the strength to praise Him with all that is in our hearts, even when everything seems difficult and uncertain. Let the praises of our lips be the sacrifice that will invoke Him to deliver us from spiritual bondage. Chains of poverty, recurring illnesses, barrenness, affliction and sorrow are breaking loose by the power of praise. Moreover, genetic chains that affect our lives negatively are breaking loose today as we praise the Lord. Also, chains that tie us to ungodly altars are breaking loose today by the power of praise in spiritual warfare!
Conclusion
The power of praise in spiritual warfare is something that no believer should take for granted. It can do the unimagined and the unexpected. Moreover, it is more powerful than our strength and abilities. And, it works greater than our efforts and skills. Praise is a free spiritual weapon that we can use to fight all forms of spiritual battles. Therefore, may we all strive to praise the Lord at all times.
