Words Of Encouragement To Start The Day (Thursday 12/09/2010)

The Sounds Of Preparation…

Zephaniah 1:14 (New International Version, ©2010)

¹⁴ The great day of the LORD is near—
   near and coming quickly.
The cry on the day of the LORD is bitter;
   the Mighty Warrior shouts his battle cry.

            When I was a cheerleader in High school, before we took the floor and prepared for battle or competition (whichever you prefer) against a rival team or school, we would do an awful lot of yelling and screaming to get ourselves, the crowd and the team hyped up and ready to do battle.  We would have certain calls we would do; we would be in a certain posture and in a certain mindset that lead us to be extremely verbal and expressive. Usually before we approach anything that requires effort whether it is mental, emotional, spiritual and even physical if it is adversarial in nature there is noise to be made in preparation.

            For us who are progressing towards, destiny, the war before the destiny or the promise, there should be a sound that carries us into battle, or one that carries us into our destiny and into the promises of God.  Praise is the sound that breaks up the fallow ground, and puts the enemy to flight.  It is a weapon that can be used.  Praise is the sound that scatters and confuses the enemy. Praise is the quickest way to invoke God, and begin to confuse the enemy in such a way; it causes the battle to become weighted, in our favor. As a result of praise the enemy cannot focus, they will stumble, fall turn back and run away and often will perish in the midst of their attempt to escape. One of the greatest worshipers was David, but He was also one of the greatest warriors.  You cannot neglect the connection of sound of worship that David made and His expression of worship that kept him in a place of preparation and in a place that God was present to move in his, exploits, and give him the victory. Psalms 139 reminds us that when we praise that the enemy is bound and fettered.  That is why we are told to cry loud and spare not, it is that cry of praise that will bring God into the very midst of the Battle and hand the enemy into our hands and all the goods associated with them.  

 But it is when God gives us His plan, His purpose, His instruction, His will and direction that we should enter into worship. The sounds of worship bring Glory to God and enlarge Him. That means it makes God larger than any obstacle, it puts Him in a place that He is exalted above all.  The sounds of worship makes us focus on God, it invokes God to bring us into a place of victory, destiny and promise.  Gilbert Hughes, says, “Worship is ultimately the key that unlocks our whole lives before the Lord and provides a way of experiencing every depth in Him.”  The sounds of worship should be the successor to the sounds of praise; praise prepares the atmosphere for victory, but worship prepares us for victory.

            Is there a sound that is readying you for battle, or to enter the promise and destiny that God has said is yours?  There should be, because the Bible says “let everything that has breath praise the Lord.”  There is always a sound that precedes anything, and the sound of praise is primary and the sounds of worship are secondary, when it comes to our battles and our future. It is time to open up our mouths and bring forth a sound that will bring God in the very presence of our situation and will confuse and place the enemy on the run. We scream and holler at sporting events to help aid our team to victory, how much more is it important to make a sound that will aide us to victory?