THE ENRICHING POWER OF INSPIRED PRAISE
Inspired praise can be a weapon of warfare or a token of gratitude. Israel praised God for a mighty deliverance and Deborah praised God for granting them dominion over the mighty. Their praises were tokens of gratitude for God’s help and visitation (Exodus 15:1-21; Judges 5:1-3,13).
Are you merry because of what God has done for you? Then praise should be the follow up of such joy and happiness (James 5:13; Psalm 126:1-3).
True singing and praise comes from the heart (a heart touched by the grace of God) (Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16). We are commanded to engage in “singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord” (Colossians 3:16).
DEVASTATING ROUTING OF THE ENEMY
2 Chronicles 20:1-4,21-23; Joshua 6:1,2,16,20; Isaiah 42:10-13; 2 Corinthians 10:3-5.
Inspired praise can be an effective weapon of warfare. We can fight with the weapons of praise like in the case of Jehoshaphat (2 Chronicles 20:1-4,21-23) or blow the ram’s horn for the walls to come tumbling down in Jericho like in Joshua’s case (Joshua 6:1,2,16,20).
When we begin to sing unto the Lord a new song and His praise from the end of the earth, God will bestir Himself like a mighty man of war on our behalf and will prevail against our enemy (Isaiah 42:10-13).
The weapons of inspired praise are not carnal weapons, they are mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds like Jericho walls, and casting down evil imaginations like that of the enemy in Jehoshaphat’s case (2 Corinthians 10:3-5).
DIVINE RELEASE OF THE ENSNARED
1 Samuel 16:14-23; Acts 16:25,26; Isaiah 61:3; Matthew 8:1-3; 9:18,19,23-26; 15:25-28.
Anointed music brought divine release and relief for demonized Saul (1 Samuel 16:14-23). Paul and Silas were lost in the wonders of praise in the Philippian jail when God granted them freedom. Their praise brought liberation, freedom. The prison doors were opened, the chains fell off (Acts 16:25,26).
Inspired praise will bring divine release to the ensnared. If you put on the garment of praise, the spirit of heaviness will disappear, the cloud over your soul will lift, the sun will shine upon your horizon (Isaiah 61:3).
Healing and deliverance can be the fruit of worship and praise. Consider these cases in the New Testament: the healing of the leper followed worship (Matthew 8:1-3), the resurrection of Jairus’ daughter followed worship (Matthew 9:18,19,23-26) and the deliverance of the daughter of the Syrophonecian from demonic oppression followed worship (Matthew 15:25-28).
DIVINE REVELATION FOR THE ENQUIRING
Isaiah 5:1; 26:1; Deuteronomy 31:19,21-22,30; Colossians 3:16; Ephesians 5:19,20; 2 Kings 3:15-19.
Songs can be avenues of imparting knowledge (Isaiah 5:1; 26:1; Deuteronomy 31:19,21-22,30; Colossians 3:16; Ephesians 5:19,20) or receiving new revelation and insights from the Lord (2 Kings 3:15-19).
The inspired hymns and songs of the christian church have much to teach us as believers. Songs are easily learnt and the instructions they contain are thereby made permanent in the heart of the singer. Moses employed this method for Israel and Isaiah also used it at a later time (Deuteronomy 31:19,21-22,30; Isaiah 5:1; 26:1). We are to engage in “TEACHING and ADMONISHING one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs …” (Colossians 3:16) and in “SPEAKING to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs …” (Ephesians 5:19).
Inspired praise, worship and anointed music have a mellowing effect on the heart. Inspired music prepares the heart for the reception of God’s word. It opens up the prophet to receive God’s revelation as in the case of Elisha (2 Kings 3:15-19).