“Now when they began to sing and praise, the LORD
set ambushes against the people of Ammon and Moab, and Mount Seir, who had
come against Judah; and they were defeated”
– 2 Chronicles 20:22
We
are in a war.
Nationally
the push to rewrite history and eliminate any vestige of Christianity as a
ground for defining morality is at a zenith. You may disagree that the founders
of this nation were Christian. But it would be hard to contend that
Christianity hasn’t had a profound influence on this nation in her times of
greatness. All of this is being sacrificed for a convoluted worldview that sees
America as simply another nation in the world rather than an exceptional nation
blessed by God. America, this worldview contends, is imperialistic. America has
become great at the expense of the weak. America is unjust and oppressive.
America must be brought down a peg and Christians with it if they get in the
way.
First,
prayer, then God’s word and any traces of the holy were removed from our
educational institutions. (Don’t want to pollute the young populace.) Then mores
of common decency were rejected and the floodgates of free love and sex opened
wide. Now the family fabric of our nation is in the process of being dissolved
to such a degree that it ceases to mean anything. Men can marry men. Women can
marry women. Soon to follow adults will marry children (or at least the age of
consent will be removed). There will be allowances for a man to have many wives
and for equalities’ sake, a woman to have many husbands. Eventually a time will
come when humans can marry animals or inanimate objects. All of this will
likely be presented as human rights issues. It will come under the banner of
freedom and anti-discrimination. It will be enforced with the patrolling gunboats of political
correctness. It will be promoted to the disgrace of a once great nation by a government that has degenerated to legislate
licentiousness. We are in the midst of what is in reality an antichristian political
utilitarian anarchy of lawlessness. If it feels good legislate it; hedonism in
the highest. Pass laws to protect sin. Remove laws that uphold righteousness. Government
was ordained by God in His Word, but this government has long left God and His
Word out of its equation.
On
the other hand government intrusions are at an all-time high. National crises
have been seized upon to implement an unprecedented pervasive and proliferating
system of citizen oversight and control.
They know where you are, when you’re there, all the time. The government has
taken control of the medical system. They determine if you are deserving of treatment. The masses are being
purposefully addicted to the drug of dependency on government. The spirit of
entitlement sucks people into the system. They promise cost effectiveness and
deliver individual dependency and national bankruptcy. The Internal Revenue Service
has become a political weapon. The police force has been armored and equipped
like an army. I’m all for protection and preparation against terrorism, but it
does appear lately that some of this anti-terrorism strategy is conveniently
aimed at and used on the citizenry.
All
of this is painful and scary to see for many. But the pharmaceutical industry has
the solution. Take a pill. Take a pill for anything and everything. Evangelist
psychobabblers spreading the good news of wellness will keep people seduced in
a reduced state of apoplexy. Keep the patient under anesthesia until their
organs are removed. Hey, they’re doing head transplants now you know. (I’m not
kidding.[1]) What
we see is a national head transplant. Without the Head, how much longer can this
go on?
Internationally
there is the cancer of ISIS (ISIL) terrorism metastasizing from the bowels of
Islam over the body of the earth. The cells of this cancer feed on “infidels.”
They are committed to a war of elimination by decapitation. They brag and boast
of their cutthroat crimes in the media. It is a fanatically depraved
demonically inspired leprosy which feeds on itself as well as others. Our
nation is not exempt from this cancer. Shortsightedly and foolishly our leaders
are actually purposefully lowering our border guard. They look the other way
allowing for the infiltration of those who would do us harm. All of this fueled
by a lust for the votes of illegal immigrants and packaged in disregard of
citizenship. It’s all to sustain political power. Their self-promoting
miscalculations are proving dangerous for their constituency.
Already
we have seen a decapitation by one infected with the ISIS plague. An innocent
secretary was stabbed and then beheaded all as an act of vengeance upon those
who would not convert to Islam. The Islamic executioner had been fired from his
job for his disruptive verbal attacks on his co-workers. This blatant attack by
an ISIS sympathizer was of course dismissed as a simple work place homicidal disturbance.
We must be politically correct; don’t want to ruffle anyone’s feathers (that’s
too big a block of voters to alienate!); even if vast proportion of them are
out to annihilate us! And really, aren’t you surprised you haven’t heard that
the ACLU is taking the offenders case because he was discriminated against?
Despite
all of this and much, much more, there is an even greater related age old war
that is well underway. All that we see on the surface is fueled by what is
going on under the surface. There is a spiritual war raging. There is a light versus
darkness, truth versus falsehood, Heaven versus Hell war going on. This war is
between God, His angels and His people versus Satan, his demons and
sympathizers. It’s an interesting war in that Satan has already been defeated
at the cross of Christ (Colossians 2:13-15).
You’d
think Satan would give up given the decisiveness of his defeat at the cross.
But no, he is a maniacal miscreant dead set on doing evil and deceiving. And he
is still somewhat effective at this devilish determination. This is a war that
can’t be fought with conventional weapons. This is a battle against unseen
principalities and powers and rulers of darkness (Eph. 6:12). Therefore, “the
weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down
strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself
against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the
obedience of Christ” (2 Cor. 10:4-5).
God
has provided us with the best of armor for this battle (Eph. 6:10-18). If we
simply put that armor on and stand in the might of the Lord, we can’t lose.
With the helmet of salvation our mind is protected. The breastplate of
righteousness in Christ guards our heart. With gospel shoes on we can carry the
gospel to free others from the enemy’s talons. The shield of faith deflects the
fiery arrows of enemy doubt. The sword of the Spirit when swung in love cuts
through the enslaving damming lies of demons. The belt of truth holds our armor
in place. Yes, our commander has given us the best equipment for the battle.
But
I want to speak to you about an oft forgotten and even unrecognized weapon in
this battle. It is a weapon that steadies and calms the ranks of God’s army. It
is a weapon that when taken up gives God’s forces a steely unbeatable
determination. I’m talking about Worship
– Our Weapon. Immediately you may be tempted to think, “Worship, you mean
singing? We’re in a war and you’re writing about worship?” Yes, my contention
is that worship and in particular singing is one of our most potent weapons for
the war we’re in. My contention is that instead of saying, “We’re in a war why
worship?” we should be responding, “We’re in a war, we better worship!”
Now
worship is far more than only singing. In reality our life is to be lived with
an attitude of worship. When we live in full surrender to God in light of His
grace we are worshipping (cf. Romans 12:1-2). When we live to please God not
merely to please people we worship (cf. Colossians 3:17, 23-24). When we do all
that we do for the glory of God we are worshipping (1 Cor. 10:31). We are to live
lives of worship to God. Worship is more than singing. But singing is an important part of worship. Singing
and its harmonies and sounds influence not only those physically in earshot of
it, but it influences those in the unseen spiritual battle. If prayer is the long
range artillery in our spiritual war, and God’s armor equips the boots on the
ground, then worship singing is that communications jamming that brings
confusion to the enemies of God. If the enemy is confused and divided, they
will soon be defeated. Jesus said, “A house divided
against itself will not stand” (Matthew 12:25; Mark 3:25; Luke 11:17). Worship
to the enemies of God is a loud screeching in their earphones.
God
wants to unite people in Christ (Eph. 2:11-22). The only good division is
separating from sin. In this sense Jesus came to divide believers from
unbelievers in Him (Matthew 10:34). God’s word is to be rightly divided in
terms of orderly study and presentation of it (2 Timothy 2:15). God’s word
divides us from our sin (Heb. 4:12). When God divides He does so to put things
in their proper order and place. God is orderly (1 Cor. 14:33, 40). God divided
the sky from the earth and the land from the sea.
God
divides to create and beautify. Satan divides to conquer and disqualify. Divide
and conquer is one of the oldest if not the oldest military strategies. It is
rudimentary military strategy. One of Satan’s greatest strategies against the
forces of God is to divide them. He took a third of the angels of heaven with
him in his rebellion against God. He will deceive and take a host of God’s
creation with him to hell.
An
army united is stronger than an army divided. Satan wants to divide God’s army.
He seeks to divide and cause chaos. He wants there to be infighting among God’s
troops. He too often succeeds in his efforts to divide by pandering to people’s
flesh. He encourages using selfishness to create division in the ranks. The
carnal Corinthians are a perfect example of this strategy (cf. 1 Corinthians 1:10;
3:1-4). Division in the church ranks is a sign of carnality not spirituality.
Those who are divisive should be corrected and if they persist, they are to be
avoided (Romans 16:17-18; Titus 3:10; Jude 19).
Worship
singing has a way of uniting the ranks of God in a holy chorus. When we sing
together we are united. But worship singing, while it unites worshipers, has
the exact opposite effect on the enemy. Worship singing disrupts and divides
the enemy. Worship singing has a positive and negative impact. Worship singing
is therefore an extremely effective weapon in God’s arsenal. And that is why
Satan does everything he can to corrupt worship singing as well as quench it as
much as he can.
Satan
doesn’t want you to sing worshipfully. He will do everything he can to keep you
from worshipping God in song. And that is why singing is such a touchy subject
with people. There are some who don’t think singing is a manly thing to do. Singing is for children. Singing is for the
feminine. If you think that way you’ve been deluded. Those ideas are straight
from the pit of hell. Consider this: Moses and the children of Israel sang and
God helped them defeat an empire. David sang and God helped him slay a giant
enemy nine and a half feet tall. Paul and Silas sang and God brought an
earthquake to break open their prison doors. Jesus sang and He defeated the
devil and suffered successfully for our redemption on the cross. I think it’s time for us to sing and see
what God will do for us!
In
the Old Testament there is a historical battle recorded that demonstrates the
effectiveness of worship singing. In 2 Chronicles Jehoshaphat was for the most
part a good king of the southern kingdom of Judah who implemented righteous reforms
(2 Chron. 19). Then a horde of Moabites and Ammonites came up against him (2
Chron. 20:1-2). Both these groups trace their roots to Lot’s incestuous
relations with his daughters (Gen. 19:37-38). It was in Moab that Balaam
brought God’s people down with a strategy of lust (Number 22 and 25). The cruel
Ammonites were into eye-gouging (e.g. 1 Samuel 11:2). They would rip open the
pregnant women of their conquered foes (Amos 1:13). They worshipped the god
Molech, a fire-god with the face of a calf. The idol of Molech was made of
metal. It had outstretched arms and a cut out furnace area in its belly. In the
ceremonial worship of Molech the idol was heated until it was red hot and then
as an act of worship infants were placed on the red hot arms of the idol.
Simultaneously a loud drumbeat would drown out the cries of the burning child
as well as the mournful cries of the child’s parents. Satan was written all
over Molech. Today’s ISIS terrorists had nothing on this confederacy of cruelty
that came up against Jehoshaphat and his people.
Understandably
this was a frightful sight. Good king Jehoshaphat did what any godly person
does when faced with a trial. He immediately “set himself to seek the LORD, and
proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah” (2 Chronicles 20:3-4). He sought the
LORD and brought the people together. A good godly leader will always seek the
LORD first and then rally God’s people together. A good godly leader knows God
works through united people. The Holy Spirit comes to empower believers united
together in “one accord” (e.g. Acts 1:14 and Acts 2).
Having
sought the LORD and having brought God’s people together, Jehoshaphat led a
congregational time of prayer. His opening words of prayer recognized that God
is sovereign and in control (2 Chronicles 20:5-6). He then remembered how God
had delivered His people in the past and had promised to do so again if they
sought Him out in times of enemy attack (2 Chronicles 20:7-9; cf. 2 Chronicles
7). Then the godly king laid out the current predicament before His LORD (2
Chronicles 20:10-11). And in the concluding words of His prayer he humbly
expressed, “For we have no power against this great multitude that is coming
against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You.” (2 Chronicles 20:12). They were
powerless and perplexed but they did know Who to look to; “but our eyes are on
You.”
Humbly
united before the LORD, God faithfully responded by the Holy Spirit coming upon
the Levite Jahaziel. As a relative of
“the sons of Asaph” he very well might have been involved in the worship
ministry (2 Chronicles 20:13-14; cf. 1 Chronicles 25). The Holy Spirit will
often speak to us through worship. And the word of the Spirit to Jehoshaphat
and God’s people was a comforting one. “And he said, “Listen, all you of Judah
and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you, King Jehoshaphat! Thus says the Lord to you: ‘Do not be afraid nor
dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours,
but God’s” (2 Chronicles 20:15). The Spirit always brings things into proper
focus; proper perspective – the battle is
not ours, it is the LORD’s. Even though God had sovereignly determined to
allow this predicament, He also had a plan to deal with it. And this plan of
God would serve the purpose of teaching God’s people a valuable truth.
While
the battle was the LORD’s it didn’t mean His people would have no part in it.
In this particular battle they would need to “position yourselves, stand still
and see the salvation of the LORD, who is with you, O Judah and Jerusalem!” God
affirmed, “Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the
LORD is with you” (2 Chronicles 20:16-17). We need to be ready to take our
positions. We need to step up and step into our place of responsibility. Be
ready for how God wants to use you.
Then
Jehoshaphat leads his people in humble thanks entering into worship of the
LORD. And their worship was no barely heard half-hearted lukewarm singing. It
says they “stood up to praise the LORD God of Israel with voices loud and high”
(2 Chronicles 20:18-19). “Loud and high” my brothers and sisters; “loud and
high”! When you worship the LORD can your singing be described as “loud and
high”? When you sing, can you be heard? Is your heart in it? These people were
aware of God’s deliverance and they expressed their thanks in appropriate
singing. Their singing was an expression of their faith. They sang as though
their lives were in the balance; because they were! Their worship flowed from
the word the Holy Spirit had provided. Their worship was connected to the
Spirit. How about you; what does your singing express, worship? Who are you
connected to?
There
is a connection between the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and worship singing.
In the Old Testament Moses was instructed by God to strike the rock and water
would come out for the people (Exodus 17). Later he was instructed by God to
speak to the rock in order to get more water out of it (Numbers 20). But as the
people continued their journey to the Promised Land and moved away from this
rock how would they get water? As they moved on and needed more water God
instructed Moses, “Gather the people together, and I will give them water”
(Numbers 21:16). God had the people come together; He had them unite. Then it
states, “Then Israel sang this song: ‘Spring up, O well! All of you sing it”
(Numbers 21:17). Then God provided water. Here God’s provision of water is
connected with singing.
Jesus
attended the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot)
in the New Testament (John 7). This was a time of remembering and worshipping
God for His provisions in the Wilderness wanderings. Each day during this Feast
there was a libation ceremony during which the High Priest would lead a joyous
procession of worshipers down to the Pool of Siloam. There he would dip a gold
pitcher into the water and fill it. As the pitcher was filled with water they
would sing Isaiah 12:2-3 – “Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not
be afraid; ‘For YAH, the LORD, is my strength and song; He also has become my
salvation.’ Therefore with joy you will draw water from the wells of
salvation.” Then the priest would lead the procession back to the Temple where
he would pour out the water into a silver basin as a drink offering. As the
priest poured out the water Isaiah 44:3 would be sung – “For I will pour water
on him who is thirsty, and floods on the dry ground; I will pour My Spirit on
your descendants, and My blessing on your offspring.”
On
the last great day of the Feast when the water had been poured out, the priest
would lift up the empty pitcher as a call for Messiah to come and fill up His
people. It was at this point that Jesus, on that final great day of the Feast,
“stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let
him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out
of his heart will flow rivers of living water” (John 7:37-38). John is
inspired to comment here, “but this he spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those
believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because
Jesus was not yet glorified” (John 7:39). This is important.
When
Jesus spoke of “rivers of living water” He was connecting the Old Testament
type of water in this Feast to being a symbol of the Holy Spirit. The New
Testament states clearly “that Rock was Christ” (1 Corinthians 10:4). When
Moses struck the rock to get water out of it, it was a typology of Jesus being
struck on the cross. When Moses was instructed to speak to the rock, it was a
typology that the work of regenerating water of the Spirit had been completed
and one only had to speak in faith to it to receive the water. But look what
follows, as the pilgrims journeyed on from the place of the rock (the cross)
they needed only to sing and the
water would flow. “Spring up, O well!” and the water would flow. Water is a
type of the Spirit. When we unite in worship singing, the Holy Spirit will
flow! At Pentecost the believers were “one accord” (Acts 1:14). There is no
specific mention of their worshipping, but gathered together for prayer they
very well might have been. Then we see the Pentecostal outpouring of the Holy
Spirit empowering them to serve the Lord. Worship singing creates the
environment for the living water of the Holy Spirit to flow. We need the power
of the Spirit for the war we are in! Let’s invite the Holy Spirit to come with
our singing.
You
may be thinking, “Okay Pastor, I’m following you, but is there any other
confirming evidence for this?” Yes! Being
continually filled with the Spirit is connected to our worship in song. In
his inspired letter to the Ephesians Paul writes, “And do not be drunk with wine,
in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another
in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your
heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the
name of our Lord Jesus Christ,” (Eph. 5:18-20).
The
Spirit filled life, the life of continually being filled with the Holy Spirit,
is directly related to “speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and
spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.” When we
worship in song it invites the Holy Spirit to come.
Only
a fool would go into battle without the authority of their commander’s orders
and the equipment provided by the army. With the empowerment of the Holy Spirit
we have both. And worshipful singing is the means God uses for the Holy Spirit
to be poured out and His soldiers to be empowered for battle. From now on, when
you sing in worship, sing with purpose. Worship in song as a call to the Holy
Spirit to empower and equip you. Then you’ll be ready for the war.
“So
they rose early in the morning and went out into the Wilderness of Tekoa; and
as they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Hear me, O Judah and you
inhabitants of Jerusalem: Believe in the Lord
your God, and you shall be established; believe His prophets, and you shall
prosper.” (2 Chronicles 20:20). All true worship involves believing in the LORD and His word (“His prophets”). The effective
weapon of worship is worship defined and found in the word of God. I’m not
speaking of mere music or secular songs. Such things will more likely lead to
melancholy or very temporal distraction from your problems. If you want potent
and more permanent deliverance from the attacks of demons you will need to
worship the LORD in the beauty of His holiness. Only that will lead to
prosperity; the fulfillment of God’s will and purposes in your life.
God’s
word speaks of the instrumental use of worship to empower and defeat His
enemies. When we worship Him it
empowers us. When we worship Him as He prescribes; we must worship God the way He ordains us to
worship Him. We must worship God “in spirit and truth” (John 4:23-24). “In
spirit” means we must be “born again,” regenerated; made spiritually alive. That happens when we turn from our sin in repentance to
God through faith in Jesus Christ
as the sole means and basis of God forgiving our sin. By faith we ask for and
receive God’s forgiveness for our sins. When we do that the Holy Spirit
indwells us giving us a second birth; a
spiritual eternal birth (John 3; Titus 3:4-7). Only then can we “know You,
the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent” (John 17:3). You can’t
worship God if you don’t know Him or His Son Jesus.
“In
truth” means according to God’s word which is the embodiment of truth (John
17:17). When we are spiritually born in Christ we live by Him and for Him. To
worship “in truth” means we live by God’s truth in His word. We can’t worship God
apart from His truth. True worship, worship that God accepts and looks for, is
worship defined by His truth.
Have
you ever been down or depressed for no apparent reason? Have you ever been
overwhelmed with doubts? Ever felt hateful or all of a sudden angry and
vengeful, belligerent? Have you ever felt defeated? Ever sink in despair? Ever
been deluged by darkness? Let me tell you something. That is very likely
evidence of an enemy attack. Did you ever notice how, you can be feeling some
or all those things but when you worship it seems to change you for the better?
Ever ask yourself why that is? It’s because when you worship the Lord the enemy
can’t stand it. When we worship the enemy breaks off the attack. Worship
confuses the enemy. Worship is like a high piercing horn blast in the ears of the
demons of darkness.
“And when he had
consulted with the people, he appointed those who should sing to the Lord, and who should praise the beauty
of holiness, as they went out before the army and were saying: “Praise the Lord, For His mercy endures
forever.” (2 Chronicles 20:21). The enemy can’t stand it when God’s
people, “praise the beauty of holiness.” What does that mean? It means we
praise the beauty of living holy before our Holy God. When we worship God and
live in total surrender and love to Him, it is an overpowering weapon. Love
never fails (1 Cor. 13:8a). Love is what the Holy Spirit pours into us when He
indwells us (Rom. 5:5). Love covers a multitude of sins (1 Peter 4:8). Nothing
can separate us from God’s love (Romans 8:37-39). When the enemy knows we know
that, well, more often than not they will just let down their weapons, put down
their heads, and walk away in defeat. When we praise the beauty of holiness it
is very discouraging to our spiritual enemies.
Satan and his hordes are sore
losers. When we praise the beauty of holiness not only do they turn in defeat,
but they turn on each other. When we worship in song it so defeats the enemy
that they are reduced to confused consternation. And they become so confused that they turn
their cruelty on each other. In Jehoshaphat’s predicament it states, “Now when
they began to sing and to praise, the Lord
set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come
against Judah; and they were defeated. 23 For the people of Ammon
and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir to utterly kill and
destroy them. And when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir,
they helped to destroy one another.” (2 Chronicles 20:22-23). While worship
brings the true worshiper peace and power, worship
brings confusion to the enemy. Lucifer was very possibly the worship leader
of heaven at one time (Ezek. 28:11-19). His pride led to his fall (Isaiah
14:12-17). Lucifer perverted worship to exalt himself. When he hears true
worship that exalts God Almighty as it should, it is like nails scraped on a
chalk board, a deafening sound that hurts his ears and stabs his mind and heart
with the truth and judgment of God.
Worship as a weapon can do a
thorough work of defeating the enemy. “So when Judah came to a place overlooking
the wilderness, they looked toward the multitude; and there were their
dead bodies, fallen on the earth. No one had escaped” (2 Chronicles 20:24). When
we worship we submit to God. We “resist the devil” with our worship. And when
we do that, he must flee (James 4:7).
Worship is a mighty weapon against Lucifer and his fallen angels. When we
worship, Satan goes down for the count. The next time you’re tempted to give
into the flesh or some ungodly notion, just tap out a worship melody and you’ll
tap out the enemy.
Worship will lead you to the
Valley of Berachah or Valley of Blessing. You will despoil the enemy and take
back from him what is rightfully yours in Christ (2 Chronicles 20:25-26). Worship
singing leads to abundant blessing at the expense of the enemy. Worship singing
leads to a victorious joyous procession (2 Chronicles 20:27-28). The joy of the
Lord is our strength (Nehemiah 8:10). Worship leads to a victorious procession to the glory of God! And worship singing
impacts unbelievers. It communicates the presence of the Lord and instills the
“fear of God,” reverence for God to them (2 Chronicles 20:29). When we worship sing
God is enthroned in our hearts. And when we worship like that, it has an impact
on those around us.
When we worship in song it
soothes us and instills in us a sense of rest and peace in the Lord. After
Jehoshaphat’s victory in worship it states, “Then the realm of Jehoshaphat was
quiet, for his God gave him rest all around” (2 Chronicles 20:30). Worship and
worship singing leads to peace. The prophet Isaiah echoes this when he is
inspired by God to write of a song God would give His people: “In that day this
song will be sung in the land of Judah: “We have a strong city; God will
appoint salvation for walls and bulwarks. 2 Open the gates,
that the righteous nation which keeps the truth may enter in. 3 You
will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on
You, because he trusts in You. 4 Trust in the Lord forever, For in Yah, the Lord,
is everlasting strength” (Isaiah 26:1-4). Isaiah speaks of bulwarks and
a strong city because there are always foes ready to attack. What did God
instruct Isaiah to communicate to the people? God gave Isaiah a song to sing
and that song of worship in the presence of the Lord would “keep him in perfect
peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You. Trust in the LORD
forever, for in YAH, the LORD, is everlasting strength.” If you want calm when faced with calamity
worship the Lord in song.
Finally, we should sing
worshipfully in times when we are set to pick up our cross or encounter the
enemy in pivotal purpose-fulfilling plans of God. After Jesus had put in place
His Table before His disciples and was getting ready to go to Gethsemane and
then the cross, it states, “And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the
Mount of Olives” (Matthew 26:30). At the most critical redemptively important
time in His life Jesus approached the cross worshipping in song. At the cross
Satan and all the demons of hell brought their hardest and darkest devilish
attack. Jesus warded them all off with a hymn of worship.
When
we worship in times of trial it brings us closer to Jesus. Jesus comes closer to us in our worship. What
hymn did our Savior sing with His disciples? We don’t know. Perhaps it was a
psalm traditionally sung at Passover (e.g. Psalm 113-118). Perhaps at some
point Jesus sang, “The LORD is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to
me? The LORD is for me among those who help me; therefore I shall see my desire
on those who hate me” (Psalm 118:6-7).
Martin Luther the reformer was known to battle the devil all his life. You can still see at Wartburg Castle an ink stain on the wall of Luther’s study. It was there that he threw an inkwell at the devil. Luther fought oppressive thoughts throughout his life that he attributed to spiritual warfare. But he found a more effective weapon to fight the devil than an inkwell. In the great Reformation hymn A Mighty Fortress is our God written by Luther he conveys the hope we have in Christ when he writes, “And though this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us, we will not fear, for God hath willed his truth to triumph through us. The Prince of Darkness grim, we tremble not for him; his rage we can endure, for lo, his doom is sure; one little word shall fell him.” What might that “little word” be? In John 19:30 the single Greek word tetelestai is translated “It is finished!” Jesus’ redemptive work is finished and complete. The enemy is finished. Let’s be a constant reminder to him and those who fight with him that he “is finished!” We’re at war. Worship is our weapon. Use it!
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