When to praise God?
Isaiah 54:1 ESV
“Sing, O barren one, who did not bear;
break forth into singing and cry aloud,
you who have not been in labor!
For the children of the desolate one will be more
than the children of her who is married,” says the Lord.
I want you to read the verse. God is asking the barren woman to rejoice in singing. Why is He is asking her to sing while she is still barren?
The verse is not asking expecting women or moms to sing but barren women to sing.
Why is that?
Here is an understanding. Is it special, if pregnant women or women with children singing?
It’s pretty natural. People do praise and shout for joy when
How would a barren woman sing in joy unless she believes and believes to the full what the LORD just said, that her children are
Ok let me make it practical by application with my testimony.
Now I am applying Isaiah 54:1. My bank account might be barren, but I sing in joy, I can’t contain my joy when I think about the abundance that I have, millions. Greater are the children of the desolate woman than of a married wife.
Oh, my joy abounds. And you could say to me, oh your bank account has only a bare minimum. I say to you, I have a choice, Either to walk by sight or by faith. I see by faith that HE has promised. And it is His job to get what He has promised. Of
Oh, how can I not rejoice? For HIS promise comes. Hide and watch. You can watch, my bank account is going to have the abundance. You will see it. I rejoice because I believe. Seeing it is just the result. So can barren women rejoice? Oh yes very well. Oh, I rejoice.
Does the result produce shouts of joy or joy produce results?
Oh, that’s a cool question to contemplate.
Let me take you to a different place
2 Chronicles 20 Read it in full.
Ok, let me step the context. Jehoshaphat is king of Judah. Moabites and Ammonites, and with them, some of the Meunites came against Jehoshaphat for battle. Huge army against Judah.
Now Jehoshaphat is going to do something that seems crazy to the world. He prays to the LORD and he receives a word that the battle is LORD’S.
Now Jehoshaphat does what seems the craziest thing to do.
Jump to verse 20
And they rose early in the morning and went out into the wilderness of Tekoa. And when they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Hear me, Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem! Believe in the Lord your God, and you will be established; believe his prophets, and you will succeed.” 21 And when he had taken counsel with the people, he appointed those who were to sing to the Lord and praise him in holy attire, as they went before the army, and say,
“Give thanks to the Lord,
for his steadfast love endures forever.”22 And when they began to sing and praise, the Lord set an ambush against the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah,
Crazy isn’t who would put a worship team ahead of the army as they go to battle. Imagine this. The worship team is singing and dancing ahead and the army is following them. Whom will the enemy see first, is it the army or the worship team? The Levites who are singing who are not trained to battle in the human sense. Watch what happens.
Verse 24
When Judah came to the watchtower of the wilderness, they looked toward the horde, and behold, there[e] were dead bodies lying on the ground; none had escaped. 25 When Jehoshaphat and his people came to take their spoil, they found among them, in great numbers, goods, clothing, and precious things, which they took for themselves until they could carry no more.
Man! the war was over even before they came to the battle. Judah plundered and became even more prosperous. What the enemy intended was to destroy Judah. But what happens is Judah becomes prosperous than before.
Oh, I said Levites were never trained for battle? Really? Yes, they were not trained for battle in the human sense, they were ordained to sing praises to the LORD. Is it is not the greatest power? Is not Praise the greatest weapon against the enemy? Yes, hold that thought.
Stay there, I was at church today, the worship was going on. I started my day with worship at home too. At church, during the worship, I felt like an army and me being a soldier with shield and the sword of the Word. Oh does it sound like Bible
The Whole Armor of God
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication.
As I was there standing to worship, I remembered Joshua, the Judah winning by praise and the whole armor of God. And I also remembered that praise is not mentioned in the armor of God. I asked, Why?
Because praise goes even before the army. It is the victory. Here is the thought.
As you read Ephesians 6, the whole armor of God, you will see, it doesn’t talk about protection for your back. You have nothing on the back. You know why?
I remembered, because we press forward, we go ahead or not backward. We conquer. We are more than conquerors. Romans 8:37
Press ahead and conquer. Oh, my faith is lit up. I will praise of HIS faithfulness. Praise HIM. To HIM alone is the praise in Jesus mighty name. Amen.