Friday, March 27th

Worship is connecting, surrendering, and responding to the revelation of who God is and what wants to do in us and through us.

The last observation of worship I want to spend some time on is worship as a response. Specifically, worship is a weapon. An offensive weapon and a defensive weapon. Worship can prepare us and equip us.

Simply put, we were born on a battlefield between good and evil. To the point that even Lucifer, Satan, was a fallen angel who led all the choirs of heaven in praise, but his pride got in the way because he wanted to be like God and when his praise shifted to pride, his sin cast him far from God. It should not surprise us then, the impact and the power of worship.

Notice Psalm 8:2- Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger.

I love the innocence, yet power of this passage. Did you catch it? It is through the praise of children and infants, worship of our children can come against enemies. Worship can redefine the enemy of our identity, the enemy of our fear, the enemy of our doubt. Worship is a weapon. But the power is, who the worship is in.

Go to 2 Chronicles 20:12-18- Here King Jehoshaphat is preparing for battle because there is an army that is coming against him and the people of Israel. Notice the interaction on this battlefield.

"For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.”

Have you ever been there? “we don’t know what to do?” There is something before me, it feels overpowering, we don’t know what to do. Their response? “but our eyes are on you.”
Then notice the rest of the story in 2 Chronicles 20- 13 All the men of Judah, with their wives and children and little ones, stood there before the LORD. 14 Then the Spirit of the LORD came on Jahaziel son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite and descendant of Asaph, as he stood in the assembly. 15 He said: “Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the LORD says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s. 16 Tomorrow march down against them. They will be climbing up by the Pass of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the gorge in the Desert of Jeruel. 17 You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you.’” 18 Jehoshaphat bowed down with his face to the ground, and all the people of Judah and Jerusalem fell down in worship before the LORD…. 

The Lord fought the battle and their response? Give thanks to the Lord, for his love endures forever.

Worship is a weapon, a response, in some ways to prepare us and in others for God to do the fighting on our behalf.

Take a moment today to wrestle with what it means, in our worship, to trust God to fight for us. You can also use this song to connect with it.