赞美上帝是最有力的灵界武器之一 我要一心称谢耶和华,我要传扬你一切奇妙的作为;我要因你欢喜快乐。至高者啊,我要歌颂你的名。我的仇敌转身退去的时候,他们一见你的面就跌倒灭亡(诗篇9:1-3) 亲爱的弟兄姊妹们,决不要低估赞美上帝的重要,它是你拥有的最有力的灵界武器之一。 赞美上帝,胜过一首欢乐之歌或些许振奋之词。赞美上帝时,上帝至大荣光如亲临眼前,而此时你的敌人就会转身退去,疾病、隐患无法再侵占你的身体,困乏也不能再困扰你的家。 真正充满喜乐的赞美,甚至能使身体的疲惫也立时消失,我是从我的亲身经历中得知的。几年前,当我在祷告治疗中心作辅导时,真是和疲劳打了一场仗。我是牧师,既要辅导基督徒,同时还要为病人们祷告治病,每次侍奉都要好几个小时,所以等到聚会结束后,我疲惫得连说“结束”的力气都没有了。 后来一次特别的聚会,使我发现了赞美上帝的力量。那天像往常一样,结束侍奉后我又是精疲力竭。可是,我并没有去休息,因为圣灵给了我一个感动:要在主里多喜乐。于是我就照做了,我开始用全部的身心和意念来赞美上帝。然后,你知道发生了什么?疲惫不堪离开了我,是上帝的同在使我有了力量。 下一次,当魔鬼设法要扼杀你事工的效力、吞噬你的力量、财产和主里的胜利时,你手里充满能力的武器(赞美上帝)就能使魔鬼转身退去。高举你的手,用整个心来放声赞美上帝! 研经:历代志下20:1-22 20:1 此后摩押人和亚扪人,又有米乌尼人一同来攻击约沙法。 20:2 有人来报告约沙法说:“从海外亚兰〔亚兰又作以东〕那边有大军来攻击你,如今他们在哈洗逊他玛,就是隐基底。” 20:3 约沙法便惧怕,定意寻求耶和华,在犹大全地宣告禁食。 20:4 于是犹大人聚会求耶和华帮助,犹大各城都有人出来寻求耶和华。 20:5 约沙法就在犹大和耶路撒冷的会中,站在耶和华殿的新院前, 20:6 说:“耶和华我们列祖的 神啊,你不是天上的 神么?你不是万邦万国的主宰么?在你手中有大能大力,无人能抵挡你。 20:7 我们的 神啊,你不是曾在你民以色列人面前驱逐这地的居民,将这地赐给你朋友亚伯拉罕的后裔永远为业么? 20:8 他们住在这地又为你的名建造圣所,说:‘ 20:9 倘有祸患临到我们,或刀兵灾殃、或瘟疫饥荒,我们在急难的时候站在这殿前向你呼求,你必垂听而拯救,因为你的名在这殿里。’ 20:10 从前以色列人出埃及地的时候,你不容以色列人侵犯亚扪人、摩押人和西珥山人,以色列人就离开他们,不灭绝他们。 20:11 看哪,他们怎样报复我们,要来驱逐我们出离你的地,就是你赐给我们为业之地。 20:12 我们的 神啊,你不惩罚他们么?因为我们无力抵挡这来攻击我们的大军,我们也不知道怎样行,我们的眼目单仰望你。 20:13 犹大众人和他们的婴孩、妻子、儿女都站在耶和华面前。” 20:14 那时,耶和华的灵在会中临到利未人亚萨的后裔玛探雅的玄孙耶利的曾孙比拿雅的孙子撒迦利雅的儿子雅哈悉。 20:15 他说:“犹大众人、耶路撒冷的居民和约沙法王,你们请听,耶和华对你们如此说:‘不要因这大军恐惧、惊惶,因为胜败不在乎你们,乃在乎 神。 20:16 明日你们要下去迎敌,他们是从洗斯坡上来,你们必在耶鲁伊勒旷野前的谷口遇见他们。 20:17 犹大和耶路撒冷人哪,这次你们不要争战,要摆阵站着,看耶和华为你们施行拯救。不要恐惧,也不要惊惶,明日当出去迎敌,因为耶和华与你们同在。” 20:18 约沙法就面伏于地,犹大众人和耶路撒冷的居民也俯伏在耶和华面前,叩拜耶和华。 20:19 哥辖族和可拉族的利未人都起来,用极大的声音赞美耶和华以色列的 神。 20:20 次日清早,众人起来往提哥亚的旷野去。出去的时候,约沙法站着说:“犹大人和耶路撒冷的居民哪,要听我说,信耶和华你们的 神,就必立稳,信他的先知就必亨通。” 20:21 约沙法既与民商议了,就设立歌唱的人颂赞耶和华,使他们穿上圣洁的礼服走在军前赞美耶和华,说:“当称谢耶和华,因他的慈爱永远长存。” 20:22 众人方唱歌赞美的时候,耶和华就派伏兵击杀那来攻击犹大人的亚扪人、摩押人和西珥山人,他们就被打败了。 PRAISE – One of the most powerful Spiritual Weapons "I will praise thee, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvellous works. I will be glad and rejoice in thee: I will sing praise to thy name, O thou most High. When mine enemies are turned back, they shall fall and perish at thy presence." (Psalm 9:1-3) Dear Brothers and Sisters,Never underestimate the importance of praise. It's one of the most powerful spiritual weapons you have. Praise is more than a pleasant song or a few uplifting words about GOD. It does something. It releases the very presence of GOD HIMSELF. And, when the presence of GOD comes on the scene, your enemies are turned back. Sickness and disease can't stay on your body. Poverty can't stay in your house. Even physical weariness has to flee when it's faced with real joy-filled praise. I know that from experience. Years ago, when I first began conducting Healing School, I had a real battle with fatigue. I'd minister and lay my hands on the sick for so many hours at a time that by the time the meeting had ended, I was sometimes too physically weak even to close the service. Then, in one particular meeting, I discovered the power of praise. I had just finished praying for those in the prayer line, and as usual, I was exhausted. But instead of rest, the SPIRIT of the LORD impressed on me that what I needed was to rejoice in the LORD. So, I did. I began to praise the LORD with my whole heart, mind and body. Do you know what happened? The tiredness left me. And I was energized with the presence of GOD! The next time the devil tries to stifle your effectiveness, to drain you of the strength and wealth and victory that's yours in JESUS, turn him back with that powerful weapon. Lift your hands and your voice and whole heart to GOD. Praise! Scripture Study: 2 Chronicles 20:1-22 Jehoshaphat Defeats Moab and Ammon 1After this, the Moabites and Ammonites with some of the Meunites came to wage war against Jehoshaphat. 2 Some people came and told Jehoshaphat, “A vast army is coming against you from Edom, from the other side of the Dead Sea. It is already in Hazezon Tamar” (that is, En Gedi). 3 Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the Lord, and he proclaimed a fast for all Judah. 4 The people of Judah came together to seek help from the Lord; indeed, they came from every town in Judah to seek him. 5 Then Jehoshaphat stood up in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem at the temple of the Lord in the front of the new courtyard 6 and said: “Lord, the God of our ancestors, are you not the God who is in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. Power and might are in your hand, and no one can withstand you. 7 Our God, did you not drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel and give it forever to the descendants of Abraham your friend? 8 They have lived in it and have built in it a sanctuary for your Name, saying, 9 ‘If calamity comes upon us, whether the sword of judgment, or plague or famine, we will stand in your presence before this temple that bears your Name and will cry out to you in our distress, and you will hear us and save us.’ 10 “But now here are men from Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir, whose territory you would not allow Israel to invade when they came from Egypt; so they turned away from them and did not destroy them. 11 See how they are repaying us by coming to drive us out of the possession you gave us as an inheritance. 12 Our God, will you not judge them? 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.” 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. 19 Then some Levites from the Kohathites and Korahites stood up and praised the Lord, the God of Israel, with a very loud voice. 20 Early in the morning they left for the Desert of Tekoa. As they set out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Listen to me, Judah and people of Jerusalem! Have faith in the Lord your God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will be successful.” 21 After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the Lord and to praise him for the splendor of his[c] holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying: “Give thanks to the Lord, for his love endures forever.” 22 As they began to sing and praise, the Lord set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated. |