POWER OF PRAISE AND JOY

For the past few weeks, I have experienced what the prophetic words said about November. About how God is dealing with the taproot of fear and how the enemy tries so hard to steal our peace and joy. God has been rearranging my confusion, for I have not been able to see the joy in the midst of the chaos around me. This has been a time that He draws out the joy that is in me. He has placed me in that chaos that is around me to produce joy. If I will release the joy that He has developed within me, the chaos will subside and I will see the order around me.

Since the start of this month, there has been so many distractions, more than I have ever encountered in any month. So many times I have felt so vulnerable like a woman about to give birth. God kept telling me to press through the birth pains. It was a time that my faith was really tested, where the rubber meets the road. It was easy to have faith when you just had a visitation from God or received a powerful revelation from the Lord. But when you are in the midst of a chaotic situation or when you feel like the heat has been turned on, it's really tough to rejoice, praise and worship the Lord.

Like Pastor Lian said during her Sunday sermon, praise is the last thing you feel like doing. Yet praise and rejoicing is so crucial to see your situation change. During those times, I have to deliberately sing praises, worship and rejoice in the Lord. In the midst of the resistance, I had to continue to keep my eyes of the Lord. I sang songs of joy, I worshiped the Lord. I even danced around my living room, clapping my hands etc. I sang worship songs while bathing and I made a decision to rejoice in the Lord. Yet I know it wasn't me but His Spirit working in me.

That was absolutely the last thing I wanted to do, especially when the enemy threw fearful thoughts in my mind. Totally irrational and weird thoughts. But as I worshipped the Lord, I found joy arising in my heart and the spiritual atmosphere changing. Though things may not have changed in the natural, I sensed that God has given me the victory so I can celebrate in advance. The atmosphere turned from fearful to victorious. The turnaround was really very sudden and very fast. It was nothing short of a miracle. I felt that God was working behind the scenes on my behalf and sending angels to help me too.

The Lord came to give us life more abundantly but the enemy comes to steal, kill and destroy. One of the tactics the enemy uses is roaring like a lion. Notice he is not the true lion but an imposter. Only our Lord Jesus is the true Lion of Judah. The devil roars so as to strike fear into our hearts. This roar is essentially a deception. The lion uses it to delay his victim's reactions, compromising the prey's ability to escape the attack. When the devil roars, God tells us to humble ourselves before Him, to seek refuge under His wings. From the place of protection, we can resist the devil and he will be forced to leave.

Jesus has already purchased and covered us with His precious blood. He has also given us the authority to speak in His name and use His word as the sword in every situation. It is God's will for us to triumph over the attacks of the enemy and live a victorious life. In fact, the enemy is already a defeated foe for Jesus has won the war. Therefore we can rest in the finished work of the cross by faith, receiving all the blessings that Jesus has bought for us.

The enemy is a defeated foe and his fate is sealed. But between now and the date of his final demise, he will continue to try to undermine your life. He is the 'accuser of our brethren'. He accuses you by pointing to your failures, weakness and lack. He also stirs up fear in your heart by telling you that your efforts will amount to nothing. I find that his most used taunt is telling you that things will never change. You are stuck there forever. The captivity is going to last forever and you will be in depression. You will never get out of the pit. Things are not going to turn for the better. You will never get to your destination or cross over to the other side.

Reject these thoughts! Take them captive and tell the accuser 'You are a liar and the father of all lies.' Choose to focus on Jesus and the finished work. Set your face like flint on the joy set before you and press on to cross the finish line. And thank God that we will overcome, we will triumph for Christ has given us the victory. Thank God that His word is active and alive and working for us this moment. Thank God for the new season is coming. Thank God that when the enemy comes in like a flood, God will raise up a standard. This season we have been in is going to turn. It's a turnaround moment. It's a suddenly moment. It will happen suddenly and then we will see God's blessings manifest and what He has been doing behind the scenes. Again we will break out in thanksgivings and praise!