In 2 Corinthians 10:4 we read that ‘the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but are divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses’. He is writing here about arguments that can be thrown up setting themselves against the knowledge of God, and about taking our thoughts captive, and making our thinking obedient to Christ.
Well I’m glad that we don’t have to fight a physical battle like Joshua and Caleb or David, but we know that there are indeed spiritual battles that rage all around us. I also know that if I get into an argument of ‘reasoning’ with the enemy, I’m probably going to get myself tied up in knots and ‘lose’. No! Our weapons are spiritual and though of course we don’t throw out our God given ability to think and reason, yet again we come back to the truth that even our thinking needs to be ‘spirit led’. The Holy Spirit filling our spirit will enable that ‘renewing of the mind,’ Romans 12:2, that will enable us to discern truth and even receive revelation that might, in fact, make no sense to the natural mind.
I was reminded this morning of the power that God has given to us, His children, in worship and praise. Whether we are using our voices, raising our hands, using our bodies to dance or lie prostrate, it all sends the enemy running. He can’t bear to hear Jesus honoured and worshipped. It will give him and his workers a spiritual migraine, and the wonderful thing is that it is something we can all do anywhere and at any time.
We can sing in our homes and cars, filling the air with the sounds of heaven, we can worship as we walk or ride a bus. I used to think as I drove across Birmingham on the M6 to work in the mornings how wonderful it was to worship and think of others declaring the glory of God over the city as they drove too. We can worship quietly or loudly, we can worship as we sit listening to a conversation, because this is a spiritual thing. We have the Spirit of God within us, we can change the atmosphere wherever we are by releasing out loud, or in our hearts, the songs of heaven.
I also believe that this is a powerful weapon for churches and Christian communities. If only we could recognise the power that a praising community has in an area, I think we would be more intentional and faith filled as we gather together. We might even be less concerned about how the worship leaders or organist/choir are doing and more intent on lifting our own hearts in praise to God, however ‘good’ the meeting seems to be.
I so often find that in a time of worship the Holy Spirit can drop into my mind a word or thought, a solution to a problem, faith for a situation, or a word of encouragement for a brother or sister. As I worship my heart and mind are tuned into the right channel to hear Him. (Sorry that illustration goes back to the days of the radio, but it’s a good one). Worship is such a powerful way to invite the Holy Spirit to inform, guide and strengthen our spirit, and to lead us into all the truth that we need at that moment. John 14:16,17,26, and 15:13,14.
So today let us thank the Lord that we have a wonderful weapon in worship and let us, as we gratefully thank Him for this accessible gift, make it a high priority in our lives again, everyday and all day, joining David as he declares ‘I will bless the Lord at all times, His praise shall continually be in my mouth…. Oh magnify the Lord with me and let us exalt His name together. Psalm 34:1,3
