The enemy uses all sorts of fear tactics, propaganda and intimidation measures to incite fear in those he wants to dominate. It does not matter what form the enemy takes. It could be in the workplace, the church, the community or the world at large. His tactic is always the same. He threatens. He intimidates. He uses fear in order to conquer and make himself appear daunting and unstoppable. As I was worshiping with the song, Worship the King, I was reminded by the lyrics that there was a day long ago where satan was celebrating his victory. It was the day Jesus died on the cross. For a moment, all worship stopped. People grieved. They could only see the darkness, and the darkness enveloped the light that was about to rise. Jesus may have appeared absent and locked behind a tomb in the natural, but do you think the angels in heaven stopped worshiping the Son of God? Oh, no! They worshiped all the more BECAUSE they knew the outcome! Friends, there may be darkness and evil agendas in the earth, but we need to keep our eyes on Jesus, the risen Lord. Celebrate the King of Kings that defeated death and hell! Once again evil is prematurely celebrating victory. I am reminded by a passage of scripture in 1 Kings 20:11, where the King of Israel said, "One who puts on his armor should not boast like one who takes it off." The King of Israel sent this message back to the arrogant kings of Syria who were getting drunk and celebrating their victory before they even went to war. As it was proven, their celebration was cut short when Israel won the battle.
God is not on the side of those that use terror and intimidation to dominate others. It doesn't matter whether they call themselves Christians or Islamic terrorists or something else - Yahweh, El Shaddai, God Almighty - does not place His loyalties with those that misuse power, authority and influence others to be used for wicked intent. God is, and has always been, on the side of the righteous. If God is for us, who can be against us?
In 2 Chronicles 20, King Jehoshaphat found himself introuble. A great multitude of enemy armies was coming against his people. He cried out to the Lord and said, “O Lord God of our fathers, are You not God in heaven, and do You not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations, and in Your hand is there not power and might, so that no one is able to withstand You? 7 Are You not our God, who drove out the inhabitants of this land before Your people Israel, and gave it to the descendants of Abraham Your friend forever? 8 And they dwell in it, and have built You a sanctuary in it for Your name, saying, 9 ‘If disaster comes upon us—sword, judgment, pestilence, or famine—we will stand before this temple and in Your presence (for Your name is in this temple), and cry out to You in our affliction, and You will hear and save.’ 10 And now, here are the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir—whom You would not let Israel invade when they came out of the land of Egypt, but they turned from them and did not destroy them— 11 here they are, rewarding us by coming to throw us out of Your possession which You have given us to inherit. 12 O our God, will You not judge them? For we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You.” (vs. 6-12)
God responded by reassuring King Jehoshaphat with a strategy and a word of comfort, that He was with him. Jehoshaphat sent the worshipers out and God did the rest. He set ambushes, turned the enemy upon himself and they took each other out. The Israeli's were able to pick up the spoils.
WORSHIP is the key, and the enemy knows this. That is why satan can only have power where he is worshiped. Where people are in agreement with evil, satan gains power and dominion. Where evil goes unchallenged, it increases. Where satan is deprived of worship, or worship confronts the enemy, he loses ground. Worship builds warriors. Whatever people worship and give their loyalties to, will determine what gains power in their life, whether good or evil. When the enemy comes to intimidate, rob, plunder, or release a spirit of death, he is demanding worship. When we complain or speak negatively, we give satan worship. When we fail to trust God, we surrender our worship and surrender our dominion and authority right along with it. When we allow anything to intimidate us and silence our worship, we cower to the enemy and will come under his dominion. We can no longer afford to surrender our worship to Christ. The enemy is arrogant and celebrating now as though he has already won, believing he has the victory already secured. We must surprise him! We must take back our worship!! Satan does not deserve our allegiance or loyalty, and we must not give him power or dominion by letting him intimidate us any longer. We shall stand and not give up any more ground!
Worship to the Lord of Heaven restores right alignment in the heavenly realms as well as the earthly realm. It turns the tables on the enemy. It causes God to arise and His enemies be scattered. At the name of Jesus every knee shall bow. It prepares the way of the Lord to come in and inhabit the places where Jesus is praised. When people begin to worship, it celebrates the One who is rightfully the King and Conqueror that took the keys of Death and Hades away from satan. It puts devils under our feet, where they should remain. Worship establishes a throne where heaven invades earth and releases angelic activity, strategies and divine protection. Worship established a throne where Christ reigns and rules in our midst, and releases judgments against the works of the enemy. Worship establishes and exalts the dominion of the King of Kings, where all other evil plans, plots, and wicked rulers must be defeated in the presence of the Lord of all heaven and earth. Worship shakes principalities, powers and rulers in heavenly places. As God's people WORSHIP the darling of heaven, Jesus Christ, every knee must bow. Every tongue must confess that HE IS LORD. The King is our friend. God Almighty is our shield and great reward. When we declare 'Jesus, you are my shield! You are the shield to my family! You are the shield of this nation!' We proclaim our faith and He becomes what we confess. We are in covenant partnership with Father God, and He will not forsake us. When we proclaim Christ is our shield, the weapons formed against us are sent back to those that launched them! (I saw this in a dream!)
The tongue of the wicked will submit to Jesus Christ. The plans of evil, darkness and corrupt men are overturned. The plans of satan himself are unraveled and God gets the glory. Our government may not have a strategy against evil schemers, but GOD has given us His. We must, as a nation of people, begin to remember the Lord in our homes. In our workplace. In our streets. We must become the flash mobs - for real - and worship the Lord of Lords, Jesus Christ. We must not back down when opposition rears its head and tries to intimidate us. We must worship. In the face of evil. In the face of discouragement. In the face of loss. In the face of fear, hardship or whatever we may face. WORSHIP IS THE KEY TO CALLING HEAVEN INTO THE EARTH TO OVERTURN UNGODLY THRONES.
Amen. Worship the King.
