Understanding Spiritual Warfare: Victory Through God's Presence, Prayer, and Surrenderਨਮੂਨਾ

Worship is Warfare

The Old Testament recounts a fascinating account of a battle between the people of Israel and their enemies. Several nations had banded together to attack Israel, and Israel’s king knew his own army was no match for them. But God had promised to protect Israel. So, on the morning of the battle, the king employed a very unorthodox strategy:

“After consulting the people, the king appointed singers to walk ahead of the army, singing to the Lord and praising him for his holy splendor. This is what they sang: ‘Give thanks to the Lord; his faithful love endures forever!’ At the very moment they began to sing and give praise, the Lord caused the armies of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir to start fighting among themselves” (2 Chronicles 20:21-22, NLT).

Worship shifts the atmosphere. It displaces fear, focuses our hearts and minds on the truth, and stirs faith.

What if the greatest breakthrough in your battle doesn’t begin with striving, but with singing? What if your victory isn’t found in your strength, but in your surrendered praise? That may sound strange, but I’ve experienced it. I’ve seen darkness lift over my life and the lives of others when I stopped fretting and started worshipping. I’ve seen miracles take place when our church has lifted our hands and voices to praise God in the face of impossible situations.

After all, the battle is the Lord’s, not ours. It’s his power that destroys the works of darkness. Sometimes, all he asks of us is to praise him in the battle. As we do that, we proclaim his power and his victory over the unseen powers of this world (Ephesians 6:12, Colossians 2:15).

Every morning, I start my day by worshipping God. I put on my favorite upbeat worship music and head outside to dance. To be honest, I don’t always feel like dancing. Sometimes I feel heavy when I wake up. I step outside under a cloud of discouragement or despair. But as I dance and praise, something breaks. Something shifts. God moves in unseen ways, defeating the enemy on battlegrounds I can’t even see.

If you don’t already start your day with worship, try it. If possible, don’t do it silently. There is something powerful about engaging your whole body and all your senses. So, find a place you can be alone, turn on some worship music, and then worship in whatever ways are most meaningful. Dance, sing, lift your hands, fall on your knees, cry—let your whole mind and body worship the Lord.

Let him fill you with his joy and peace that passes understanding as you worship him. Your worship is your invitation for him to fight on your behalf.

Reflection Questions

1. What battles am I facing right now? What makes me feel overwhelmed or discouraged? How can I face those with worship?
2. What ways of worshipping God come naturally to me already? Which ones are more challenging or push me out of my comfort zone? Am I willing to try one of them today?