Fear Not, Praise First
When You Stand In Praise, God Will Fight For You!
Pastor A.J. Dummitt
Text - 2 Chronicles 20:21 MSG
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. —1 John 4:18 KJV
After talking it over with the people, Jehoshaphat appointed a choir for GOD; dressed in holy robes, they were to march ahead of the troops, singing, Give thanks to GOD, His love never quits. —2 Chronicles 20:21 MSG
21 And they stood every man in his place round about the camp; and all the host ran, and cried, and fled.
22 And the three hundred blew the trumpets, and the Lord set every man’s sword against his fellow, even throughout all the host: and the host fled —Judges 7:21-22
…
When the Men took their stand…
When we get in our RIGHT PLACE,
1 It came to pass after this also, that the children of Moab, and the children of Ammon, and with them other beside the Ammonites, came against Jehoshaphat to battle.
2 Then there came some that told Jehoshaphat, saying, There cometh a great multitude against thee from beyond the sea on this side Syria; and, behold, they be in Hazazontamar, which is Engedi.
3 And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.
4 And Judah gathered themselves together, to ask help of the Lord: even out of all the cities of Judah they came to seek the Lord.
5 And Jehoshaphat stood in the congregation of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the Lord, before the new court,
6 And said, O Lord God of our fathers, art not thou God in heaven? and rulest not thou over all the kingdoms of the heathen? and in thine hand is there not power and might, so that none is able to withstand thee?
7 Art not thou our God, who didst drive out the inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel, and gavest it to the seed of Abraham thy friend for ever?
8 And they dwelt therein, and have built thee a sanctuary therein for thy name, saying,
9 If, when evil cometh upon us, as the sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we stand before this house, and in thy presence, (for thy name is in this house,) and cry unto thee in our affliction, then thou wilt hear and help.
10 And now, behold, the children of Ammon and Moab and mount Seir, whom thou wouldest not let Israel invade, when they came out of the land of Egypt, but they turned from them, and destroyed them not;
11 Behold, I say, how they reward us, to come to cast us out of thy possession, which thou hast given us to inherit.
12 O our God, wilt thou not judge them? for we have no might against this great company that cometh against us; neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon thee.
13 And all Judah stood before the Lord, with their little ones, their wives, and their children. —2 Chronicles 20:1-30 (KJV)
Even though all HELL may be coming against us we know that this is not
They prayed, they fasted, they sought the Lord, and they CAME
BIBLE: Jesus said that some things are only accomplished by prayer and fasting:
Prayer and Fasting are key here because
14 Then upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, came the Spirit of the Lord in the midst of the congregation;
15 And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the Lord unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s.
16 To morrow go ye down against them: behold, they come up by the cliff of Ziz; and ye shall find them at the end of the brook, before the wilderness of Jeruel.
17 Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the Lord with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; to morrow go out against them: for the Lord will be with you.
18 And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground: and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell before the Lord, worshipping the Lord.
19 And the Levites, of the children of the Kohathites, and of the children of the Korhites, stood up to praise the Lord God of Israel with a loud voice on high. —2 Chronicles 20:14-19 (KJV)
Get in your place…
When You Stand Up In Praise,
20 And they rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.
21 And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the Lord, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the Lord; for his mercy endureth for ever. —2 Chronicles 20:20-21 (KJV) (His Love Never Quits)
We see King Jehoshaphat appointing people and they faced the enemy with the PRAISERS!
The devil would like nothing more than to get us fighting and quarreling amongst ourselves, but that will not bring victory. A house divided against itself cannot stand…we’ve got to come together and get together in
22 And when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten.
23 For the children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of mount Seir, utterly to slay and destroy them: and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, every one helped to destroy another.
24 And when Judah came toward the watch tower in the wilderness, they looked unto the multitude, and, behold, they were dead bodies fallen to the earth, and none escaped. —2 Chronicles 20:22-24 (KJV)
The enemies of God are thrown into confusion by the songs of God’s people.
When you are going through a valley, a test, a hard time….and you say…but I still have a SONG of
Remember when Paul & Silas in Acts 16 - SANG
25 And when Jehoshaphat and his people came to take away the spoil of them, they found among them in abundance both riches with the dead bodies, and precious jewels, which they stripped off for themselves, more than they could carry away: and they were three days in gathering of the spoil, it was so much.
26 And on the fourth day they assembled themselves in the valley of Berachah; for there they blessed the Lord: therefore the name of the same place was called, The valley of Berachah, unto this day.
27 Then they returned, every man of Judah and Jerusalem, and Jehoshaphat in the forefront of them, to go again to Jerusalem with joy; for the Lord had made them to rejoice over their enemies.
28 And they came to Jerusalem with psalteries and harps and trumpets unto the house of the Lord.
29 And the fear of God was on all the kingdoms of those countries, when they had heard that the Lord fought against the enemies of Israel.
30 So the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet: for his God gave him rest round about. —2 Chronicles 20:25-30 (KJV)
I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. —Psalms 34:1
Praise is the known offering that moves God to act in a supernatural way to change situations and circumstances for good!
PSALM 149
1 Praise ye the Lord. Sing unto the Lord a new song, and his praise in the congregation of saints.
2 Let Israel rejoice in him that made him: let the children of Zion be joyful in their King.
3 Let them praise his name in the dance: let them sing praises unto him with the timbrel and harp.
4 For the Lord taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek with salvation.
5 Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud upon their beds.
6 Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand;
7 To execute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people;
8 To bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron;
9 To execute upon them the judgment written: this honour have all his saints. Praise ye the Lord. —Psalm 149:1-9
SO WHAT CAN WE PRAISE GOD FOR? Because…
- He is the King of kings and the Lord of lords (Revelation 19:16).
- He is the Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End (Revelation 22:13).
- He is the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6).
- He is the Great I AM (Exodus 3:14).
- He heals the brokenhearted (Psalm 147:3).
- He sets the captives free (Luke 4:18).
- He is your Healer (Isaiah 53:5).
- He rescues you from your enemies (Psalm 18:48).
- He sets you high upon a rock (Psalm 27:5).
- He comforts you in all your troubles (2 Corinthians 1:4).
- He gives you an abundant harvest (Genesis 27:28).
- He restores what the enemy has stolen (Deuteronomy 30:3)
- He hides you in the shadow of His wings (Psalm 91:4).
- He delivers you from evil (Psalm 91).
- He rescues you from every trap (Psalm 25:15, CEV).
- He is the Rewarder of those who diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6).
- He is the Name above all names (Philippians 2:9).
- He is your Defender (Proverbs 22:23).
- He is your Provider (Genesis 22:14).
- He is Mercy (Deuteronomy 4:31).
- He is a God of justice (Isaiah 30:18).
- He never changes (Hebrews 13:8).
- He makes all things new (Revelation 21:5).
- He calls you friend (John 15:15).
- He is your Savior (John 3:16).
- He is the Perfecter of your faith (Hebrews 12:2).
- He gives you the desires of your heart (Psalm 37:4).
- He wants to give you exceeding, abundantly above all you could hope or imagine (Ephesians 3:20).
- He rebukes the devourer on your behalf (Malachi 3:11).
- He takes pleasure in your prosperity (Psalm 35:27).
- He delivers us from our distresses (Psalm 107:6, 19).
- He always causes us to triumph (2 Corinthians 2:14).
- He is the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6).
- He is so worthy, if we do not praise Him, the rocks will cry out (Luke 19:40).
- His joy is your strength (Nehemiah 8:10).
- He is Love (1 John 4:8).
BENEFITS OF PRAISES
1. PRAISE GIVES VICTORY IN BATTLE
- 2 Chronicles 20:21-24
2. PRAISES OPEN PRISON DOORS
- Acts 16:25
3. PRAISES PULLS DOWN EVERY WALL
- Joshua 6:1-6, 16 & 20
4. PRAISE OPENS DOORS FOR GOD’S BLESSINGS
- Psalms 16:11
5. PRAISE IS THE APPRECIATION FOR OUR SALVATION
- 1 Peter 2:9
“Praise ye the Lord. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power. Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness. Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp. Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs. Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals. Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord.” —Psalm 150