Worship and Warfare: Worship Builds Faith

Today's Scripture

"Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour." - (1 Peter 5:8 NLT)

Thoughts for Today

One of the devil's greatest weapons against us is distraction. He thrives on distracting us as we pray . . . distracting us from God's promises . . . distracting us from the truth of God's Word . . . distracting us from focusing on God's love for us.

But we can turn the tables on Satan. Our worship of Jesus distracts the enemy and frustrates his purpose. 

Ezekiel 28:11-19 gives us a detailed description of Lucifer (Satan): “‘. . .You were the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty . . . Your settings and mountings were made of gold; on the day you were created they were prepared. You were anointed as a guardian cherub, for so I ordained you. You were on the holy mount of God; you walked among the fiery stones. . . . till wickedness was found in you. . . . and you sinned. So I drove you in disgrace from the mount of God . . ." (NIV).

Lucifer got so close to God that he wanted worship for himself and was expelled from heaven. 

Consider this …

Satan wants our praise and worship. Just think how he must react when he hears us joyfully worshipping and praising Jesus. As Satan tries to carry out his schemes, he begins to hear the praises of believer after believer, congregation after congregation . . . and he becomes distracted and frustrated! Praise and worship of our Lord is a powerful weapon against our enemy. Let's praise Jesus morning, noon, and night. Let's praise him during good times and during difficult situations. Let's praise him for who he is and what he's done . . . for what he is doing . . . and for what he will do.

May the praise of God be in their mouths and a double-edged sword in their hands. (Psalm 149:6 NIV)

Prayer

Father, thank you for reminding me that the battle is not ours. It's yours. Help me stay focused on you. Not the problem. Not my weaknesses. You. Your strength. Your love. Your power. In Jesus' name . . .

These thoughts were drawn from …

A Passionate Pursuit of God: Drawing Nearer to Him by Dr. Mike Chapman. This study teaches participant how to move into God's inner circle, how to listen for the voice of God, how to enjoy the freedom of worship, and how to embrace the mission of worship. This 45-minute format will accommodate groups with limited meeting times. Note: This curriculum was written especially for small groups and we encourage people to use it that way. However, it can also be used effectively as a personal study for individuals or couple.

 

 

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