We Give Thanks- Day 8

Hallelujah!

Sing to the LORD a new song—

His praise in the assembly of the godly.

Let Israel rejoice in their Maker;

let the children of Zion rejoice in their King.

Let them praise His name with dancing,

and make music to Him with tambourine and harp.

For the LORD takes pleasure in His people;

He adorns the afflicted with salvation.

Let the saints exult in glory;

let them shout for joy upon their beds.

May the high praises of God be in their mouths,

and a double-edged sword in their hands,

to inflict vengeance on the nations

and punishment on the peoples,

to bind their kings with chains

and their nobles with shackles of iron,

to execute the judgment written against them.

This honor is for all His saints.

Hallelujah!
Psalms 149

Play the song below and rejoice in the Lord!

Saints, praise is a weapon! Sincere heartfelt praise is always a weapon that gives us victory. When we praise, we magnify our great God over and above any situations that we may be facing.

Scripture tells us that the Lord inhabits the praise of His people.

Yet You are holy, O You who are enthroned upon the praises of Israel.

One of the ways the Lord orchestrates divine deliverance for the saints is through the weapon of praise. Many scriptural examples abound, and in the Psalms, David says:

You are my hiding place. You protect me from trouble; You surround me with songs of deliverance.- Psalms 32 v 7

Praise focuses your attention on God and frees you from despair and hopelessness. Praise shifts your attention from what isn’t working and builds faith in your heart. It is impossible to truly extol and exalt God and be faint in heart.

Praise forces you to recall and recount God’s mighty and wonderful deeds, and that births the faith you need to believe that you can trust Him to rescue you. Praise forces you to acknowledge the greatness and might of God, and as he is exalted and magnified in your heart, suddenly everything is possible!

Choose to live a life of praise and there are battles you will not even need to fight. You will experience God’s deliverance every single time.

One of my favourite stories is how God led Israel to victory, in a war and they didn’t even have to fight. All they did was praise.

War against Jehoshaphat

After this, the Moabites and Ammonites, together with some of the Meunites,a came to make war against Jehoshaphat. Then some men came and told Jehoshaphat, “A vast army is coming against you from Edom, from beyond the Sea; they are already in Hazazon-tamar” (that is, En-gedi).

Jehoshaphat faced a very real threat. These mighty people could easily have annihilated his Kingdom. He was no match for them.

Jehoshaphat was alarmed and set his face to seek the LORD. And he proclaimed a fast throughout Judah. So the people of Judah gathered to seek the LORD, and indeed, they came from all the cities of Judah to seek Him.

Jehoshaphat was afraid. Instead of sinking into despair, he sought the Lord instead. In life, we will be confronted with frightful situations, but we must always remember to seek God first.


Then Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem in the house of the LORD in front of the new courtyard and said, “O LORD, God of our fathers, are You not the God who is in heaven, and do You not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations? Power and might are in Your hand, and no one can stand against You.

Our God, did You not drive out the inhabitants of this land before Your people Israel and give it forever to the descendants of Abraham Your friend? They have lived in the land and have built in it a sanctuary for Your Name, saying, ‘If disaster comes upon us—whether sword or judgment, plague or famine—we will stand before this temple and before You, for Your Name is in this temple. We will cry out to You in our distress, and You will hear us and save us.’

Jehoshaphat recalled the things he had heard about God. He remembered who His God is. He appealled to God using his nature. The Bible tells us that Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever so we can trust His consistency always. He never changes. If He did it before, He can do it again!

And now, here are the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, whom You did not let Israel invade when they came out of the land of Egypt; but Israel turned away from them and did not destroy them. See how they are repaying us by coming to drive us out of the possession that You gave us as an inheritance.

Our God, will You not judge them? For we are powerless before this vast army that comes against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon You.”

Meanwhile all the men of Judah, with their wives and children and little ones, were standing before the LORD.


Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jahaziel son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite from Asaph’s descendants, as he stood in the midst of the assembly. 
And he said, “Listen, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem! Listen, King Jehoshaphat! 

This is what the LORD says: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army, for the battle does not belong to you, but to God. Tomorrow you are to march down against them. You will see them coming up the Ascent of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the valley facing the Wilderness of Jeruel.  You need not fight this battle. Take up your positions, stand firm, and see the salvation of the LORD on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid or discouraged. Go out and face them tomorrow, for the LORD is with you.’ ”

Then Jehoshaphat bowed facedown, and all the people of Judah and Jerusalem fell down before the LORD to worship Him. And the Levites from the Kohathites and Korahites stood up to praise the LORD, the God of Israel, shouting in a very loud voice.

The response of King Jehoshaphat to God's instruction and guidance was worship and praise. It's easy to take God's leading and instruction for granted, but our response when He speaks, should be praise. Instructions from God are life and worth more than any treasure.


Early in the morning they got up and left for the Wilderness of Tekoa. As they set out, Jehoshaphat stood up and said, “Hear me, O people of Judah and Jerusalem. Believe in the LORD your God, and you will be upheld; believe in His prophets, and you will succeed.”

Then Jehoshaphat consulted with the people and appointed those who would sing to the LORD and praise the splendor of His holiness. As they went out before the army, they were singing:

“Give thanks to the LORD,

for His loving devotion endures forever.”

The moment they began their shouts and praises, the LORD set ambushes against the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir who had come against Judah, and they were defeated. The Ammonites and Moabites rose up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir, devoting them to destruction. And when they had made an end to the inhabitants of Seir, they helped to destroy one another.

When the men of Judah came to a place overlooking the wilderness, they looked for the vast army, but there were only corpses lying on the ground; no one had escaped. Then Jehoshaphat and his people went to carry off the plunder, and they found on the bodies an abundance of goods and valuables —more than they could carry away. They were gathering the plunder for three days because there was so much.

They went into battle with shouts of praise. When you have a champion fighting for you, all you need to do is sing his praises as he leads you into battle, because you are assured of victory.

On the fourth day they assembled in the Valley of Beracah, where they blessed the LORD. Therefore that place is called the Valley of Beracah to this day.

Then all the men of Judah and Jerusalem, with Jehoshaphat at their head, returned joyfully to Jerusalem, for the LORD had made them rejoice over their enemies. So they entered Jerusalem and went into the house of the LORD with harps, lyres, and trumpets.

And the fear of God came upon all the kingdoms of the lands when they heard that the LORD had fought against the enemies of Israel. Then Jehoshaphat’s kingdom was at peace, for his God had given him rest on every side.

2nd Chronicles: 20:1-30
After the battle, they built an altar of praise to God. Praise started it, and praise completed it. Glory!

Thanksgiving prompt- Thank God for who he is. Thank Him for defending you always. For protecting you and fighting your battles.

I advice that you journal your thanksgiving, it will help you engage in it more consciously, and in 50 days, you will have a record of gratitude. You can play the song below as you give thanks to God.

Please listen to the spoken word below, it’ll spur you to more thanksgiving.

Please share this with a friend! May His name be glorified always.