ICS Daily Devotions
Praise His Holy Name
2 Chronicles 20:21-22 (NKJV) And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who should sing to the Lord, and who should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army and were saying: “Praise the Lord, For His mercy endures forever.” Now when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were defeated.
King Jehoshaphat was a godly King who sought the Lord and reminded God of His covenant with His people. He chose to seek God rather than crumbling at the news of the overwhelming invasion by his enemies.
They received a Word when they sought the face of God, “….Thus says the Lord to you: ‘Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God’s” 2 Chronicles 20:15 (NKJV). We are reminded that the Rhema word of God or the promises of God that are given to us, help us to anchor our faith in Him. Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. They believed in the deliverance of the Lord since the Lord had spoken to them.
It doesn’t make logical sense to send the worshippers ahead of the army. The worshippers were not a human shield against the enemy but a form of declaration to express their faith in God and not in their human abilities.
Praise helps us to shift our focus away from the problem and turn it towards God. Praise and worship is also a declaration of faith and a form of prayer.
It helps us to refocus on God after the entire week of struggling and fighting in the boardroom. We need to cultivate the habit of praising God in the midst of a battle in the office.
Faith will begin to rise up within us to take hold of God’s promises despite the circumstances.
Faith pleases God.
Hebrews 4:16(NKJV) Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
This throne of grace is only accessible by believers of Jesus Christ. Praise and worship helps us to enter into the presence of God. We enter His court with praise and thanksgiving.
It is an exhortation for the believer to come boldly to the throne of grace to find help and mercy in times of need. Grace is a form of help that has been made available for us. The throne is the place where grace is dispensed to us. Grace is a divine commodity given to the believer whenever we need it. This grace is imparted to us when we humbly come before the Heavenly Father as we spend time in the closet to ask Him for strength to overcome the challenges that we are facing.
God’s Grace = God Strength. We can draw from the Lord’s strength when we are in His presence. Let us choose to rejoice and keep the joy of the Lord in our lives. We can overcome our trials and tribulations,when we keep our faith and our focus on the Lord.
Sermon Series: What to Do When We Do Not Know What to Do
