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Are you under attack? Defeated?
Ps 8:2 (NIV) “From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise because of your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger.”
Praise silences our enemies
(NLT) “You have taught children and infants to tell of Your strength, silencing Your enemies and all who oppose You.”

When you have thoughts that are self-destructive and grumbling or just thoughts that make you miserable, you can ‘cast down imaginations’ as KJV puts it or as the English Std Version puts it, “We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.” 2 Cor

Then you have to replace the harmful thoughts with good thoughts
Do it by praising to silence the bad and remember IS 61:1-3. Jesus quoted part of this passage when He said the Spirit is upon Me to preach the good news to the poor…
V3, “ to grant consolation and joy to those who mourn in Zion - to give them an ornament of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, the garment expressive of praise instead of a heavy, burdened, and failing spirit - that they may be called oaks of righteousness [lofty, strong, and magnificent, distinguished for uprightness, justice, and right standing with God] the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.”

Replacing the spirit of heaviness with praise makes us strong
Praise is one of our most powerful spiritual weapons
Praise draws the presence of God to us
Praise makes the enemy be silent and flee
Praise makes us strong

Satan knows there is power in our praise, so he tries to distract and defeat us
We have to begin making a conscious choice about who we will listen to
- the voice that knocks us down or God?
- Praise opens a path in our hearts to hear tat still small voice

Examples of what praise does in peoples’ lives
Esther honored and praised King Ahasuerus - seeking to please him rather than to show off herself
She found favor with him, became queen, and saved her people

Paul and Silas Acts 16 - in a Phillipian jail, beaten, in a dungeon, feet in stocks
V25 “But at midnight, as Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God”
An earthquake released their bonds, the jailer took them home and tended their wounds, he was saved and a church was founded

Jehoshaphat 2 Chron 20 - tell the story
V22”and when they began to sing and praise, the Lord set ambushments against the men…who had come against Judah, and they were self-slaughtered”
Judah gathered spoil for 3 days

We frequently remember to praise God when we’re happy.
This year, learn to praise Him when you aren’t and watch God work in your lives
Heb 13:15 “through Him, therefore, let us constantly and at all times offer to God a sacrifice of praise, which is the fruit of lips that thankfully acknowledge and confess and glorify His Name.”

Put on those choir robes and lay down your sword
Sing out the melody commanded by the Lord
The weapons of carnality will not win the war
Put on the those choir robes
The battle is the Lord’s

The enemy’s defeated when we sing…