Praise Paves the Way
Joshua 6:1-20
Joshua 6:2-11 (ESV)
And the LORD said to Joshua, "See, I have given Jericho into your hand, with its king and mighty men of valor. You shall march around the city, all the men of war going around the city once. Thus shall you do for six days. Seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark. On the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets. And when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, when you hear the sound of the trumpet, then all the people shall shout with a great shout, and the wall of the city will fall down flat, and the people shall go up, everyone straight before him." So Joshua the son of Nun called the priests and said to them, "Take up the ark of the covenant and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the LORD." And he said to the people, "Go forward. March around the city and let the armed men pass on before the ark of the LORD." And just as Joshua had commanded the people, the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams' horns before the LORD went forward, blowing the trumpets, with the ark of the covenant of the Lord following them. The armed men were walking before the priests who were blowing the trumpets, and the rear guard was walking after the ark, while the trumpets blew continually. But Joshua commanded the people, "You shall not shout or make your voice heard, neither shall any word go out of your mouth, until the day I tell you to shout. Then you shall shout." So he caused the ark of the LORD to circle the city, going about it once. And they came into the camp and spent the night in the camp.
Joshua 6:14-16 (ESV)
And the second day they marched around the city once, and returned into the camp. So they did for six days. On the seventh day they rose early, at the dawn of day, and marched around the city in the same manner seven times. It was only on that day that they marched around the city seven times. And at the seventh time, when the priests had blown the trumpets, Joshua said to the people, "Shout, for the LORD has given you the city.
Joshua 6:20 (ESV)
So the people shouted, and the trumpets were blown. As soon as the people heard the sound of the trumpet, the people shouted a great shout, and the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they captured the city.
Psalm 47:1 (NIV)
Clap your hands, all you nations; shout to God with cries of joy.
Psalm 66:1 (NIV)
Shout with joy to God all the earth!
Psalm 81:1 (NIV)
Sing for joy to God our strength; shout aloud to the God of
Jacob!
Psalm 95:1 (NIV)
Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.
Psalm 98:4 (NIV)
Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music;
Psalm 98:6b (NIV)
...shout for joy before the LORD, the King.
Psalm 100:1-5 (NIV)
Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the LORD is good and his love endures forever.
1. Praise is a spiritual weapon
Psalm 149:6 (NIV)
May the praise of God be in their mouths and a double-edged sword in their hands,
Ephesians 6:12 (NIV)
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
2 Corinthians 10:3-4 (NIV)
For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.
2. Praise brings God’s presence into our situation
Psalm 22:3 (ESV)
Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel.
Psalm 50:23 (NIV)
He who sacrifices thank offerings honors me, and he prepares the way so that I may show him the salvation of God."
Psalm 34:1 (ESV)
I will bless the LORD at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul makes its boast in the LORD; let the humble hear and be glad. Oh magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together! 4 I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all
my fears.
Psalm 34:8 (ESV)
Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!
3. When we praise God we are fighting the battle spiritually so we can win the battle physically
2 Chronicles 20:22-24 (NIV)
As they began to sing and praise, the LORD set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated. When the men of Judah came to the place that overlooks the desert and looked toward the vast army, they saw only dead bodies lying on the ground; no one had escaped.
Acts 16:22-26 (NIV)
The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten. After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. Upon receiving such orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks. About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everybody's chains came loose.
