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When we look at the scriptures regardless of whether it is in the Old
Testament or New, We see that there is power in praise and worship
In the Old Testament we see that the
worshippers marched in the front of the advancing army.
We read about their victories.
But when we look at the Old Testament
especially in the book of Psalms we see a spirit of tears and crying out
We see them crying out to the Lord "Lord deliver me, save me"
They are crying out from a heavy heart. I sometimes wonder if we in the New
Testament get in that Old Testament mode of tears and crying
When we look at the New Testament especially after the Lord Jesus came
down to this earth
We see joy & singing. At the birth of Jesus the angel declared
"Good news of great joy for all the people"
We see the angels singing. When Mary was with child she sang with
joy. On hearing Mary's salutation, John leaped
inside Elizabeth's womb. I guess because the baby could not sing
inside the womb, he started jumping. Elizabeth sings for joy, Zechariah sings...
The angels sing announcing the birth Simeon sings for joy..
Everything related to the Lord resulted in a song
After Jesus rose from the dead, he appeared first to Mary
The first thing he asked her is, "Woman why do you weep?"
In short, he took all our tears and pain and filled us with joy
Few days prior to the crucifixion He told His disciples, "the days are
coming when the world will rejoice,
but you will weep, but you sadness will turn to joy
This was to happen when He would rise from the dead.
Jesus told them that He would not leave
them as orphans but would send the Holy Spirit to be with them always.
Thus He ascended into heaven, Sent down the Holy Spirit
We see the first church filled with the Holy Spirit
On the day of Pentecost as they were gathered in the upper room
when the Holy Spirit came upon them, People who saw them said,
"these people seem as if they are drunk with new wine"
They were so filled with joy. Further in the book of Acts we see that
where ever the gospel of Jesus was received, there was great joy in those
homes and cities. St. Paul writing from the jail exhorts to
REJOICE In Eph 5:18 St. Paul writes..
be filled with the Spirit, Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and
spiritual songs, singing and ..... Further he says to make a song in your heart,
making melody in your heart to the Lord
Worship is an experience of joy and gladness
When the apostles were in jail they were singing and worshiping the Lord
They did not worship to break the jail
because the jail did not even bother them. Their joy did not depend upon their
circumstances. When we are filled with the Spirit we
can rejoice in every situation. When we rejoice, the situation that we are
in will disappear. We can come to such an experience when
and worship at the beginning of a typical Christian meeting?
We might be coming to that meeting after having been through a lot of problems at
home, work, school and business But when we worship the Lord,
the glory of the Holy Spirit descends on us, and the bonds are broken.
Today let us praise the Lord !
Let us join together in worship to Him.