At the start of this year during an awesome night of worship, I was caught up in adoration and praise with hands raised in worship to the Lord. I suddenly saw a vision where I was standing in a small paddle type boat in the middle of the ocean with my arms raised to heaven in worship. The waters were very choppy, but the boat was still! There was lightening, thunder and dark clouds through which the lightening lit up the sky. I stood and worshipped God in that boat oblivious to the storm raging around me.
When the song ended, I sat down to seek God about what the vision meant. As I was deep in thought pondering this, lines from the song, Raise a Hallelujah, that was then playing, pierced through my thoughts:
“I’m gonna sing, in the middle of the storm, Louder and louder, you’re gonna hear my praises roar.”
At that point, God revealed to me an understanding of the vision—that it was a picture that represented the year ahead! He said that storms would surely come, that it would be an intense and volatile decade. However, for those who take their stand to praise Him regardless of seemingly negative circumstances, who love and serve Him with a whole heart, this year would be one of GREAT VICTORIES, JOY AND ACCELERATED BREAKTHROUGHS. The sons of God are being released in the image of God in vast numbers—sons and daughters that know their God, who have been brought through the fire to implicit faith, to great authority and high praises for their God on their tongues.
This word is not intended to highlight woes and trouble, but rather it is about pointing the way forward for running a race of strength. I am saying with confidence that the way before will clear as we raise our voices this year, in the year of the voice—to PRAISE OUR GOD FOR HIS GOODNESS!
“You who dwell in the gardens with friends in attendance, let me hear your voice!” Songs of Songs 8:13
Sometimes people can be shy about praising aloud, but God wants to hear YOUR VOICE! Praise is a declaration of the power, might and character of our God, out loud! Not only does God want to hear us say the words, praise works internally to change our disposition and shift us into the place of GREAT FAITH. The combination of our great faith rising before Him and His Presence moving in to inhabit our praise, creates a dynamic atmosphere primed for miracles to take place. These are the ingredients that will ALWAYS CREATE BREAKTHROUGH!
The psalmist declared that the HIGH PRAISES of God in our mouth and the two-edged sword of the Word of God in our hand, is our weapon against the enemies of God (Ps. 149:6). God has given us this tool for our protection and our strength in the decade ahead. Praise will take you quickly from a place of fear, doubt and hopelessness, into the place of faith where miracles will break out. Praise lifts us into the ascended place of deep thankfulness and joy that opens the gates into His Presence.
It is also important to remember in this season of warfare, that we cannot allow the enemy to steal our praise and use our mouths to complain, judge, gossip and murmur, as we will be robbed of possibly the greatest year of our lives.
Choose to ascend in worship, ascend in praise and rise above the chaos raging in the earth. Resolve in your heart to keep your eyes fixed on His face in faith, regardless of circumstances…Don’t be thrown, HE WILL GET YOU THROUGH TO AN ASCENDED PLACE WHERE THE ENEMY CANNOT TOUCH YOU AND MUST FLEE! Declare in faith, No, I am more than a conqueror, I will not allow you to steal 2020 from me, the year of promises fulfilled, the year of the Lord’s FAVOR, His acceptable year to pour out abundant blessings, to restore double and to restore and repair our cities (Is. 61.).
Open the ancient Gates with PRAISE and welcome the King of Glory into your circumstances, into your spheres and your cities. It is time to co-create with God to bring forth His will into the Earth. As you open your mouth to praise you will see things shift quickly as Heaven comes to back you up!
During the first week of January, God confirmed the vision He showed me by giving me songs—two in particular; songs that are continually playing in my mind during certain challenges I have had to face. These songs are worth considering:
You’ll Never Walk Alone
When you walk through the storm
Hold your head up high
And don’t be afraid of the dark
At the end of a storm
There’s a golden sky
And the sweet silver song of a lark
Walk on through the wind
Walk on through the rain
Though your dreams be tossed and blown
Walk on, walk on
With hope in your heart
And you’ll never walk alone, You’ll never walk alone (Songwriters: Oscar Hammerstein II / Richard Rodgers)
Through the second song the Lord gave me, He was speaking into the fight, and the fortitude of spirit needed to birth the dream and our destinies; the chorus really stirred my heart:
To dream the impossible dream
This is my quest, to follow that star
No matter how hopeless, no matter how far
To fight for the right
Without question or pause
To be willing to march
Into hell for a heavenly cause (Songwriters: Joe Darion / Mitchell Leigh)
Praise is power! Praise is a weapon given to us by God—a weapon that we need to utilize. Use your voice this year not only to decree to word of the Lord, but to also bless the heart of our God. He is our Father, exalt Him to the highest place in your life…He is worthy of all!
WORD OF POWER 