The Battle Cry of Praise

It starts with a whisper, or better yet, a whimper.

"Please, God. Hear me, Father. Where are You? Where am I, so far from You?"

Struggles, strife, upcoming events and things in our midst. Things that we can not conquer in our own strength. They urge us, require us, prompt us, toward battle.

I have found myself amid many a spiritual battle lately, both large and small in these past few months. What I have learned from the book of James teaches me how to deal with trials and difficulties. It also tells me why I am encountering them.

Jam 1:2	Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds,
Jam 1:3	because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.
Jam 1:4	Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

Nevertheless, knowing these things are only for my perfection and benefit and eternal good, I still needed to learn how to truly go into battle. How do I fight this fight?

Through a very challenging trial, I have learned that the battle, every battle, is the Lord's.

2Ch 20:15 He said, "Listen, King Jehoshaphat! Listen, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the LORD says: Do not be afraid! Don't be discouraged by this mighty army, for the battle is not yours, but God's.

So, how am I to fight? With Praise!

2Ch 20:21	After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the Lord and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying: “Give thanks to the Lord, for his love endures forever.”
2Ch 20:22	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.

Driving in the dark with headphones on so as not to disturb my sleeping family, I was bleary when I took the wheel and started the CD. As I listened, my thoughts were on the upcoming battles that awaited me once we arrived at our destination. But looking back now, I realize I was in a battle at that very moment. A battle for my attention, for my affection, for my thoughts.

Near the end of the CD, as I was listening and being refreshed by the praise being sung, there came a prayer, a song, sung slowly and melodically.

Quite my mind, Lord, make me still before You.
Calm my restless heart, Lord make me more Like You.
Quiet my mind, Lord, fill me with your Spirit.
Calm my restless heart Lord, make me more like You.

Raise up my hands that are hanging down
Strengthen my feeble knees
May Your love and joy abound
and fill me with Your peace.

Fill me with Your peace.
Fill me, come and fill me.

http://www.worshipsong.com/video.asp?VideoID=754

As I sung this song silently in the dark, echoing what I know of Him: He is my redeemer, nothing else in this world can take His love from me; He is eternal and faithful and full of love and justice; He is love; nothing can snatch me out of His arms of love. As I remembered who He is, my heart and my hands, my face and my countenance were lifted. Lifted, filled with triumph and victory over all that I was dreading and fearing and loathing. My prayer went from desperation to battle cry! I went from heart down and broken, weary and worn, sick and sad, to uplifted and victorious in praise! He gave me wings as eagles and lifted me up above the storm. He makes the storm His pathways. The storms of life that make us cling to Jesus, our life raft! Praise God! May we cling! May we be shipwrecked at the Cross, with nothing else to hold on to save for God's mercy and redemption. Redemption not only for us, but for all people.

May we sing and praise Him. May we start with that most feeble of prayers, seeking and searching for the Lover of our souls and may we repeat it over and over, searching for Him desperately. He has promised that those who seek Him will find Him. Those who knock will have the door opened. May we start, even if it's ever so fretfully, to call to our Redeemer. It starts with a whisper, a whimper, a cry. It often starts in a place of defeat. Yet, as we draw closer and closer to Him who is our shelter and provider, we grow in strength and our prayer in intensity. It builds as we rise up and march toward the front line of battle, claiming victory in WHO our God is. It is the battle cry of Praise! Worthy is the Lamb who was slain!

May we never fear approaching Him. May we run from the stragglers in the back up to the front lines where we are promised victory, where the battle is the Lords! And may we go into battle as Jehoshaphat did, with PRAISE! We have no need for anything but Who our God IS.

He is our Jehovah - nissi.
The Lord is my banner.
May we lift the battle cry of praise.

2Cr 2:14

But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him.

Prayer and Praise

PSALM 19

For the choir director: A psalm of David.

1

The heavens tell of the glory of God.

The skies display his marvelous craftsmanship.

2

Day after day they continue to speak;

night after night they make him known.

3

They speak without a sound or a word;

their voice is silent in the skies; [fn1]

4

yet their message has gone out to all the earth,

and their words to all the world.

The sun lives in the heavens

where God placed it.

5

It bursts forth like a radiant bridegroom

after his wedding.

It rejoices like a great athlete

eager to run the race.

6

The sun rises at one end of the heavens

and follows its course to the other end.

Nothing can hide from its heat.

7

The law of the Lord is perfect,

reviving the soul.

The decrees of the Lord are trustworthy,

making wise the simple.

8

The commandments of the Lord are right,

bringing joy to the heart.

The commands of the Lord are clear,

giving insight to life.

9

Reverence for the Lord is pure,

lasting forever.

The laws of the Lord are true;

each one is fair.

10

They are more desirable than gold,

even the finest gold.

They are sweeter than honey,

even honey dripping from the comb.

11

They are a warning to those who hear them;

there is great reward for those who obey them.

12

How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart?

Cleanse me from these hidden faults.

13

Keep me from deliberate sins!

Don't let them control me.

Then I will be free of guilt

and innocent of great sin.

14

May the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my heart

be pleasing to you,

O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

The Great I AM

Last week, I was feeling terribly overwhelmed. Focusing on my inability, I questioned, how can I do all of these things I am supposed to do everyday? All the things I expect to accomplish are too much! And then there are the things the Lord calls me to do! Keep the house clean, train up my children, be sweet and kind constantly, be a Godly mother and wife, on and on I could go, but that's not the point. The point is, that I was feeling overwhelmed.

Then through a little experience with my daughter, at the height of my self-pity, the Lord spoke to me ever so kindly. This was about four days ago and I am still digesting the wisdom and truth of His message and marveling over His gentleness.

How can I do this? How can I do that? Help me! Help me... my heart cried.

Then from across the house, "Momma! I need help!" Sama cries.

She's standing at the top of the ladder of a set of bunk beds. Yelling from the other room, she calls again, "Mamma, help me!"

"Here I come, Sam." I say.
"Help me, Momma. I need help." She says, more emphatically.

Truly, she's sulking a little. She's scared. Looking down at the ground from the top of the bed near the ceiling, she waves her little leg around as if it's too short. She know she can't do it by herself, or at least she doesn't want to try. Just like me, I realize in hindsight.

Sometimes I wish my children weren't so needy. Momma do this, momma do that. I need help here, I need help there. Help me, Momma!

But, really, isn't that the way we are supposed to approach life? Dependently on God. We do need help. We are to cry to Him from the other room, expecting Him to respond.

I've learned something else about God's methods of teaching. He's always there, beside me. Ready to help. But sometimes He's insistent that I take those steps of faith myself.

"OK, Sam. Turn around. Good girl. Now, reach one foot down. Lower, good girl. You made it. Now, move your hands down a little and reach down with the other foot to the next rung."

"I can't Momma. I can't. I need help!" She reaches our for me to rescue her.

"I AM helping you, Sama. Now keep going. You're doing good."

I hear these words, they are meant for me, too.

I continue to encourage her without removing her from the ladder, "That's right, reach your foot down until you feel the step. Now put your weight on it. It will hold you. Good girl. That's right, move your hands down a little further. Good. Now, reach down with your other foot. Yes, there's the step. Good girl! You only have one step more. You're doing good! There, move your hands, this last step is the biggest."

"I can't do it!" she cries, with one step left.

Undeterred, I say, "You're almost there, Sama. Reach, further, down a little more. Good Girl! "

"I made it Momma! I did it!" She exclaims smiling brightly, brushing a tear away with the back of her hand.

"Yes, you did, my darling girl. You did it." Her victory is also mine.

The Lord, He gently whispers to my own heart the very words I have just proudly and lovingly proclaimed, "Yes, you can do it, too, my darling girl. One step at a time. I AM right here. I AM helping you along your path."

You see, He is taller than any ladder that I have to descend, ready to reach out and catch me at any time. He will be with me just as I was with Sam. He sees every step. He knows how far the drop is and that I can depend on that next rung. He wouldn't have me do it if He knew I couldn't do it. AND, I would never learn to climb those ladders, or trust Him, if He rescued me from every difficult or trying situation.

Everyday is another rung. Another plausible experience that I cry out to the Lord for help with. And, with each day, I am learning and He is leading.

Thank You, Father God, for teaching me so beautifully and gently. You are so wise and I am so grateful. May I parent as You do.

Amen.

Gen 17:1 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, "I AM God Almighty; serve me faithfully and live a blameless life.

Gen 28:13 At the top of the stairway stood the LORD, and he said, "I AM the LORD, the God of your grandfather Abraham and the God of your father, Isaac. The ground you are lying on belongs to you. I will give it to you and your descendants.

Exd 3:7 Then the LORD told him, "You can be sure I have seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard their cries for deliverance from their harsh slave drivers. Yes, I AM aware of their suffering.

Exd 3:14 God replied, "I AM THE ONE WHO ALWAYS IS.* Just tell them, `I AM has sent me to you.' "

Exd 6:7 I will make you my own special people, and I will be your God. And you will know that I AM the LORD your God who has rescued you from your slavery in Egypt.

Exd 20:2 "I AM the LORD your God, who rescued you from slavery in Egypt.

Mal 3:6 "I AM the LORD, and I do not change. That is why you descendants of Jacob are not already completely destroyed.

Mat 11:29 Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I AM humble and gentle, and you will find rest for your souls.

Jhn 14:6 Jesus told him, "I AM the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.

Rev 3:11 Look, I AM coming quickly. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take away your crown.

Rev 22:7 "Look, I AM coming soon! Blessed are those who obey the prophecy written in this scroll."