Praise, A Weapon in Spiritual Warfare

The power of praise is a weapon in spiritual warfare. “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds” [2Cor 10:4]. All victories, whether the result is an instan3taneous deliverance from a circumstance or simply strength to endure a long difficult trial, flow from God’s nature and character alone. God’s manifest presence is our victory, and praise makes room for the fullness of his presence. “But thou art holy, O thou that inhabits the praises of Israel” [Psalms 22:3].

If God inhabits our praise then, praising saturates the circumstance with God’s manifest presence. God set up his throne or dwells where his people praise him. We say a herd of cattle, a congregation of Christians, but we say a ‘palace of praise.’ Because it is God’s dwelling place. Satan cannot operate in God’s manifest presence. In 2 Chronicles 5:13-14 during the dedication of the temple, the Israelites praised the Lord such, that the manifest presence of God filled the temple.


We do not praise God only after a victory but we praise Him also for future victories. This shows that we have faith in God’s ability to deliver and we believe he will intervene on our behalf. Hence praising in midst of difficulty demonstrates and indicate the measure of our faith in God. Satan’s chief desire is that God’s children will minimize the greatness of God, while mentally maximising Satan’s greatness. But praise diminishes the devil.

“And if ye go to war in your land against the enemy that oppressed you, then ye shall blow an alarm with the trumpets; and ye shall be remembered before the Lord your God and ye shall be saved from your enemies. Also in the day of your gladness, and in your solemn days, and in the beginnings of your months, ye shall blow with the trumpets over your burnt offerings, and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; that they may be to you for a memorial before your God: I am the Lord your God. ....... In the first place went the standard of the camp of the children of Judah according to their armies: and over his host was Nahshon the son of Amminadab” [Num 10:9-14].

When the Israelites were going for war, they would firstly sound blasts or trumpets as a war cry. In other words, it is a shout of praise to God. The Israelites would saturate their warfare with praise, so that God would manifest in their midst and fight for them. They would also let the tribe of Judah go first. The name Judah means ‘praise the Lord’ in Hebrew [Gen 29:35]. Because of his name he became the leader of the twelve sons of Israel. In Judge 1:1-3 and 20:18, Judah was to go first whenever they go for war.

Praise was to go first. Today we have to praise God before he delivers us from our difficult or so called impossible situations. Let’s praise God when things are difficult, when faced with sickness, when having financial crisis or having problems in our families. Let’s shout praise offering to God when having problems at work places or having marriage problems. There is power in praise. Power to level your mountains. Power to extinguish every arrow of the devil. Power to set you free from any bondage. Power to gain victory over Satan.

Look how the power of praise manifested:
❑ The walls of Jericho fall because of praise. “And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they rose early about the dawning of the day, and compassed the city after the same manner seven times: only on that day they compassed the city seven times. And it came to pass at the seventh time, when the priests blew with the trumpets, Joshua said unto the people, Shout; for the Lord hath given you the city. And the city shall be accursed, even it, and all that are therein, to the Lord

…………So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city” [Josh 6:15-20].

❑ King Jehoshaphat and the people defeated the enemy through praise. “And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the Lord, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the Lord; for his mercy endureth for ever. And when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten” [2 Chr 20:21-22].

❑ Paul and Silas walked out of the Philippian prison through praise. “And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed.” [Acts 16:25-26].

❑ David drove evil spirits from Saul using praise. “And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took a harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him” [1 Sam 16:23]

© Copyright 2012 by It’s My Footprint, www.itsmyfootprint.com.

This article was written by our Guest Writer Taka Sande

About Taka Sande

 Taka Sande is an author, teacher of the Word of God and entrepreneur who facilitates social, spiritual and economic development. He is also the creator and editor of www.itsmyfootprint.com blog. He has been a church leader for over 15 years. He fellowship and serve as a leader at Hatfield Christian church, in Pretoria, South Africa.