Praise and worship are powerful weapons in spiritual warfare that bring God into the battle. Lifting hands in praise, blessing, and prayer invites God's presence. Clapping and playing instruments express joy, triumph, and derision of enemies. Singing and shouting, as Paul and Silas did in jail, can cause walls to fall. King Jehoshaphat effectively led the people to seek God, recognize his power, listen for instruction, then worship and praise before the battle, where they were victorious without fighting. True prophetic worship surrenders control, positions us to listen to God, and acknowledges his wisdom over dictating strategy. The sound of war is high praise.

1. Praise & Worship in Spiritual Warfare
Donna R. Patrick, Facilitator, 2/6/13
Page 1
Praise & Worship in Spiritual Warfare
Wednesday Night Bible Study
February 6, 2013
And he said, “Listen, all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and King
Jehoshaphat: thus says the Lord to you, ‘Do not fear or be dismayed because of
this great multitude, for the battle is not yours but God’s.
2 Chronicles 20:15 (NASB)
I. Praise as a Weapon in Spiritual Warfare
A. Praise brings God into your environment; praise brings stability and balance into
our daily lives. Praise gets us into God’s presence, and during spiritual warfare
this is exactly where we need to be.
B. Lifting up hands
i. Praise and Blessing God - Ps 63:4–So will I bless Thee while I live; I
will lift up my hands in your name; Also Neh. 8:6; Ps 134:2
ii. Warfare - Exodus 17:11-12–When Moses held up his hand, Israel
prevailed; and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed
iii. Meditation - Ps 119:48–My hands also will I lift up and I will meditate on
Thy statutes (distinguish Eastern meditation and Christian meditation)
iv. Repentance – (a prayer of contrition) Lamentations 3:40-41, Let us search
and try our ways, and turn again to the Lord. Let us lift up our heart with
our hands unto God in the heavens
v. Prayer – I Tim. 2:8 (NLT) – In every place of worship, I want men to
pray with holy hands lifted up to God, free from anger and controversy.
Also Kings 8:22; 8:38; 8:54; 2Chron 6:12, 19; Ps 141:2; Is 1:15
vi. Thirsting or Seeking After God – Psalm 143:6; I spread forth my hands
to you; my soul thirsts after you like a thirsty land
C. Clapping Hands
i. Rejoicing – Psalm 98:8, Let the rivers clap their hands; Let the mountains
sing together for joy
ii. Coronation – And they proclaimed him King (Joash) and anointed him
and they clapped their hands, and said “God save the king. When we hail
Jesus as King and exalt Him, we clap our hands as a sign of this.
iii. Triumph – Psalm 47:1, O clap your hands all ye people; shout unto God
with the voice of triumph
iv. Anger – Numbers 24:10; Balak (king of Moab) flew into a rage against
Balaam. He angrily clapped his hands and shouted, “I called you to curse

2. Praise & Worship in Spiritual Warfare
Donna R. Patrick, Facilitator, 2/6/13
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my enemies! Instead, you have blessed them these three times.” **In
spiritual warfare the clapping of hands can be in scorn and derision of the
enemy.**
D. Playing an Instrument – Psalm 144:1, Blessed be the Lord, my rock, Who trains
my hands for war, and my fingers for battle; Also, Exodus 15:20: After they had
crossed the Red Sea, Miriam and the other women played tambourines and
danced
E. Singing/Shouting - Paul & Silas in a Philippian jail (Acts 16:25,26); Joshua
6:16, 20 (the walls of Jericho fell flat)
F. How King Jehoshaphat handled warfare
a. They sought God’s help together – 2 Chron. 20:4
b. They recognized God for who He is – 2 Chron. 20:5-6
c. They heard from God – 2 Chron. 20:15-17
d. When they heard from God they worshiped, they praised, and headed to the
battleground – 2 Chron. 20:18-24
e. They were not rebuking evil spirits or casting out demons; they didn’t tell God
what the battle strategy was; they were just praising God!
G. After Joshua died, the nation of Israel asked God who will go up first to battle
against the Canaanites, God said “Judah shall go up first.” The praisers will go
up first! Judges 1:1-2;
II. Worship as a Weapon in Spiritual Warfare
A. Surrender – Prophetic worship takes us out of control
B. Going Prostrate – Nehemiah 8:5-6
C. Meditation (Christian mediation) on the Word of God
D. Worship positions us to listen for God’s voice and respond to Him, Psalm
46:10 (Be still and know that I am God. . .)
E. True worship will always unite a congregation in ways that nothing else can
F. Warfare praise and worship does not dictate to God what He should do, but
acknowledges His wisdom and might. The focus is not on the battle or the
enemy, but on God.
G. Warfare praise and worship helps us agree with God and what He has already
said about Himself.
**What is the sound of war? High praise!**