The Garment of Praise

THE HOLY SPIRIT GARMENT OF PRAISE
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
Isaiah 61:1-3 1The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed
me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to
proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, 2to
proclaim the year of the LORD's favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all
who mourn, 3and provide for those who grieve in Zion- to bestow on them a crown of
beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead
of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for
the display of his splendor."
NOTE: Each of the phrases of this text are based on the fact that the SPIRIT OF GOD is
on him, and because the Lord has anointed him. This means that we have a great host of
wonderful ministries of the Holy Spirit just in these three verses. I am taking just one to
look at in this study and that is the garment of praise.
Isaiah61:3 to providefor those who grieve in Zion--to
give them a crown of beauty for ashes, the oil of joy
for mourning, and a garment of praise in place of a
spiritof despair. So they will be calledoaks of
righteousness, the plantingof the LORD, that He may
be glorified.
Other version have-
a garment of glory instead of a spirit of weariness;

the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit'
clothes of praise to replace their spirit of sadness
clothes of praise to replace their spirit of sadness
a garment symbolizing praise, instead of discouragement
splendid clothes instead of despair
a glorious mantle instead of a listless spirit.
A covering of praise for a spirit of weakness,
PRECEPTAUSTIN RESOURCES
In times of celebrationthey Jews wouldwearfestive clothing, not funeral
clothing! Here the metaphor speaks ofJews who are filled with praises for
Jehovah, in a sense "wearing"their praise as one would a garment. Frankly,
this should describe all believers now, for we have accessto "the
(supernatural) joy of the Holy Spirit" (1 Thess 1:6-note, cf Gal 5:22-note, Ro
15:13-note)independent of our circumstances and this joy should be visible
(like a garment is visible) for others to see so that we might be "an example to
all the believers" as were the new believers in Thessalonica(1 Th 1:7-note).
Gary Smith - This metaphorical way of describing the outward
transformation of a person's clothes and behavior (speaks of)a deep
transformation of this person's situation as wellas their psychological
reaction(by their "spirit" rûaḥ) to the changes Godwill introduce at this time
(Isa 60:20, " the days of your mourning will be over"). The point is that
mourning, which was so often a part of the nation's history, will end and
praise will begin. The head ornament (a positive symbol) will be used "instead
of" the ashes (a negative symbol) because a new era of salvationhas arrived.
(New American Commentary – Isaiah40-66:Volume 15b)

Pulpit Commentary says the Messiahgives the mourners "a glad heart
inclined to praise God, in lieu of a heavy one inclined to despair."
Allen Ross - Drawing on the image of such a banquet, God is saying that they
will rejoice, praise, be comforted, and be glorious, in the place of mourning
and despairing (giving up hope).
A spirit of fainting - "a faint spirit" "the spirit of heaviness." Giventhe
events of the day of vengeance that these Jews will have experienced(See
description of the breaking of the seals that initiates globalevents in
Revelation6:1-19:16-note), it is little wonderthat they will feel weak andfaint
from the globaldeath and destruction.
Fainting (03544)(kēhehfrom kahah= to be weak, be despondent) is a
"feminine adjective meaning faint, dim, dark. It is used of the fading or
healing of a skin disease causing discoloration(Lev. 13:6, 21, 26, 28, 39, 56). It
describes eyes becoming dull or weak (1 Sa 3:2); and a faintly burning wick
(Isa. 42:4). Isaiah uses it to describe a person's weak orfearful spirit (Isa
61:3)." (Complete Word Study Dictionary)
One gets a sense ofthe meaning of kehehin Isaiah42:3 “A bruised reed He
will not break And a dimly (keheh) burning wick He will not extinguish; He
will faithfully bring forth justice.
Keheh is translatedin this verse in the Septuagint (Lxx) with the Greek noun
akedia which means melancholy, weariness, exhaustionas in Psalm119:28
"My soul weeps becauseof grief (Lxx = akedia);Strengthen me according to
Your word."
Keheh - 9x in 9v -Usage:dim(3), dimly(1), faded(3), faint(1), fainting(1).
Lev. 13:6; Lev. 13:21;Lev. 13:26;Lev. 13:28;Lev. 13:39;Lev. 13:56; 1 Sam.
3:2; Isa. 42:3; Isa. 61:3
PowerOf Praise

The Lord has anointed Me . . . to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for
mourning. —Isaiah61:1,3
Praise is powerful! When Scottishpastor Robert Murray McCheyne was
troubled with a coldness ofheart towardthe things of the Lord, he would sing
the praises ofGod until he felt revived in his spirit. Those in his household
were often able to tell what hour he awoke becausehe beganthe day with a
psalm of praise.
One day, while he was trying to prepare his heart for preaching, he wrote in
his journal: “Is it the desire of my heart to be made altogetherholy? . . . Lord,
You know all things . . . . I’ve felt so much deadness and grief that I cannot
grieve for this deadness. Towardevening I revived. Got a calm spirit through
[singing psalms] and prayer.” McCheyne had been uplifted by praising God.
Perhaps you feelas if you are mired in what John Bunyan calledthe “slough
of despond.” Lift a song of praise to the Lord. The psalmist said, “I will sing of
the mercies of the Lord forever” (89:1). When we do that, the praise will flow
not only from our lips but also from our heart. The Lord delights to give “the
oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness” (Isa.
61:3).
Yes, “it is goodto sing praises to our God”—atall times (Ps. 147:1).
Praise, my soul, the King of heaven,
To His feet your tribute bring;
Ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven,
Evermore His praises sing. —Lyte
If you find yourself wearing a spirit of heaviness, try on a garment of praise.
By Paul Van Gorder
END OF PRECEPT AUSTIN

Garment Of Praise! Series
Contributed by PastorDr. Tim Awotide on Jan30, 2015
based on 2 ratings
| 12,655 views
Scripture: Isaiah61:1-3:1
Denomination: Pentecostal
Summary: It is possible to Praise God Occasionally
Topic: GARMENT OF PRAISE!
Text: Isaiah 16 : 3-1 KJV
The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to
preach goodtidings unto the meek;he hath sent me to bind up the
brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the
prison to them that are bound; To proclaim the acceptable yearof the Lord,
and the day of vengeance ofour God; to comfort all that mourn; To appoint
unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of
joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;that they
might be calledtrees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might
be glorified.
07/09/2014
INTRODUCTION:-
When we talk about "PRAISE" Praise canbe a "GARMENT".
It is possible to Praise God Occasionally. But there may be one or two people
here today that will sayanytime you see me you will see 'PRAISE'.

I will be praising God all the time. In Psalm34:1 We see someone who
wearing "PRAISE" as the "GARMENT".
David said.....Iwill bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be
in my mouth.
David said His PRAISE, NotComplain, or Mourning, or Crying.
Now the GARMENT is now left for us wether to wearit or not.
David said In PsalmP 108:1-3.....OGod, my heart is fixed; I will sing and give
praise, even with my glory. Awake, psaltery and harp: I myself will awake
early. I will praise thee, O Lord, among the people:and I will sing praises
unto thee among the nations.
In another word David is saying There is nothing that canchange this
"GARMENT". Am going to wearit. It means Lord I will Praise you.
One thing you need to know about the Garment of Praise is that!
There Is A Link BetweenThe Garment Of Praise And Irreversible Blessing.
Example:- Wheneveryou hear somebody say"I Will Praise God At All Time"
Then God will turn at the fellow and say.... I Will bless you at all time.
When David said... Oh Lord my heart is fixe I will Praise You. ( Psalm57:7 )
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Then God almighty said David on lest there is not Day and Night that is. On
lest Dayand Night are seize that my Covenantwith you will be cancel.

In another word, Whenever someone wearthe Garment of Praise, and said... I
will be Praising God Every time.
God will now said... I will give you what you will be Praising me for.
Let us look at it from another point of views
Whenever you revive a Miracle from God, it is automatically you want to
thank Him.
It is now depend on you wether the miracle will permanent. But if you chose
to praise him permanently.
In the scripture there are several!Example of those who chose to praise God
permanently and they got Irreversible Blessing from God.
God did something for David because you said you will be Praising me. And
God pick him from the bush and put him in the palace as the King.
Example, In Exo 14:15-16 ThenGod spokenand said the enemies you see
today you will see them no more. Exo 15:1-11
1Sam1:10-17 Hannah 1Sam1:19-20 1Sam2:20-21 And God put permanent
separationbetweenBarrenness andHannah.
ONE THING GOD HATES IS THAT YOU DESPISED ANYONE THAT IS
PRAISING HIM.
In 1Sam 6:11- 23 The daughter of Saul because she despisedDavid the King
and God shut her womb permanent."
The Beautiful Garment of Praise
"...A garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair…" (Isaiah61:3b).

It is fitting to wearthe garment of praise; it should fit us perfectly as
Christians who have been draped and gracedwith God's promises. Jesus paid
for our garment by living and dying for us. He personally wove a sacred
garment for eachof us, one threaded through with:
1) Faith--Elijah told the widow her jar of flour and jug of oil would not run
out, and she believed him (1 Kings 17:14-16);Abraham believed God would
provide a lamb (Genesis 22:8);Jonathan believed, "Nothing can hinder the
Lord from saving..." (1 Samuel 14:6b); the three Hebrews believed, "If we are
thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it..."
(Daniel 3:17); and Paul believed wholly, "...ForI have faith in God that it will
happen just as he told me" (Romans 4:20).
2) Hope--This greatgift is a brother to faith. "We are saved by trusting. And
trusting means looking forward to getting something we don't yet have -- for a
man who already has something doesn't need to hope and trust that he will get
it" (Romans 8:24 TLB). Godhas promised; therefore, we can't despair, even
if we don't see immediate results. Jesus weaveshope ever so carefully into our
newly-clothed natures. What hope we have here: "See, I have takenaway
your sin, and I will put rich garments on you" (Zechariah 3:4).
3) Love--This is the goldenthread that weaves throughour garment of praise.
How can we despair when this cord binds us to God and to eachother? It fills
our hearts with chords of praise to know we are all loved equally by a just and
merciful Father. How can we despair if we love a God because He first loved
us?
Our spirit of despair cannot possibly weighus down if we weigh His mercies
as well as count them. He gives us heavy goods and light afflictions. Let us
praise Him!

Patricia Erwin Nordman
OVERCOMING THE SPIRIT OF HEAVINESS
Terry Somerville
Satanis also called the Adversary. He opposes us in our walk with God. He
uses many tricks and devices. One of his tactics is to send a "spirit of
heaviness" upon us. When we recognize this we are able to over come him
easily.
Ephesians 6:11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand
againstthe wiles (methods - cunning, crafts) of the devil.
The Spirit of Heaviness
Isaiah61:3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them
beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the
spirit of heaviness;that they might be calledtrees of righteousness, the
planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.
SPIRIT is "ruwach" This is the same word used for all spiritual life and
beings including God. It is used also of breath and air. It does not mean "a
feeling" or attitude.
This is not mans own spirit, which is called "the spirit of man"
This is not God's spirit, nor canit be from God
It is a demonic spirit.

HEAVINESS means " somewhatdark 5, darkish 1, wax dim 1, smoking 1,
heaviness 1; 9 dim, dull, colourless, be dark, faint :". It is a word used in the
bible to describe:
the effectof a plague darkening the skin,
the dimness of the eyes in old age,
a fire gone out of a flax (reed), still smoking and not extinguished.
a heavy spirit.
THE EFFECT OF A SPIRIT OF HEAVINESS
It darkens our countenance:Our hearts are down cast. This spirit brings a
"heaviness"overus..
It dims our vision, robs our hope. The room may actually look darker.
It brings a heavy, oppressive feeling. It quenches our faith.
It may come over many at once , like a plague. It can be like a cloud, hanging
over a place.
It causes us to isolate, it steals our love, makes us feelalone.
OVERTHROWING THE SPIRIT OF HEAVINESS
Recognize it. This is not you, you are a child of God. This is not God's will for
you. Romans 8:31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us,
who can be againstus?
Don't believe anything negative you think under it's influence. Accept no
criticism of yourself or others. 2 Corinthians 10:5 We destroy arguments and
every proud obstacle to the knowledge ofGod, and take every thought captive
to obey Christ,

Put on the Garment of Praise (Is 61:3) This literally means to be "Wrapped
Up In Praise" Godhas given it to you to put on. Take actionincluding
adoration, thanksgiving, singing and glorifying. Get loud, get definite,
aggressive!Wrestle it down. (Eph.6) and break into the anointing.
FOLLOW THESE STEPS AND
you will get a victory over this tactic of the Adversary.
Put on the garment of Praise!
Cyril Prabhu
August 7, 2015
Uncategorized
DearSaints of the Living God – Grace and Mercyto you and your family!
The greatestweaponthatthe enemy uses againstthe believer is the
discouragement, we are never defeateduntil we are defeatedon the inside.
1 Samuel 30:6 says,
“David was greatlydistressedbecause the people spoke ofstoning him, for all
the people were embittered, eachone because ofhis sons and his daughters.
But David encouragedhimself in the LORD his God.”
In the deepestand darkesthours, King David has nowhere to turn, but God.
He lost everything that he ever owned and even the people close to him were
takenout. The famous “But” comes in again,
“But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God”.

These kind of situations are not new to David, he has seenit when the bears
were trying to attack orthe lion, or even the goliath – what David learned
from young age is, to put on the garment of praise.
When the spirit of heaviness starts to overcome you and me, then we need to
put on the garment of praise, that’s the only thing which keeps us in the
spiritual atmosphere. The day we stop worshipping God, we get out of God’s
presence. Whetherit is a valley experience like what David is going through,
or the mountain top experience, we need to praise and worship the Lord.
Reverse ofit is very dangerous, what we don’t turn into praise, will turn into
pride.
As many Americans, i watchedthe 1stRepublican debate, and one guy who
stoodup was DonaldTrump, and lot of people didnt like the way he came out
– there was lack of respectand pride, that he is better than everyone in that
stand. Pride will hurt!
See, whathappened to Lucifer, he was the anointed cherub, but the moment,
he turned his praise into pride, he was hurled out of heaven, and was turned
into devil. When we stop to praise and worship the Lord, then, we start to
solicitworship for ourselves.
The bible says, everything that has breath praise the Lord. And in other
place, 1 peter 2:9, it says, when we start to declare His praises, of the one who
calledus out of the darkness, then we become a chosengeneration, a royal
priesthood, a holy nation, and God’s specialpossession… isn’t that amazing?
We need to show the next generationhow to Praise the Lord, whether we have
everything or we have nothing… He is the most valued possession… There is a
powerin the praise, that removes the pain, encouragesthe soul, strengthens
the heart, the darkness will run, anger vanishes, and the peace restored.
As we walk into this beautiful day, let our hearts sing… 10,000 reasons, Bless
the Lord O my soul…
____
Bless the Lord oh my soul

Oh my soul
Worship His Holy name
Sing like never before
Oh my soul
I’ll worship Your Holy name
In one place, he is singing… How rich is His love, and slow to anger, and his
heart is kind, and then sings…
For all Your goodness
I will keepon singing
Ten thousand reasons
For my heart to find
______
Here is the link to the whole song…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pt5VnHYc-4k
We have been delivered to dance, and as we put on the garment of praise, let
your soul be restoredwith renewedstrength… Praise the Lord!
JoelOsteen(November-01-2018)DailyDevotion: Garment of Praise.
TODAY'S SCRIPTURE:"And provide for those who grieve…a garment of
praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be calledoaks ofrighteousness,
a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor." (Isaiah61:3, NIV)

TODAY'S WORD:What are you wearing today? Not on your physical body,
but what’s covering your mind and emotions? Are you clothed with despair
and disappointment? Are you wearing “heaviness?"
If you’ve recently gone through a hurtful or disappointing situation, the Bible
says there is a time to grieve. It’s important to go through that process and
release the hurt to God. But the Bible also says that God wants to give you a
garment of praise insteadof a spirit of heaviness or despair. He wants to
exchange your hurt for His healing. He wants to fill you with His peace and
joy.
Are the garments of yesterdayholding you back and weighing you down?
Maybe it’s time to exchange that heaviness forHis garment of praise. Maybe
it’s time to release those heavyburdens. It’s time to forgive those who have
hurt you and begin to praise your way to victory! Just start right now by
thanking Him for the life you have today. Thank Him for the opportunities
today has to offer. Thank Him for the beautiful sunrise. When you wearthat
garment of praise, you’ll stand strong and display His splendor all the days of
your life!
PRAYER FOR TODAY: "Father, I humbly come to You giving You my old
garments of despair and heaviness. Make me new today. Give me a garment
of praise so that I canjoyfully embrace the new seasonYou have for me in
Jesus'name. Amen."
Spurgeonon Praise
By Charles Spurgeon
“Come, ye children of God, and bless his dear name; for doth not all nature
around you sing? If you were silent, you would be an exception to the
universe. Doth not the thunder praise him as it rolls like drums in the march
of the God of armies? Doth not the oceanpraise him as it claps its thousand
hands? Doth not the sea roar, and the fullness thereof? Do not the mountains

praise him when the shaggywoods upon their summits wave in adoration? Do
not the lightnings write his name in letters of fire upon the midnight
darkness? Dothnot this world, in its unceasing revolutions, perpetually roll
forth his praise? Hath not the whole earth a voice, and shall we be silent?
Shall man, for whom the world was made, and suns and stars were created—
shall he be dumb? No, let him lead the strain.”1
“Many of our doubts and fears would fly awayif we praisedGod more. And
many of our trials and troubles would altogethervanish if we began to sing of
our mercies. Oftentimes, depressionof spirit that will not yield to a whole
night of wrestling, would yield to ten minutes of thanksgiving before God!”2
“We don’t sing enough, my Brothers and Sisters!How often do I stir you up
about the matter of prayer, but perhaps I might be just as earnestabout the
matter of praise!Do we sing as much as the birds do? Yet what have birds to
sing about, comparedwith us? Do you think we sing as much as the angels
do? Yet they were never redeemedby the blood of Christ!”3
“It would create an almostmiraculous change in some people’s lives if they
made a point of speaking mostof the precious things and leastof the worries
and ills! Why always the poverty? Why always the pains? Why always the
dying child? Why always the husband’s small wages?Why always the
unkindness of a friend? Why not sometimes—yes, whynot always—the
mercies of the Lord? That is praise and it is to be our everyday garment …!”4
“It is a greatthing to praise Jesus Christby day; but there is no music sweeter
than the nightingale's, and she praises God by night. It is well to praise the
Lord for his mercy when you are in health, but make sure that you do it when
you are sick, for then your praise is more likely to be genuine. When you are
deep down in sorrow, do not rob Godof the gratitude that is due to him;
never stint him of his revenue of praise whatever else goes short. Praise him
sometimes on the high-sounding cymbals,—crash, crash,—withall your heart
and being; but when you cannotdo that, just sit, and mean his praise in
solemn silence in the deep quiet of your spirit.”5

“Surely, goodnessand mercy have brightened all the days of our lives. Each
day has been so wonderful, that if we had only lived that one day, we should
have had cause to praise the Lord for ever and ever.”
The Garment of Praise
“__ __ __ the Lord has anointed me to preach good things to the depressed, the afflicted,
and the humble. To heal the broken hearted, set the captives free, and open prison doors
for those who can’t get out of bondage. To give to them who mourn, beauty for ashes, the
oil of joy for mourning and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.” (Isaiah
61:1,3)
In this Scripture, God promises to give us beauty for the bitter ashes of regret for mistakes
and wrong choices we have made that burned up our hopes and dreams leaving us only
their ashes to remember them by. God will actually turn those ashes into something
beautiful in your life if you will release them and let Him.
He also promised to give us the oil of joy when we are mourning and grieving over the loss
of loved ones in our life, and the loss of things we wanted to hold on to. There does not
have to be the death of a person for us to feel mourning and sorrow, it can also come from
the mental anguish & suffering over the loss of something we hoped for all of our life, but it
was taken from us, and would never belong to us again. God will dry your tears and
replace your sorrow with joy --- He can do that because He knows your future, and the joy
of the blessings He has planned for you will far outweigh any loss you have experienced.
The third precious promise we are given in this Scripture is the one we are going to talk
about today. God promises to give us “the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.”
By using the words, “the garment,” God is telling us it is not just a garment to cover up
heaviness, but it is the garment -- meaning the only garment that will drive away a heavy
spirit --- and that is the garment of praise.

A garment is a piece of clothing that you put on to cover yourself. So the garment of praise
is a spiritual garment that you put on to cover your spirit. In other words, a garment of
praise is a garment to put on the inside of you instead of the outside. And the spiritual
garment of praise is the only one that is designed, by the designer (God) to be just the right
size to cover and replace the spirit of heaviness.
We can all remember the days when we were in the mood to wear a certain dress. But
after we put it on we didn’t like the way it looked, so we took it off, laid it on the bed, and
went and got a different dress – but after it was on, it just didn’t look right --- so we just
tossedthe dress on the bed and go back to the closet. But this time we try something
different. We take a skirt and blouse. The skirt looks O.K. but the blouse makes our neck
look scrawny. Keep the skirt, toss the blouse. Get a different blouse --- makes the skirt
look funny --- keepthe blouse, toss the skirt --- grab different skirt, (by now we’re late
anyway) --- it looks too bulky around the hips with that blouse tucked in --- try blouse on
outside with a belt --- it looks like a Russian ballet dancer --- throw blouse & belt on the
bed --- give up on the skirt --- just leave it on the floor --- give it a kick for not looking right
--- now we’re really late --- have to choose --- either go back to original garment, or stay
home & feel heavy and depressedall day.
We do the same thing with our spiritual garments – we start out taking God’s promise in
His Word, then we allow doubt and unbelief to come in and we put that on for a while.
That’s followed by a critical spirit about ourselves, and by the time we change that, a
negative spirit has come, we use that one on our past, our present and our future, followed
by depression and finally the spirit of heaviness that fastens itself on our spirit, soul and
body. Now it’s really late! – have to choose – either go back to the original garment – the
garment of praise – and begin to open our mouth and speak forth words of praise to God
for His love and mercy, or allow the spirit of heaviness to keepus in spiritual bondage until
it robs us of our joy, turns our dreams into ashes, and causes a mental break down. It’s a
choice – our choice – we’re the only ones who can make it for ourselves.
We recognize that the garment of praise is a spiritual garment, but there are many
similarities between a spiritual garment and one made from material. We want to find out
why God didn’t just say He would give us a garment of praise for a spirit of heaviness. He
had a specific reason for saying “the garment and the spirit.”

God was actually the one who made the very first garments evermade. He made them for
the first man and the first woman Adam & Eve. “For Adam and also for his wife the Lord
God made long coats of skins and clothed them.” Genesis 3:21. Since that time garments
have been used for three different purposes: (1) to cover something (we don’t have to
wonder what it was with Adam and Eve!). (2) to denote (show) a position or office that a
person held. (3) to show some important event that was happening in their lives. Some
preachers and judges wear long garments today to show what office they hold just as they
did hundreds of years ago.
So a garment told much about a person: • A garment of pure white linen showed all Egypt
that Joseph was in command. • A purple garment was only for a king. • A black garment
like ashes was for widows mourning for their husband. • A garment of sackcloth (gunny
sacks) was for those in grief & great loss. • A colorful garment was provided for each
wedding guest by wealthy hosts. • A garment for shepherds was made of skins. • A garment
for soldiers was red. • Angels garments were long, white, and shining. • Garments for
priests were of finest white linen. They had to wear these garments to come into God’s
presence to praise Him. They were to enter His gates with thanksgiving in their hearts and
praise on their lips.
In order to offer the sacrifice of praise (adoration and worship), we too have to put on the
spiritual garment of praise as a priest unto God to come into His presence. “You also, as a
living stone are built into a spiritual house, a holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices
(of praise), acceptable unto God by Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 2:5)
In the book of Revelation, the final book of the Bible, Jesus is receiving praise because He
died (and rose from the dead), and has redeemed us (bought us), by His blood to present us
to God. He has made us kings and priests unto God. We will rule and reign with Jesus
when He comes back to earth!! And when we stand before God, He will clothe us in white
robes – a garment without spot or blemish. He made the first garments, and He will make
the last.
What a privilege we have been given! Yet most Christians don’t have any idea of who they
really are in Christ, and if they do have an idea, they don’t believe it. You be different!
Choose today to wear your garment of praise and walk in the holy office God has given
you!

Why did God call it the garment of praise? Because it is the only one that will drive
away a heavy spirit.
5. Where do I wear the garment of praise? Inside, not outside.
6. Who made the first garments evermade? (Genesis 3:21) God.
7. What three things are garments used for?
a. To cover something or someone
b. To show a position or office that a person holds
c. To show some important event that is happening
8. Why did priests have to wear special garments? In order to enter into the presence of
God.
9. As a priest unto God, why do I have to wear the garment of praise?
In order to enter into the presence of God, because there is no heaviness in His presence.
10. Who will make the last garment? God.

MEMORY VERSE (Isaiah 61:3) “To console those who mourn, to give them beauty for
ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.”
'The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.' Isaiah 61:3 NKJV
Praise works like a magnifying glass. It causes what you're focusing on to get bigger, to be
'magnified.' David said, 'Magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together. I
sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears' (Psalm 34:3-4
NKJV). It's a mistake to wait until you've no problems, fewer problems, or your problems
are solved before you praise the Lord. Praise is one of the great Scriptural keys to problem-
solving because it gets your focus on God, the problem solver. Charles Spurgeon said: 'My
happiest moments are when I am worshipping God, really adoring the Lord Jesus
Christ...In that worship I forget the cares of the church and everything else. To me it is the
nearest approach to what it will be in Heaven.'
God has promised you 'the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.' It works like this.
When you begin to praise him with a heavy heart, you experience a new sense of hope and
joy. Through worship you are reminded that God is bigger than the situation you face; that
he's not only capable of managing your concerns but willing, wanting and waiting to. The
Psalmist wrote: 'Seven times a day I praise you' (Psalm 119:164 NKJV).
Fill your day with praise. Don't just take coffee breaks and tea breaks, take 'praise breaks.'
Begin to praise God for two things: (1) His attributes. His power, love, grace, favour,
guidance, etc. (2) His acts. Recall his goodness to you. Go ahead; take off the spirit of
heaviness and put on the garment of praise.
How to Put on the Garment of Praise When Your Spirit Is Weak

November 20, 2017
The Bible speaks often of God’s strength in our weaknesses. As Christians, we know that
it’s crucial to lean on Him in times of heartache, unrest, and uncertainty. As we approach
the holiday season, I have been pondering Isaiah 61:3. This verse reminds us that God gives
us a garment of praise in exchange for our “faint spirit.”
But what does praise have to do with finding strength?
*This post contains affiliate links. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.
The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good
news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the
captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the
Lord’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; to grant to
those who mourn in Zion—to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of
gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may
be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified. – Isaiah
61:1-3 (NIV)
In Luke 4, Jesus quoted this passage from the book of Isaiah claiming that it was fulfilled
in Him. This isn’t the first time in Scripture when we are given the image of “garments” or
“robes.” The Bible describes God giving us robes of righteousness and garments of
salvation in exchange for our filthy clothes. (Isaiah 61:10, Zechariah 3:4, Revelation 19:8)
But what I do find interesting in the passage above is the connection between praise and
weakness. Is it possible that praise is the solution to overcoming tiredness and feelings of
overwhelm?
Praise is a powerful thing. Thankfulness changes hearts and renews minds. David
repeatedly chose praise in the midst of difficult and trying circumstances. Paul drew his
strength from God by praising His name and remembering His faithfulness in all things.
Even while in prison, Paul and Silas chose to praise God in song instead of wallowing in
their misery.

What would happen if every time we felt tired, weak, or emotionally drained, we took the
time to praise God and thank Him for His goodness?
The lie of the enemy says that you are weak.
The truth of God says that in Jesus, you are strong.
When we choose to put on the garment of praise, we are saying to the enemy that we know
the truth… we are strong in Christ.
When we put on the garment of praise, we are refusing to give in to the enemy’s lie that we
are too weak to handle whatever life has thrown our way and we are acknowledging where
our strength comes from – God alone. In this way, praise is not only our garment… but our
weapon against the lies of the enemy.
So how do we do it? How do we put on the garment of praise when we feel anything but
joyful?
We recognize the truth. We are strong in Jesus, and He has given us a garment of praise to
wear.
We make a conscious choice. Hebrews 13:15 calls praise a “sacrifice.” It’s a choice we
make, evenwhen it’s hard.
In Him, we are strong. We have His strength, His peace, and His joy eventhe midst of
hardship or struggle. Or perhaps you aren’t necessarily struggling, but instead, you are
simply feeling tired and overwhelmed. In any case, choose to put on the garment of praise
that has been given to you by God. I’m not saying that it will always be easy, but it will
always be worth it.
Thank Him and praise Him for who He is and who He has created you to be in Him.

Though the fig tree should not blossom and there be no fruit on the vines, though the yield
of the olive should fail and the fields produce no food, though the flock should be cut off
from the fold and there be no cattle in the stalls, yet I will exult in the Lord. I will rejoice in
the God of my salvation. – Habakkuk 3:17-18
Put on the garments of praise
For the spirit of heaviness
Let the oil of gladness flow down
From Your throne
Put on the garments of praise
For the spirit of heaviness
Your joy is my strength alone
My strength alone
Make these broken weary bones
Rise to dance again
Wet this dry and thirsty land
With a river
Lord our eyes are fixed on You
We are waiting
For Your garland of grace
As we praise Your name
Hallelujah
Sing hallelujah

To Your name
Hallelujah Sing hallelujah
We trade our sorrows
For garments of praise
“THE GARMENT OF PRAISE” NO. 3349
A SERMON PUBLISHED ON THURSDAY, APRIL 10, 1913, DELIVERED BY C. H.
SPURGEON, AT THE METROPOLITAN TABERNACLE, NEWINGTON.
“The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.” Isaiah 61:3.
THE list of comforts which the Anointed has here prepared for His mourners is apparently
inexhaustible. He seems as if He delighted to give “according to the multitude of His tender
mercies” a very cloud of blessings. This is the third of His sacred exchanges—“the garment
of praise for the spirit of heaviness.” Grace, like its God, delights to be a trinity. This is also
the broadest of the blessings, for whereas the first adorned the face with beauty, and the
second anointed the head with joy, this last and widest covers the whole person with a
garment of praise! Man’s first vesture was of his own making and it could not cover his
shame—but this garment is of God’s making and it makes us comfortable in ourselves, and
comely in the sight of God and man. They are better adorned than Solomon in all his glory,
to whom God gives the garment of praise. May the blessedSpirit sweetly help us to bring
out the rich meaning of this promise to mourners, for again I must remind you that these
things are only given to them—and not to the thoughtless world. We have already noticed
the variety of the consolation which Jesus brings to mourners—the plant of renown
produces many lovely flowers with rich perfume and a multitude of choice fruits of dainty
taste. Now we would call your attention to their marvelous adaptation to our needs. Man
has a spirit and the gifts of grace are spiritual. His chief maladies lie in his soul and the
blessings of the covenant deal with his spiritual needs. Our text mentions “the spirit of
heaviness” and gives a promise that it shall be removed. The blessings which Jesus gives to

us are not surface blessings, but they touch the center of our being! At first we may not
perceive their depth, but only know that beauty is given instead of ashes—this might seem
to be an external change. Further on, however, joy is given, instead of mourning, and this is
inward— the thought has advanced, we are getting nearer the heart. But in the words
before us, the very spirit of heaviness, the fountain from which the mourning flows, the
hearth whereon the ashes are burned is dealt with and taken away—and instead thereof we
receive the garment of praise! What a mercy it is that the blessings of the everlasting
covenant belong to the realm of the spirit for, after all, the outward is transient, the visible
soon perishes. We are grateful for the food and raiment which our bodies require, but our
sterner need is nourishment, consolation and protection for our spirits. The covenant of
grace blesses the man, himself—the soul—which is the essence of his life. It puts away the
sordid sackcloth of despondency and robes the spirit in royal garments of praise. Judge you
your state by your estimation of such favors, for if you have learned to prize them, they are
yours! The worldling cares nothing for spiritual blessings. His beauty, joy, and praise are
found in things which perish in the using. But those who know their preciousness have been
taught of God and since they can appreciate them, they shall have them! Soulmercy is the
very soul of mercy and he whom the Lord blesses in his spirit, is blessedindeed! I want
you still further to notice how these blessings grow as we proceed. At first, out of the triplet
of favors here bestowed there was beauty given, instead of ashes. There is much there—
beauty of personal character before God is no mean thing—yet a man might have that, and
by reason of his anxiety of heart he might scarcely be aware of it. Doubtless many who are
lovely in the sight of God spend much of their time in bewailing their own uncomeliness.
Many a saint sorrows over himself, while others are rejoicing in him! Therefore, the next
mercy given to the mourner in Zion is the oil of joy, which is a personal and conscious
delight. The man rejoices. He perceives that he is made beautiful before God and he begins
to joy in what the Lord has done for him and in the anointed One from whom the oil of
gladness descends.
2 “The Garment of Praise” Sermon #3349
2 Tell someone today how much you love Jesus Christ. Volume 59
This is an advance upon the other, but now we come to the highest of all! Seeing that God
has made him glad, he perceives his obligations to God and he expresses them in
thankfulness—and so stands before the Most High like a white-robed priest, putting on
praise as the garment in which he appears in the courts of the Lord’s house, and is seenby
his brothers and sisters. As you advance in the divine life, the blessings you receive will
appear to be greater and greater. Some promising things become small by degrees and
miserably less, but in the kingdom of heaven we go from strength to strength. The
beginning of the Christian life is like the water in the pots at Cana, but in due time it
blushes into wine. The pathway which we tread is, at first, bright as the dawn, but if we
pursue it with sacred perseverance, its radiance will be as the perfect day! There shall be

no going down of our sun, but it shall shine with increasing luster till it shall be as the light
of sevendays, and the days of our mourning shall be ended! I beg you also to mark that
when we reach the greatest mercy and stand on the summit of blessing, we have reached a
condition of praise—praise to God invests our whole nature. To be wrapped in praise to
God is the highest state of the soul. To receive the mercy for which we praise God is
something, but to be wholly clothed with praise to God for the mercy received is far more!
Why, praise is heaven, and heaven is praise! To pray is heaven below, but praise is the
essence of heavenabove! When you bow lowest in adoration, you are at your very highest.
The soul full of joy takes a still higher step when it clothes itself with praise. Such a heart
takes to itself no glory, for it is dressed in gratitude and so hides itself. Nothing is seenof
the flesh and its self-exaltation, since the garment of praise hides the pride of man. May you
all who are heavy in spirit be so clothed upon with delight in the Lord, who has covered
you with the robe of righteousness that you may be as wedding guests adorned for the
palace of the King with glittering garments of adoring love! Looking carefully into the
words before us, we will dwell, first, upon the spirit of heaviness. Secondly, upon the
promise implied in the text—that this shall be removed. And then, thirdly, upon the
garment of praise which is to be bestowed. First, let us muse upon— I. THE SPIRIT OF
HEAVINESS. We would not make this meditation doleful and yet it may be as well to set
forth the night side of the soul, for thus we may the better show a sympathetic spirit and
come more truly home to those who are in heaviness through manifold temptations. Some
of us know by experience what the spirit of heaviness means. It comes upon us at times
evennow. There are many things in the body. There are many things in the family. There
are many things in daily life which make us sad. Facts connected with the past and with the
future cause us, at times, to hang our heads. We shall just now dwell upon those former
times when we were under the spirit of heaviness on account of unpardoned sin. We cannot
forget that we were in bondage in a spiritual Egypt. We would awaken our memories to
remember the wormwood and the gall, the place of dragons and of owls. Observe that this
heaviness is an inward matter and it is usually a grief which a man tries to keepto himself.
It is not that he is sick in body, though his unbelieving friends fancy that he must surely be
ailing, or he would not seemso melancholy. “He sits alone and keeps silent,” and they say
that he has a low fit upon him and they invite him out into company and try, if they can, to
jest him out of his distress. The fact is that sin is pressing upon him, and well may the spirit
be heavy when it has that awful load to carry! Day and night God’s hand is also heavy
upon him and well may his spirit be loaded down. Conviction of sin makes us as a cart that
is loaded with sheaves—but it is intensely inward and, therefore, not to be understood by
careless minds. “The heart knows its own bitterness and a stranger intermeddles not
therewith.” I have known persons who have been the subject of this heaviness most
sedulously endeavor to conceal from others eventhe slightest appearance of it. And I
cannot say that there has not been some wisdom in so doing, for ungodly men despise those
who tremble at the Word of God. What do they care about sin? They can sin and rejoice in

it as the swine can roll in the mire and feel itself at home. Those who weep in secret places
because the arrows of the Lord have wounded them, are shunned by those who forget God,
and they need not be sorry for it, since such company can furnish no balm for their
wounds. Mourner, you are wise to keepyour sorrow to yourself as far as the wicked are
concerned, but remember, though perhaps you think not so, there are hundreds of God’s
children who know all about your condition, and if you could be bold enough to open your
mind to them and tell them of your heaviness of spirit, you
Sermon #3349 “The Garment of Praise” 3
Volume 59 Tell someone today how much you love Jesus Christ. 3
would be surprised to find how thoroughly they would sympathize with you and how
accurately some of them could describe the maze through which you are wandering! All
are not tender of heart, but there are believers who would enter into your experience and
who might, by God’s blessing, give you the clue to the labyrinth of your grief. The Lord
comforted Paul by Ananias, and you may be sure that there is an Ananias for you! If you
feel, as many do, that you could not unburden your soul to your parents or relatives, go to
some other experienced believers and tell them as far as you can your painful condition. I
know, for I have felt the same, that all hope that you shall be savedis taken away and that
you are utterly prostrate— but yet THERE IS HOPE! While this heaviness is inward,
notice in the next place that it is real. Heaviness of spirit is one of the most terribly true of
all our griefs. He who is cheerful and light-hearted too often contemns and evenridicules
him who is sad of soul. He says that he is “nervous,” calls him “fanciful…almost out of his
mind,” “very excitable…quite a monomaniac,” and so on. The current idea being that
there is really no need for alarm and that sorrow for sin is mere fanaticism! If some
persons had suffered half an hour of conviction of sin, themselves, they would look with
different eyes upon those who feel the spirit of heaviness, for I say it, and know what I am
saying, that next to the torment of hell, itself, there is but one sorrow which is more severe
than that of a broken and a contrite spirit that trembles at God’s Word, but does not dare
to suck comfort out of it! The bitterness of remorse and despair is worse, but yet it is
unspeakably heartbreaking to bow at the mercy-seat, and to fear that no answer will ever
come—to lie at the feet of Jesus, but to be afraid to look up to Him for salvation! To be
conscious of nothing but abounding sin and raging unbelief and to expect nothing but
sudden destruction—this is an earthly Tophet! There are worse wounds than those which
torture the flesh, but more cruel pangs arise from the broken bones of the soul than from
those of the body. Sharp is that cut which goes to the very heart and yet does not kill, but
makes men wish that they could die or cease to be. There is a prison such as no iron bars
can make and a fetter such as no smith can forge. Sickness is a trifle compared to it—it is to
some men less endurable than the rack or the stake. To be impaled upon your own sins,

pilloried by your own conscience, shot at by your own judgment as with barbed arrows—
this is anguish and torment! This heaviness of spirit puts a weight upon the man’s activity
and clogs him in all things. He is weighted heavily who bears the weight of sin. You put
before him the precious promises, but he does not understand them, for the heaviness
presses upon his mental faculties. You assure him that these promises are meant for him,
but he cannot believe you, for heaviness of spirit palsies the grasping hand by which he
might appropriate the blessing. “Their soul abhors all manner of meat, and they draw near
to the gates of death.” Troubled minds at times lose all their appetite. They need spiritual
food and yet turn from it. The most wholesome meat of the gospel they are afraid to feed
upon, for their sadness makes them fearful of presumption. Heaviness brings on
amazement and this is but another word for saying that the mind is in a maze and cannot
find its way out. They are weighted as to their understanding and their faith, for “the
spirit of heaviness” also presses there. Their memory, too, is quick enough at recollecting
sin, but to anything that might minister comfort, it is strangely weak, even as Jeremiah
said, “You have removed my soul far off from peace: I forget prosperity.” Indeed, David
was still more oblivious, for he says, “My heart is smitten and withered like grass, so that I
forget to eat my bread.” All the faculties become dull and inert, and the man is like one in a
deadly swoon. I have heard persons, under conviction of sin, say, “I seemabsolutely stupid
about divine things.” Like one that is stunned by a severe blow, they fall down and scarcely
know what they feel or do not feel. Were they in their clear senses, we could set the gospel
before them and point out the way of salvation and they would soon lay hold of it! But,
alas, they seemto have no capacity to understand the promise, or to grasp its consolation.
Now, this heaviness of spirit also renders everything around the man heavy. The external is
generally painted from within. A merry heart makes mirth in the dull November fog under
a leaden sky, but a dull heart finds sorrow amidst May blossoms, and June flowers. A man
colors the world he lives in to the tint of his own soul. “Things are not what they seem,” yet
what they seemhas often more influence upon us
than what they are! Find a man, then, with heaviness of spirit, and you will find that his
sorrows appear to be greater than he can bear. The common-place worries of life which
cheerfulness sports with, are a load to a sad heart—yes, the grasshopper is a burden! The
ordinary duties of life become weariness and slight domestic cares a torture. He trembles
lest he should commit sin evenin going in and out of his house. A man who bears the
weight of sin has small strength for any other load. Even the joys of life become somber. It
matters not how much God has blesseda man in his family, in his basket, or in his store,
for as long as his heart is oppressed and his soul bowed down with sin, what are the
bursting barns and what are the overflowing wine vats to him? He pines for a peace and
rest which these things cannot yield. If the eyes are dark, the sun, itself, affords no light!

There is one thing, however, which we would say to mourners presseddown with guilt—
whatever heaviness you feel, it is no greater heaviness than sin ought to bring upon a man,
for it is an awful thing to have sinned against God. If the sense of sin should drive you to
distraction—and cavilers often say that religion does this—it might reasonably do so if
there were no other matters to think upon—no forgiving love and atoning blood. That
which is the result of sin ought not to be charged upon religion, but true religion should be
praised, because it brings relief to all this woe! Sin is the most horrible thing in the
universe—and when a man sees how foully he has transgressed—it is no wonder that he is
greatly troubled. To think that I, a creature that God has made, which He could crush as
easily as a moth, have dared to live in enmity to Him for many years, and have even
become so hardened as to forget Him and perhaps defy Him! This is terrible! When I have
been told of His great love, I have turned on my heels and rejected it. Yes, and when I have
evenseenthat love in the bleeding body of His dear Son, I have been unbelieving and have
done despite evento boundless grace, and gone from bad to worse, greedy after sin! Is it
marvelous that when they have seenthe guilt of all this, men have felt their moisture
turned into the drought of summer and cried in desperation, “My soul chooses strangling
rather than life”? However low you are, beloved mourner, you are not exaggerating your
guilt! Apart from the grace of God, your case is, indeed, as hopeless as you suppose.
Though you lie in the very dust and dare not look up, the position is not lower than you
ought to take. You richly deserve the anger of God and when you have some sense of what
that wrath must be, you are not more fearful of it than there is just need to be, for it is a
fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. “He touches the hills and they
smoke.”— “The pillars of heaven’s starry roof Tremble and start at His reproof.” What
will His wrath be when He puts on His robes of justice and comes forth to mete out justice
to the rebellious? O God, how terrible is Your wrath! Well may we be crushed at the very
thought of it! Another reflection we would suggest here and that is, that if you have great
heaviness of spirit on account of sin, you are by no means alone in it, for some of the best
servants of God have endured hard struggling before they have found peace with God.
Read their biographies and you will find that eventhose who have really believed in Christ
have at some time or other felt the burden of sin pressing with intolerable weight upon
their souls. Certain of them have recorded their experience in terrible sentences, but others
have felt what they have not dared to commit to writing. “Weeping cross,” as the old
writers call it, is a much-frequented spot—many roads meet at that point, and most
pilgrims have left a pool of tears there. There is this to be added. Your Lord and Master,
He to whom you must look for hope, knew what heaviness meant on account of sin. He had
no sin of His own, but He bore the iniquity of His people and, therefore, He was prostrate
in Gethsemane. We read that “He began to be sorrowful and to be very heavy.” The spirit
of heaviness was upon Him and He sweat as it were, great drops of blood falling to the
ground! This same heaviness made Him cry upon the cross, “My God, My God, why have
You forsaken Me?” Jesus was sorely amazed and very heavy—and it is to Him as passing

through that awful heaviness that I would bid you look in your hour of terror, for He alone
is your door of hope. Through His heaviness, yours shall be removed, for “the chastisement
of our peace was upon Him, and with His stripes we are healed.” So much, then,
concerning heaviness of spirit. And now, secondly, let us— II. SEE THE HEAVINESS
REMOVED, for of this the text contains a divine promise—the anointed Savior will take it
away. Only a word or two upon this.
Brothers and sisters, do you inquire how Jesus removes the spirit of heaviness? We answer,
He does it thus—by revealing to us with clearness and certainty that our sin is pardoned.
The Holy Spirit brings us to trust in Christ and the inspired word assures us that Christ
suffered in the place of all believers and, therefore, we perceive that He died for us. And
also that nothing remains for us to suffer because sin, having been laid upon the substitute,
it is no more upon us. We rejoice in the fact of our Lord’s substitution and the transfer of
our sins to Him. We see that if He stood in our place, we stand in His—and if He was
rejected, we are “accepted in the Beloved.” Then straight away this spirit of heaviness
disappears because the reason for it is gone— “I will praise You every day! Now Your
anger’s turned away, Comfortable thoughts arise From the bleeding sacrifice.”
Moreover, in the new birth the Holy Spirit infuses into us a new nature—and that new
nature knows not the spirit of heaviness—it is a thing of light, and life, and joy in the Holy
Spirit! The newborn nature looks up and perceives its kinship with God. It rejoices in the
favor of the Holy One from whom it came. It rests in the Lord; yes, it joys and rejoices in
Him! And whereas, the old sin-spirit still sinks us down according to its power, there still
being in us the evil heart of unbelief, this new life wells up within us as a living fountain of
crystal and buoys us up with the peace and joy which comes of the Holy Spirit’s indwelling!
Thus the inner life becomes a constant remedy for heaviness of spirit. And faith, too, that
blessedgift of God, wherever it resides, works to the clearing away of heaviness, for faith
sings, “All things are mine, why should I sorrow? All my sin is gone, why should I pine and
moan? All things as to the present life are supplied me by the God of providence and
grace—and the future is guaranteed to me by the covenant ordered in all things and sure.”
Faith takes the telescope and looks beyond the narrow range of time into the eternal
heavens, and sees a crown laid up for the faithful. Yes, and her ears are opened so that she
hears the songs of the redeemed by blood before the throne of God— thus she bears away
the spirit of heaviness! If I see no joy with these poor optics, faith has other eyes with which
she discovers rivers of delight! If flesh and blood afford me nothing but causes for dismay,
faith knows more and sees more—and she perceives causes for overflowing gratitude and
delight! Hope also enters with her silver light, borrowed from faithful promises. She

expects the future glory, at which we hinted just now, and begins to anticipate it all. And
so, again, she drives away the gloom of the heart. Love, also, the sweetest of the three,
comes in and teaches us to be resigned to the will of God and then sweetly charms us into
acquiescence with all the divine purposes. And when we reach that point, and so love God
that whatever He may do with us, we are resolved to trust Him and praise His name, and
then the spirit of heaviness must vanish! Now, beloved mourners, I trust you know what
this great uplifting means. It is a work in which the Lord is greatly glorified when He raises
a poor, begrimed soul out of the sordid potsherds among which it has lain, and gives it to
soar aloft as on the silver wings of a dove! Some of us can never forget the hour of our great
deliverance—it was the day of our espousals, the time of love—and it must forever remain
as the beginning of days unto us. All glory be to Him who has loosed our bonds and set our
feet in a large room! But now we come to the third and most prominent point of the text,
which is— III. THE GARMENT OF PRAISE BESTOWED, which takes the place of the
spirit of heaviness. We suppose this may mean, and probably does mean, that the Lord
gives us a garment that is honorable and worthy of praise—and what is this garment but
the righteousness of our Lord Jesus Christ? The Lord arrays His poor people in a robe
which causes them to be no more worthy of shame, but fit to be praised. They become
unblameable in His sight. What a blessing this is! Did not the father, when he received the
prodigal, say, “Bring forth the best robe and put it on him”? That was a praiseful garment,
instead of the spirit of heaviness—and whenever a child of God begins to perceive his
adoption and to say, “Abba, Father,” then He puts on a fit garment for a child to wear, an
honorable dress, a garment of praise! When we realize that Christ has made us priests unto
God, and we, therefore, put on the priestly garment of sanctification by beginning to offer
the sacrifice of prayer and praise, then, again, we wear a praiseful
garment! When we exercise the high prerogative of kings, for we are kings as well as
priests, then, again, we wear not a sordid vesture of dishonor, nor the costume of a prison,
or the rags of beggary, nor the black robe of condemnation, but a garment of honor and of
praise! Every child of God should be clothed with the garments of salvation—his Savior
has prepared them for this end—let him wrap them about him and be glad, for these
garments make him beautiful in the sight of God! But I choose, rather, to follow the exact
words of our version tonight and speak of the garment of praise as meaning gratitude,
thanksgiving, and adoration. The anointed Comforter takes away the spirit of heaviness
and He robes His people in the garment of praise. Now, this is something outward as well
as inward. A wise man endeavors to hide the heaviness of his spirit, but when the Lord
takes that away, he does not wish to conceal his gratitude. I could not help telling those I
lived with, when I found the Lord! MasterJohn Bunyan informs us that he was so anxious
to let someone know of his conversion that he wanted to tell the crows on the plowed land

all about it! I do not wonder. It is a piece of news which it would be hard to withhold.
Whenever a man’s inward heaviness is graciously removed, he puts on the outward
manifestation of joy and walks abroad in the silken robes of praise! As we have already
said, a garment is a thing which covers a man, so when a man learns to thank God aright,
His praise covers him—he, himself, is hidden while he gives all the glory to God. The man
is seenas clothed in praise from head to foot. Many persons very unfairly judge Christians
when they begin to speak of the love and mercy of God to them, for they cry out that they
are egotistical—but how can it be egotistical to talk of what the Lord has done for you? If
you speak with any sort of confidence, captious individuals say that you are presumptuous.
How can it be presumptuous to believe what God, Himself, declares? It is presumptuous to
doubt what God says, but it is not presumption to believe God! Neither is it egotism to state
the truth. If I were to say that God has not blessedme abundantly, the pulpit on which I
stand would cry out against me! Shall I conceal the mercy of God as if it were stolen goods?
Never! But rather I will speak the more boldly of the measureless love which has kept my
soul from going down to the pit! “He that glories, let him glory in the Lord.” Bless the
Lord, O you saints of His, and give thanks to His holy name. Show forth His salvation,
compel men to see it, gird it about your loins and wear it for your adorning in all
companies! While speaking of this garment of praise, let us inquire of what it is made. Is
not praise composed in a large measure of an attentive observation of God’s mercy?
Thousands of blessings come to us without our knowledge. We take them in at the back
door, and put them away in the cellar. Now, praise takes note of them, preserves the invoice
of favors received and records the goodness of the Lord. O friends, if you do this, you will
never be short of reasons for praise!. He who notices God’s mercy will never be without a
mercy to notice. This is the chief material of the garment of praise—attentive consideration
of divine grace is the broadcloth out of which the garment of praise is made. The next
thing is grateful memory. Very much that God does for us we bury alive in the grave of
oblivion. We receive His mercies as if they were common trash. They are no sooner come
than they are gone, and the proverb truthfully says, “Bread eatenis soon forgotten.” Why,
my brothers and sisters, the Lord may give you a thousand favors and you will not praise
Him. But if He smites you with one little stroke of the whip, you grumble at Him! You write
His mercies on the water and your own trials you engrave on granite! These things ought
not to be. Maintain the memory of His great goodness. “Forget not all His benefits.” Call to
remembrance your song in the night and remember the loving-kindnesses of the Lord. In
this, also, we find rich material for the garment of praise. We are further aided by rightly
estimating mercy. Is it not a great mercy to be alive and not in hell; to be in your senses,
and not in the lunatic asylum; to be in health, and not in the hospital; to be in one’s own
room, and not in the workhouse? These are great favors, and yet, perhaps, we seldom
thank God for them! Then count up your spiritual mercies, if you can. Remember, on the
other hand, what you deserved, and what it cost the Savior to bring these blessings to
you—how patient the Lord has been with your refusal of His love and how continuously He

has loaded you with benefits! Weigh His mercies, as well as count them, and they will help
you to put on the garment of praise.
It is the telling out of the divine goodness which largely constitutes praise—to observe, to
remember, to estimate, to prize and then to speak of the Lord’s gracious gifts—all these are
essential. Praise is the open declaration of the gratitude which is felt within. How greatly do
many fail in this! If you visit them, how readily they enlarge upon their troubles—in five
minutes they have informed you about the damp weather, their aching bones and their low
wages. Others speak of the bad times and the decline of trade till you know their ditty by
heart! Is this the manner of the people of God? Should we not entertain our visitors with
something better than the bones of our meat and the hard crusts of our bread? Let us set
before them good tidings and cheerfully tell of the divine goodness to us, lest they should go
away under the impression that we serve a hard master. It would create an almost
miraculous change in some people’s lives if they made a point of speaking most of the
precious things and least of the worries and ills! Why always the poverty? Why always the
pains? Why always the dying child? Why always the husband’s small wages? Why always
the unkindness of a friend? Why not sometimes—yes, why not always—the mercies of the
Lord? That is praise and it is to be our everyday garment, the livery of every servant of
Christ! Let us inquire, too, who ought to wear this garment? The answer may be suggested
by another—whom does it fit? Truly there is a garment of praise which exactly suits me
and I mean to wear it. It is so ample that some of my brothers and sisters would wonder if
they could see it spread out. I am so much in debt to my God that, do what I will, I can
never give a fair acknowledgment of it. I freely confess that I owe Him more than any man
living and am morally bound to praise Him more earnestly than anyone else! Did I hear
some of you claiming to be equal debtors? Do you demand to be allowed to praise Him
more than I? Well, I will not quarrel with you. Let the matter stand and if you will excel
me, I will praise my Lord for it. I once, in preaching, remarked that if I once entered
heaven, I would take the lowest place, feeling that I owe more to God’s grace than anybody
else, but I found, when I left the pulpit, that I had several competitors who would not yield
the lowest place to me! They were, each one, ready to exclaim— “Then loudest of the crowd
I’ll sing, While heaven’s resounding mansions ring With shouts of sovereign grace!”
Blessedbe God, this is the only contention among the birds of Paradise—who owes the
most, who shall love the best, who shall lie lowest and who shall extol their Lord the most
zealously! Charming rivalry of humility! Let us have more of it below. I again say there is a
garment of praise that fits me. Brother, Sister, is there not one which fits you, exactly
suiting your state and condition? If you are an heir of Heaven, there is—there must be a

garment of praise which will rest most becomingly upon your shoulders—and you should
put it on at once. Then, when shall we wear it? We should certainly appear in it on high
days and holidays. On Sabbath days and communion seasons the hours are fragrant with
grateful memories. I heard of someone who did not attend public worship because his
clothes were not fit to come in, and I replied, What can he mean? Does the Lord care for
our outward dress? Let him put on the garment of praise, and he may come and welcome!
The outer vestments matter little, indeed! All garments of that sort are only proofs of our
fall, and of the need to hide our nakedness for very shame. Fine dress is unbecoming in the
house of God, especially for those who call themselves “miserable sinners.” The best
adornment is humility of spirit, the robe of thanksgiving, the garment of praise! The Lord’s
Day should always be the happiest day of the week, and the communion should be a little
heaven to our souls. “Call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honorable.” We
should wear the garment of praise on the most commonplace of days. It should be the
peasant’s frock and the merchant’s coat, the lady’s dress and the servant’s gown—it is the
best for wear, for comfort, for beauty and it never gets out of fashion. I once knew an old
saint, a Methodist, a very quaint, original, rustic old man, who was celebrated for
happiness. When he went out to day labor early in the morning, he was always singing as
he went along the road. The country people used to call it “tooting to himself.” Quietly he
hummed a bit of a hymn wherever he was. When he used his spade or his hoe, he worked to
the music of his heart and never murmured when in poverty, or became angry when held
up to ridicule. I wish we were all as spiritually minded and as full of praise as he! Bless the
Lord! Bless the Lord! When
should we not bless Him? We will praise Him when our beds refresh us—blessedis He who
kept the night watches. When we put on our clothes in the morning, we will bless His name
for giving us food and raiment. When we sit down to break our fast, we will bless the love
which has provided a table for us. When we go forth to our work, we will bless the Lord
who gives us strength to labor. If we must lie at home sorely sick, with fierce pain or slow
decay, let us praise Him who heals and sanctifies all our diseases! Let us endeavor to
display the sweet spirit of thankfulness from the rising of the sun to the going down of the
same. Every moment may suggest a new verse of our life Psalm and cause us to magnify
Him whose mercy endures forever! Now, lastly, why should we wear the garment of
praise? We should wear it as we wear other raiment, to keepus warm and comfortable, for
there is no such vesture in the world as that of praise! It warms the inmost heart and sends
a glow through the whole man. You may go to Nova Zembla and not freeze in such a robe!
In the worst cases and in the most sorrowful plights, be you where you may, you are proof
against outward circumstances when your whole being is enwrapped in praise! Wear it
because it will comfort you. Wear it also because it will distinguish you from others. It will

be livery to you and men will know whose servants you are. It will be a regimental dress
and show to which army you belong. It will be a court dress and manifest to what dignity
you have attained. So arrayed, you will bear the tokens of your Lord who often, in the days
of His sorrow, lifted His eyes and heart to heaven and thanked the great Father for His
goodness! May some poor burdened soul lose its heaviness while thinking over our text,
and henceforth wear this kingly robe—the garment of praise! Amen.
Adapted from The C. H. Spurgeon Collection, Version 1.0, Ages Software.
PLEASE PRAY THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL USE THIS SERMON TO BRING MANY TO
A SAVING KNOWLEDGE OF JESUS CHRIST.
By the grace of God, for all 63 volumes of C. H. Spurgeon sermons in Modern English, and
DAVID LEGGE
Thank you Day, and good evening again - it's good to be back at the Lifeboat once more. I
want you to turn with me in your Bibles, please, to Isaiah 61. If you were here with us last
Thursday night, I was ministering from Psalm 57 on 'The Cry From The Cave' - and then
Bertie had you in the cave again, I think, on Sunday morning, didn't he? Hopefully you're
out of it by now! We'll try to get you out tonight!
Isaiah 61, now I want to minister really out of what I shared last week, and something I
may have referred to in this portion of Scripture. We're beginning to read at verse 1, then,
of Isaiah 61: "The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed
me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to
proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; To
proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to
comfort all that mourn; To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them
beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of
heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that
he might be glorified".

I'm sure all of you are familiar with Isaiah's prophecy, and how it has evenbeen called 'the
Gospel of Isaiah' because, prophetically, it's so accurate and so specific down to minutiae of
the life and ministry of the suffering Servant prophesied here in Isaiah's book, the Lord
Jesus Christ. We're so familiar with Isaiah 53, but of course here in Isaiah 61 Isaiah is
speaking prophetically on behalf of Messiah, and he is announcing that Messiahwill be
blessed, and Messiahwill be empowered by the Spirit of the Lord God, Jehovah God. Now,
of course, 'Messiah' means 'Anointed One'. It's the same meaning as the Greek word
'Christos', from which we get 'Christ'. It's easy for us as Christians to identify in history
who the anointed Messiahwas.
We get so familiar with these things that we lose the thrill and the wonder of it all...
Turn with me to Luke chapter 4 please, you might want to put a marker in Isaiah 61, Luke
chapter 4, and here in history we see the Lord Jesus' identification with this prophecy.
Luke 4:16: 'And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom
was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read. And there
was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book,
he found the place where it was written, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath
anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to
preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty
them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. And he closed the book,
and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the
synagogue were fastened on him. And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture
fulfilled in your ears. And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which
proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph's son?'.
The Lord Jesus is in a synagogue in His hometown of Nazareth and, as was His custom, He
gets up to read a portion of the holy Scriptures. He turns to Isaiah 61 in the scroll, and He
reads verse 1 and the first line of verse 2. Then when He sits down, He simply says to all in
His hearing: 'Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your ears'. Now, if you turn a number of
chapters to chapter 7 of Luke's Gospel, you will see that John the Baptist, the great
forerunner of the Lord Jesus Christ, questioned, momentarily questioned, the identity of
Jesus. Luke 7 and verse 19 please: 'John calling unto him two of his disciples sent them to
Jesus, saying, Art thou he that should come?', Messiah, the Anointed One, the Christ, 'or
look we for another? When the men were come unto him, they said, John Baptist hath sent
us unto thee, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another? And in that
same hour he cured many of their infirmities and plagues, and of evil spirits; and unto
many that were blind he gave sight'. Here is what the Lord Jesus appeals to as a
qualification of His identity as the Anointed One: 'Jesus answering said unto them, Go
your way, and tell John what things ye have seenand heard; how that the blind see, the
lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel
is preached. And blessedis he, whosoever shall not be offended in me'.

The Lord Jesus, effectively, was appealing to what He had read in the synagogue from
Isaiah 61: the One who would be anointed of God as Messiah, the Christ, would do these
things - the power of Jesus' ministry, the chosen of God, anointed with power from the
Spirit of God. Now, this is what I'm getting at tonight: as partakers of the New Covenant -
that's what we are as New Testament believers, Jesus has shed His blood for our sins, He
has died and been buried, He has been risen again, He has ascended to heaven, the Holy
Spirit has been given, and we have been made partakers, engrafted into the vine - and so
the power of Jesus' ministry is toward us also. Now that's important as we lay a foundation
for what I'm going to say here tonight, I want you to grasp that the power of Jesus'
ministry enshrined in Isaiah 61, again in His own historical experience read in Luke 4, and
then testified again from His lips in Luke 7 to John the Baptist, we have become partakers
of that power in ministry. First Corinthians 1 and verse 30 says: 'Because of him', that is,
God, 'you are in Christ Jesus' - that's where you are now - 'Because of God you are in
Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness, and sanctification, and
redemption'. In other words, the power of Jesus' ministry has now come to us by grace,
through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
We can be partakers of His ministry personally in our individual lives...
Now, that is amazing! We get so familiar with these things that we lose the thrill and the
wonder of it all. It is amazing that we can have the same anointing from the Spirit of the
living God, we can have the same Spirit, and be partakers of that Spirit, that Jesus was
anointed with in His ministry on earth. That's what John said in 1 John 2 verse 20: 'You
have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things' - isn't that wonderful? The
power of Jesus' ministry can be ours. We can be partakers of His ministry personally in
our individual lives, but also - and this is remarkable - we can be sharers of His ministry to
others.
Now, that's the power of Jesus' ministry to us, but what I really want to emphasise tonight
is this second point: the purpose of Jesus' ministry to us, the purpose of Jesus' ministry to
us. Now, back to Isaiah 61 please: why was He anointed? That's His power, but the purpose
of His anointing was to 'preach good tidings', second half of verse 1, 'unto the meek', the
poor, 'he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives,
and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of
the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; To appoint
unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for
mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees
of righteousness, the planting of the LORD'.
Now, summarise - how would you summarise all those things that Jesus purposed to do in
His ministry? Very simply like this: Jesus, the Anointed One, with the power of God, came
to undo all that sin had done. In fact, 1 John actually says this, that the Son of God was

manifested to destroy the works of the wicked one. The word for 'destroy' there is the
Greek word 'luo', which means 'to loose'. It's as if Jesus came and He loosedat the seams
everything that the devil had done. As He walked about in His earthly ministry - and we
see this in the wonderful works that He did, and in the empowerment that He gave to the
apostles and then all His disciples and followers in the great commission, and the power
that we now are made partakers of - He's still meant to be doing this! He is meant to be
tearing at the seams the work of the devil, for sin impoverishes, doesn't it? It makes people
poor. Sin breaks hearts, so many people are heartbroken because of sin. Sin captivates with
its great attractiveness, and then of course it imprisons people once they have followed that
attraction. Sin binds, sin puts people in all sorts of bondages. But what the Lord Jesus has
purposed in coming is to heal the brokenhearted, isn't that right? To bind them up! To
proclaim liberty, freedom to captives. To open the doors of the prison to them that are
bound - this is what the Lord Jesus has purposed to do. He has announced and is ushering
in the acceptable year of the Lord, that is the year of Jubilee.
He is meant to be tearing at the seams the work of the devil...
Now, if you go to Leviticus - I don't want you to do it, but if you read Leviticus 25 you will
find that every sevenyears the Jews were to observe a sabbatical year. It was to allow the
land to rest. But after sevensabbaticals, sevensevens, 49 years, they were to celebrate the
50th year as the year of Jubilee, and that was a wonderful time of celebration. There was
the releasing of all slaves, the land was returned to its original owners, whoever they were,
and all debts were cancelled. Now, on a practical level, that was the Lord's way of
balancing the economy and keeping the rich from exploiting the poor - but typologically it
was pointing forward to a new beginning that Israel would have and that (and this is what I
want you to really understand tonight) believers in Christ now are meant to be living in
their spiritual year of Jubilee!
Now there is coming a day when, yes, He will avenge sin. It's significant that the Lord
Jesus, in Luke 4, when He read this portion of Scripture He stopped reading before the end
of verse 2. Look at verse 2 of Isaiah 61, He didn't read this part: 'and the day of vengeance
of our God', because He will perform this at His second coming, but at His first coming - as
the old hymn says - He did not come to judge the world, He only came to save. John 3 and
17 teaches us that God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that
the world through Him might be saved. That comma there, do you see it? Look at it, the
comma between the 'year of the LORD', 'and the day of vengeance' - that comma stands
for well-nigh over 2000 years. In fact, the whole dispensation of grace is summed up here in
a comma - it's incredible, isn't it? Doesn't that testify to the long-suffering heart of our
God, 2 Peter 3:9: 'The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count
slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all
should come to repentance'.

Look, compare a whole year of grace here to just a single day of vengeance! Look at it: He
has come to proclaim the acceptable 'year' of the Lord, and the 'day' of vengeance of our
God. He spends a year on grace, and just a day on vengeance. Is it any wonder He revealed
Himself to Moses as 'The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering,
abounding in goodness and truth, Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and
transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers
upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth
generation'. Isn't He a wonderful God? Isn't He a wonderful God? He has been revealed in
Christ, His Anointed One, the power of Jesus' ministry to do this, and the purpose of His
ministry to us as New Testament Gentile believers - does it not blow your mind?
Compare a whole year of grace here to just a single day of vengeance!
Look at it: 'to comfort those that mourn', the end of verse 2. All you have to do is go back
to chapter 40 and read that wonderful passage, 'Comfort ye, comfort ye my people' - all
about comfort! Because sinbrings mourning, doesn't it? When we sin, if we are convicted
about it, we mourn over it; but when others sin against us and upon us, we mourn about
that as well. But let me ask you very personal question: when was the last time you let the
Lord comfort you? He has sent the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, the Old Testament believers
didn't know this ministry. Jesus Himself has come to us in the Comforter, that's what He
says. 'The Comforter' literally means 'The Encourager', that when you're downcast and
discouraged He is the one to come alongside and lift you up. Our word 'comfort' that's used
of 'The Encourager' in the Authorised Version is an old English word made up of two
Latin roots 'com' which means 'with', and 'fortis' which means 'strong'. It literally means
'to strengthen by companionship', to strengthen by someone being with you.
This is what is ours! It's the difference between, imagine a wee child walking down a road
in the dark, and the difference between that and a wee child walking down the road in the
dark with his hand in his father's hand - that's the difference. Instead, verse 3, of ashes for
mourning - and what do ashes speak of? Ashes speak of all the joys of life burnt out.
Instead of ashes of mourning He gives His people beauty. Do you know what the word
'beauty' there in Hebrew means? A 'headdress', that's literally the word, 'a crown'. It's
used in Exodus 29 of the bonnets that the priests used to wear. Instead of ashes on your
head for mourning, God gives you a crown, a headdress. Instead of the mourning itself,
look at verse 3, He gives His people the oil of joy. Instead of the spirit of heaviness, He gives
His people the garment of praise.
Now, when you put all these figures together, this is figurative language that suggests a
comparison between a funeral and a wedding: ashes of mourning, mourning, and a spirit of
heaviness replaced by beauty, a bonnet, a crown, joy and praise. In the funeral service of
the Jews, they put ashes upon their heads, and they mourned, and they lamented, and
wailed and wept. They evenat times adorned themselves with sackcloth for their

mourning; but at their wedding feasts, a bit like ours, they wore beautiful bridal clothes
and bridal wreaths, they wore garments of praise. The custom in this society, just as it is in
ours to a certain extent, was that the manner of your dress reflected your mood.
When we go to funerals, of course, some of us wear black - it's still a custom in our age.
When we're going to weddings we wear more flamboyant clothing. Now Christianity, we
are now new covenant believers - and I know it's taking me a wee while getting to where I
am wanting to go tonight, but it's important that I lay this foundation - we as partakers of
the new covenant, we own the power of Jesus' ministry in our lives, we can share it with
others, and we know the purpose of Jesus' ministry to us. Jesus taught that Christianity is
meant to be a wedding, not a funeral! In Mark chapter 2 He taught that, and I haven't time
to read it tonight, but the Pharisees askedwhy the disciples of John fasted and Jesus'
disciples didn't fast. He said that they had the Bridegroom with them, and when the
Bridegroom was gone then they would fast - but He went on to tell two parables: one about
new cloth being put on an old garment, and how it wouldn't do; and new wine being put in
old wine bottles or wineskins, and how the new wine would make it burst. What He was
teaching was that the old forms and rituals of Judaism wouldn't be fit to hold the vibrant
vitality of the new wine of the Gospel kingdom! What He was teaching was: 'My kingdom
will be a feast, not a famine!'.
The custom in this society, just as it is in ours to a certain extent, was that the manner of
your dress reflected your mood...
Now that is what will happen if the ministry of Messiah, its purpose is realised in your life.
This is what I want to labour on tonight, this one statement that 'you will be given the
garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness'. This is where I want to camp tonight: one of
these things that you will get in the new covenant is the garment of praise for the spirit of
heaviness. Now, what is 'the spirit of heaviness'? Well, three translations render it in a
different fashion. One says: 'the spirit of despair', that's a valid translation - the spirit of
heaviness is the spirit of the despair. Another says: 'the spirit of weakness' - and that's also
true, this spirit of heaviness makes you weak. Another translation is: 'a faint spirit' - where,
as it were, metaphorically, when your legs go like jelly, that's what happens inside,
internally, that your spirit faints and fails.
Now let me try and paint this picture for you, because this word for 'heaviness', 'a spirit of
heaviness', is used on other occasions and in other contexts in the Old Testament. It is
applied to a lamp that's about to go out in Isaiah 42 verse 3, you know the verse well: 'A
bruised reed he will not break, and a smoking flax he will not quench'. It's the smoking flax
that word 'heaviness' is used for, just like a candle going out, that's what this spirit of
heaviness is like, where your flame is extinguished. It's also used in 1 Samuel 3:2 of Eli's
eyesight being dimmed or dulled - when the eyesight is going, that's this figure of
heaviness: you can hardly see through the smog, or just your sight is failing. It's also used

in Leviticus 13:39 of a faint or pale colour in the instruction given to the priests over
deciding whether a leprous spot has been cleansed or not. It talks about the spot becoming
pale of colour, and the word is used there for 'heaviness', you're off-colour.
Now most people have interpreted this 'spirit of heaviness' as an attitude of the human
heart, you're down in the dumps, or life is just getting too much all around you and the
walls and ceiling are caving in. There's no doubt about it, that that is more than likely what
this means here in the context - but there are other people who have interpreted 'spirit'
here, 'spirit of heaviness', as an actual demonic spirit. The reason they think such is that
the word 'spirit' in Hebrew is 'ruach', which means 'wind' or 'breath', but it also is used of
all spiritual life and beings including, at times, God. They believe that, perhaps, behind
heaviness can often be a spirit. Now I have to say to you that both of those are most likely
true, certainly in experience; and I am absolutely sure that if you indulge, personally
indulge, an attitude of heaviness in your mind and in your heart, there is no doubt
whatsoever that that will become a foothold for the devil, and may well form demonisation
in your life.
There's no doubt about it: sometimes we can be down in our spirits just internally for our
own reasons, but there are other times - and I've been experiencing a lot of it lately - when
you're just oppressed, and it seems to be for no apparent reason whatsoever, but it's a dark
Satanic oppression that has a spiritual origin outside of yourself. Now I don't know what
category yours is in, it's probably been both at one time or another. So, what is the remedy
for this spirit of heaviness? Isaiah gives us the answer: the garment of praise. Now, how do
you get it? Well, God gives it to you, but like every provision of God it must be put on by
faith. Now that is one of the most important lessons you will ever learn, so I want you to
retain that: you get this from God, but like every provision of God it must be put on by
faith.
You get this from God, but like every provision of God it must be put on by faith...
Turn with me to Ephesians 6 so that I can illustrate this, this is the great chapter on the
armour of God. Ephesians 6 - now notice the language here, this is the panoply of God, it's
God's own armour in a sense - but look at how Paul instructs them in the face of wrestling,
verse 12, 'but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of
this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole
armour of God'. They have got something to do, they've to take the armour, that they may
be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. So they've got to take,
and they've got to stand. They've got to: 'Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with
truth', they've got to gird their loins with truth, 'having on', implied is putting on, 'the
breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod', shodding your feet, 'with the preparation
of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to
quench', you have to take, you have to quench, 'all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And

take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying
always', and so on and so forth.
But you see here that though we are given as a gift of God's grace the armour of God,
wherewith we can withstand the ways of the devil, we have to take, by faith, what God has
provided by grace. Salvation is like that: it's provided by grace, but we've got to take it by
faith. The provision is grace, the arm that takes it is our faith. So, in the same sense, the
garment of praise has to be put on - it has to be put on. Literally it means, in Isaiah 61,
wrapping yourself up in praise - that's what a garment does for you, isn't it? It wraps you,
it envelops you, and that's what we're meant to do with praise: wrap ourselves up in praise.
Now, when we come into the New Testament there is a lot said to believers about putting
off things and putting on certain clothes, new clothes. Listen to a couple of these verses as I
read them to you, Romans 13:12: 'The night is far spent, the day is at hand: therefore let us
cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light', casting something old
off, putting something new from God on. Ephesians 4:22 and 23: 'That you put off,
concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the
deceitful lusts, and be renewed in' - put on a new mind - 'the spirit of your mind', putting
off and putting on. Another in Colossians 3:8-10: 'But now you yourselves are to put off all
these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie to one
another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man
who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him'.
So in the New Testament there is this acknowledged type of exchange, that you put off the
old and you put on the new. Now listen, I am convinced of this, though I can't prove it to
you from Isaiah 61, but from my own experience and the experience of others, that with the
garment of praise the order is somewhat different than the putting off of the New
Testament and the putting on. Because I think that the garment of praise, the putting on of
the garment of praise, effects the putting off of the spirit of heaviness. Now let me repeat
this, and I want this to be really clear in your mind because I think there's a revelation
from God to our hearts here tonight: it is actually the putting on, first, of the garment of
praise that effects the putting off and putting away of the spirit of heaviness - do you
understand the difference? The New Testament is 'put off the old man, and put on the
new', but here the putting on of the garment of praise effects the driving away of the spirit
of heaviness. In other words, you can't put heaviness off until you put praise on!
You can't put heaviness off until you put praise on!
Do you see what I'm saying? This fits in with what I shared with you in the latter part of
last week. Do you remember I highlighted the power that there is in praise in various
spheres? Two of them were this: praise heals the soul and calms the troubled spirit. Do you
remember that? So if the spirit of heaviness here is speaking of our human spirit when it is

downcast, when it is dim, when it is cloudy, when it is going through all sorts of trials and
tribulations, the answer is still praise! Do you remember the text that I referred to you in 2
Kings 3, where Elisha was angry at the idolatrous King of Israel, and he was going to give
out - as we would say - to him. He asked for a minstrel to come to him, and he played,
calming his spirit, and he prophesied. We read in 2 Kings 3:15: ''Bring me a minstrel'.
Then it happened, when the musician played, that the hand of the LORD came upon him'.
He was, if you like, clothed with the garment of praise that drove away the spirit of
heaviness. Do you see it?
So if you're here tonight, and you have a spirit of heaviness in the attitude and the
disposition of your heart, you need to wrap yourself around with the garment of praise, you
need to take it by faith. It's not about sitting and praying and asking God for it, it's been
provided to you by the blood of Jesus, you must take it by faith and put it on - and, if you
have to, get a minstrel or a musician alongside you to do it.
But then I shared with you last week at the end as well that when there is Satanic
opposition, praise has the power to drive the devil away and demons away. Do you
remember I referred you to 1 Samuel 16:23: 'It came to pass, an evil spirit from God was
upon Saul, and David took a harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and
was well, and the evil spirit departed from him'. So if the spirit of heaviness for you might
be an actual spirit of oppression, a demon seeking to drag you down, and maybe that has
got a foothold in your life because of recurrent bouts of depression - praise, literally, can
drive the devil away! I want you to understand this: this is a weapon that we have. Satan is
allergic to praise! Where there is jubilant praise, Satan is paralysed! Praise is an antidote
to the poison of Satanic oppression!
Now I shared with you last Thursday night that I have been walking through this ministry
myself. I said last week that I had a number of bad days. Well, the days didn't stop last
week, they've gone on into this week. On Tuesday evening I determined that I was going to
have to do something radical, because it's very easy - I will confess to you - it's very easy to
lie under it, it's very easy to lie under it. A spirit of heaviness does weigh you down, and it
saps you of any vitality and get up and go to do anything about it - that's why faith is so
necessary. I decided, having been thinking of ministry from last week and this week: 'I
know what I'm going to do tomorrow, if the garment of praise is the only remedy for the
spirit of heaviness' - I shared this with Bertie just yesterday - I decided on Thursday I
wasn't going to ask God for one thing, I was just going to praise God and thank God as
much as I could all that day. Do you know something? It was pretty hard to do! Sometimes
our prayers are so self-centred, they are so wrapped up in 'me', and 'my needs', and 'my
satisfaction', and 'my problems' - but can I tell you what happened? It wasn't easy, and I
had to dig in - and you know faith is a matter of choice, it's an exercise of the will, it's not
just that, but that's part of what it was - I had to choose to decide to praise God, and to
thank God. Do you know what happens? You get lifted out of yourself, and praise is a

The Garment of Praise

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The Garment of Praise