Psalm 149:7

Psalm 149:7

The power of the Word

Let’s concentrate on what these verses are saying to us and what the Holy Spirit is saying to us. We are being prepared to take ”vengeance on the nations and to bring God’s punishment on the peoples.” and what are the weapons that He gives us? Not swords, or spear, guns, tanks and missiles but the praises of God in our mouths and the double-edged sword of the Word in our hands. So, this is where Paul gets his inspiration for the armour of God in Ephesians 6! What an encouragement these verses are, for they explain precisely what we have to do to take on the enemy and how we are to equip ourselves. 

We have studied, on numerous occasions on our journey through the Psalms, the power of praise and the universal nature of it, as all creative works resound with the praise of our God. There is power in worship, enemy forces are driven back, individuals are left with gaping mouths as they see and hear the praises of the Lord. The Satan’s kingdom is shaken and threatened by praise for he believes that he alone should receive this from the creatures of earth, praise is a threat to his ambitions and to his ego. We have reflected on the weakness of his response in the face of the Word of God as Jesus simply quoted Scripture in their confrontation in the wilderness. Think about it, what was the Satan’s fatal attack on Eve all about? It was to question the Word of God, “Did God really say?" 

Speaking for myself and perhaps many of us, I believe that I have failed to fully comprehend how powerful these weapons are and how well-equipped the Lord has made me to face the enemies of God. Not only are His powerful words capable of defensive protection but they have authority that “inflicts vengeance on the nations and punishment on the peoples.” That is the power of the Gospel, it may only be words, “For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ!! 2 Corinthians 10:3-5a. Hallelujah!

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