DOMINION THROUGH THE POWER OF PRAISE

TOPIC: DOMINION THROUGH THE POWER OF PRAISE
Text: Genesis 1:28

“…God blessed them, and said, Have many children, so that your descendants will live all over the earth and bring it under their control. I am putting you in charge of the fish, the birds, and all the wild animals.”

Psalms 8:1-9.
The Glory of the Lord in Creation
1. O LORD, our Lord, your greatness is seen in all the world! Your praise reaches up to the heavens;
2. it is sung by children and babies. You are safe and secure from all your enemies; you stop anyone who opposes you.
3. When I look at the sky, which you have made, at the moon and the stars, which you set in their places—
4. what are human beings, that you think of them; mere mortals, that you care for them?
5. Yet you made them inferior only to yourself; you crowned them with glory and honour.
6. You appointed them rulers over everything you made; you placed them over all creation:
7. sheep and cattle, and the wild animals too;
8. the birds and the fish and the creatures in the seas.
9. O LORD, our Lord, your greatness is seen in all the world!

INTRODUCTION:
By definition from a dictionary, Dominion means the power or right of governing and controlling; sovereign authority. It also means to rule, and control.

When God created man, the last statement He pronounced on man is to dominate, i.e. it’s your right to have dominion as children of God.

Psalm 8 is a summary of your position in the hands of God.
You’re created to have dominion…

At this juncture, I want us to have some understanding. To rule and have dominion, there must be a war between two kingdoms; each kingdom has its own language, voice, beliefs, and weapons to fight with the determination to win.

Anyone who wants to have dominion must have this in mind: you will engage in a serious war! For you to win, you must use the right weapon that goes along with the voice of the kingdom you belong to.

There are different kinds of war or battle individuals face. The challenge you are facing right now is the war you need to fight and win for you to sit on your dominion seat.

As you wage war against that challenge, your ability to acknowledge the supreme Ruler, (GOD) as the One who has the authority and ultimate POWER to overcome challenges without any physical weapon will determine your victory.

You must take your place as one who is entitled to have dominion on everything including your challenges by using the weapon of PRAISE.

DOMINION THROUGH THE POWER OF PRAISE WHEN FACED WITH BATTLE
TEXT: 2 Chronicles 20:1- 30

Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir Defeated
1. Some time later the armies of Moab and Ammon, together with their allies, the Meunites, invaded Judah.
2. Some messengers came and announced to King Jehoshaphat: “A large army from Edom has come from the other side of the Dead Sea to attack you. They have already captured Hazazon Tamar.” (This is another name for Engedi).
3. Jehoshaphat was frightened and prayed to the LORD for guidance. Then he gave orders for a fast to be observed throughout the country.
4. From every city of Judah people hurried to Jerusalem to ask the LORD for guidance,
5. and they and the people of Jerusalem gathered in the new courtyard of the Temple. King Jehoshaphat went and stood before them
6. and prayed aloud, O LORD God of our ancestors, you rule in heaven over all the nations of the world. You are powerful and mighty, and no one can oppose you.
7. You are our God. When your people Israel moved into this land, you drove out the people who were living here and gave the land to the descendants of Abraham, your friend, to be theirs forever.
8. They have lived here and have built a temple to honor you, knowing
9. that if any disaster struck them to punish them—a war, an epidemic, or a famine—then they could come and stand in front of this Temple where you are worshipped. They could pray to you in their trouble, and you would hear them and rescue them.
10. Now the people of Ammon, Moab, and Edom have attacked us. When our ancestors came out of Egypt, you did not allow them to enter those lands, so our ancestors went around them and did not destroy them.
11. This is how they repay us—they come to drive us out of the land that you gave us.
12. You are our God! Punish them, for we are helpless in the face of this large army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but we look to you for help.
13. All the men of Judah, with their wives and children, were standing there at the Temple.
14. The spirit of the LORD came upon a Levite who was present in the crowd. His name was Jahaziel son of Zechariah; he was a member of the clan of Asaph and was descended from Asaph through Mattaniah, Jeiel, and Benaiah.
15. Jahaziel said, Your Majesty and all you people of Judah and Jerusalem, the LORD says that you must not be discouraged or be afraid to face this large army. The battle depends on God, not on you.
16. Attack them tomorrow as they come up the pass at Ziz. You will meet them at the end of the valley that leads to the wild country near Jeruel.
17. You will not have to fight this battle. Just take up your positions and wait; you will see the LORD give you victory. People of Judah and Jerusalem, do not hesitate or be afraid. Go out to battle, and the LORD will be with you!
18. Then King Jehoshaphat bowed low, with his face touching the ground, and all the people bowed with him and worshipped the LORD.
19. The members of the Levite clans of Kohath and Korah stood up and with a loud shout praised the LORD, the God of Israel.
20. Early the next morning the people went out to the wild country near Tekoa. As they were starting out, Jehoshaphat addressed them with these words: People of Judah and Jerusalem! Put your trust in the LORD your God, and you will stand your ground. Believe what his prophets tell you, and you will succeed.
21. After consulting with the people, the king ordered some musicians to put on the robes they wore on sacred occasions and to march ahead of the army, singing: Praise the LORD! His love is eternal!
22. When they began to sing, the LORD threw the invading armies into a panic.
23. The Ammonites and the Moabites attacked the Edomite army and completely destroyed it, and then they turned on each other in savage fighting.
24. When the Judean army reached a tower that was in the desert, they looked toward the enemy and saw that they were all lying on the ground dead. Not one had escaped.
25. Jehoshaphat and his troops moved in to take the loot, and they found many cattle, supplies, clothing, and other valuable objects. They spent three days gathering the loot, but there was so much that they could not take everything.
26. On the fourth day they assembled in Beracah Valley and praised the LORD for all he had done. That is why the valley is called Beracah.
27. Jehoshaphat led his troops back to Jerusalem in triumph because the LORD had defeated their enemies.
28. When they reached the city, they marched to the Temple to the music of harps and trumpets.
29. Every nation that heard how the LORD had defeated Israel’s enemies was terrified,
30. so Jehoshaphat ruled in peace, and God gave him security on every side.

Praise is a very strong weapon you can use to take your position as a man and woman of Dominion.

As stated in series 1, dominion is your right as a child of God, and for you to get to your dominion seat, there are wars to fight whether you like it or not. The challenges will come your way because you have a crown ahead of you; because you are going higher; because you are destined to be great. That is why you must know the language, voice, or weapon to use in the midst of your battle for you to win.

Praise brings down the hands of God swiftly to fight your battle if only you can use the weapon rightly. You may want to know how to use it rightly. It is simply by acknowledging God’s almightiness and surrendering the battle to Him.

Let’s go back to the Bible passage we read.

In verses 7-9, Jehoshaphat reminded God of what He did in the past, and God told him what to do through one of his followers, which he did. The Lord gave them victory over their enemies. The place was called Beracah in Hebrew word which means “Valley of Blessings”. “Blessing” is “Berakhah” in Hebrew.

That’s what praise can do.

I don’t know what battle of life you’re going through right now. Who is that person bragging or threatening you and you are terrified? Rise up right now and use the POWER of PRAISE to sit on your dominion seat.

ACTIVATING THE POWER OF PRAISE IN PRISON OR BONDAGE
TEXT: Acts 16:24- 27

24. Upon receiving this order, the jailer threw them into the inner cell and fastened their feet between heavy blocks of wood.
25. About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.
26. Suddenly there was a violent earthquake, which shook the prison to its foundations. At once all the doors opened, and the chains fell off all the prisoners.
27. The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he thought that the prisoners had escaped; so he pulled out his sword and was about to kill himself.

POWER OF PRAISE
1. Praise re-establishes God’s reign over our hearts: When you are helpless and don’t know what to do because you are in serious bondage or prison, you should praise God who rules in the affairs of men.

2. Praise is a very strong weapon you can use to remind God of His purpose of creating you when you use the language right.

3. When you praise and worship God, it can lead others to God.

When our hearts are turned to God and we worship Him even in seasons that could have us asking “Why me, God? Why this? Why now?”, then others notice something different about us. They wonder how we can praise God while we’re struggling.

There are different kinds of prisons or bondage experience. It could be barrenness, setbacks, sickness, financial bankrupt, bad luck, demotion, etc.

The cause could be as a result of jealousy, envy, hatred, braindance, promotion, etc.

This world is full of pathetic stories. The experience of Paul and Silas was because of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ they preached.

Whatever experience of bondage you are passing through right now, the good news is that your Creator is aware of it and He will deliver you.

ACTIVATING THE POWER OF PRAISE IN THE STATE OF HOPELESSNESS
JONAH 2: 1-10

1. From deep inside the fish, Jonah prayed to the LORD his God:
2. In my distress, O LORD, I called to you, and you answered me. From deep in the world of the dead I cried for help, and you heard me.
3. You threw me down into the depths, to the very bottom of the sea, where the waters were all around me, and all your mighty waves rolled over me.
4. I thought I had been banished from your presence and would never see your holy Temple again.
5. The water came over me and choked me; the sea covered me completely, and seaweed wrapped around my head.
6. I went down to the very roots of the mountains, into the land whose gates lock shut forever. But you, O LORD my God, brought me back from the depths alive.
7. When I felt my life slipping away, then, O LORD, I prayed to you, and in your holy Temple, you heard me.
8. Those who worship worthless idols have abandoned their loyalty to you.
9. But I will sing praises to you; I will offer you a sacrifice and do what I have promised. Salvation comes from the LORD!
10. Then the LORD ordered the fish to spit Jonah up on the beach, and it did.

From the time of Abraham to the days of the Apostles, praise was a very strong weapon used for quick action or for the speedy move of God for divine intervention.

There is a saying that, ‘If you have prayed and it seems nothing happened, try praise.’

Praise is more than singing songs. As a matter of fact, you may be singing and not praising God. You read that right! Praise flows from the rivers of the belly; it re-activates your mind towards God.

The worst that could happen to anyone whose hope is lost was what happened to Jonah. He found himself in the belly of a fish inside the deep ocean. Oh, quite unfortunate! Deep ocean alone is like a place of no return, a place of hopelessness and helplessness, let alone the belly of a fish that can bring death to Jonah.

I don’t know the depth of the ocean or the ‘fish’ of life that has swallowed you up, thereby rendering you hopeless and helpless, if you can say a louder Amen, THE HANDS OF GOD SHALL LIFT YOU UP FROM THAT STATE TO A SAVING LAND OF NEW GLORY IN JESUS’ NAME!

Every challenge of life that has swallowed your dreams and glory, IT SHALL VOMIT IT FOR YOU TO MANIFEST IN JESUS’ NAME!

In the deep ocean and inside the belly of the fish, Jonah used the right language:
8. Those who worship worthless idols have abandoned their loyalty to you.
9. But I will sing praises to you; I will offer you a sacrifice and do what I have promised. Salvation comes from the LORD!

Whatever experience of hopelessness you may find yourself, don’t use the language of defeat; see yourself as a victor. Then call on your Creator, He is always present in the time of trouble.

CONCLUSION
You cannot continue to live like a slave when you have a living, kind, caring and loving Father. He has everything you need to enjoy your life in His custody. What you need to do is to align yourself with Him.

If you have not given your life to Jesus Christ, enough of wasting your life and keeping yourself in the bondage. Accept Him as your Lord and Savior, and that is the beginning of your freedom.

John Aderogba, 2020.

Read More

TURN YOUR WORRIES AND WEEPING TO WORSHIP

TOPIC: TURN YOUR WORRIES AND WEEPING TO WORSHIP
TEXT: John 14:1-3

INTRODUCTION:

1. “Do not be worried and upset,” Jesus told them.
“Believe in God and believe also in me.
2. There are many rooms in my Father’s house,
and I am going to prepare a place for you.
I would not tell you this if it were not so.
3. And after I go and prepare a place for you,
I will come back and take you to myself,
so that you will be where I am.

This life is full of different pathetic events that keep people in the state of WORRY and WEEPING. As a matter of fact, the more people seek solution to soften the unpalatable situation of the world, the harder it becomes.

When Jesus Christ was rounding off His earthly ministry, He had prepared His disciples for the coming of the Comforter i.e. the Holy Spirit, who would continue to sustain and empower them to do great exploits after His ascension into heaven. He told them not to be ‘…worried and upset…’ because He knew that so many things would want to grieve them and discourage them not to take their stands after He might have gone back to heaven. He encouraged them ‘to believe in God and also in Him.’ That ‘He has a lot of packages for them… if it were not so, he wouldn’t tell them…’

There are so many things today that could make you worry and weep. I encourage you to believe in Jesus and take your stand in His words. He’s the only Friend that is more than 10,000 to you. He’s everything to you – He’s your Comforter – He’s the only One that understands the situation of your life.

TURN YOUR WORRY TO WORSHIP
WORRY is a state of anxiety and uncertainty over actual or potential problems. It is being anxious or troubled about actual or potential problems.

Worry attacks the heart. When it is able to destabilize your heart, your body will be weakened. Then, you will be pressed to act abnormally.
Worry is a spirit used by Satan to make one weary, weak, and weep.
It doesn’t have anything to offer you than to turn you far away from your Maker.

Philippians 4:6-8

6. Don’t worry about anything, but in all your prayers ask God for what you need, always asking him with a thankful heart.
7. And God’s peace, which is far beyond human understanding, will keep your hearts and minds safe in union with Christ Jesus.
8. In conclusion, my friends, fill your minds with those things that are good and that deserve praise: things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and honourable.

Apostle Paul was the one speaking in the Bible passage above. He spoke vehemently to the Philippian Church because of the distractions around them and the struggles of life that could make them be wavering in faith. Of a truth, if Christian is not careful, worry can make one lose faith.

Worry can only add to your problems; it cannot solve them. The effect of worry is depression. When you are depressed, it can lead to sickness; you might also hurt yourself, then, you give room for Devil to occupy your heart.

Jesus admonished His followers:
Matthew 6: 25- 34
25. “This is why I tell you: do not be worried about the food and drink you need in order to stay alive, or about clothes for your body. After all, isn’t life worth more than food? And isn’t the body worth more than clothes?
26. Look at the birds: they do not plant seeds, gather a harvest and put it in barns; yet your Father in heaven takes care of them! Aren’t you worth much more than birds?
27. Can any of you live a bit longer by worrying about it?
28. “And why worry about clothes? Look how the wild flowers grow: they do not work or make clothes for themselves.
29. But I tell you that not even King Solomon with all his wealth had clothes as beautiful as one of these flowers.
30. It is God who clothes the wild grass—grass that is here today and gone tomorrow, burned up in the oven. Won’t he be all the more sure to clothe you? What little faith you have!
31. “So do not start worrying: ‘Where will my food come from? or my drink? or my clothes?’
32. (These are the things the pagans are always concerned about.) Your Father in heaven knows that you need all these things.
33. Instead, be concerned above everything else with the Kingdom of God and with what he requires of you, and he will provide you with all these other things.
34. So do not worry about tomorrow; it will have enough worries of its own. There is no need to add to the troubles each day brings.

Your God who makes you wonderfully and beautifully clothed knows what you need and is able to do them for you. By worrying, you cannot fast forward his plans for your life. Too much worry can lead you to an early grave.
I encourage you to put off the garment of worry and put on the garment of praise. It is well with you.

You can listen to this song on YouTube: “YOU DON’T HAVE TO WORRY…”

TURN YOUR WEEPING TO WORSHIP
Weeping is a process of shedding tears. Weeping comes as a result of depression, feelings of deep pain, weariness and agony.

Weeping and crying is not the same. Weeping comes with serious emotional feelings of pain while crying is about the sound of expression. One may be crying and not weeping (Google dictionary).

Bellieni, September 4, 2020 says
Weeping is a form of releasing intense emotion and physical tension. When we weep, we tell our body that it’s okay to relax. This helps us reset our system, so to speak, and move on. And seeing someone weep makes us want to help them weep because of emotion attached to it.

Psalms 42:1-4
1. As a deer longs for a stream of cool water, so I long for you, O God.
2. I thirst for you, the living God. When can I go and worship in your presence?
3. Day and night I cry, and tears are my only food; all the time my enemies ask me, ‘Where is your God?’
4. My heart breaks when I remember the past, when I went with the crowds to the house of God and led them as they walked along, a happy crowd, singing and shouting praise to God.

The bible passages above are the outpouring of the Psalmist when he was grieved with pains and agony. He expressed his feelings about the situation of life he found himself which made him make weeping his food day and night. However, there was no solution until he resolved within himself to acknowledge the existence of the Lord in his situation and worshipped him.

Weeping cannot change your situation, it can only make you weaker. So, stop weeping, instead, open your heart to worshipping God. When you weep too much, your eyes will be closed to see God’s goodness and His wonders in your life. When you weep too much, you will not think of the next line of action that will take you to the next level. When you weep too much, it leads you to sickness.
Devil uses weeping as an instrument to distract you and take your mind off what your Creator (God) can do to lift you up of your situation.

THE FOLLOWING PEOPLE FACED THEIR WEEPING MOMENTS.

1. David – 1 Samuel 30:6.
David was returning from a war in which he could not fight. While away, the enemies came and invaded the city where he was living. They took away every member of his household and that of his soldiers – wives and children. They also burnt the city. What a tragedy! David and his men broke down in tears. They wept so much that they were weak. Read Verse 6-8.

6. David was now in great trouble, because his men were all very bitter about losing their children, and they were threatening to stone him; but the LORD his God gave him courage.
7. David said to the priest Abiathar son of Ahimelech, “Bring me the ephod,” and Abiathar brought it to him.
8. David asked the LORD, “Shall I go after those raiders? And will I catch them?” He answered, “Go after them; you will catch them and rescue the captives.”

The moment David came back to his sense, he stopped weeping. He wiped his tears and worshipped God, then inquired from God what the next action should be like. No wonder he was able to recover all.

2. Hannah – 1 Samuel 1
Because of her childlessness, she was mocked, molested and even called names. These made her to weep repeatedly, having sorrowful heart. But the day she stopped weeping and spoke to God in deep worship, to the extent that the priest thought she was drunk, her situation changed for better and she later became the mother of more than five children.

3. Jesus Christ – John 11:35, 42-43.
Jesus Christ demonstrated a strong feeling of humanity when he got to Lazarus’ tomb. He wept like others did. The moment He stopped weeping, He called on his Father and miracle followed immediately! Read Verse 42-43.

41. They took the stone away. Jesus looked up and said, “I thank you, Father, that you listen to me.
42. I know that you always listen to me, but I say this for the sake of the people here so that they will believe that you sent me
He gave befitting worship to God in heaven and called out the dead man.

The major lesson drawn from the three Bible characters above is that; at every situation of your life when you choose weeping instead of worship, you will not see the move of God.
I don’t know what you are going through right now, no matter how severe it is, weeping is not the best option to unlock your MIRACLE.

 

GOD KNOWS ABOUT YOUR WORRY AND WEEPING
Text: Isaiah 43:1- 3

1. Israel, the LORD who created you says, “Do not be afraid—I will save you. I have called you by name—you are mine.
2. When you pass through deep waters, I will be with you; your troubles will not overwhelm you. When you pass through fire, you will not be burned; the hard trials that come will not hurt you.
3. For I am the LORD your God, the holy God of Israel, who saves you. I will give up Egypt to set you free; I will give up Ethiopia and Seba.”

God knows about your WORRY and weeping… His silence does not mean that He has forgotten or forsaken you. He feels what you are feeling, He cares for you, He is Omniscience, He’s ever-present at the centre of your pains and sorrow.

Quickly ponder on the wordings of this hymn:

“There’s not a Friend like the lowly Jesus:
No, not one! no, not one!
None else could heal all our souls’ diseases:
No, not one! no, not one!

Refrain:
Jesus knows all about our struggles;
He will guide ’til the day is done:
There’s not a Friend like the lowly Jesus:
No, not one! no, not one!

I told you earlier what WORRY does; it attacks your heart, when it is able to destabilize your heart, your body will be weakened, then, you will be pressed to act abnormally.

Worry is a spirit used by satan to make one weary, weak, and weep.

What weeping does: It blinds your eyes not to see what God, your Creator, has in plan for you. The Bible passages we read state it clear what the Lord has in mind for you.

In whatever situation of life, you are right now, He knows about it and He’s about to help you out of it.

The reason you could not find help from friends, parents and loved ones are because they are limited; they don’t have solutions to your problem in their hands; they are not in that situation with you.

Your Creator, your Maker and Lord is the only One that can help you out. That’s why you are still alive today.

WHO HE IS TO YOU…
1. He is the peace you need – John 14:27

27. “Peace is what I leave with you; it is my own peace that I give you. I do not give it as the world does. Do not be worried and upset; do not be afraid.

2. He is the answer to your prayers – 1 John 5:14-15

14. We have courage in God’s presence because we are sure that he hears us if we ask him for anything that is according to his will.
15. He hears us whenever we ask him; and since we know this is true, we know also that he gives us what we ask from him.

He didn’t close his ears to your call, you just need to hold on your faith in him. Stand on his promises

3. He can restore you.
The Bible says “Cast all your anxiety on Him because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7).
This verse is more than a notion. There is power in prayer to help you beat anxiety and depression. Jesus is The Great Physician. There’s no wonder that there are so many accounts of Him healing people during His earthly ministry.

CONCLUSION
This life is wonderful, beautiful and worth living if you are in good health and alive to enjoy the plans and purposes of God for you. I want you to know that your enemy, Satan, knows that God has plans for you. He is therefore looking for ways to distract you through the situation of life around you. If you can put Him to His place by aligning yourself with your Creator every hour, giving befitting songs of praise and worship in truth, He will prove himself to you.

God watches over you, why will you allow yourself to be discouraged? He doesn’t sleep neither does He slumber; stop worrying and stop weeping. Turn your heart to worship God. You can unlock your miracle through a strong worship.

Finally, if you have not given your life to Jesus Christ, I encourage you to do that now, because He’s the solution to your worries and sorrow. He came to destroy the works of the Devil and breaks the yoke of sins and curse on you and give you a new life; life in abundance.

Prayers:

1. My Father and my God, I thank You because You are always there for me, even at this situation of my life. I thank You because I know You’re’re able to help me out.
2. Have mercy on me oh Lord, let Your mercy speak volumes over every judgment passed on me.
3. I know You are the lifter of my head, lift me up out of this situation of my life now and wipe away my tears.

Find a befitting song of praise right now and begin to worship Him. As you are doing that, pour your heart to God as Hannah did.

You are next in line for a miracle.

Shalom!

Rev’d John A. Aderogba
ROPMI

Read More