Engage Pt.1 “Releasing A Sound”
Last night during the prophetic worship night Jim shared something the Holy Spirit showed him about praise overcoming fear. It was a powerful word which spark several things in me that I wanted to share, but time would not allow it so I want to touch on it today. I believe the will tie into what we’ve been talking about, but also there are certain principals, certain pillars or foundation, that need to be consistently revisited and retaught as God increases our body.
Context: Jacob was the younger son of Isaac and Rebekah. Rebekah and Jacob came up with a plan to deceive Isaac and steal the blessing that was meant for Esau. Because of Esau’s anger Jacob sought refuse with his uncle Laban. Laban had two daughters, Leah and Rachel and Jacob fell in love with Rachel. He made a deal to work 7 years to marry Rachel, but at the end of the 7 years Laban deceived Jacob and gave him Leah instead. He then agreed to work another 7 years for Rachel. (Rebekah was a deceiver, Jacob was a deceiver, and Laban was a deceiver… What you don’t break in one generation will increase in the next!)
Genesis 29:31-35 31 When the Lord saw that Leah was unloved, He opened her womb; but Rachel was barren. 32 So Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben; for she said, “The Lord has surely looked on my affliction. Now therefore, my husband will love me.” 33 Then she conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Because the Lord has heard that I am unloved, He has therefore given me this son also.” And she called his name Simeon. 34 She conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Now this time my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” Therefore his name was called Levi. 35 And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Now I will praise the Lord.” Therefore she called his name Judah. Then she stopped bearing.
Leah realized from the beginning that Jacob did not love her or at least that he loved Rachel more than her. So she did what many us do… She started birthing things trying to feel the void on the inside of her!
Ruben means “see me”. She realizes that she is invisible to her husband. No one sees her or values her.
Simeon means “hear me”. Because she knows her voice carries no weight. No one wants to hear what she has to say. Her opinion is irrelevant.
Levi means “know me”. She
She tried to produce her way into love and acceptance.
In the relationship there was the acts (or works) of intimacy with out true intimacy!
For many of us this sums up our relationship with God. We go through the motions of intimacy, but that leaves a void and then we start birthing things to try to fill that void! Ministries God never called us too! Jobs that were not meant for us! Relationships that God never intended for us to be in!
She finally comes to a place of maturity in her life where she realizes no one is going to fill the void I have on the inside of me! If you haven’t got there yet, you need to go ahead and understand that no human can fill the void on the inside of you. No relationship will satisfy you completely.
She names the fourth child Judah means “Praise”! (Say Judah means praise!)
She comes to a place where she makes a decision… “I’m done trying to get people to see me, listen to me or know me… In fact I don’t really care anymore what he thinks, what she thinks, I’m just going to birth a praise! And when I birth a praise and get into the presence of God all the things I was looking for I will find! In His presence there is fullness of Joy and at His right hand are pleasures for evermore!”
Psalm 114:2 and Judah became His sanctuary, And Israel His dominion.
TPT so that Israel, God’s people of praise, would become his holy sanctuary, his kingdom on the earth.
Israel as a whole was supposed to be the light to all the other nations, but the tribe of Judah will become the sanctuary. (Sanctuary means a place to dwell!) Praise is the dwelling place of The Lord!
Psalm 22:3 But You are holy, Enthroned in the praises of Israel. KJV that He inhabits the praises…
God inhabits praise!
If praise is the space in which we build God to manifest His presence, then you are in control of the size of manifestation that you will experience.
My praise creates space… an atmosphere for the the manifest presses of God to come and take up!
“I hope we have a good service today.” Thats up to you, God does not have bad services! The greater the praise the greater the space created for Him to manifest!
Why is the Spirit of God attracted to praise? Because God is pleased by faith and praise is an outward expression of an indwelling faith!
When I can praise before I see it, its an indicator I know I’ve got it!
Praise attracted the presence, complaining repels the presence. What you honor will move toward you, what you dishonor will move away from you. Praise honors God! There can not be a praise without a sound.
I have to release a sound that creates a dwelling place for the presence of God.
What was the first thing God created? The first thing God created was not the heavens and the earth, the first thing God created was sound! “And God SAID…” The entire creation narrative is based on God speaking into existence and calling things into order!
Most significant power in the earth is accompanied or precede by a sound.
Train by our house in Lowell.
Tornado/winds that tore the roof off dad’s house.
Chainsaw when I was a kid.
Airplanes that can move 500 miles per hour.
Why do you think the devil tries to make churches so quiet? Because God moves in the power of sound!
The movie industry uses sound to move the audience. The sound will tell you where the story is going before it gets there. Why? Because sound is prophetic!
Everything in life follows the sound it makes. Sound creates atmosphere.
If you want to have a romantic evening with your spouse you don’t put on “I exalt thee”.. Why? Because that sound creates a specific atmosphere.
Everything follows the sound it makes. If you don’t like where headed change the sound to alter the direction.
When you start feeling yourself getting depressed, you have to change the sound your making to changes the atmosphere your in!
There comes a point in your life where like Leah, you have to mature to the place that you can birth a praise in the midst of your adversity! You have got make a joyful sound in the midst of your tears! You’ve got to make a prosperous sound in the middle of lack! You’ve got to make a healing sound when your body is racked with pain and your mind is telling your your going to die! There is power in your sound!
We have to get out of the mentality of “we sing 3 songs before he preaches.”
We have to get past the thought process of “the music is the part it's ok to skip.”
No, praise is a weapon! Praise shifts the atmosphere around us! Praise attracts the presence of God into the place!
Praise has to be engaged in.
You have to actively and intentionally engage in praise and worship.
Its not a spectator sport. Its not enough to stand around and watch those around you. 
