A Key To The Kingdom
Two Psalms reveal a fascinating revelation of the authority we wield as the ‘saints’ of God. The foundation is laid in Psalm Two, where the ungodly attitude of the nations and its peoples towards the restraining influences of the Lord is revealed. They vainly seek to be free from the ‘bonds’ and the ‘cords’ that hold back their evil. When you look at the world today, there are rulers and nations that set themselves against God, the Lord Jesus Christ and His purposes. They do so by opposing God’s His church in some way or another.
Psalm 2:1-3
Why do the nations rage, And the people plot a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, And the rulers take counsel together, Against the LORD and against His Anointed, saying, “Let us break their bonds in pieces And cast away their cords from us.”
Psalm 149 speaks of the authority and honor that saints have in the field of praise and worship. This has everything to do with spiritual warfare! Their joyful song of praise executes ‘vengeance’ on the nations and ‘binds’ their kings with chains. Their nobles are also restrained with fetters of iron. This speaks of the powerful and significant consequence of a lifestyle of praise and worship!
Psalm 149:5-9
Let the saints be joyful in glory; Let them sing aloud on their beds. Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, And a two-edged sword in their hand, To execute vengeance on the nations, And punishments on the peoples; To bind their kings with chains, And their nobles with fetters of iron; To execute on them the written judgment– This honor have all His saints. Praise the LORD!
In the same way that satanic music and song looses demonic influence in people, Godly music and song binds the work of the enemy! Praise and worship, alongside prayer and the preaching of God’s Word (the ‘two-edged sword) is central in spiritual warfare. When believers are weak in their praise, the enemy is more at liberty to move in their lives. But when the high praises of God resound with great rejoicing, the enemy is bound!
I believe this is one of the keys of the kingdom that Jesus spoke of to Peter when God had shown him Jesus’ true identity. When we get a revelation of Jesus true identity and nature, our praises will also bind the enemy. Make it your practice to fill your dwelling with praise music and song. Sing praises to God as you go about your daily doings at home and even at work where you can. You invoke God’s presence as you do, and run off the enemy too.
Matthew 16:16-19
Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”
Keys speak of authority, and when you praise God you exercise authority over evil.