DAY THIRTEEN: It’s Invasion Time!

2022 was a turbulent year for our family, and the chaos is continuing in 2023 (anyone else?).

A highly regarded prophet and friend called me last year and said:

“It’s like the land is trying to vomit you out, but God doesn’t want that!”

That’s exactly what it felt like! We were attempting to advance into some new areas of spiritual territory and influence, and the spiritual forces of the new areas were viciously fighting against it.

From physical and verbal attacks, from misunderstandings among dear friends, to full rejection of our leadership by a few; from aggressive opposition to church building plans and even settling in our own new home (As I write this, we’re still homeless – just days to go now!) … The enemy has ferociously tried to oppose us advancing, living in certain locations, and influencing new places of authority in the heavenlies.

You too will have a dream and destiny, with lands and promises to occupy. Don’t think it won’t come without a fight from a truly ferocious enemy. Things may get turbulent, relationships strained and your prayer life may have to rise several gears to enter in!

So what can we do about the reality of spiritual authorities and enemies trying to thwart God’s plans for our lives?

Here’s my No.1 tip:

Cause An UPROAR in the Heavens!

When the enemy seems too big. When times are turbulent. When thrones and authorities are trying to thwart the purposes of God and His people – PRAISE transforms the climate, cleanses the atmosphere and silences the enemy!(Psalm 8:2)

Sometimes, the only response to the bellowing intimidation and mischief making of the enemy is to silence him through riotous praise! When Jehoshaphat couldn’t find a human solution to defeat his enemies, they praised God saying “We don’t know what to do, but our eyes are on you!” (2 Chronicle 20:12).

And the same will be true for you:

The sound that will carry you, me and the entire Church into this new Kingdom era is going to be the sound of an UPROAR of passionate worship. Like the Day of Pentecost, where they cried out their praise in tongues, loud sighs, cries and sounds, with burning flames on their heads and renewed power in their bellies, it’s time to announce God’s new era with a crowd drawing, devil crushing, accuser silencing, enemy bewildering, opponent perplexing, amazing ROAR OF WORSHIP! (Read Act 2).

The worship of this new era is to be increasingly untamed, raw, spontaneous, abandoned and wild! With shouts, songs and heaven splitting sounds, we’re going to welcome the King of Glory. Intense rivers of worship will collide with prophecy, encounter, tears and intercession as we gather – creating a flood of God’s presence that goes before us all, engulfing all God’s enemies!

Worship will be less “show” and more glory! Less stagecraft and more presence-filled. Less “run-sheets” and more rivers of power! Bands will fall under God’s glory. The programme will give way to the presence. Our control will collapse under His weighty glory. Full of groans, repentance, tears, tongues and triumph, worship will fill our private closets, our prayer barns, our upper rooms, war rooms, battle buses, sanctuaries and tents of worship! There’s a new uprising of houses of prayer across the world that will become wells of glory, hot spots of heaven to release God’s glory in the earth.

God will be enthroned on our praises and the earth will shake. Prison doors will pop open, devils will be bound, limitation will be loosed, harvest will explode and glory will fill our churches and fall on our cities. And the Church shall occupy places of authority filling them with love, grace and humility. And the Kingdom shall come.

You ready?

We face a very real enemy. But we have a VERY real God. Time to raise some VERY LOUD PRAISE and start an UPRAOR in the heavens!

MEDITATE ON THESE SCRIPTURES

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armour of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground … And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.” Ephesians 6:11-18

“Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the Lord and to praise him for the splendour of his holiness … As they began to sing and praise, the Lord set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated.” 2 Chronicles 20: 21-22

“About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose.” Acts 16:25-26

“May the praise of God be in their mouths and a double-edged sword in their hands,
to inflict vengeance on the nations and punishment on the peoples, to bind their kings with fetters, their nobles with shackles of iron, to carry out the sentence written against them—this is the glory of all his faithful people.” Psalm 149:6-9

Today I’ve simply prophesied what I feel God is saying about worship right now. If you’ve found any statements confusing, or want to be inspired more, the full teaching for this biblical understanding of worship can be found in my book GLORY IN THE CHURCH available here:

Glory in The Church – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Glory-Church-Jarrod-Cooper/dp/1860246230