1 Chronicles 25:1 David, together with the commanders of the army, set apart some of the sons of Asaph, Heman and Jeduthun for the ministry of prophesying, accompanied by harps, lyres and cymbals.

Two things jump out at me from this verse. The first is that praise and worship were considered matters of national security. Why else would the generals have been involved? The idea of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in the US being actively involved in choosing people to lead worship for the President and Congress is mind boggling! However, this concept bore fruit again many years later when David’s descendant Jehoshaphat experienced a mighty victory on the basis of singers leading the army into battle. (2 Chronicles 20:1-30) We have too little understanding of spiritual warfare today, even in the Church. Anointed praise and worship is powerful indeed, tearing down strongholds not just in people’s hearts but in the world system itself. The second thing that strikes me is that these people were considered prophets. There is a long history in the OT of music being involved in prophecy, but a lot of people read the Bible and never see it. David is widely recognized as a musician, with half the Book of Psalms being his compositions (though we don’t have the tunes, since they didn’t have a system of musical notation). However, many of those psalms are clearly prophetic, and are even quoted in the NT as such. The reason the devil targets musicians so strongly is because he knows how powerful they can be against him. Music is a gift to mankind, to gladden and comfort hearts and draw them to God, but it has been greatly debased in almost every culture, and nowhere more than in supposedly “advanced” nations. The Church needs to rise up and reclaim music for what it is: a powerful tool to bless the people of God and advance the kingdom of God.

I should know this, having grown up in a musical family of faith, but there wasn’t much understanding of spiritual warfare and prophecy, so it has taken a long time for me to grasp this. The Lord has told me in the past that praise and worship were to be major weapons in our arsenal, but my understanding was shallow even so, and I haven’t followed through as I should have. It’s never too late! I need to train, not just teach, the believers to make effective use of music for the express purpose of spiritual warfare. I need to make better use of it myself! God has gifted several people in this church musically, and I need to encourage them and pray for their protection, because they are certainly under attack. I need to keep my focus clear as to what and how we are to be doing in advancing God’s kingdom right here, so that all His plans may be fulfilled on His schedule for His glory.

Father, thank You for this clear Word this morning. It was quite unexpected! Thank You for all the good work Cathy has been putting into compiling a fresh Christmas songbook. Guide in all the practical details of its physical form, but more than that, guide as we use it, so that hearts may be touched and Your Gospel proclaimed. May we not dread or resent the busyness of the next two months, but rather make full, effective use of the opportunities this time presents, drawing many into Your kingdom for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!