Walking and Marching:
God told Joshua: "Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you, as I said to Moses" The march that Joshua and his troops made around Jericho was a type of intercession. In particular, it illustrates the importance of persistence in intercession. How many of us have stopped praying when only one more time around "Jericho" would have brought a breakthrough in our circumstance? This type of marching produces deliverance today just as it did for the Israelites.
Treading:
"Through God we will do valiantly, for it is He who shall tread down our enemies." "Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing by any means shall hurt you."
Treading is very much like marching--only more aggressive. Where as marching sets boundaries in prayer, treading includes actually stopping the power of your enemy.
Singing:
"You shall have a song as in the night--the Lord will cause His glorious voice to be heard, and show the descent of His arm with the indignation of His anger and the flame of a devoring fire, with scattering, tempest, and hailstones" Singing over the problem breaks the power of the enemy.
Clapping:
"Oh clap your hands, all you people! Shout unto God with the voice of triumph!" (Ps. 47:1) The word clap in this passage is teqae; to clang, smite, strike. Nahum 3:19 exemplifies how Tequae relates to triumph over enemies: "You injury has no healing, your wound is severe. All who hear new of you will clap their hand over you." Clapping in the Bible is associated not only with praise but also with triumph in warfare. Clapping is one means of breaking yokes.
Shouting:
"And the seventh time it happened, when the priests blew their trumpets, that Joshua said to the people: 'Shout!" Shouting also can be an important aspect of praise warfare. What would have happened if the people circling Jericho had not shouted? Perhaps the walls would not have fallen down and victory would not have been won.
Laughter:
The weapon of laughter is extremely powerful and even necessary as an intercessory manifestation. As intercessors, we often hear many serious problems and needs during a day that can weight us down. But laughter is an important safeguard against heaviness in intercession. As Proverbs 15:13 says, "A merry heart makes a cheerful countenance, but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken."
What does laughter have to do with intercessory praise? It breaks satan's power to depress you and oppress you in the midst of battle. Depression works like a medicine. Deep laughter oxygenates the blood and causes positive physical changes. Laughter also can be a form of direct warfare against satan and his forces because it mocks the enemy. Psalms 37:12-13 says "The wicked plots against the just, and gnashes at him with his teeth. The Lord laughs at him, for He sees that his day is coming."
Joy:
Laughter and joy often are interrelated in intercession. Joy is an important part of our intercession because it is our strenghth for battle. Psalm 149:2 says "Let Israel rejoice in their Maker; let the children of Zion be joyful in their King!" In her book, "Praise is", Joy Lowe says, " the Hebrew word for joyful in the passage is guwl, meaning (under the influence of a very violent emotion)" Somehow our idea of joy is not the same as that. We are much more familiar with the quiet joy that is with us in our everyday walk with the Lord, the joy that comes in intercession, however, can run the gamut from laughter to violent emotional rejoicing. It is often manifested as a dance. To Western culture this may seem strange, but it isn't at all strange in the Jewish culture, which is full of dancing in which the people spin, leap and rejoice.
It is good to begin with worship because many people come to prayer with heavy hearts. Jesus said, "Take My Yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your soul, For My Yoke is easy and My Burden is light." Matt. 11:29-30. |
