Karen Zerby
By Maria 3539 [Link 1] 3/05
Dearest Family,
1. Here's some important information from the Lord on the how-tos of praise—how we can make it more a part of our lives, what pleases Him, and some of the spiritual principles at work. I pray that it will strengthen your faith and determination to make praise an integral part of your life, and to fight all the Devil's attacks that he will try to use to prevent you from doing so. Remember‚ he hates praise! So if he starts fighting you hard as you work to make this a habit, that's why!
With much love and thankfulness to our dear Jesus for giving me such great co-workers in you!
Mama
2. (Jesus:) The beauty of praise is that it not only pleases Me‚ but it also strengthens your faith as well as those around you. There is hardly any reason not to praise and thank Me at least a little bit every time you boldly bring a petition to My throne.
3. There are so many things to praise Me for that you'll never run out. All you have to do is look around you to see the blessings I have given you: good health, supply, happiness, a place of service, friends, children, and so many more.
4. You can praise Me even in the midst of dark and difficult circumstances. For many people who do not know Me, or who don't know Me well, a negative situation causes them to feel justified in complaining and dwelling on the negative. Others‚ however, have discovered the power of positive thinking, and use it, but what they don't understand is that the good results of thinking positively are part of the spiritual principle of praise. However‚ because many don't know they should bring Me into their positive thinking, they're only scratching the surface.
5. Your bodies are built to respond vibrantly to positive thinking, and praise is the ultimate form of positive thinking. When you praise Me in the midst of seemingly dark circumstances, you're initiating a chemical reaction that will actually make you feel good physically and will give you extra strength to fight on. But that's just the beginning, because at the same time, in the spirit, you're pleasing Me by telling Me that you love Me and appreciate My blessings in spite of the negative; that you have faith that I'll work it out and continue to take care of you.
6. (Jesus:) The Devil, the Enemy of your soul, absolutely hates it when you make use of the power of positive praise! It hits him hard in several directions, causing you to feel physically and spiritually strengthened, all the while bringing My blessing upon you in great measure. Plus, he just plain hates to hear it! It causes him and his imps unimaginable pain, and as persistent as they can sometimes be, it's only a matter of time before they go running the opposite direction, covering their ears with their hands. Just as thinking positively can help eliminate poisons in your body, praising Me will help eliminate the Enemy and thwart his attempts to drag you down.
7. That's why Satan tries so hard to get you discouraged or to make you complain, because these things have the exact opposite effect of the power of positive praise. No matter how unfair you feel the circumstances are, if you give in to complaining and feel that you deserve to revel a bit in your sorrow, anger, or feelings of frustration, then you are essentially making a comfy little home for the Enemy. He's just loving it—making himself at home and having a great time.
8. The longer you let him in, the harder it's going to be for you to pull out of it. Don't think that it's just fine for you to revel in your negative thinking for a little while and then praise Me later when you feel more like it, because by the time you feel like it, you have already done damage to your spirit and possibly allowed the Enemy to influence others as well. The Enemy can use your mouth as a vehicle of negativity, discouragement, and disunity when you decide not to praise Me.
9. So don't let it happen! When the Enemy tempts you to enjoy just a little bit of negativity, that's when you need to hit him hardest and start praising Me with great effort and enthusiasm. This is the kind of counterattack the Enemy cannot prevail against. Hit him hard and quick, and you'll find he'll flee like a wounded dog‚ and you'll feel much, much better both physically and spiritually.
10. (David:) Praise is the voice of faith! I always liked that phrase and it really meant something to me—and since coming to Heaven, it has grown to mean even more!
11. When you can praise the Lord when things look bad, you're speaking faith that you know things will get better. If you can praise the Lord no matter what's happening, that shows your faith in the Lord's power. Someone who is filled with faith in their heart—and in their voice—is going to praise because they know the Lord is working and moving! When you wholeheartedly praise the Lord and use the weapon of praise, it's powerful because it shows how much faith you have in His power.
12. The spiritual weapon of praise is directly tied to your faith. That's one of the reasons the weapon of praise is so powerful. One way to use the weapon of praise is to focus on the Lord's past victories, and claim that same power for the present situation. You can also claim His future help by faith and trust beyond a shadow of a doubt that He's going to come through again for you in any circumstance.
13. That's not to say you shouldn't take some random praise time, where you simply love the Lord and tell Him what you're thankful for. But there's a difference between that and using praise as a weapon.
14. For example, use the weapon of praise by praying a prayer like, "Thank You for the miracles You've done in this past situation. Thank You for coming through in this and that (name specifics). I want to now claim Your power and ask that as You did before, You will do again. We know You can do it, so we stand on the keys and claim Your full power. We praise You for performing these miracles by faith! You're so wonderful and all-powerful. Thank You for answering this request...."
15. That's just one example. As you use praise more, you'll learn more how to wield it as a weapon against the Enemy. The important thing is to start—start praising the Lord from your heart, aiming your praises at the Enemy, knowing that they do him serious damage! (End of message.)
16. (Jesus:) I would that all My children praise Me continually for My many blessings upon them, but many don't see the worth and power of their praises. It's easier to see how praying for something would have more effect than praising Me, but the two go hand in hand, and you should not use the one without the other.
17. Whenever you stop to pray for something‚ you should always begin with praise to Me—not simply so you can slip in your request, but realizing that praise is a powerful weapon in the spirit, and the time invested in sincerely thanking and praising Me brings down as much of My power, and does as much damage to the Enemy, as any request or command of the spirit you could make. This should be second nature to you, something that comes automatically.
18. (Jesus: ) Besides the fact that praise is powerful on its own as a weapon against the Enemy—a weapon the Enemy cannot stand against—praise is also essential to use in conjunction with prayer, in order to make your prayers truly effective and on target.
19. Think of the weapon of prayer as the sort of gun that you have to cock before you can fire it. You have your powerful bullets of prayer ready to fire, ready to hit the Enemy head on, to defeat him and win. Praise is like cocking that gun. Without taking that step, you can pull the trigger all you want and nothing will happen. What could have been a lethal weapon turns into not much more than a blunt instrument or a club. You can have perfect aim, plenty of ammo and a desire to fight, but if you don't remember to cock the gun, pulling the hammer back, you're not going to fire the bullet; it's never going to do the damage to the Enemy that it was intended to.
20. That's how important praise is. At the start of every time of prayer, you should begin with praise to Me. No matter how dire the situation may be, praise is always in order. You shouldn't just praise Me when everything is going fine and nothing seems wrong. It may be an easier time to praise Me‚ but you should also praise Me when things aren't going according to plan and there are problems. That is when your praises to Me show that you have faith and trust in Me that I know what I'm doing.
21. You can never praise Me too much! Throughout the day there should always be a praise to Me on your lips. That way you will always be ready to fight the Enemy at any turn, for you will have your weapon cocked and ready to fire at all times. You won't be caught off guard and unprepared to fight. You'll be a better prayer and praise warrior and will go from victory to victory!
22. (Jesus: ) When you're praying for someone or a situation and you want to focus your effort on using the weapon of praise, what needs to be foremost in your mind is that I am all-powerful. There is nothing too hard for Me. There is nothing that I cannot do, nothing that My power cannot change, nothing that I will not do for My children. This confidence in Me, this trust in My power that is full and abiding, is great cause for praise.
23. A prayer that is prayed with faith in Me and My power, and thankfulness for all I have done and will do, is a prayer that is full of praise. It's a quiet trust in Me and knowledge that I can and will perform what you are asking, as opposed to a frantic prayer beseeching Me, but yet with a bit of a tinge of, "Oh, Lord, are You able to do this?" Do you see the difference?
24. One is full of faith and praise‚ and comes from the confidence developed by obeying Me, and knowing and appreciating that I'm going to care for you and bless you because of it. The other lacks the faith or the praise of Me, and almost questions whether I am powerful enough or love My children enough to answer their prayer.
25. Using the weapon of praise in prayer is not just about saying words of praise, but very much about the attitude in which you pray, the confidence you have in Me. That type of prayer, filled with praise and faith and trust in Me, is very powerful and spells defeat to the Enemy's plans.
26. The confidence you have in Me and the way in which that translates into praise through your prayers comes from living a praiseful life, from having a praiseful spirit. The more you can praise Me and thank Me and use praise in your everyday lives, the more of that confidence and faith and trust you will have, and the more powerful you will be when you wield the weapon of praise in your prayers.
27. Prayers full of faith and praise are more easily focused upon their target. They are more powerful and they can deal much more deadly blows to the Enemy and his ilk. Prayers that are full of praise are prayers that are backed with supreme confidence in Me and trust in Me and My complete power, My strong love for My children and My ability and desire to do whatever is necessary to help them and give them the strength‚ the assistance and the care that they desire and need. This is full faith, this is full trust, and this is using the weapon of praise.
28. Lord, please show us what the difference is between the spirit of praise, the weapon of praise, our praise angels, and the key of praise—all things that You've mentioned in past counsel regarding praise. Please help us to understand and grasp this simply so that it's not confusing or so much new information that it gets blown off or pushed aside altogether.
29. (Jesus:) Your praise angels are angels assigned to you that help you to praise Me. They also take action with your praises to empower your prayers; they use your praises to encourage your heart and the hearts of others; they bring your praises before Me. It's not that I can't hear your praises and prayers Myself. I can and I do. But it is one of the mysteries of the spirit world how I am all–powerful, all-knowing‚ and yet I choose to work through you, through spirit helpers, through angels, through spiritual gifts, through many avenues which to you are a source of wonder, but you will understand when you come here and see it all clearly. I choose to limit Myself and work through these other avenues to bring about a plan far greater than the one you can see or comprehend at this time. So trust Me, that I do all things well.
30. The key of praise is one of the keys of the Kingdom, and if you're feeling dry or lacking in power, call on the key of praise, for it is powerful and will empower you. However‚ like all the other keys, its power is in direct correlation to your obedience, dedication, and faith. So in order to call upon and use the key of praise, you must be doing your part—praising Me the best you can, obeying, doing what you can. Then the key of praise is strong and powerful, and activated on your behalf when you call on it, to get you over the hump or give you a needed boost of spiritual energy.
31. The spirit of praise is simply an attitude of thankfulness. It's not a being of the spirit world but an attitude of heart that you can ask for, which will make it easier for you to fulfill My Word about praising Me, thanking Me, and truly meaning it. Some of you might want to ask for spirit helpers to help you be more praiseful, or call on the help of Natalia* at times. Others of you might want to ask for prayer against problems that keep you from praising Me as you should‚ such as your pride or negativity. But all of you can ask Me to help you have more of a spirit of praise and thankfulness of heart, a better attitude manifested in more positive words and expressed more freely in praises to Me.
*Note: Natalia is a spirit helper who leads us (and all Heaven) in praise to Jesus. She teaches us the value of praise.
32. The weapon of praise is when you praise Me with the intent of not only making Me happy, but doing damage to the Enemy. Your praises always hurt him, but you can direct them at him very specifically, and not only do yourself and Me good, but also set him back tremendously in whatever he's planning or attempting at the moment! You can call on the Praise Squad too, a band of angelic warriors whose job it is to help you learn how to use praise offensively as a weapon of destruction against the Enemy. Using the weapon of praise simply means going on the attack with praise, and as you do, you'll know where and how to wield it. (End of message.)
33. (Jesus: ) As you praise Me, you draw down My power and I fill you up with Me, and you can then take on My mind. It opens up My many gifts to you. It facilitates your use of the other weapons and gifts of the spirit I've given you. Each one is linked to praise. Whether it's taking on My mind, rising above, prayer, prophecy, or using the keys, praise has a hand in each one and helps to prepare your spirit and fill you with Me before using these other weapons. It prepares you and shields you from the Enemy's attacks, because it draws down My Spirit and My blessings. Praise Me before you use any of the spiritual weapons, so that you can pull down more of My power to then be used in whatever way you need.
34. Isn't it amazing how through your praise you are giving to Me, yet it is the very thing that pulls down My power? In giving you are receiving, and as you open yourself wide to Me and thank Me and praise Me, I richly bless you. I have given you illustrations of this—like the beggar woman who is lifting her arms in praise to Me, and I then turn around and make her My bride and clothe her with great riches (ML #3013:88-102).
35. This gift of praise is a humbling gift, a gift of opening wide, a gift of surrender. It creates a vacuum that My Spirit comes and fills, and then you can turn around and use the power generated through praise in any way you need and for any situation that you need it for. That's one reason it is so important to praise Me while you pray, because you receive power from Me that you then can give to another through your prayers.
36. So don't neglect it, for it is a means to receive My power to fulfill My will. It's a key to using the new weapons more fully‚ and without it you will lack the strength and the power needed to put them into practice and be able to give out.
37. (Question: ) What is the relationship of praise to using the keys? What part does praise play? Is it important to the use of the keys, and if so why?
38. (Jesus: ) Praise is a way to bring My Spirit down upon you. It is a powerful weapon! Praise can defeat the power of the Enemy. Praise has power over fear, over discouragement, over depression. It is one of the most important weapons available to you. Through praise you are able to defeat depression, discouragement, worry, and fear—all those things that exist in the lower strata of the spirit world and which the Enemy tempts you to walk down the path of.
39. Praise leads to the upper strata of the spirit world where I dwell. Praise is the path to Heaven. That is why I say, "Enter into My gates with thanksgiving, and into My courts with praise" (Psalm 100:4). I am simply telling you that the way into My presence is along the path of praise. Why? Because none of these things that hurt and destroy, none of these negative attitudes such as fear, worry, panic‚ depression, discouragement‚ none of these things can exist along the path of praise. It is either one or the other. If you choose the path of praise where these things do not and cannot exist, then you are entering My presence where I, the Source of all power, dwell.
40. So when you want to bring down My power upon the Earth and into your physical world, and even into your spiritual world in the spiritual warfare that you are engaged in upon the Earth in these Endtime days, you have to enter into My presence to find out My will, to commune with Me, and to have the faith to grab onto My power. You enter into My presence and into My courts through praise. The keys will work for you whenever you are fulfilling the conditions for using them‚ which means you will be in My Spirit and asking for My will already—for those are two of the conditions for their use. But entering into My courts in the spirit through praise boosts your faith; it helps you to take on My mind more fully and know what to command the keys to do‚ and thus gives you much more power.
41. Praise has such power! Praise has the power to destroy all the power of the Enemy. Praise is like the light that the darkness cannot penetrate. As long as you are on the path of praise, none of the power or tricks or deceits or attitudes of the Enemy can come near you. Sometimes he will threaten and mock, but he cannot come near, and you must hold the banner of praise high above your head and claim it and shout it with all your might! If you do, and if you do not give up, the power of the Enemy will vanish as you enter into My courts and receive the promises that you are seeking upon Earth.
42. So praise is powerful. It is one of your most powerful weapons. Many things happen to you upon Earth that tend to make you want to walk down one of the paths to the lower strata. But I tell you that praise to Me, constant vigilance in uplifting Me, absolutely overcomes all of these pulls and distractions and attacks of the Enemy and keeps you walking on the upper path within My presence where nothing will harm you, because evil simply cannot exist there.
43. So the importance of praise to the use of the keys is that praise brings you right to the gates of the power source of Heaven, to the door where you use the key with full faith and accuracy to command My power. Praise overcomes doubt or any other hindrance to your faith. Praise brings you right up to the keyhole of the door, where you put the key in and enter the opening that has been made between the spiritual world and the physical. Praise is your pathway to the spiritual world.
44. Why do you think I had Joshua's men march around Jericho and shout praise and proclaim victory on the last day of battle?—Because it defeats all the power of the Enemy! (Joshua 6:12-16, 20). Why do you think Moses had to have his arms raised in praise to Me?—Because praise would win the battle! As long as he could keep praising Me, even through a tough battle and even through just the determination he had in his heart, shown through the fact that he asked others to hold up his arms for him when he could no longer do it himself‚ that determination translated through the action of praising sent power through the spirit to Joshua and his men and actually defeated his physical enemies. Why? Because he defeated them in the spirit, and their bodies and physical presence had to follow where their spirits went (Exodus 17:8–13).
45. Praise is powerful! It is one of the most powerful weapons available to you, so you should use it more. In the use of the keys, it chases away the enemies of doubt, unbelief, discouragement, and fear, and it brings you to the place where you put your key in and obtain all the promises I have for you. It brings you to the doorway of My power. Use it!
46. Praise is not only the pathway to My courts, but it also brings down My Spirit upon you. It is our meeting ground. Through your praises you come to Me, and I then inhabit your praises. I am the Source of power. So in the meeting ground of praise we join together; then you stick in the key and I cause the miracle to happen.
47. Praise is the conduit between us‚ the link, and where the exchange is made. It is so powerful. And the wonderful thing about it is that if you have a strong link, nothing, absolutely nothing, can disrupt it or enter in. Praise is My presence around you. It brings a full measure of My Spirit down to you. Why? Because I love it. I seek it. It attracts Me. It is our connection. It's what keeps us together.
48. Praise is how you hold on to Me. And it is how I enter you. It keeps us together, and through this connection My power flows down to you to answer your need, your request. Praise is the victory. It is you connecting with Me, and Me connecting with you, causing My Spirit to be manifested upon Earth. (End of message.)
49. (David: ) Have you ever noticed how praising immediately changes the spirit of whatever is happening, wherever you are? Even when you're out in public and you make a praiseful comment‚ it changes the atmosphere. Praise is contagious. The Enemy flees and people are propelled into a higher realm instantaneously. It's wonderful!
50. So how can you do that? How can you bring Jesus into any and every thing in life? How about, "Wow, that was a tremendous miracle of the Lord's supply!" "Thank You, Jesus, for working out the timing of meeting up with so-and-so." "Lord, You sure know how to bring about the right kind of weather for working outside." "Thank You, Lord, for that delicious meal; it hit the spot."
51. There are so many ways to be specific. Jesus enjoys making things pleasant and easy and He loves to help us. So we should be able to easily thank Him, to acknowledge Him for those specifics. That way we can be a testimony to those who don't know the Lord that well, if at all, and even to each other.
52. Jesus loves to hear us acknowledge that He remembered and answered a prayer. He loves to hear our encouragement of how we like the way He did something so perfectly for us. As much as we like to receive or hear thanks for something, so does He! So let's thank Him and praise Him at every opportunity. It doesn't have to be long or in some set way, just spontaneous and from the heart. Remember‚ God dwells in the praises of His people. So if you want to stay close to Him and experience His presence more, praise Him! Hallelujah! (End of message.)
Praise, call on the keys, and then watch Me perform! It's a winning combination that never fails!
53. (Jesus:) The spirit of praise is something that you can ask to be poured upon you in greater measure. The more of a spirit and attitude of praise you possess, the easier it is to wield the weapon of praise.
54. Many of you need to begin by asking for a change of spirit and attitude, to be more praiseful, more thankful, more sincerely positive and appreciative for all I do for you. Asking Me to give you more of a spirit of praise will help you to look positively at things. Asking for a spirit of praise means asking Me to help you be continually thanking and praising Me for My supply, for My power, for the various ways I care for you, and so forth.
55. Then when you come to wield the weapon of praise, your spirit and Mine are much more in sync and you will be able to much more easily target the Enemy by using the weapon of praise in your prayers.
56. (Jesus:) The bottom line of praise and what it really means to Me when you praise Me in any situation is that you trust Me. No matter what's happening, no matter how bad the outlook is‚ no matter what I'm choosing to do in your life, if you can sincerely praise Me for it, that means you're putting your trust in Me completely. It's saying that you know that I know best. It's putting your life in My hands and yielding to Me in that situation, declaring that no matter what happens, you'll still say‚ "Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him" (Job 13:15).
57. That's what sincere praise is—surrender to Me. It's trust. It's being thankful in any situation and for whatever I have chosen to do in your life, and looking at it from My point of view. It's rising above the difficulties that surround you. Praise lifts your heart to Me and is the key to rising above.
58. (Jesus:) Even in extremely difficult situations—for example, when someone has a life-threatening sickness, or even in a situation where it seems that I will end up taking someone from their life on Earth—there is still plenty of room to praise Me, and it will make your prayers so much more powerful.
59. Often when you pray for these types of situations, you pray for the person to get better and for all the different aspects of the request. But when you add praise to this, not only are you acknowledging that I am ultimately in control of the situation, but you're also saying that you trust that I know best, that in spite of anything that happens or however I choose to work in that situation, I will bring about My perfect plan. Even when you don't always understand something or see the reasons for it, praise shows that you have faith in Me and that whatever I do will work together for good.
60. It's also a testimony to yourself and others of faith, and it has a good effect on your spirit, that while there are so many requests and needs, you can still thank Me in spite of it all—thank Me for the victories that I'm winning in the lives of others and also in your own. Praise, whether in dire circumstances or simply in regular requests you bring before Me, promotes a spirit of victory and ministers faith, that no matter what the outcome‚ I will bring you through victorious.
61. It also acknowledges all the things in which I have already given you the victory. Especially in situations that have been dragging on for a while, if you frequently praise Me for the victories already won and the progress made, it acknowledges and is a testimony to others and yourself of My power and how much I have already done, and can help keep the situation from being wearying or discouraging.
62. Praise adds more life to your prayers, for they are not only petitions, but they are acts of faith. A commitment to praise is a commitment that no matter what, you will still have a praise on your lips.
63. (Jesus:) It's very important as you go about your day to regularly acknowledge Me with your praises, especially when something isn't going right, if you aren't really feeling the greatest, or if you are being attacked by the Enemy. Those who praise Me in these situations are able to rise above them, and I'm able to show them how I see things.
64. If you feel like you're lacking in a certain area‚ or if you're incapable of something, or something has caused you to get discouraged, simply praise. It doesn't matter if you can't really think of much to praise Me for in the beginning. If you start with something, more will come, and the more you praise the more there will be to praise for!
65. It precipitates a chain reaction of good and positive forces in the spirit realm, and in your spirit. Once you start, you can just keep going and going, and its effects will be amazing. Even though your problems might not go away immediately, if you can praise Me in spite of them, then I'll help you to rise above and to see things as I see them.
66. (Jesus:) Praise is a wonderful way to bring Me more into your daily lives and thoughts, and it has so many blessings and rewards that accompany it. So anytime you're happy, praise Me for the things that make you happy. Anytime you're sad or are going through trying times‚ praise Me for the things that are helping you to learn and grow, and praise Me that things aren't always like this.
67. If you feel you need help to know what to praise Me for‚ call on your spirit helpers, or call on Natalia, or call on your praise angel, and they will bring things to your mind to praise Me for. Once you get rolling, you won't have any trouble thinking of more.
68. (Jesus: ) Praise is an important weapon in your hands because it proclaims your dependence on Me and My Father in Heaven. This is why the Enemy fights it and fears it so much, because it defeats his plan and evil machination to control the minds of men. He knows very well that I am real, that the spirit world is real, that My power is real, but in his folly and pride he attempts by all means possible to take away this knowledge from the heart of man and replace it with a preoccupation with—and even a worship of—the physical world, man's creations, and scientific accomplishments. But by your praises you're acknowledging My presence and the power of a Creator above all things, and this strikes right at the heart of the Devil's lies.
69. Throughout the history of the world‚ it has always been the Devil's plan to take away this knowledge of a Creator in the mind of man‚ so he could be exalted and worshiped as a god himself. But always My children's voices have been raised to proclaim the truth and denounce his lies. Now, as the dark days of the End approach, very few are willing to stand up against the Devil's attacks. His attacks are very subtle and have deceived many, even many of My elect.
70. This is another reason why praise is such a powerful weapon, because when you praise Me and My Father, you're declaring your faith in Me and your dependence on Me to control your life and bring about mighty changes. You're witnessing your faith in Me‚ your trust in Me, your love for Me, and thus you're bringing Me into the world in a tangible way, which tears the Enemy's evil plan to shreds.
71. When you praise by yourself or with your brothers and sisters, you're uplifting each other and chasing away the Devil and his minions. They can't stand the light, and they and their dark, evil vibes have to go. And when you praise Me and My Father in Heaven in the midst of the world, you are witnessing and piercing the Devil's influence in people's lives like a ray of light in the darkness. Even if they don't react to it or seem to notice it, you're defeating the Enemy's dirty work.
72. Every word is important. Words have power! Words bring light or darkness. Look at the movies—so much bad language, cursing, and so few words of appreciation to their Creator. This is all part of the Enemy's plan to take over the minds of men and enslave them for his dark kingdom. People become so used to the way the world is going that they don't realize that slowly they are losing their contact with the real world—the world of the spirit.
73. It's nothing new; throughout the ages corrupt men have always tried to take away the light. But in this time of the End, the Devil's influence is much greater. Wherever you look and turn you are bombarded with false doctrine and deceptive so-called "truth."
74. (Jesus:) Each time you praise you're declaring your allegiance to Me and My Kingdom, and by doing so you're taking a stand against the Devil. Praise, together with the "dying grace" I give to My children, is the secret to how My martyrs of old had the grace to die in the arena, singing and praising Me even in the midst of terrible torture and death. Their praises even in the face of such severe adversity were their most powerful weapon. People couldn't understand how in the midst of such agony My children could be praising Me and singing of the glory of Heaven. It was a witness that rang out and could not be silenced! No matter what the Neros and other enemies of God would do, through the praises of My children many received Me, and the number of My disciples kept on growing.
75. When you're praising Me now, you may not feel that it is such a strong weapon, but each time you acknowledge My Name and My Father and give us glory and praise and thankfulness, you're hitting the Devil right in the face!
76. (Jesus:) Music is a carrier for the desire to worship. It carries you to worship and adore Me as you sing to Me or think of Me when listening to good music. That's what I want: to draw My children to Me through music. But whatever I want, whatever I have created, My adversary will do his utmost to usurp this creation or power.
77. I gave the gift of music to My children of Earth so that they would use it to direct their longing of heart toward Me and My Spirit. Music is a vehicle that I created as a means to carry man's longing of heart and spirit toward My Spirit‚ so I could fill it and satisfy it by answering their search and satisfying their heart with My love and peace! But through the fall of man, My adversary found an inroad into man's heart, and ever since he has worked hard to direct this longing toward himself, through ungodly music. So beware of the dangers of ungodly music, and instead fill your Home and mind with the sounds of praiseful, positive, godly music, knowing that it pulls your spirit to Mine.
78. (Jesus: ) Praise is heavenly! It is the voice and attitude of My heavenly children who live to praise and worship Me! Please don't get distracted by the churchy pictures that come to your mind of people in boring white garments singing their praises to Me as they do in church service! Heaven isn't churchy! Heaven is full of the purest form of My wild and free, radical, changing, happy‚ loving spirit! Heaven is like your heavenly Homes should be: a place filled with love, and because of that love‚ the praises pour forth naturally! Praises are the fruit of love!
79. (Jesus:) How do these two work together? Praise brings on joy, and joy brings on strength. When you praise Me, you're forgetting about yourself and your problems and concerns. Your lack of concentrating on yourself‚ and instead looking to Me‚ brings sweet joy to your heart. With this joy in your heart you're no longer pulled down by your negative feelings, doubts, fears or worries, and I give you strength to rise above.
80. It's a simple recipe:
* To a heart full of worries, problems, doubts, and fears, add praise.
* The negative feelings are dissolved, and My joy comes in to fill your heart.
* Then a heart that is no longer dragged down by the negative forces can rise above.
* In rising above, you find My strength.
81. The recipe sounds simple, but how do you add praise to the heavy heart?
82. Lift up your eyes unto the hills. Make a concerted effort to lift your eyes off yourself and look above. (See Psalm 121.) This takes effort on your part, but once you do that, I will carry you from there. I will fill your heart with joy. I will drive away the Enemy and his negativity. Your praises create a force field of protection that he cannot penetrate. Call on the power of the keys to give you the oomph needed to look up. You call‚ and I will answer. That is My promise to you!
Praise lifts your spirit into the heavenlies, helping you to rise above the troubles and turmoil of Earth, and has an equal and opposite reaction as well‚ kicking the Enemy and his demons back down where they belong. It lifts you and sends them tumbling down. And, even if it doesn't fully remove all the problems you're facing, it gives you a much better outlook and perspective on the problems—a heavenly perspective, imbued with faith and a knowledge that all things truly do work together for good to those who love Me.