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Intention

To encourage believers to give praise to God in their darkest hour

Scripture

“The armies of the Moabites, Ammonites, and some of the Meunites declared war on Jehoshaphat.
Jehoshaphat was terrified by this news and begged the LORD for guidance.
He also ordered everyone in Judah to begin fasting.
So people from all the towns of Judah came to Jerusalem to seek the LORD’s help…
After consulting the people, the king appointed singers to walk ahead of the army,
singing to the LORD and praising Him for His holy splendour. This is what they sang:

‘Give thanks to the LORD.H
is faithful love endures forever!’

At the very moment they began to sing and give praise,
the LORD caused the armies of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir to start fighting among themselves…
So, when the army of Judah arrived at the lookout point in the wilderness,
all they saw were dead bodies… Not a single one of the enemy had escaped.”
— 2 Chronicles 20:1-24

Reflection

A woman in my seminar stood to her feet. I had asked for stories. She was shaking with emotion. All eyes turned to her as she began her story.

This is what she said as her voice choked with emotion.

“My 11-year-old daughter loved horses. We lived on a farm, so we had a couple of horses. She became an accomplished rider.

One day her horse reared up unexpectedly. She fell off the back of the horse onto the ground. The horse fell back on top of her.

We rushed out to help her, but it was too late. She was limp and lifeless, and blood was coming from her ears. We hurriedly called for our doctor. He came quickly and assessed the situation.

She was dead. There was no heartbeat and no vital signs, and he drew a white sheet over her and left her lying on a table in the lounge room.

I was distraught and weeping uncontrollably. I felt the urge to go outside to get some time on my own and with God. I remember I walked across to the barbed wire fence that was around the house and holding on to the barbed wire, I looked up to heaven and began to give praise to God through the tears.

I thanked Him for giving me my daughter. I thanked God for the 11 years we had together and the joy our daughter had brought to our family. I began to praise God as the tears streamed down my face.

Thanking Him that He had given us His son and giving praise to God in the midst of my tears. I can’t really remember, but maybe the words of the song maybe came back to me. ‘Ascribe Greatness to Our God, The Rock. His Work Is Perfect, And All His Ways Are Just. A God of Faithfulness Without Injustice. Good And Upright Is He.’

It was then I heard a yell from the house. Someone had heard my daughter cough. I rushed back into the house and sure enough, as we pulled back the sheet, we realised that she was now breathing.

We rushed her to hospital. She made a miraculous recovery. Several months ago, my daughter got married. Such is the power of praise. To God be the glory.”

The above story was told in a Praise & Worship Seminar I was running in Mt Isa. There was not a dry eye in the place as she told it. But our collective breath was taken away when she told how God had raised her daughter from the dead as she gave praise to God amidst the overwhelming grief of her loss.

God does miracles as His people give Him praise. Jehoshaphat the king of Judah was faced with an impossible situation. Jerusalem and his whole nation were facing total annihilation from enemy armies. He prayed and with the people fasted and sought God. He then appointed singers to give praise and thanks to God in the face of certain death and God did a miracle. Soli Deo Gloria!

Editor’s Note: This is the last devotion. Thank you for your amazing commitment to praying and fasting for REVIVAL through the month of October. Next weekend on 4-5 November, we are calling for 25.5 hours of Praise, Prayer & Worship to God for a miracle breakthrough in Victoria for their upcoming election. Please join with us as you are able. Get more info here.

Video

Prayer

Father in Heaven, we worship You and praise You because You are a God of faithfulness and without injustice. So, God, we pray, give us a miracle in our nation, give us REVIVAL and the gift of repentance. Give us the miracle we don’t deserve.

Amen.

Author Bio

Warwick Marsh has been married to Alison Marsh since 1975 and they have five children and nine grandchildren. He and his wife live in Wollongong in New South Wales, Australia. He is a family & faith advocate, social reformer, musician, TV producer, writer and public speaker. He also blogs at Just a Man.

Prayer Points for 31 Days of Prayer & Fasting for Revival

1. To worship Jesus and give extravagant praise to God. Hebrews 12:28-29
2. Pray that the Lamb who was slain might receive the reward for His suffering. Revelation 5:6-14
3. Pray for Revival for Australia and for millions to find Christ. Isaiah 64:1-2

We invite you to support this prayer and fasting campaign to multiply prayer, to see an outpouring of the Holy Spirit and revival and transformation for Australia. Every donation to the Canberra Declaration helps us promote prayer and make a stand for Family, Faith, Freedom, Life, and the Good News of God’s love through Jesus Christ His son.

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