The Power of Praise

 

Rev Ronald Ooi 

Let's welcome Joshua and company to TOP. They are with the House of Prayer. 

I was one of those young people in the seventies where I was gripped by the love of God. It was early in the morning when I encountered God and was praying in the Holy Spirit for four hours. I pray the young today will have an encounter with God not because their parents are Christian but they personally have an encounter with God. I was in KL at the House of Prayer and I saw how these young people were praying for you and I. 

In 2 Chronicles 20 we see an impending war. The world today is in a very vulnerable position and that the Third World War may happen anytime with all the nuclear warheads that are there. We call it the end times. But the prophesy is that in the last days there will be an outpouring of God's Spirit. We are seeing that happening and we also see the increase of violence and natural calamities. All have been prophesied in the Bible. 

But we have a God who is with his people even through the difficult times we are in. 

The Power of Praise. I want to talk about that. King Jehoshaphat called for a time of prayer and fasting. 

2 Chronicles 20:3-4

3 And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. 4 So Judah gathered together to ask help from the Lord; and from all the cities of Judah they came to seek the Lord.

The people were positioning themselves to seek God and to hear from God. Jehoshaphat did a very wise thing and we can follow him. 

We have not gone through a World War except the World War 2 and it was a traumatic experience for those who went through it. We may not have gone through this battle but we go through different battles ourselves. Some financial where we have to feed our family in spite of challenges. There are relationship issues. Lost of loved ones. Career and sickness, battles that we go through and some people don't even know what we go through. 

Men, women and children came to seek the Lord. And this was his prayer. 

2 Chronicles 20:12

O our God, will You not judge them? For we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You.”

Have you been I'm a situation where you just don't know what to do? He said but our eyes are on you. When you face a problem, fix your eyes on God. God is bigger than your problems. You get scared and disappointed when you don't fix your eyes on him. 

He is always there even if it seems he is not. God is present. Jehoshaphat said we have no power but our eyes are upon you. He had a serious dependence upon God. 

We are going to come to the Good Friday and Easter event. We are entering the 21 day of prayer and fasting. I had my reservation when Allan said he is coming. He speaks to thousands in India. He is called the Jesus of India but he is a simple man. He is an evangelist, one of the five fold ministry. Once, he raised a person from the dead. He is bared from certain countries because they cannot handle the crowd. 

We are dependent on God because there are obstacles to the work of God. The time has come not just the Intercessors praying but all of us going for a time of prayer and fasting. It can be a vegetarian diet. See the instructions in the booklet. TOP will see a change. When you pray for victory there will be a battle. It can be a scary time. The challenges will come but when I look back in all my years as a preacher, I asked why is there so much trouble in my life and I realised it is a training ground where we get down on our knees to develop our muscles to become like God. And God will use you as an instrument to do exploits for God. 

We have become a very inpatient society. We want everything fast. We want fast food, fast cars. Fast money, fast entertainment. We want everything fast except to fast. 

Penang traffic is getting too fast. It used to be slow. We are losing this spiritual discipline to wait patiently in the Lord. Slowly wait before God. Pray for one hour, two hours, three hours, four hours. Don't be afraid. It's training. It's such a joy to wait on the Lord. It's such a joy when God's people come together to seek God. 

We pray that God will slow us down because we live too fast. With all of eternity before us, let us learn to wait on God. The Psalmist reminds us to wait on God if we want strength to go on. 

George Mueller started an orphanage at Ashley Down orphanage in Bristol, England. He prayed for everything he needs in. And that is what I have learnt. Before I open my mouth to ask anyone for anything, I learnt to ask God first. 

“I live in the spirit of prayer. I pray as I walk, when I lie down, and when I rise. 
And the answers are always coming. Tens of thousands of times have my prayers been answered. 
When once I am persuaded that a thing is right, I go on praying for it. - George Muller

It is the same with my life all these years. There was one time when my children was so sick in Penang. We had to send him to the hospital one week after my daughter and I asked God what did I do wrong? As I look back now, it was a training ground and when they came out of hospital, all the bills were paid for. 

If you fast and don't pray, it's starvation. If you fast and sleep, it's hibernation. If you fast and pray, it's intercession. 

2 Chronicles 20:15

And he said, “Listen, all you of Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you, King Jehoshaphat! Thus says the Lord to you: ‘Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God's.

When you spend enough time with God you have to wait and wait and wait to get a prophetic word. Why only David get to bring down Goliath? You may say he's the lucky one. No. He's the ready one. You have to be ready. When you are ready, God give his word like he gave to the army. My battles become God's battles. My bill become God's bill. Your children becomes his children. God will fight your battles. And you will receive because his word will be released. When it comes, it is heavens word and not man's word. The battle is not ours. It belongs to God.

We need to be the ready ones. Not the lucky ones. And we will see the breakthrough we are waiting for. 

They then moved forward and praise God. They worshipped. 

2 Chronicles 20:18-19

18 And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem bowed before the Lord, worshiping the Lord. 19 Then the Levites of the children of the Kohathites and of the children of the Korahites stood up to praise the Lord God of Israel with voices loud and high.

There is Worship. There was Praise. And there was Thanksgiving. They did all of that. 

Worship in Hebrew is "shachah". Worship is to bow, to kneel to crouch before the Lord. The emphasis is to come before God. 

It's like your puppy. When you come home, it's not the wife that greets you. It's your puppy and it comes to lick you. That's the image. 

Praise is boasting. Boasting of who God is and we give him the credit of what he has done. It's like polishing silver. Then you lift it up for everybody to see. To show your trophy. You lift him up and not shy about showing who God is and what he's done for you. You praise him not just in good times but also in bad times. In the valley you can still praise God. In whatever circumstances of life you praise him. 

Thanksgiving is to communicate surrender. Coming to him with empty hands and surrender to him. You couldn't have done it yourself. 

And blessings is to kneel down and saluting God for who he is in his authority. And you speak well of him. Like an eulogy given when someone died. Eulogia in the New Testament is to speak well of him while he is alive. 

And look at what happened when they praised God, something happened in the heavenlies. Something happened where God's power was released and the enemies killed each other. And they came in and plundered the enemies. There is a spiritual dynamics there that our minds cannot comprehend. God gives victory to his people when they praise him. 

You may not have an answer today but praise God and see the results that will come ahead. 

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank you today for accepting me as your child.
I surrender to you all the challenges that I am facing in life.
I understand from your word today, that you will fight the battles for your people.

The Battle is the Lord’s!

I believe victory is mine as I praise your holy name. 

No weapon formed against me shall prosper.

I praise you today from the depths of my heart.

In Jesus Mighty Name!

Bro David Ng being interviewed by Ps Ronald about his experiences as an ex-Thomas Cup badminton player representing Malaysia.

Ps Joshua from House of Prayer leading us in a time of praise and worship at the close of the service.

Ps Ronald praying for all the ushers, and encouraging them on the importance of their ministry.

Our Struggle with Evil

Rev Gideon Lee

Ephesians 6:12

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

We are not struggling with flesh and blood but in the spiritual realm with evil forces.

2 Kings 6:8-23

Elisha Traps Blinded Arameans

8 Now the king of Aram was at war with Israel. After conferring with his officers, he said, “I will set up my camp in such and such a place.”

9 The man of God sent word to the king of Israel: “Beware of passing that place, because the Arameans are going down there.” 10 So the king of Israel checked on the place indicated by the man of God. Time and again Elisha warned the king, so that he was on his guard in such places.

11 This enraged the king of Aram. He summoned his officers and demanded of them, “Will you not tell me which of us is on the side of the king of Israel?”

12 “None of us, my lord the king ,” said one of his officers, “but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the very words you speak in your bedroom.”

13 “Go, find out where he is,” the king ordered, “so I can send men and capture him.” The report came back: “He is in Dothan.” 14 Then he sent horses and chariots and a strong force there. They went by night and surrounded the city.

15 When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. “Oh, my lord, what shall we do?” the servant asked.

16 “Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”

17 And Elisha prayed, “O Lord, open his eyes so he may see.” Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

18 As the enemy came down toward him, Elisha prayed to the Lord, “Strike these people with blindness.” So he struck them with blindness, as Elisha had asked.

19 Elisha told them, “This is not the road and this is not the city. Follow me, and I will lead you to the man you are looking for.” And he led them to Samaria.

20 After they entered the city, Elisha said, “Lord, open the eyes of these men so they can see.” Then the Lord opened their eyes and they looked, and there they were, inside Samaria.

21 When the king of Israel saw them, he asked Elisha, “Shall I kill them, my father? Shall I kill them?”

22 “Do not kill them,” he answered. “Would you kill men you have captured with your own sword or bow? Set food and water before them so that they may eat and drink and then go back to their master.” 23 So he prepared a great feast for them, and after they had finished eating and drinking, he sent them away, and they returned to their master. So the bands from Aram stopped raiding Israel’s territory.

As I mentioned earlier on, we are at a very crucial time in our country. It has gone through many unprecedented events. We lost an aeroplane. We lost another which was shot down and all on that plane died.  So many planes flew past that place but ours was shot down. Then another from Indonesia, Air Asia that went down. There were many Christians on that plane. This has never happened to any country before. Unprecedented.

Then we had the worst flood in Kelantan. Even those that knew floods were not prepared. They were lost for words. It was terrible.

We even experienced earthquakes in Malaysia. In my 45 years I have never heard of Malaysia having earthquakes. Even until today they are still getting tremors. They say Malaysia is not in the fault lines but I am not sure.

We also had mini tornadoes, twisters. I've never heard of Malaysia having that.

And to compound to that our country is also not doing well economically. Our ringgit has fallen way below the 3.8 when we were having recession. Even in Thailand they won't take Malaysian ringgit. The Thai baht is stronger than our Ringgit.

Our national debt is at its highest. We're also not doing well politically.

It seems as if our country is going through so much that we can easily get discouraged. That's why I title today's message our Struggle with Evil.

What you're seeing happening to the country or politically is just a manifestation of what's happening in the spiritual realm.

I want to challenge all of us. Know that whatever you are facing, see it as something spiritual that we need to counter.

Our battle is not physical and our greatest battle is prayer. That’s why as we enter this 40 days prayer and fasting we are going to see things turn. I believe that.

The king of Aram was against Israel. Because of Elisha, the king could escape all the plans of the enemy. No weapon formed against us shall prosper. The king of Aram was so frustrated that he called a meeting thinking there must be a spy in his midst. One officer stood up and said no traitor. It is Elisha, the prophet of God.

The Bible said he sent a huge army by night and surrounded the whole city. And Elisha's servant was afraid when he saw the army. Elisha told his servant don't be afraid.

So no matter what you are going through, the word is "do not be afraid". He saw with his spiritual eyes. He says the host of heaven are ready to get into battle. That's why he can tell his servants not to be afraid.

Lift up your eyes and see that God is on your side and that there is more on your side than the other side. And Elisha prayed for the servants eyes to be opened and he saw spiritually. There's more on their side than the other side.

The enemy came and what did Elisha do? He prayed. Simple thing only. What did he pray? Lord, make them blind. And the Bible say God did exactly what Elisha asked for.

Whatever your situation is, get on your knees and pray.

The entire blind army led by Elisha was led to Samaria. The king thought the solution was to kill them. They were Blinded and delivered to the doorstep.

But Elisha said these are prisoners of war so he cannot kill them. Elisha prayed to God to let them see again. Elisha said don't touch them but feed them. Prepare a feast.

They achieve peace without shedding a drop of blood. The king would have killed them all but is a dealt it God's way. It is spiritual. Open your eyes. It was a spiritual battle.

Open our eyes that God's help is on the way. When we learn how to pray and fast. It's a spiritual weapon that God has given to the church. We are not praying enough. Take up that challenge to fast and pray and let's see how God move and intervene.

God says to consider our ways. So this morning what we see what is happening in our country try, see nit with our physical eyes but with our spiritual eyes.

When the servant saw that heavenly host before him, his faith increased. Then we are not afraid. The church needs to learn how to use prayer.

Pray and God will know what to do. He is fighting on our behalf.

Prayer and Fasting

Rev Gideon Lee

We are entering NECF's 40 days of prayer and fasting. This will be what I'm talking about this morning.

Isaiah 58
True Fasting
1 “Shout it aloud, do not hold back.
Raise your voice like a trumpet.
Declare to my people their rebellion
and to the house of Jacob their sins.
2 For day after day they seek me out;
they seem eager to know my ways,
as if they were a nation that does what is right
and has not forsaken the commands of its God.
They ask me for just decisions
and seem eager for God to come near them.
3 ‘Why have we fasted,’ they say,
‘and you have not seen it?
Why have we humbled ourselves,
and you have not noticed? ’
“Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please
and exploit all your workers.
4 Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife,
and in striking each other with wicked fists.
You cannot fast as you do today
and expect your voice to be heard on high.
5 Is this the kind of fast I have chosen,
only a day for a man to humble himself?
Is it only for bowing one’s head like a reed
and for lying on sackcloth and ashes?
Is that what you call a fast,
a day acceptable to the Lord?
6 “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
and break every yoke?
7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry
and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter –
when you see the naked, to clothe him,
and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
8 Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
and your healing will quickly appear;
then your righteousness will go before you,
and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.
9 Then you will call, and the Lord will answer;
you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.
“If you do away with the yoke of oppression,
with the pointing finger and malicious talk,
10 and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry
and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,
then your light will rise in the darkness,
and your night will become like the noonday.
11 The Lord will guide you always;
he will satisfy your needs in a sun- scorched land
and will strengthen your frame.
You will be like a well- watered garden,
like a spring whose waters never fail.
12 Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins
and will raise up the age- old foundations;
you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls,
Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.
13 “If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath
and from doing as you please on my holy day,
if you call the Sabbath a delight
and the Lord’s holy day honorable,
and if you honor it by not going your own way
and not doing as you please or speaking idle words,
14 then you will find your joy in the Lord,
and I will cause you to ride on the heights of the land
and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob.”
The mouth of the Lord has spoken.

Matthew 6:16-18
Fasting
16 “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 17 But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 18 so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Fasting today is not taken seriously. Let me ask you this question, you don't have to put up your hands. How many of you have fasted this year? It is going out of practice. Even in the AOG churches, we rarely talk about fasting.

In the bible, fasting is assumed. Jesus fasted. The disciples fasted. John the baptist fasted. John Wesley fasted. Jesus said "when you fast" not "if you fast". It was assumed. Fasting is a dying art. A dying practice.

Today I want to talk about prayer and fasting. Mainly fasting. The question is "should we fast"?

If you say no, then basically you are saying fasting is not beneficial. The world says fasting is not beneficial. The world talks about satisfying yourself.

Have you seen how people eat at a buffet in a hotel. I once saw someone who piled up food like she can feed an army. People pack their plates and indulge. And when they don't finish all goes to waste. That's why some outlets charge you for the leftovers.

Have you seen the advertisements of beauty products etc. the key word is "you are worth it". To the world fasting is foolishness. Indulge in yourself because you are worth it. This is what the world says.

Sad to say, sometimes we give them enough reason to say that. Sometimes we say we fast but as a token to God. You may tell me, "Pastor, I fasted you know. I fasted from 9.00pm to 8.00am." It is to your convenience and cost you nothing. We do it because pastor calls us to or the church sets it. Fasting is more than just abstaining from food. We do it with no meaning at all if it's just as a token, we trivialize it.

And when we break fast we put everything back and even eat double what we fasted. And the world looks at us and say "why fast?". What's the point of fasting.

In Isaiah, there is God's way of fasting. What is God's criteria to fasting.

1. Call to Repentance.

God says they seem to please me but they continue to sin. Fasting has benefits for us as Christians and the first benefit is the call to repentance. In some churches, they have a tradition called the Period of Lent, 40 days before Good Friday. They would come together to fast and pray. The first day of Lent is Ash Wednesday. and here as the people come, the priest will take ash and mark everyone. To tell the people that one day we will be dust and are we ready to meet God? It is a period to reflect. I hope we do this always. Fasting must first start with repentance.

2. Right fasting helps us to prioritize.

Some of us have little gods. Some is materialism. Some of them are hobbies. Our career. Badminton (laughs). Fasting is the time when we deny ourselves these pleasures. Of what is important to us. It is not just about food. Is Jesus your priority? Jesus says if anyone wants to follow me, they must deny themselves, take up their cross and follow me. The deny yourself is the difficult part.

3. As you deny yourself comes self mastery.

You are actually saying to the flesh "NO". I am talking about overindulgence. Things that are wrong. People sin because sin does not cause immediate consequences. We can get away from it's punishment. If there is no law, many will overindulge and do what they like.

I shared this before about a student that committed suicide by jumping off at a mall. The father later said he regretted he never spend enough time with him. He never prioritized and was always busy. The son committed suicide over a failed relationship and the father never knew. He had everything, driving a BMW. Fathers needs to say no to children. I grew up at a time when fathers often says no to their children. So we grow up saying we will not be that kind of father. So we say yes to our children all the time.

What is the right kind of fasting? In our fasting are we seating at home waiting for time to pass. No. It is an active fasting as stated in Isaiah. This is the fasting that please God.

That is the right kind of fasting. Fasting must always go with prayer, or it is just dieting. I pray you will say yes to fasting as it brings many benefits.

4. In fasting, we do not develop self righteousness.

Like if we compare how long we fasted. Be careful we do not have this attitude. We fast as unto the Lord. Also do not think fasting brings us salvation, like we are better and gain more points with God. Be careful that we do not take fasting as a means to salvation. Salvation comes only through one name. Don't have self righteousness thinking that we have more merit with God.

5. Suffering helps us identify with the suffering of Christ.

Remember, Jesus says take up your cross and follow Him. We cannot do what He did but it will help us understand what He did for us. And how do you know at the end of the day you have done this for Christ? When you fast, you save money, from your food and entertainment. When you saved, you say wonderful, I have more money, then you have fasted for yourself. In fasting, the money that you have saved must bless others. Give it to the church and not keep it for yourself.

Collect your booklet from NECF. We want to collect all the savings and give it to NECF. Please do not send money individually but do it as a church. We will give it to NECF as a church where they can continue the good work for the poor and needy.

Then what will happen when we do the right kind of fasting? God says you will call on me and I will answer. Look at all the blessings that follow.

So the question is still this. To fast or not or fast? I will not call on your house to check on you. It is between you and God. I pray at the end of our prayer and fasting period that our church will grow stronger.