May 2019 – Shouts of Joy

” And when the ark of the covenant of the Lord came into the camp, all Israel shouted with a great shout, so that the earth rang again. And when the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said, What meaneth the noise of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews? And they understood that the ark of the Lord was come into the camp. And the Philistines were afraid, for they said, God is come into the camp. And they said, Woe unto us! for there hath not been such a thing heretofore. Woe unto us! who shall deliver us out of the hand of these mighty Gods? these are the Gods that smote the Egyptians with all the plagues in the wilderness.”1 Samuel 4:5-8 (KJV)

Introduction – There is power in the shout of the children of God.

• It was a shout that brought down the walls of Jericho (Joshua 6:20).
• It was a shout that put an end to the siege over Samaria (2 Kings 7:6).
• The shout of Paul and Silas, in praises and prayers, in the prison was so loud that the sleeping prisoners heard them. Moreover, it was so loud that it caused an earthquake that forced the prison doors opened (Acts 16:25-26).

As we shout for joy this month, every wall of Jericho shall fall flat, an end shall come to every siege and the prison doors shall be forced opened, in Jesus’ Name.

Rejoicing gives access to:

• “…draw[ing] water out of the wells of salvation” (Isaiah 12:3).  
• The better things happening after salvation (Hebrews 12:24).
• God’s presence (Psalms 124, 16:11).
• God’s strength (Nehemiah 8:10).
• God’s voice – God speaks and ministers to you (Isaiah 30:29-30).
• Victory over your enemy (1 Chronicles 20:21-24).
• Deliverance (Acts 16:25-26).
• Divine health. Proverbs 17:22 says, “A merry heart doeth good like medicine…”

Prayers:

• Father, with a loud shout today, let every wall of opposition against my life and destiny fall down flat. NOW SHOUT A LOUD HALLELUYAH!
• Father, with a loud shout today, let every siege over my life and family come to an end, in Jesus’ Name. NOW LET SOMEONE SHOUT A LOUD HALLELUYAH!
• Father, with a loud shout today, let every prison door shut against my life and destiny be forced opened. NOW SHOUT A LOUD HALLELUYAH!

It’s a month of joy; the God of Joy shall make you and yours joyful, in Jesus’ Name.

Habakkuk 3:17-19 says, ”Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labor of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.”

Regardless Rejoicing:

From the text above, God demands that His children be joyful. Rejoicing regardless of what is happening

• Regardless of your environment, or of what you’re going through, shout for joy!
• Apostle Paul wanted to go to Rome as a preacher, instead he ended in Rome as a prisoner. As a Roman citizen, he indeed had the right to appeal to Caesar and await his day in court. Instead, he was illegally arrested in Jerusalem, misrepresented in court, incorrectly identified as an Egyptian renegade, and entangled in the red tape of the political machinery. When he was granted the trip across the Mediterranean, he encountered a storm, ended up on the island of Malta, and was bitten by a snake. Regardless of these trials, he said, “Rejoice…” (Philippians 4:4)
• Rejoicing in spite of confusion, failure, hopelessness, famine, being knocked down, suffering, and slow progress. Regardless of what the enemy is doing, or saying, you just choose to rejoice.
• As you shout for joy this month, I see God turning things around for you.

Reasons for Joy:

• The salvation that you have (Psalms 9:14, 13:5), and the Son of God that resides in you (Colossians 1:27).
• The sacredness of God, the unchangeableness of God that guarantees that what He says, He will do, no matter what (Malachi 3:6).
• The Scriptures that you have (Psalms 119:162; Jeremiah 15:16)
• The security that we enjoy (Exodus 18:9; Psalms 5:11).
• The satisfaction we have in God (Psalms 132:16).
• The strength from the LORD (Nehemiah 8:10).
• The privilege of seeking after God is a source of joy (1 Chronicles 16:10).

Now, let’s examine 3 strong points from our text – 1 Samuel 4:5-8:

1. Atmosphere of Joy
2. When there is a shout of joy
3. Silencer

#1: Atmosphere of Joy

The presence of God will surely create an atmosphere of joy. Although there was a war to be fought, as soon as the Ark of God arrived in the camp, there was joy (1 Samuel 4:5). Meaning that:

1. True joy comes only in the presence of God. The shout of true joy is experienced only in His presence (Psalms 16:11). 
2. The shout of joy and God’s presence go together. The presence of God brings the atmosphere of God, and the shout of joy will bring the presence of God (Psalms 22:3).  
3. The shout of joy that brings the presence of God manifests in praise, worship and thanksgiving. That’s why it’s very important for the children of God to make praise a way of life.

#2: When there is a shout of joy

When there is a shout of joy, at least 7 things happen.

1. Enemies tremble (1 Samuel 4:7).
2. There is a shaking (1 Samuel 4:5).
3. Walls of opposition fall down (Joshua 6:20): “So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat…”
4. Prison doors are forced opened (Acts 16:26).
5. Bands are loosed (Acts 16:26).
6. God will arise and scatter the enemies (Psalms 22:3, 68:1-3): God inhabits the praise of His people, and when He arises in the midst of their praise, enemies must scatter.
7. Signs and wonders are produced (1 Samuel 4:8).

#3: Silencer

A silencer is out to reduce or eliminate a shout or a noise. For the people of God, the silencer is sin. Sin replaces joy with sorrow, boldness with fear, and victory with defeat.

Although the Ark symbolizing the presence of God was in their midst, and there was a shout of joy, the Israelites still lost the battle because there was sin in the camp. The sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, had sinned and defiled the camp and they were killed. 1 Samuel 4: 10 says,” And the Philistines fought, and Israel was smitten, and they fled every man into his tent: and there was a very great slaughter; for there fell of Israel thirty thousand footmen. And the ark of God was taken; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were slain.”

This month, as we get ready to pray, we must deal with every form of sin so that the silencer does not put out the shout of joy. I pray we shall be victorious, in Jesus’ Name.

Conclusion:

As you continue in this month with shouts of joy, you will begin to receive unsolicited miracles. God will do unexpected miracles in your life. He will perform unlikely, unprecedented, unconventional, uncommon and unsolicited miracles in your life, in the Name of Jesus.

I stand under the unction of the Covenant, and the corporate unction of the elders, to say that whatever will make your joy full, God will give to you. Please, LORD, give your children unusual miracles, unexpected miracles, and uncommon help, in the Name of Jesus. Whatever you’ve been asking for that needs the Help from above, receive divine help for it now, in Jesus’ Name. Plans that have not worked before will begin to work now, in the Name of Jesus.

SHALL WE PRAY?

• Let’s praise the LORD with a loud shout and welcome His presence in our midst.
• Father, in the Name of Jesus, I repent of every sin in my life, please don’t let my joy be replaced with sorrow.
• Father, let there be fear and trembling in the camp of my enemies throughout this year, in Jesus’ Name.
• Father let there be a shaking tonight that shakes off any evil thing deposited into my body, in the Name of Jesus.
• O God arise in Your power and confuse all my oppressors, in Jesus’ Name.
• Father let me experience the fullness of your joy throughout this year, in Jesus’ Name.
• Father let the adversaries receive a sign that You are present in my life and my family throughout this year that they may steer clear of us, in Jesus’ Name.
• Father make me a wonder throughout this year, in Jesus’ Name.