Praise In The Midst Of Thunder

Psalms 150:6 (AMP)

“Let everything that has breath and every breath of life praise the LORD! Praise the LORD! (Hallelujah!)”

We must learn to praise in the midst of trouble and find the peace that surpasses all understanding. The God of peace sits on a throne of peace.

Philippians 4:7 (AMP)

And the peace of God [that peace which reassures the heart, that peace] which transcends all understanding, [that peace which] stands guard over your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus [is yours].”

In the midst of controversy, assault, financial pressure, isolation, sickness – praise Him!

“Thunder, Thundering.” According to Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, “[1,,G1027bronte] in Mark 3:17 ‘sons of thunder’ is the interpretation of Boanerges, the name applied by the Lord to James and John; their fiery disposition is seen in Mark 9:38Luke 9:54; perhaps in the case of James it led to his execution. The name and its interpretation have caused much difficulty; some suggest the meaning “the twins.” It is however most probably the equivalent of the Aramaic bene regesh, “sons of tumult;” the latter of the two words was no doubt used of “thunder” in Palestinian Aramaic; hence the meaning “the sons of thunder;” the cognate Hebrew word ragash, “to rage,” is used in Psalms 2:1 and there only. In John 12:29 bronte is used with ginomai, “to take place,” and rendered “it had thundered;” lit., “there was thunder;” elsewhere, Revelation 4:5Revelation 6:1Revelation 8:5Revelation 10:3Revelation 10:4Revelation 11:19Revelation 14:2Revelation 16:18Revelation 19:6.”

Some of us have fiery personalities. Not everybody is smooth and calm all the time. As a matter of fact, a lot of the folks that God uses are the ones that get things done. The fisherman Peter while a disciple and before becoming an apostle, was a hothead at times. Evidently, James and John had tendencies as well. Strong-willed people and personalities can offend others.  There is a process to God’s using you, and that involves dying to self, so that you don’t allow the thing that drives you to disqualify you. Your personality can only take you so far. God can direct or redirect a moving vessel. It’s the stale, lukewarm, and apathetic personalities that seem to hold up the plans and purposes of God the most.

What other kinds of thunder are there? There can be thunder from within and thunder from without. Some people never fully surrendered unto the Lord. They’re still holding back some corner, secret thing, place or room in their soul. Just like sonar bounces back when it hits an underwater object, peace can bounce back when it hits an obstacle in your soul. Rather than every area being invaded to the inner depths of your soul so that you find true peace with God and man and most importantly yourself, there can remain in many Christians a wrestle or inner fight.

There is thunder without. There can be storms from life, storms in business – whether they be self-induced or demonic. Attacks can sometimes be avoided by preventative maintenance or asking God for wisdom, power of prayer, and walking in humility. Other times they are unavoidable when you make a stand for Christ, when you go against the flow of the world and the world system. Your peers or friends may be flowing one way, but God causes you to rise to a higher level of obedience, and now thunder is building. Noise from without.

So when thunder comes, how do we find the higher place of praise? Try beholding Jesus (2 Cor. 3:18). Looking unto Jesus (Heb. 12:2). Realizing the work of righteousness is already done because of Jesus, and you are righteous (in right standing with God) because of His death on the cross.

Psalm 2:1-2

“Why are the nations in an uproar [in turmoil against God],
And why do the people devise a vain and hopeless plot?
The kings of the earth take their stand; And the rulers take counsel together
Against the Lord and His Anointed (the Davidic King, the Messiah, the Christ), saying…”

I find this passage interesting. It shows how the devil will use people to attack God’s anointed. If our opposition only knew their end, the futility and vanity of their power, power games, and manipulation, they would give up. So don’t you give up first! Make the devil give up by pressing in and walking and abiding in the anointing.

John 12:29

“The multitude therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it had thundered: others said, an angel hath spoken to him.”

We bind all mischief! There is a place of peace for each of us. You have a place called “There” waiting for you with provision and peace. This is your inheritance, which is your portion allotted to you by God.

The Lord in 1 Kings 17:3 told Elijah to go to the brook Cherith and there the ravens would feed him. We must be obedient to find our place, and “There” will our provisions be.

What does Cherith mean in the Bible? “Cherith” is a common English spelling of the Hebrew name כְּרִית “Kərīṯ”, that comes from the Hebrew root כרת (kh*r*t), meaning to cut off or cut down. The name also signifies to engrave or carve – a cutting, separation, gorge, torrent-bed, or winter-stream.

Out of being cut down or cut off from friends, family, or money, there is a covering in the blood of Jesus. Out of seasons of separation, divorce, fear, or thunder, is a place called “There” with provisions from the blood of Jesus.

That is why we need to find a place called “There”, and that only comes, my friend, from obedience to the Holy Spirit. We don’t need to go beyond our callings. The anointed place is the safe place under the “wings of the Almighty”, as in Psalm 91.

Psalm 91

“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High

Will remain secure and rest in the shadow of the Almighty [whose power no enemy can withstand].

We can be secure when we are obedient.

I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,

My God, in whom I trust [with great confidence, and on whom I rely]!”

For He will save you from the trap of the fowler…

What is your trap? What was your trap? I hope you know that the devil lays traps. Our mouths can lay traps (James 3:10-12).

And from the deadly pestilence.

He will cover you and completely protect you with His pinions,

And under His wings you will find refuge;

Whose protection are you seeking? Doctors, needles, masks?

His faithfulness is a shield and a wall.

You will not be afraid of the terror of night,

Nor of the arrow that flies by day…

We bind terror today and sudden fear, in Jesus’ name! Ephesians 6:16 says to bind the fiery darts of the enemy.

Nor of the pestilence that stalks in darkness,

Nor of the destruction (sudden death) that lays waste at noon…”

We bind COVID and all the germs or pestilence, and any death in our camp amongst God’s people, coming in the darkness on our hands or utensils, in Jesus’ name!

Have you ever heard this song?

Let the Wind Blow by The Imperials

There’s a storm on the horizon,
Oh, let the wind blow,
There is thunder in the heavens,
Oh, let the wind blow,
Let the rain fall down from the sky above,
Let the tempest roar ’til it’s had enough,
I’m trusting in the Lord of love,
Let the wind blow.

There is lightning in the distance,
Oh, let the wind blow,
There is darkness all around me,
Oh, let the wind blow,
Let the world give all the hurt it can,
Let the evil one devise his plans,
I’m trusting in the great I Am,
Let the wind blow.

Let the wind blow… blow as hard as it can,
Let the wind blow,
Upon the solid rock of God I stand,
Oh, let the wind blow.

There’s a storm on the horizon,
Oh, let the wind blow,
There is thunder in the heavens,
Oh, let the wind blow,
Let its mighty fury be unleashed,
Let the doubters…

So we see in Job 3 a clue to the possible magnet that brought him into calamity:

 

Job 3:25

“For the thing which I greatly fear comes upon me,

And that of which I am afraid has come upon me.”

Evidently, Job had a secret fear of losing everything. A lot of rich people have this fear. So go to God with your fears today and don’t allow the devil to come for you tomorrow. Do not open the door to the enemy through fear!

1 Peter 5:6-7

“Therefore humble yourselves [demote, lower yourselves in your own estimation] under the mighty hand of God, that in due time He may exalt you…”

Let “thunder” be your place of highest, most authentic praise to God!

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