There are many opportunities I have had throughout my life to shout. I find a good shout exhilarating and liberating! I shout when my favorite team scores! I shout when one of my grandchildren does something wonderful! I shout when I feel overwhelmed with God’s goodness. I shout for the sheer joy of emotional release. Shouting is good for the soul!
Of course, there are other reasons a person would need to shout. I shout when I need someone’s attention. I shout warning out when I see someone headed for danger. I shout when I am angry at the enemy by shouting praises to my God - like a war-cry meant to intimidate and end cause the enemy to flee. The word - the name - I shout most often? Jesus!
When I shout out the name of Jesus, even the demons shudder and flee. When I shout out the name of Jesus I instantly change the atmosphere of my situation. When I shout the name of Jesus I immediately change my thoughts…and this causes a chain reaction in my soul. My thoughts are focused on Jesus. My feelings are changed from fear to safety. My attitude becomes right with God. My behavior changes as well. When I shout out the name of Jesus, everything changes. Walls fall down. Right thinking overtakes my mind. Shouting changes everything and brings attention to those around me - especially the enemy - that God is in control and I am on the winning side!
Remember when Jesus came into Jerusalem the Sunday before his crucifixion? The children of Israel were expecting the Messiah to be the physical king or ruler and to deliver them from the Roman oppression of the day. Here’s the actual account from Matthew 21:8-9:
Matthew 21:8-9 NASB 8 Most of the crowd spread their coats in the road, and others were cutting branches from the trees and spreading them in the road. 9 The crowds going ahead of Him, and those who followed, were shouting, "Hosanna to the Son of David; BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD; Hosanna in the highest!” Matthew 21:8-9 NASB
We know hosanna literally means to save us now! Just like those people who loved the streets that day in Jerusalem, we all have areas of our lives in which we need to see God’s salvation right now. We all have walls of deception surrounding us from the constant onslaught of the lies of the enemy we all need to see come down just like the walls of Jericho did way back when. Walls come down when we shout.
I have a friend who often says it’s hard to doubt when you shout…and she’s right. We shout when we are angry. We shout when we are frustrated. We shout when we need help. We shout for our favorite sports teams. Why not shout to the God of our salvation?
Remember when Joshua was led to lead the children of Israel to take the walled, fortified city of Jericho? They - led by the priests and worship leaders - marched around the city for seven days, seven times a day…but on the seventh day, they were commanded to shout after the seventh time around the city. Here’s what happened:
Joshua 6:20 NASB 20 So the people shouted, and [priests] blew the trumpets; and when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, the people shouted with a great shout and the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight ahead, and they took the city. Joshua 6:20 NASB
What fortified cities has the enemy built in your life? Are their fortresses of troubled relationships? Are their strongholds of financial difficulties? Are their walled places of sin keeping you from pursuing wholeness in God? Have you considered shouting over this situations as a priest (every believer is in the priesthood!) or as a worship leader (every believer is called to worship and praise God…to make Him known)?
Let’s find a place to shout to the Lord today. I have a song that I designed to help you bring down the walls of the enemy in your life. It is called, fittingly, Shout to the Lord and can be heard here: http://podcast.dennisjernigan.com/e/shout-to-the-lord-1580830918/ Play this song today and shout in your living room…or shout in your car…or shout out in the back yard! The walls of doubt will begin to crumble and you will see hope and salvation as you shout the name of God over your own life and the lives of those around you.
Shouting to God tears down the lies of the enemy. Shouting to God tears down our own fear of what others think of us. Shouting glorifies God and brings joy and cleansing to our own souls. Let’s find time to shout to our God today. You can do this…and so what if someone catches you shouting…they probably think you’re crazy for following Jesus anyway…so why not give ‘em something to talk about! You know what I mean…
Dennis Jernigan
To listen to The Dennis Jernigan Podcast and the song Shout to the Lord, go to http://podcast.dennisjernigan.com/e/shout-to-the-lord-1580830918/
Photo courtesy of https://pixabay.com/photos/brick-brickwork-ruin-broken-decay-2205882/