There is nothing like a prophetic word from the Word. It is not only true for God’s people throughout the ages, it is a timely insight for right now! And I believe this specific word speaks of a move of the Holy Spirit—of a “garment of praise” which the Father has available for each of us at this time (Isaiah 61:3).
It will be a sign for many. This move of God will be experienced personally, and it will be seen corporately. God is turning weariness into praise.
“Now I Will Praise the Lord!”
I was doing a deep-dive study into the story of Judah recently when the Holy Spirit interrupted me with a prophetic word. As 2022 draws near, the words of Leah will be your words: “Now I will praise the LORD.”
“And she [Leah] conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Now I will praise the LORD.” Therefore she called his name Judah…” (Genesis 29:35 NKJV, emphasis added)
The name “Judah” means praise.
I first received this word for a group I was ministering to, but it has continued to grip me and won’t let go:
2022 is coming. “Now I will praise the Lord.”
That Hebrew word “NOW” is like a stroke—a beat. It’s just like when we say, “At the stroke of midnight,” and then it arrives…Suddenly, it’s NOW!
The Lord wants you to know that it is time! Right now is the very moment to praise Him. This praise does not come from your personal effort. It is being released as you simply let the Holy Spirit flow through you! Regardless of what you’re seeing or hearing, and in the face of all that is contrary, your praise marks a tipping point.
Weariness Will Give Birth to Praise
The name Leah means “weary” and originates from a Hebrew word that means “to be impatient, be grieved, be offended” and “to be tired of something” (Strong’s H3811)!
It seems that Leah’s name described her identity, and the pervasive attitude around her life. I believe it is a word that could describe much of Christendom at this time. So, if you can relate to weariness, or if there has been a grievance in the atmosphere around you, let the Spirit of God lift your heart in expectation. You will see weariness give birth to praise.
You Are Favored by God
Perhaps the greatest miracle in this story (and the one we usually miss) is the transformation that took place in Leah herself! Up until this point, Leah had experienced great pain and rejection as an unloved wife. She had always been treated as inferior. But suddenly, Leah emerged in her own right. She realized with wonder, “I am favored by God!” So, she declared her new sense of identity with the words “Now I will praise the LORD!”
From “Not Yet” to “NOW”
Many of us can relate to this Scripture, as so often we get stuck in this place: “Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall yet praise Him, the help of His countenance and my God” (Psalm 42:11, NKJV). This may be especially true of the pandemic season. We are dreaming of a day when there is momentum again, or change, or a promise fulfilled. But there comes a moment—a tipping point. It’s no longer about something we’re waiting for; it’s about something we’re watching God do. We’re participating with Him; we are cooperating with favor.
The Day Has Come to Prioritize Praise
Judah was the fourth-born son in the family. At that time, he was not expected to become the family leader. Likewise, for some of us, praise has been like the ‘fourth-born child’ in this story. We are looking in every other direction for a breakthrough, and God says, “The day has come to prioritize praise, for praise will lead the way!”
A Declaration of Intention to Praise
Praise, it’s what separates us from everybody else. So, right here and now, let us decide to be marked by this one thing above all else. Praise is the one thing that the best and finest in the world’s eyes can never understand. It will cause us to be a sign and a wonder and to speak these words:
“No matter what happens, I will praise my God. In the busy times, in the blessed times, or in the hard times, I will praise Him. During building times, I will praise Him. In the waiting season, I will praise Him. In times of acceleration, I will praise Him. During the victory, I will praise Him. If recognition or acclaim is coming my way, I will praise Him. When the world is criticizing me, I will praise Him. Even in the face of all that is contrary (in loss or in pain), I still praise Him. This is my story, and this is my stand—that no matter what happens, I will choose to praise Jesus.” (Photo via Unsplash)
Prophetic Praise: 10 Keys to Powerfully Release Your Praise
Have you been feeling, at times, that it is difficult to praise God? There may have been contention in the atmosphere around you, but that’s about to change. You are about to relocate your praise! You will find that praise is a key to open doors and a weapon to overcome the enemy that has pressed so hard against you. This shall be your testimony: “He has put a new song in my mouth—praise to our God; many will see it and fear and will trust in the LORD” (Psalm 40:3, NKJV).
Hear Him say, “My child, beloved one, you are the instrument in My hand. Many will see and know that I have set you free from shame, and I have brought you forth in glory.”
As I studied the story of Judah (the son and the tribe), whose name, again, means “praise,” I received 10 insights which I have been reflecting on. I pray they encourage you in your own journey of praise.
1. Praise Is in Your Family DNA
Jesus is the “Lion of Judah” (Revelation 5:5), and we are in His family—His tribe! This can be our starting point with prophetic praise. His kingly anointing is upon us, so praise is the language we speak. It’s the song we sing. If we don’t know that praise is in our DNA, we will always feel as though praise is someone else’s strength, and we will be tempted to leave it to others. But just as a lion is created with the ability to roar, so too is it created with the nature to roar. Roaring comes naturally! Just as the lion was created to roar, God has created you to praise and prophesy (Amos 3:8). So, then, praise is no longer a task that you do; praise is who you are.
2. Praise Is Your Purpose
Praise is also at the heart of your purpose! Peter wrote: “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:9, NKJV).
What a powerful revelation! Whether in song, word, or act, your life, surrendered to Him, brings glory to God. And praising God unlocks all the other purposes and plans of God for your life.
Hear the Lord say, “Those who honor Me, I will honor” (see 1 Samuel 2:30).
The truth is that sometimes when we’re thinking about praise, we step back. We may not ‘feel up to it,’ but we don’t have to feel like praising. We just need to remember who we are, and why we are here.
3. Praise Flows as You Are Filled with the Holy Spirit
In recent times, many of God’s people have forgotten how to praise. But like a wave of the sea coming in, there is a resurgence of praise, and with it, a move of the Holy Spirit that will touch the nations. On the day of Pentecost, the Believers burst forth in tongues. They were giving shouts of praise in the languages of the listeners from all different nations, speaking “the wonderful works of God” (Acts 2:11).
When we are filled with the Spirit, praise flows; it bubbles up. As you pray and praise in the Spirit, His life-giving river will flow from within you. For praise has flow, and it is moving! The river of God is picking you up, and the Spirit is taking you on a journey with Him.
4. Praise as You See What God Is Doing
Think of the wilderness journeys of Israel. There were twelve tribes, and Judah always led the way (Numbers 2:9)! I imagine that at dawn (in the camp of Judah), the first thing on the minds of families as they awoke was this: “What is the cloud doing today? What is the presence of God doing?” (see Exodus 40:36-37).
Just as God set Judah in place, He has set us in place. Praise is not only a style of song or a word of declaration. The Lord wants you to know that praise is a position you abide in, and it’s yours by His grace. Just as Judah looked to see what God was doing and moved in step with Him, we can look to see what the Father is doing and follow Him (John 5:17).
“On the east, toward the sunrise, the divisions of the camp of Judah are to encamp under their standard…” (Numbers 2:3 NIV)
Today, you can step out in praise!
5. Praise Pioneers & New Territory
It is significant that Judah was the tribe chosen by God to lead the way in warfare, as Israel took the territory designated by God (Judges 1:1-2; 20:18).
At the moment when Judah stepped out, they knew the land belonged to them because God said so. This is at the heart of prophetic praise—praising God ahead of time. You are declaring that He is making a way, even though the answer is unseen and unknown. That promise is in the realm of mystery, but faith comprehends it and lays hold of it through praise! This is one reason why praise is so powerful. It is the voice of faith. (Photo via Unsplash)
New land is up ahead and deliverance is up ahead! So send praise in first! Sow praise in first for a supernatural harvest.
6. Praise Is a Gateway Into the Kingdom Realm
Praise is also like a gateway into the Kingdom realm. The psalmist wrote: “Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him and bless His name” (Psalm 100:4 NKJV). Just as Judah forged the way, praise also prepares the way! It clears the atmosphere, changes the environment, and takes us into the supernatural realm of God.
Sometimes, God wants us to stop leaning on our gift and go through the gate! So when you are problem-solving, start by praising. There’s something God can do with praise that even our best ingenuity cannot accomplish.
7. Praise Releases God’s Power
With the eyes of faith, see praise as causing waves of power to go out in the spiritual realm! We see it in Scripture, stories like Paul and Silas in the dungeon. As they began to pray and sing hymns, an earthquake shook the jail and loosened chains (Acts 16:25-26). The sound of praise penetrates through spiritual darkness (Psalm 149:6-9) and goes straight to the throne of God. Praise sends shock waves into the enemy’s territory, which leads to the next point.
8. Praise Overcomes the Enemy
One time, King Jehoshaphat sent out a choir to sing praise to God in front of his army. Those praising went first to proclaim the victory they had already received by God’s prophetic word (2 Chronicles 20). The Bible records, “As they began to sing and praise, the LORD set ambushes…” (2 Chronicles 20:22). The enemy armies turned on each other and victory was won, with no weapon except a song of praise to God.
What an amazing story. When it feels as though all Hell is breaking loose against us, we can break Heaven loose against the enemy, and overcome with a song of praise.
9. God Has Clothed You with Praise
Praise describes your mantle—your royal garments! In Isaiah 61:3, God declares that He will give His people “the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.” This tells us that praise is a work of grace in Christ! You don’t praise because you are worthy, but because Jesus has given you His own righteousness.
Isaiah goes on to speak of God’s people being clothed in garments of salvation and robes of righteousness (Isaiah 61:10). Then it says that God “…will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations” (verse 11). As you put praise first, it’s going to clothe you and set you apart. Like the tribe of Judah’s ensign, praise will be a glorious banner over you.
10. Praise Is the Atmosphere of Heaven
In Revelation 5, as Jesus is revealed as the “Lion of the Tribe of Judah” and the “Lamb who was slain,” praise erupts; that praise rolls out, beginning around the throne and out through myriads of angels. It reaches all of Heaven and Earth until even the creatures who inhabit the earth break out in praise!
As we see many times in Revelation, the continuous sound of praise to God fills Heaven. Praise is the atmosphere of Heaven. We can bring that atmosphere to Earth, by faith, simply by beginning to praise.
A Vision of Praise
I believe the call to praise is a message for our time. God is releasing a new sound of praise across the earth. He is drawing forth His treasure from a multitude of hearts. As that praise rolls out, it will smash down strongholds and unleash God’s power. People will rise to praise in unity, and as they do, walls will be broken down.
So, we will say, “This is not what we expected. But, oh, how glorious this is! How great is our God.” And those once lost will say, “How merciful Jesus is—even to me…yes, even to me!”
Helen Calder
Enliven Ministries
Email: helen@enlivenpublishing.com
Website: www.enlivenpublishing.com
Helen Calder is a prophetic minister and writer, and founder of Enliven Ministries, in the David McCracken Ministries family. Helen has a unique gift of equipping in the areas of prophetic ministry, discernment and prayer. She is known for Enliven Blog, an online prophetic training and mentoring resource that reaches thousands of people globally. Helen and Malcolm have been married for 37 years and are at home in Planetshakers Church, Melbourne, Australia.
Source: https://elijahlist.com