ON THE VANGUARD

THE GARMENT OF PRAISE
“The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor…and provide for those who grieve in Zion – to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor.”
Isaiah 61:1a, 3

Have you ever experienced those moments when you just feel weighed down? I liken the feeling to a thumb squishing an ant. A huge weight just comes over you and you are not sure how or if you can come out from under it. This feeling is one I have known in waves over the past few weeks. Actually, if I was to be honest, I have been feeling these waves over the past few years. It has just been felt strongly again over the past few weeks. But how do we escape this feeling of heaviness, depression, or oppression? How do move away from this ill feeling of weakness and find ourselves again in a moment of strength? God reminded me last night of the exit, and from this lesson I write to you today.
In Acts 16 we read a section of one of Paul’s three missionary journeys. While traveling with Silas and spreading the good news of Christ, they found themselves being followed by a young girl who kept calling out, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.” It wasn’t that these words were false, but rather that the spirit in her was causing frustration and was flat out obnoxious. So, on the third straight day of this chant, Paul turned to her and commanded the spirit out of her. At that moment the spirit left. But, as the owners of the girl realized their money-making prophetess was delivered, they began to grow angry at Paul and Silas. The two were flogged by many within the town and then thrown in jail.
Acts 16:25 tells us that around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing to God. With their feet in stocks and nowhere to go and no way to run, Paul and Silas could have let themselves be defeated. They could have embraced this spirit of heaviness. But they did not. Instead, they traded the spirit of heaviness for the garment of praise. As they worshiped God, their joy increased. As their joy increased, so also their faith increased. And when faith is stretched out, God has open reign to work His wonders. Suddenly – oh how I have grown to love this word when God is on the other side. Suddenly, an earthquake violently rocked the jail. The doors flew open and the shackles were released allowing all the prisoners their freedom.
Their freedom didn’t come because they were good singers, but their freedom came because they threw off heaviness. Instead of allowing a pity party of depression to sink them lower, they began to praise. As Isaiah 61:3 says, the Spirit of God has come to give us the “oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.” Are you in despair? Then cry out to God. Exchange your clothing. Rip from off you this spirit of heaviness that wants to weigh you down. Command it off you in the name of Jesus Christ. The devil has no power over you if you are a child of God. Rip it off, and instead put on the garment of praise.
Too often we see the junk and not the reason for joy. But the more we see this trash heap in front of us, the more we focus on it and allow it to consume us. We think of all the times we have been let down, of the times we have been treated unjustly, of the times ill fate has happened to us. But stop! This spirit of heaviness is weighing you down. Instead, put on His garment of praise and worship Him despite the current circumstance you are in. Paul and Silas were in jail. They had just gotten done being flogged by an angry mob. Yet still, they wore the garment of praise and worshiped God in their cell. Suddenly. Suddenly! Suddenly God came through. Give God praise in your pain, your cell, your hurt, and suddenly God will come through for you also. Stripe off the spirit of heaviness and wear the garment of praise.