Satan’s Allergy

“How shall I pray now?” The caller was desperate. He had prayed and fasted but could see no evidence that God was answering.

“Why don’t you try praise,” I suggested, reminding him that after King Jehoshaphet’s army had prayed and fasted, they went forward praising God.

When we skip praise, we are missing the part of prayer that strengthens us. Jesus implied this when he interchanged the word “praise” for “strength.” Psalm 8:2 KJV says, “Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.”

Jesus quoted this in Matthew 21:16 but substituted “praise” for “strength.” He is saying that even the simple, the toddlers and babes, can stop the enemy with praise.

Satan is repelled by praise. The evil spirits controlling Israelite’s enemies became so confused that the enemy soldiers turned upon each other. The Israelites spent three days gathering the spoils from this battle they won because they expressed their faith in God through praise.

Judges 1 tells that Joshua had just died and the Israelites were faced with fighting their first battle without their leader. They pleaded desperately, “Who will be the first to go up to fight for us against the Canaanites?” (Judges 1:1).

The Lord replied, “Judah is to go” (Judges 1:2). The word Judah is significant because it means praise. Praise is to lead the way when we’re approaching the throne of grace.“Satan is allergic to praise, so where there is massive triumphant praise, Satan is paralyzed, bound, and banished,” Paul Billheimer writes in Destined for the Throne.

Thank You, Father, for the strength I have when I praise You.

“I call to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and I am saved from my enemies” (Psalm 18:3).