The guest house I stayed in in Haifa (Haifa harbour is pictured above), Israel was up on the hill, with a short walk we could walk to a look out staring over the Mediterranean sea and the port of Haifa. In the distance to the right is Lebanon. My guest house backed onto a zoo, yes, an actual animal zoo. One woman from another country once thought a woman was being murdered in the night because the peacocks yell out a “help” sound. The squawks, caa’s, howling, growling and various other noises began as a constant annoyance and became something so much more to me. God used it as a valuable teaching lesson - #1 of the trip.
Standing on the deck hearing the worship music inside the room I was standing next too, plus hearing the sounds of the zoo with it’s chorus of voices, God showed me that heaven is also very noisy too, it has constant cries going up to God.
The loud squawkers, children yelling, cries to other gods, the constant barrage of voices, the prayers, the pleas for help and guttural groanings. People and animals blending together, because God cares for and hears the needs of each animal and person.
God is continuously listening, searching for the right “cry”, the right “sound” that causes Him to turn His head, tilt it and listen. When He hears that sound, a smile spreads over His face as He hears the sound the delights Him. He focuses His attention on it.
When His children call out with the sound of praise, united in a chorus of sound, all of heaven comes to attention, they turn, they join in on the chorus. They are drawn to the sound.
Satan in his own realm stands and waits – he too hears the sounds, he too cocks his head and hears the sound of his people calling out to him. He and his army listen for their voices and join in with them, invest with them, strengthen them.
God let me know that words are communication, but sound is connection. It is sound that brings heaven to earth. God wants us to know that so many of us are waiting to go to heaven, but God wants to bring heaven down to earth. Sound does that.
God showed me visually (don’t ask me to explain that one just yet) that sound is a weapon, a very powerful and strong one. I found out that 3 of us in Israel were given this download about sound. When God repeats a message He is very serious about it.
He woke me up at 3:00am to the sound of the rooster in the zoo crowing. He asked the pointed question – how many people did I think could hear that 1 rooster? My answer was, probably thousands, because we were in a residential area. How many could hear the 1 peacock? Again thousands. He said that 1 person’s sound of praise and adoration can be heard by millions.
Sound is infectious, it invades your soul and the souls of others.
Unity in adoration and praise is a powerful tool to infect others – believers or not. Your sound can change the atmosphere, the climate.
God has shown me that sound in heaven is used and not wasted. When we sing to our King, the angels join us and the sound vibrates the whole earth and the heavens. It is a weapon in warfare, that has huge, tearing down effects for strongholds and demonic defenses.
I heard the song "I raise a Hallelujah" and when I listened to the words I knew that the author of the song "got it". He got that music is a weapon - but when I heard the story of the song - I knew it had been downloaded to him, just like me.
"The testimony of the song ‘Raise A Hallelujah’ is extraordinary. Jonathan and Melissa Helser of Bethel Music wrote it as a powerful declaration over the life of their friend’s son, Jaxon.
Jaxon’s kidney got infected by E.coli virus and he had to have blood transfusions and go on dialysis. Because of this, Jaxon’s parents reached out to their community for prayer and support.
A few days before Christmas, Jonathan received a text from their friends Joel and Janie Taylor that their son Jaxon was in a critical condition and they didn’t think the child would make it.
“As soon as I got that text, I felt like this giant of unbelief stood in front of me,” Jonathan Helser said. “I thought Jaxon’s going to die tonight, we’re not going to see the miracle.”
But something indescribable happened to the Helsers, while they were praying for a miracle. A song suddenly came out of their mouths and they started to sing a powerful declaration against the giant Jaxon was facing.
I raise a hallelujah, in the presence of my enemies I raise a hallelujah, louder than the unbelief I raise a hallelujah, my weapon is a melody I raise a hallelujah, heaven comes to fight for me
They made worship a powerful weapon against the forces of the enemy. Their hymn of praise became louder than unbelief. A lot of friends visited Jaxon and his sister Addie who was also diagnosed with the same infection. And they keep on declaring the song over them.
After medical treatment and countless prayers, the Taylors received a miracle from God. Jaxon and Addie were able to go home. Their bodies in full health."
As a dear friend of mine in Israel, Lisa said, “God uses our differences and uniqueness’ much like an orchestra, made of many instruments, to create a beautiful and perfect song/sound.”
If your praise and worship is a weapon, will you not just use it on a Sunday, will you use your voice everyday? Will you raise your voice and be part of the sound that heaven needs to hear? Crank up the music and let ‘er rip, heaven is waiting………….
More Israel next week…