Today's Passage - Psalm 47:1-4

River of Life Christian Church ︳www.rolcc.net/english Psalm 47:1-4   Clap your hands, all you nations; shout to God with cries of joy. For the Lord Most High is awesome, the great King over all the earth. He subdued nations under us, peoples under our feet. He chose our inheritance for us, the pride of Jacob, whom he loved.   Verse one says that we need to clap our hands. Why do we need to clap our hands? Clapping is to shout to God and proclaim victory, because our God is a victorious God, and by God we can proclaim victory against the enemy each and every day! We are normally not used to clapping in the church. Some people say that clapping is to give glory to people instead of God, but this scripture passage clearly tells us that clapping is not to give glory to people, but rather to shout to God with cries of joy through clapping! Also, traditional churches forbid clapping, which is not really reasonable. When you hear a great performance by a choir that praised our God, after the last high note was hit and song ended, suddenly there's dead silence. Actually, everyone wants to shout hallelujah, but because of church tradition people are afraid of expressing themselves and no one claps, which is not reasonable. We are used to silent prayer and staying quiet, but we lack the ability to shout and proclaim victory!   If you study the book of Chronicles carefully, you'd see that all the spiritual battles are won in the midst of shouting! Each time when Israelites and their kings shout to God, God will fight for them. Brothers and sisters, we really need to learn how to clap to proclaim victory in our life and ministry; when we clap and shout, the enemy will flee, hallelujah! We need to learn to be victorious by the Lord, because our God is God Almighty and He's the king who rules the whole universe! He's the master of all things who's sitting on the throne, so how could there be anything too difficult for Him?   I am often asked this question: "Pastor Tong, how can you be victorious in the midst of such pressure, and still so joyful?" My only secret is to proclaim victory! I often come before God to praise and worship Him, and shout to rebuke all the work of enemy Satan! When I encounter any difficulty in my life or ministry, as soon as I shout and proclaim by faith, the enemy would flee and God will fight for me, and He has personally made way in my life, in the church and in my ministry. In the same way, you can also experience the same grace from God! No matter what kind of difficulty you are encountering now, just come before God by faith and proclaim victory! Shout with the voice of victory so that God's power will be manifested through your life!   Pray with Pastor Tong          Lord, I thank you because you have already overcome, and now we can proclaim victory against the enemy. May you help us to truly understand that in Christ we can overcome and we can do everything, hallelujah! I thank you and I pray in the victorious name of Jesus, amen!