March 28, 2024

Girls with Swords: Chapter 11 Weekly Review – “Sword of Song” (with a SURPRISE Guest!!)

 

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Sing unto the Lord a new song!”  Did this group ever worship the Lord in song this week and bring joy to Campground USA!  Music, music, music could be heard blaring from our cabins, and women singing all up and down the nature trails as they went on their morning walk.  Guess who else was singing with us?  Why, the birds, of course!  They seemed to be saying:  “It’s about time you all joined in with us!”

Even the other campers didn’t seem to mind the sound of music and songs filtering throughout the campground.  Yes, music is a universal language everyone seems to relate to.  But, as a sword??  Who would have thought?  I can’t wait to see how my girlfriends explain this one.  Let’s check them out!

Teresa

Lisa begins this chapter with the introduction of a truly amazing sword.  (The flamberge, which means “flame blade.”) This sword causes vibrations which loosens the opponent’s grip and causes them to lose footing.  The vibrations give the sword-bearer the upper hand. 

The same thing happens when the created ones praise the Creator.  The power is in the praise.  Lisa says, “as we singespecially when we sing the Wordthe airwaves begin to vibrate with sound, and the grip of the enemy slips as the friction between light and darkness increases.”  

When we sing praises to God the Father, the Creator, we join our vibrations with other humans, animals, and His creation to return thanks and worship to One worthy to be praised.

Jennifer

Exodus 15:1-2 says:  I will sing to the Lord, for He has triumphed gloriously; He has hurled both horse and rider into the sea. The Lord is my strength and my song; He has given me victory. This is my God, and I will praise Him – my father’s God, and I will exalt Him!

This song marks the origin or beginning of songIt came after the Lord had just parted the Red Sea for the Israelites allowing them all to cross; then the water rushed back into place, sweeping the Egyptians away with it. 

Music:

  • draws us closer to our Creator
  • it invites Him into our space and allows Him to work
  • provides a means of coping with a difficult life situation
  • declares our trust in the One who is trustworthy; the One who loves us beyond comprehension; and the One who seeks to meet our every need in His perfect time
  • God is magnified, His dominion is declared over our situation.  As He inhabits the praises of His people, we are before Him even as He is within us.  Our hearts begin to swell with His courage as they overflow with gratitude.  (Lisa)

Lift your voice to the King.  He is waiting to hear your voice!

Tonya

Isaiah 54:1 says: “Sing, O barren, you who have not borne! Break forth into singing, and cry aloud, you who have not labored with child! For more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married woman,” says the Lord. (NKJV)

Just as Lisa has described it:  “The sounds of music helps to create a type of joyful strength and the ability to remind us of just how awesome the Most High is.”

There are times in our lives when we need to pick up our sword of song, we need to wield it, shout and sing.  The song of battle needs to be one of our tools as a warrior of Christ, and as a girl with a sword.

Diane

There are some things I feel compelled to share with you about this chapter.

1.  Revelation 4:9-10  Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say: “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.”

The first time I read this passage —-

  • It helped me solidify who God is in my life.  He is worthy of all of my praise, glory, and honor.
  • It challenges me to make sure that in everything I do, there are elders on their knees in Heaven worshipping our One and Only.

2.  Music invites your body to move, but remembering all that God has done for you will move you.  (Lisa) It will move you out of darkness!

3.  The song that moved me out of some of the darkest hours of my life is:

I love you Lord, and I lift my voice

To worship you, oh my soul rejoice.

Take joy, my King, in what you hear

May it be a sweet, sweet sound in your ear.

4.  Is the song you sing every day the life you live for God? 

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After Diane spoke, I stood before the group and spoke.

Ladies, I believe the Sword of Song has touched all of our hearts in a powerful way.  Tonight, as we enter into His gates with Thanksgiving and into His courts with praise, we are very blessed to have a very special Guest; one of our very own GCH group members leading us into God’s presence.  

Would you please welcome Coleen Hayden and her husband Robert, as they minister to us in song. Coleen is our Prayer Ministry Leader, and we just love her to pieces!  Sing to Him a New Song!

Thank you Robert & Coleen for blessing us with such a beautiful song!

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Let’s Pray: 

I come into agreement with Diane’s prayer that seems to sum up the whole chapter.  I thank You for orchestrating the songs of our lives.  Help us to play back to You the music You created in our souls from the very beginning.  I pray we desire to bring You praise and glory and honor.  I thank You for the melody You are playing in our lives.  Help us to always let our lives be a sweet, sweet sound to Your ear!  In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

Girls with Swords: Chapter 11 – “Sword of Song – Songs of Battle” (pgs 170-173)

 

When I read this section, I thought of this song. I thought of how this song touches my heart and empowers me each time I hear it. This song reminds me of how music works, it reminds me of those times when I was in the middle of a battle, in the middle of a test or trial and I would turn music on. Sometimes I would sing aloud, or sometimes I would sing silently to myself; either way the words of the song, and the sounds of the music would help to create a type of “joyful strength” (p. 171), as Lisa described it. Songs have the ability to “remind us of just how awesome the Most High is” (p. 171).  It is so easy to become caught up in life and to let His promises drift to the back of our mind. Music has a way of bringing us back.

Isaiah 54:1

“Sing, O barren,
You who have not borne!
Break forth into singing, and cry aloud,
You who have not labored with child!
For more are the children of the desolate
Than the children of the married woman,” says the Lord.
(NKJV)

I think of praise and worship on Sundays, and the atmosphere that the songs usher in. The sanctuary full of people singing praises to God in unison, everyone lifting their voices in praise and thanks to our Heavenly Father. His power in the room can be felt. It pours into our hearts and minds, it covers us in God’s love. I think of driving in the car with the radio playing and a feeling of life and peace enveloping me. I think of my rambunctious children and the effect that music has on them!  I love hearing them singing Christian songs in the backseat as we go about our daily tasks; in their own way, they are singing through their own battles.

There are ‘go-to’ songs that I have when I need to feel closer to God; songs I listen to when I clean; songs I play for my children when they go to sleep. God has given us many tools in life, and the gift of song is one of them. There are times in our lives when we need to pick up our sword of song, we need to wield it, shout and sing. The song of battle needs to be one of our tools as a warrior of Christ, and, as a girl with a sword.

Let’s Pray:

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your gifts! Thank You for reminding us of Your love and Your strength through song. Thank You for the joy it creates, and the security it provides. Lord, please give us a holy boldness and remind us that we are living for none other than You.  In Jesus’ Name we pray, AMEN!