My Weapon-Shout to the Lord

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“Shout to the Lord, all the earth; break out in praise and sing for joy!”
— Psalm 98:4

One of the greatest spiritual weapons of warfare I have found in my life is to worship God, NO MATTER WHAT. Yes, there is a time for lament, expressing grief- anger- frustrations of unanswered prayers and angst with all that is wrong in the world , that too is worship as we focus our attention on God and His promises through the darkness. (Click here to read past blogs of mine like “Mourn With Those Who Mourn”, or “Learning to Lament”). I have found worshipping God freely in “Spirit and in Truth” is a gift. (John 4:22-24). A song that best expresses this heart cry and theological truth is by Natalie Grant “My Weapon” :

My Weapon- Natalie Grant

“Let every lie be silenced
And all depression cease
Let every dark assignment
Bow down at Jesus' feet

Let every curse be broken
Let every storm be tamed
And all that come against us
Be bound in Jesus' name

Your presence is my greatest weapon
Pushing back the darkness
Breaking every chain
My worship opens up the heavens
Crushing every stronghold
When I speak Your name
'Cause Your presence is my weapon
Your presence is my weapon

Your strength will not be shaken
Your love will not back down
Death has been defeated
What can stop me now?

I hold on to what You've spoken
You said that I am free
You've given me Your promise
And You are my victory

Your presence is my greatest weapon
Pushing back the darkness
Breaking every chain
My worship opens up the heavens
Crushing every stronghold
When I speak Your name
'Cause Your presence is my weapon
Your presence is my weapon

Your word and a melody
Are making a way for me
You defeat the enemy
This prison is shaking now
And these walls are coming down
Your presence makes me free
I am free

Your presence is my greatest weapon
Pushing back the darkness
Breaking every chain
My worship opens up the heavens
Crushing every stronghold
When I speak Your name
'Cause Your presence is my weapon
Your presence is my weapon.”

(Your Presence is my Weapon- Natalie Grant, 2020 from the No Stranger Album)

I’m grateful for all the “seeds of faith” planted in my life since I was a little girl. From Sunday school, Vacation Bible School, my many Bibles- crosses, Jesus pictures, Confirmation classes, Youth Groups…- I had umpteen opportunities to hear about the power of God, the character of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit in my life. It wasn’t until my mid 20’s after I was married and became a mom, where I opened up my heart and prayed to God to confess openly to Him as an audience of One. In the middle of the night in the privacy of my home, I prayed to God and He answered my soul cry. That night, I knew that I knew that I knew, that GOD WAS REAL, Jesus is who He said He was and that Holy Spirit empowering presence to counsel, guide, nurture, heal was available to all who believe.

Since that moment in January 1996, I have :

  • learned the truth of my identity in Christ, a Journey of Faith no doubt

  • been fascinated by the purpose, importance and power of prayer to God

  • developed a desire to read, reflect, meditate on His Word- the Bible

  • realized that my greatest weapon in life is truly to worship God, no matter what.

“Whatever current difficulty or hardship we find ourselves in, there is one thing that is a source of comfort and strength above all else, and it is also our greatest weapon—the presence of God. And His presence is always with us,...May this song remind you that God is with you and God is for you, fighting your battles. He is your victory.”
— Natalie Grant

In those early years as a mom, I was blown away by God’s goodness in my life that I was led by His Holy Spirit to worship the Lord in my kitchen while washing dishes, out in nature when out for a walk, in the shower as I’d belt out scripture from the depths of my soul. Sometimes it would be a traditional hymn that would come to mind from my childhood that now had greater meaning in my life, or a newer contemporary song from a worship artist or band. Amazing looking back at how technology has changed in my lifetime- albums-8 tracks-cassettes- CDs- IPods- now for me, Spotify/Apple Itunes and SiriusXM Christian Radio stations!

Today, I want to honour a sister in faith who God has utilized in my life as a role model/ a mentor from afar as she lived in Australia and me- an import to Canada from Northern Minnesota after marrying Tim and moving to Saskatoon in 1990. She modelled confidence in Christ, freedom in worship and authenticity with her life as she speaks, serves and leads worship to the hundreds/ thousands, now millions across the globe with her influence.

Celebrating Darlene Zschech!

I had the honour to meet Darlene after a women’s conference in St. Louis Missouri I attended with my mom in 2008. It’s a moment I will never forget. You see, this was the first women’s conference I had attended with my mom where I wasn’t the leader, speaker and could just “be”. We had never travelled alone together as a mother-daughter before without kids, husbands etc- so this was an ultimate highlight for me to be with mom for the weekend staying in a lovely hotel, sightseeing, going to a fabulous women’s event with thousands of women gathered was just inspiring. In the bleachers as Darlene was leading her last worship set of the conference, my mom elbowed me and said “Jodi, I know you want to go down there to the front- Go!”

Go I did!

It was so fun to be at the front of this ‘women’s mosh pit’ (hah- don’t laugh at me, celebrate- laugh with me!)- where it was a closing celebration with massive pink and white airy balls bouncing around as we closed off the empowering- inspiring weekend for women. It felt like heavens rehearsal for me, singing powerful songs of declaration of faith, love, hope, power to our hearts and our world in need of transformation:

Songs like Way Maker, Victors Crown, The Potters Hand, Let the Peace of God Reign, All Things are Possible, Come, Now is the Time to Worship, I am Yours, Lion and the Lamb, It is Well, Your Presence is Heaven, Change Your World, I Speak Jesus (With Here be Lions), Blessed Be Your Name- and most memorable for me: Shout to the Lord!

The icing on the cake for me was when mom somewhat forced me to get up earlier than planned to assure we were at the airport early enough to be the first in line and then relax at a Starbucks before we boarded our flights and went home to our respective cities: (Fargo, ND for Mom, and Saskatoon, SK Canada for me). Dragging my NOT morning girl self to the cab, airport and then coffee shop, I did so to please mom. (Fighting the notion that mothers know best, right??)

Who was in line right after us with NO ONE ELSE in the coffee shop other than us four? Darlene Zschech and her mom grabbing a coffee en-route back home to Australia where she led as the primary worship leader at Hillsong. Below is Darlene featured in an interview last year:

Where is Darlene At Now?

In 2011 , Darlene and her husband followed the call to leave Hillsong church to be lead pastors at HopeUC which they continue to lead today. LIttle did he know that Hope, Courage and the ability to practice God’s presence through the dark times of facing breast cancer in 2013 as she shared in the interview above. Her experience has not shattered her faith, but it has been used by God to strengthen it as He has brought her through the deep waters.

Her latest book “The Golden Thread” speaks to people facing a new chapter in life. It speaks to me. The message reminds me of the golden threads in my life through times of adversity. She shares Godly wisdom for us all as we face our own challenges and transitions in life. Wisdom like:

“We can’t fill our hands with the new until we empty our hands with the old”

She shares about the importance of practicing the presence of God and being a worshipper in the valleys of life as well as the mountains. We need to press in and declare Gods goodness by going to a deeper place to find the presence of God, even in the ‘shadow of death’.

Because of what Christ Jesus has done for me personally, I have learned to become a worshipper of God in my heart before I ever served on a “worship team” at my local church in my 20’s and 30’s. Darlene has been a role model then and continues to be as one of the many world changer women leaders I admire, who has and continues to “Fight the Good Fight” (1 Timothy 6:12) . It’s been nearly 20 years since I have served on a worship team, but what’s most important is that we experience God’s presence in every season of life.

We Are All Going Through a Transition

Changes are all around. From personal changes and tragedies to global ones, may I invite you to trust in Jesus through these uncertain times and worship Him for the first time. If you have known him for years or all of your life, I encourage you to press in to discover worship as the greatest weapon your soul will encounter as you bring worship where worship is due. To our Creator, to our Lord of Lords, King of Kings- the One who holds the keys to heaven and hell’s destruction. He is Sovereign, he is Holy, He is Righteous, He is the Waymaker my friend. What we are witnessing globally is not a surprise to the Lord. He weeps with humanity- and there will come a day where Justice will be enacted for eternity, Restoration of the earth will be realized and He will “He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain…” (Revelation 21: 4) . Until then, He is a tower of refuge, a shelter for us when we pray and allow our souls to be still in Christ as he fights this battle within for peace to reign and rule within our own hearts.

“But you are a tower of refuge to the poor, O Lord, a tower of refuge to the needy in distress. You are a refuge from the storm and a shelter from the heat. For the oppressive acts of ruthless people are like a storm beating against a wall, or like the relentless heat of the desert. But you silence the roar of foreign nations. As the shade of a cloud cools relentless heat, so the boastful songs of ruthless people are stilled.”
— Isaiah 25: 4-5 NLV

Shout to the Lord

“My Jesus, my Saviour
Lord there is none like You
All of my days I want to praise
The wonders of Your mighty love

My comfort, my shelter
Tower of refuge and strength
Let every breath, all that I am
Never cease to worship You

Shout to the Lord all the Earth, let us sing
Power and majesty, praise to the King
Mountains bow down and the seas will roar
At the sound of Your name

I sing for joy at the work of Your hands
Forever I'll love You, forever I'll stand
Nothing compares to the promise I have
In You

My Jesus, my Saviour
Lord there is none like You
All of my days I want to praise
The wonders of Your mighty love

My comfort
My shelter
Tower of refuge and strength
Let every breath, all that I am
Never cease to worship You

Shout to the Lord all the Earth, let us sing
Power and majesty, praise to the King
Mountains bow down and the seas will roar
At the sound of Your name

I sing for joy at the work of Your hands
Forever I'll love You, forever I'll stand
Nothing compares to the promise I have
In You

Shout to the Lord all the Earth, let us sing
Power and majesty, praise to the King
Mountains bow down and the seas will roar
At the sound of Your name

I sing for joy at the work of Your hands
Forever I'll love You, forever I'll stand
Nothing compares to the promise I have
Oh nothing compares to the promise I have
Nothing compares to the promise I have
In You” - Darlene Zschech (1994) Hillsong Worship Australia

To listen to more interviews and messages from Darlene, there are a ton online. Some to recommend would be this sermon from 2017 “Lessons from the Valley”, “Prayer of Brave” in 2020, “Sacrifice of Praise” in 2021, “Get Wisdom” 2022.

Celebrating Sisterhood in Australia and Across the Globe!

As our world continues to experience shared grief, my hope and heart is that many will come to experience the saving grace found in Jesus Christ in the depths of their souls cry for peace. Not religion, but a relationship with Him. As I count women like Darlene Zschech a “sister in Christ” in Australia, I celebrate sisterhood with women all across the globe. Tim and I had the JOY of visiting Australia in 2016 and travelled to various regions and grew a deeper love for God’s heart for the nations as a result. While there, I attended a Sisterhood Colour Conference and received from other sisters like Christine Caine and met founder Bobbie Houston- other incredible Aussie world changers! God has planted us in each country, city, neighbourhood for a reason and a season, which Acts 17 speaks to:

“He is the God who made the world and everything in it. Since he is Lord of heaven and earth, he doesn’t live in man-made temples, and human hands can’t serve his needs—for he has no needs. He himself gives life and breath to everything, and he satisfies every need. From one man he created all the nations throughout the whole earth. He decided beforehand when they should rise and fall, and he determined their boundaries.
“His purpose was for the nations to seek after God and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him—though he is not far from any one of us. For in him we live and move and exist.”
— Acts 17:24-27 NLT

May you learn / relearn to “Shout to the Lord” in this season my friend as He desires to draw near to us all in this time. Worship is our greatest weapon. The enemy of our soul knows that, so do what you can to press on to usher in the presence of God in your heart, your home, your faith community and your world.

“You thrill me, Lord, with all you have done for me! I sing for joy because of what you have done. ”
— Psalm 92:4 NLT

Shout to the Lord and Agnus Dei with Darlene Zschech and Micheal W Smith in May 2013. On 11 December 2013, Zschech announced that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer. In a blog dated 30 November 2014, she wrote that she has been healed of cancer, which her doctor called miraculous.

Further Resources: