By the Way: ‘Raise a hallelujah, louder than the unbelief’

By Scott Raible on October 5, 2019.

scott@937praisefm.com

When these Christians learned that their friends’ two year old son who was facing life threatening illness would possibly not survive the night, they responded with….song. Days before Christmas 2017, Joel and Janine Taylor brought their two-year-old to the hospital and was told that their son’s kidneys were shutting down due to an E. coli virus attacking his organs. Their son soon began suffering from seizures and respiratory issues and had to undergo blood transfusions and go on dialysis. One night the Taylors contacted their good friends, Bethel Worship leaders Jonathan and Melissa Helser with the news that they didn’t think their son would make it through the night. “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.'” As the Helsers went into a time of prayer, a new song was birthed in their spirits with the words, “‘I raise a hallelujah, my weapon is a melody, I raise a hallelujah, Heaven comes to fight for me.'” This song became an anthem for the family as they battled for their son’s life and recognized the power of worship as an essential spiritual weapon. After several weeks in the hospital, numerous treatments and countless prayers, the Taylors were permitted to go home with their son, who was completely healed. During this time of darkness and doubt, they were reminded of the power that can come through praising God despite the circumstances.

Like Paul and Silas in Act 16:25, who though they were bound in chains and falsely cast into prison, when they began to pray and sing, regardless of their dire circumstances, it is said that a “violent earthquake” shook the foundations of the prison and all at once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose (26). Rather than focusing on their situation, and how unfair it was, and falling into despair and fear, Paul models what happens when we focus on the goodness and power of our God, and put our faith into action with offering a sacrifice of praise. They, and all those around them, were supernaturally set free from a very real physical distress.

Similarly, Jonathan and Melissa Helser’s song “Raise a Hallelujah” not only helped strengthen the Taylors faith in God during their time of fear and doubt, it has since become a worship song sung around the world. It has been on the top of the Billboard Christian and Worship charts for the past seven months, and is sung in many Medicine Hat and area churches on any given Sunday. If you are going through a dark and difficult time right now, and are facing the giants of fear and unbelief, I encourage you to “raise a hallelujah, louder than the unbelief” and believe that as you “praise in the middle of the storm” that the King of Heaven and all His heavenly host will act on your behalf.

Scott Raible is an announcer with 93.7 Praise FM and is a licensed minister with Church of God and is ordained with Abba Ministries of Canada. Scott can be reached at scott@937praisefm.com

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