Triumphant 80's praise

"Praise brings the victory". Our younger readers might have never heard such a statement. Back in the day - the 80's - that almost summed up charismatic doctrine on praise and worship.

Along with it was a triumphant - some would say triumphalist - outlook on the world.

Consider these lines from some of our songs of praise:

"We'll take the nations for Jesus as Satan's kingdom falls
Righteousness and truth will prevail through our God"

or

"There's a great and mighty army
In the earth today,
Dressed in splendid armour,
They're in full array.
The hosts of darkness tremble
As they walk their way,
There's a great and mighty army in the earth today.

"So I'll shout, I'll shout the victory,
The enemy is under my feet.
So I'll shout I'll shout the victory,
For great is our King, great is our King, great is the King of Kings!"

Then the next verse went "I am in that mighty army in the earth today..." etc.

There were loads of "victory" songs like this.

And we had teaching on praise. Remember all those Hebrew word studies? And how Paul and Silas got the victory in jail because they were praising?

Is this still the outlook in the charismatic world? Have we forgotten this dimension of praise? Or is it so embedded in the charismatic psyche and liturgy that we just don't notice it any more?

Have we lost the note of triumph? Or have we just got over our triumphalism? I'd love to know what you think.

And for our younger readers. Please feel free to try this at home. You don't need your parents' permission.

Above is a tame version of one of the above songs.