Radical Worship

“Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.” Psalm 100:1-2

“I’ll bring You more than a song
For a song in itself
Is not what You have required
You search much deeper within
Through the way things appear
You’re looking into my heart.”
Matt Redman “Heart Of Worship”

 

  • It’s time to pray with your prayer partner! Remember, prayer moves mountains!
  • Dear precious sister, I encourage you to sit quietly today and listen to praise and worship music during your quiet time. Meditate on the holiness of God.
  • After a time of reflection, open the Scriptures to read Psalms 29:2, Psalms 95:6, Psalms 109:30, Luke 4:8, and John 4:24. Copy these verses in your journal.

Radical Worship

What exactly is worship? Worship is the place of reverent awe that acknowledges who we are in the light of who God is. When we worship, we reach into the spiritual realm. It’s where God communicates with man’s spirit or soul through the free gift of the Holy Spirit (John 14:16-17). It is a place where a man cannot hide from the presence of God and where his deepest thoughts are known. God gives us this gift of worship to lift us above the circumstances of earthbound living. The joy we experience is a taste of heaven in our humanity. Have you ever experienced this raw and awesome place in your spirit-self during worship? Worship exceeds tradition and culture and allows us this personal access to the throne room. It is the only eternal activity that transcends time, space, and circumstance. The elders and angels exemplify this as they bow down and praise our Heavenly Father (Revelation. 4:10, Revelation 7:11)!

We were made to worship! God doesn’t care if we sing on key; He simply cares that we sing! It is not the song that is important to God, but the heart of the worshipper. I like how Jack Hayford describes someone who worships: “Worship changes the worshipper into the image of the One worshipped.” Seeking the Lord in sincere worship will transform us and draw us into the presence of Almighty God!

Songs, however, are imperative to worship, and as children of God, we exist to glorify our Creator. Did you know the Bible says that even the rocks will cry out in praise and that the trees will clap their hands?!

You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands. (Isaiah 55:12)

Praise is driven not by our emotions, but by our will. Matt Redman, recording artist and worship leader, says this about worship, “Revelation of God is the fuel for the fire of worship.” When we acknowledge God as almighty and desire Him over everything else, we are essentially fueled to worship. Whether it is singing, reverently laying before the Lord, or jumping up and dancing, our circumstances don’t have anything against the power of praise!

We are to praise God in all situations—in victory and in defeat, when we are in need, and when we have plenty. In fact, the times we don’t feel like praising God are actually the very moments that we should. The next time you feel discouraged or defeated, start praising the Lord! When your children are having a meltdown or your marriage is shaky, praise the Lord! God is rich in mercy to those who call upon Him. When you choose to break out in unrestrained worship in the darkest hour of your life, watch out! Heaven may begin to rock the foundations of your life to set you free from the circumstances that bind you.

Start your time in worship by practicing the art of being still—deliberately turn off the noise. Jesus made sure to remove Himself to find strength and to hear from God the Father. Stillness will bring assurance, calm, and peace to your mind and soul.

According to Psalm 100, we are to, “Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise,” giving thanks to Him and praising His name. To enter into the Holy of Holies (presence of God), we need to first reconcile with the Lord and ask Him to cleanse us. When we knock, He says He will answer (Revelation 3:20). When we ask Him to forgive our sin, He graciously forgives (Acts 13:38-39). We will be free to worship unrestrained, for the blood of Jesus sets us free! God is such a perfect gentleman that He gently holds His nail-pierced hands out for us to surrender our sins to Him. Whatever burdens you may have, lay them down, and then start singing!

Singing pleases the Lord! Every tribe and every heart will sing, and every knee will bow to the risen King! Psalm 98:5 urges us to “make music to the Lord with the harp, with the harp and the sound of singing.” And Isaiah 35:10 states, “and those the Lord has rescued will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.”

Another way to worship the Lord is by singing verses from the Bible. God’s Word contains life and the power to renew our minds, heal our brokenness, and change our lives. It gives us direction for every problem we face. It’s God’s love letter to us, full of promises to His children. Confessing God’s Word saves us from sin and brings us into a personal, intimate relationship with Him. Try singing the words and make up your own tune—may praise be ever on your lips! This is also a fantastic way to learn and teach Scripture because singing helps us remember. Try putting a verse to a tune, and see how soon you and your children are humming and reciting God’s Word!

Put your hands up as you worship: This is a form of trust and proclaims your faith. Relieve your yoke by raising your hands to heaven, and the shackles that want to hold you back will be broken in the victory of Jesus’ name! Jesus wants to make your yoke easy and your burden light (Matthew 11:30).

Enhance your worship experience by kneeling while you sing and praise the Lord. We need to live day in and day out in this spiritual position of submission to the King of Kings. God says in the Prophets and in the New Testament that every knee will bow before Him (Isaiah 45:23, Romans 14:11, Philippians 2:10). Submission is a state of total helplessness and the mark of a true servant who has no plans of his own. The true servant exists only to fulfill and execute the will of his Master. Face-down worship is a symbol of total surrender.

Blessings and Love,

Rae-Ellen

Questions to Ponder

  • What does your worship look like?
  • Do you raise your hands in abandoned worship?
  • Do you ever sing God’s Word out loud?
  • Has the Holy Spirit been prodding you to let go of others’ opinions and worship Him as I described above?

Charles Spurgeon says it best:

I believe that in public worship we should do well to be bound by no human rules, and constrained by no stereotyped order.

Get your song back, and don’t let the enemy mute you!

Faith-Filled Ideas

Don’t be just a Sunday worshipper!

  • Worship at home and make it a daily routine!
  • Encourage your family to dance and worship with you. Even your husband will feel his burdens lift as he dances around the living room! If he thinks it’s not manly, remind him that King David danced!
Rae-Ellen Sanders
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