The following post, titled 'We Worship', is based on our True Worship Series across C3 Sydney's 11 locations.
Praise the Lord!
Sing to the Lord a new song,
And His praise in the assembly of saints.
Let Israel rejoice in their Maker;
Let the children of Zion be joyful in their King.(Psalm 149:1-2 NKJV)
Worship is the environment in which we connect with the Father and in which the Holy Spirit ministers to us. It is important therefore, not to stand on the side lines but to be actively involved.
When I think of praise, I think of joy and also of war. Praise is a weapon in our mouths, moving beyond a single moment of commitment to a God-filled way of life.
When the enemy surrounded the home of Elisha the Prophet, his servant was afraid. But when the servant became tuned into the spiritual reality, the problem shrank: God’s army was there to fight for them. The power of worship is in opening our eyes to the spiritual reality of who God is. When we see God as He really is, our problems shrink and it gives us faith.
God loves to do new things.
Psalm 149 tells us to sing Him new songs. We need to be engaged in worship, not on autopilot. This Psalm tells us to have a dance, a joyful dance inside us. In this age of smart phones we can engage in worship at any time or place. We are to have houses of praise and worship where the dark powers are rendered useless in God’s presence.
Praise + Faith = Power
Praise needs to have the accompaniment of faith to realise its full power. Romans 10:17 says that faith comes from hearing and worship is in your own hearing. So worship and you are speaking faith to yourself. Ephesians 6:17 speaks of the sword of the Spirit which we need to engage in the spiritual battles of life. You might be disappointed with God because He has not moved on your behalf. Have you considered that He has already put the answer in your hand -you just need to use it? Scripture is a weapon that God has put in your hand. Jesus Himself used it to fight the enemy. Switch on your faith and speak the word. Hebrews 10:23 calls on us to be unwavering. The hardest part about having faith is not getting it but keeping it. Be unwavering in using the word and worship to stir faith in yourself.
2 Corinthians 4:13 says that we have the same spirit of faith as the Psalmist, David -the giant killer. After David killed the first giant (Goliath), his followers copied his example and killed Goliath’s brothers. All things are possible with God, when you stir up your own faith, you encourage others to do the same.
Heart and Mouth Connection
Romans 10:9 speaks of a heart and mouth connection: we believe and confess and this becomes a cycle of faith building. We speak and hear, which creates faith, which spurs us on to speak it more and so on. Romans 14:23 says that what is not of faith misses the mark. Hebrews 11:6 says it is impossible to please God without faith. SO, if we want to please God and hit our target, we must build our faith. 2 Peter 1:4 reminds us that the promises of God in His word are exceedingly greater than any problem we are facing. It can be hard to believe when you don’t want to or the problem is large but believing God is our job as Christians.
Psalm 149 reminds us that God wants us to have a joyful heart and Paul taught us to be joyful no matter what happens. Joyful does not mean shallow or naive, a joyful Christian is one that has discovered the power of worship.
Something to talk about:
1. Christmas is a time when God’s praises are all around us (Christmas Carols). Do you have a favourite? What about a new song you love to sing?
2. What hinders us from using worship and the word to fight our battles?
3. What promise has God put in your hand? Read them out to each other.
