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May 07, 2023

Worship

Worship

Speaker: James Gallaher

Category: Sunday Morning

Worship is used as a weapon and a shield against the enemy.

The coronation of the new King of England happened yesterday with lots of pomp and circumstance - a remarkable moment. "God Save the King" was sung in unison which relays power. The same feeling is provoked with our National Anthem being sung at a baseball game providing meaning to the history of our country. Music and singing has the ability to influence our emotions more than just a declaration. The Psalms were songs written to be sung even with instruments so that others will see, fear, and trust in the Lord. 

Psalm 47:5-7 God has ascended with a shout, The Lord, with the sound of a trumpet. Sing praises to God, sing praises; Sing praises to our King, sing praises. For God is the King of all the earth; Sing praises with a psalm of wisdom.

Psalm 40:1-3 I waited patiently for the Lord; And He reached down to me and heard my cry. He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the mud; And He set my feet on a rock, making my footsteps firm. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God; Many will see and fear And will trust in the Lord.

Psalm 40:1-3 (The Message) I waited and waited and waited for God. At last he looked; finally he listened. He lifted me out of the ditch, pulled me from deep mud. He stood me up on a solid rock to make sure I wouldn’t slip. He taught me how to sing the latest God-song, a praise-song to our God. More and more people are seeing this: they enter the mystery, abandoning themselves to God.

Is it possible that our singing has lost power because we don't abandon ourselves to God? We tend to absorb and receive without abandoning ourselves to God. Abandon means to give up with an intent to never again claim a right or interest to something; to give up control or influence to another person or agent. Worship is not worship until we have abandoned ourselves to God. It requires a giving up on our part. This abandonment to God brings peace and joy to our lives. Worry, fear, anxiety, etc. are all from me trying to control outcomes. Peace comes when we abandon ourselves and our understanding to God.

2 Chronicles 20:14 Now it came about after this, that the sons of Moab and the sons of Ammon, together with some of the Meunites, came to make war against Jehoshaphat. Then some came and reported to Jehoshaphat, saying, “A great multitude is coming against you from beyond the sea, from Aram; and behold, they are in Hazazon-tamar (that is Engedi).” Jehoshaphat was afraid and turned his attention to seek the Lord; and he proclaimed a period of fasting throughout Judah. So Judah gathered together to seek help from the Lord; they even came from all the cities of Judah to seek the Lord.

Jehoshaphat has known peace in Israel until this point. Then these armies are gathering against Israel. Jehoshaphat counts his resources and realizes that they don't have enough to gain victory. Do we feel this way at times with our walk with God having problems every way we look and no resources to gain victory? Jehoshaphat did what anyone would do - he feared. And then he takes a step... Verse 6-12 and he said, “Lord, God of our fathers, are You not God in the heavens? And are You not ruler over all the kingdoms of the nations? Power and might are in Your hand so that no one can stand against You. Did You not, our God, drive out the inhabitants of this land from Your people Israel, and give it to the descendants of Your friend Abraham forever? They have lived in it, and have built You a sanctuary in it for Your name, saying, ‘If disaster comes upon us, the sword, or judgment, or plague, or famine, we will stand before this house and before You (for Your name is in this house), and cry out to You in our distress, and You will hear and save us.’ Now behold, the sons of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, whom You did not allow Israel to invade when they came out of the land of Egypt (for they turned aside from them and did not destroy them), see how they are rewarding us by coming to drive us out from Your possession which You have given us as an inheritance. Our God, will You not judge them? For we are powerless before this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are on You.”

What forces are coming against you? God's Word says when we are against impossibilities or battles, that He will fight our battles. Nothing we bring is sufficient, but we must abandon ourselves to God. 

Verse 15-17 And he said, “Listen, all you of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and King Jehoshaphat: This is what the Lord says to you: ‘Do not fear or be dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours but God's. Tomorrow, go down against them. Behold, they will come up by the ascent of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the valley in front of the wilderness of Jeruel. You need not fight in this battle; take your position, stand and watch the salvation of the Lord in your behalf, Judah and Jerusalem.’ Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow, go out to face them, for the Lord is with you.”

We will not have to face the battle when we abandon our worship to our God. Acknowledge that no resource or might will stand up against but only the Lord God who calls us by name. Acknowledge the One who comes to deliver us. Verse 18-19 Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before the Lord, worshiping the Lord. The Levites, from the sons of the Kohathites and from the sons of the Korahites, stood up to praise the Lord God of Israel, with a very loud voice.

Abandonment in worship means that no matter what is in front of us, we choose to praise the Lord. Victory begins with our worship - fixing our eyes on Jesus and His power instead of looking at what surrounds us. Matthew 14 tells of the storm that comes while the disciples are in a boat. Jesus comes walking on the water and calls to them. The disciples feared the storm and now feared the ghost. As Jesus calls, Peter takes his focus off the troubles and takes a step on the water with eyes focused on Jesus. Then Peter puts his eyes back on the surrounding problem and fears until Jesus comes to pull him up. Verse 32-33 When they got into the boat, the wind stopped. And those who were in the boat worshiped Him, saying, “You are truly God’s Son!”

2 Chronicles 20:21-23 When he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who sang to the Lord and those who praised Him in holy attire, as they went out before the army and said, “Give thanks to the Lord, for His faithfulness is everlasting.” When they began singing and praising, the Lord set ambushes against the sons of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; so they were struck down. For the sons of Ammon and Moab rose up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir, completely destroying them; and when they had finished with the inhabitants of Seir, they helped to destroy one another. Offer abandoned worship from beginning of the battle until the end. Their response was the same no matter the situation... to praise God. Praise becomes a weapon when it is offered with abandonment. Psalm 34:1-3 I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul will make its boast in the Lord; The humble will hear it and rejoice. Exalt the Lord with me, And let’s exalt His name together. 

Worship is used as a weapon and a shield against the enemy. Abandonment! Are we more concerned that we are dignified in our worship rather than what we are offering to our King? Worship is for God; worship is not for people. It wasn't intended for us to be spectators. In worship, we declare that He is God and there is no other. Breakthrough begins with worship. 

Explain worship as a weapon.
Do you find it hard to worship with abandon? Why is that? 
How can we see more abandonment in worship in our own lives?