Vibrant Worship
In conversation with a couple who were preparing to join a worship team in my
community, the husband lamented the fact that too many people come and sit
during worship time. “Entertain me! Oh, I might worship a little, but don’t expect
me to lift my hands.” He asked me, what happened between the exuberant worship
of the 70’s and 80’s and the dead worship today?
Now you youngsters reading this column probably think that it couldn’t have been
that good back then. Oh, let me tell you, it was great! People were desperate for God,
His Word and learning to do things God’s way. People were healed!
There were miracles! In my life, too? Yes.
So, what happened? Through the years, I have asked God that same question.
Here are some of the answers:
Programs get in the way:
Too much time spent on announcements and not enough time spent
praying for people. If you want to see miracles, you need to give God
time to work. Some say, “The people don’t want to be late for lunch on Sundays.”
I say that if the people see miracles, they will be happy to stay a little later.
And when you experience miracles, you will need to add time for testimonies!
Giving time for testimonies encourages people to trust Him. Revelation 12:11
declares, “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word
of their testimony.” Churches that want to please God, give God time to demonstrate
His love and His power to His people.
People don’t come to church prepared.
They don’t read the Word and worship God through the week.They are operating on empty.
They have no Word from the Lord that is burning in their hearts to
share.
People don’t come to church expecting to receive from God.
They just come and do church – or play church. With so many people hurting
from loss of jobs, loss of homes, dysfunctional families, and no hope for the future,
we cannot afford to play church. They need to see God in the reality of their lives.
I believe every time we pray, God answers that prayer. It is our job to believe
and receive. It is also our job not to negate the work of God by speaking fear and
doubt over the miracle we just prayed to receive. Then we complain that
God did not answer; but He did. We have just destroyed what God wanted to
do in our lives by complaining.
People have taken the easy path.
They have returned to what they know as easy worship – the
way they worshipped in the traditional church.
People are too tired to worship.
They have expended every ounce of their energy on worldly pursuits,
leaving nothing for God. They stay up late on Saturday night and expect
to rest Sunday morning at church.
People are embarrassed to worship.
Somebody might see them lifting their hands to God.
What does the Bible say?
Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, My lips shall praise You,
Thus I will bless You while I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name
(Psalm 63:3-4).
Behold, bless the Lord All you servants of the Lord,
Who stand by night in the house of the Lord!
Lift up your hands in the sanctuary And bless the Lord
(Psalm 134:2).
I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands,
without wrath and doubting (1 Timothy 2:8).
Lifting our hands to worship God declares that He is Lord in our lives. It is a simple
way for us to unashamedly confess God in the presence of others. Jesus
said, “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before
My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also
deny before My Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 10: 32-33).
We say we want to share our faith with the world and yet are embarrassed to worship
God in the church. Lifting up our hands to worship God is His idea.
People desire comfort.
People like things comfortable, but God wants us to come out of
our comfort zones and step out in faith to trust Him. Stepping out in faith
drives us to worship with passion, knowing that we desperately need God to intervene.
God inhabits the praises of His people. Where God is there is healing,
deliverance, power to overcome, and peace in the midst of the storm.
People don’t offer the sacrifice of praise.
When they are burdened by sorrow or overwhelmed by their circumstances,
they don’t feel like praising God. They wallow in self-pity, not recognizing that
our spiritual warfare includes praising God when we don’t feel like it.
We do not praise Him for the current battle; in faith we praise Him
knowing that He is going to bring us through to victory!
People have been hurt.
People were hurt in prior churches and are determined not to be hurt again.
Never confuse people with God. God has great plans for your life. They are
plans to prosper you and not to harm you; to give you hope and a future
(Jeremiah 29:11).
Too many people threw out the prosperity message when certain ministries
failed. What a shame. Prosperity was and still is God’s idea.
Jesus said, “Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down,
and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom.
For with the same measure that you mete withal it shall be measured to you again”
(Luke 6:38, King James Bible).
Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul
prospers (3 John 2-4, New King James).
God wants to prosper you spiritually, physically, financially and in every other
way. It is not “name it and claim it;” it is to bless others and see prosperity
multiplied back to you. It is to sow out of your need, and see God bless you.
There is nothing more exciting than to see God move in every area of your life,
but you will need to let go of past hurts, trust God and His Word and step out in
faith to reap the harvest.
Before we can ask the congregation, we must ask ourselves:
Do any of these sections describe me? Do I find myself just
singing the song or just playing the music? God is calling His
people to repent from dead works. Whether we lead worship,
sing in the choir or ensemble, play an instrument or sing a solo,
we are called to worship God with our whole hearts, in Spirit and in
Truth.
If we are to lead God’s people in vibrant, heartfelt worship,
we must also come to church ready to be used by God. We
must be sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit, trusting that
God is ministering into the hearts and lives of those with whom
we worship; His Word never returns void, but accomplishes the
will of the Father. We must come expecting healing and miracles.
And with thanksgiving and joy, we give all the praise, honor and
glory to God, for He alone is worthy!
© Mary Willock, 2014 - 2020
You have permission to print copies of this article for use in your personal or church related ministry.
You have permission to print copies of this article for use in your personal or church related ministry.