Worshiping in Spirit and in Truth!

Removing the Mixture in our Worship of God

Painting by Anne Reid - Anne Reid Artist

Pure authentic worship that rises before the Throne of God and is a sweet fragrance to the Father, is released through the anointing that rests on a life that has been crucified in Christ. True worship is a meeting—an appointment with God at His Altar, where the worshiper comes before Him and acknowledges His Sovereignty and Lordship over their lives. There is an acknowledgement that He is Sovereign Creator God of all things and His will must therefore be honoured.

“But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." John 4:23 

In the vein of tradition and ritual, churches may have fallen into the trap of making worship a thing in itself—something that is done as part of a package presented on a Sunday morning. There is no other agenda in worship than to honour the Presence and wait before Him to see what He would say and understand how we should respond! The meeting revolves around what has transpired at His Altar in the Throne dynamic.

Modern day services seems to want convenient fast-food Christianity, where they are in and out quickly. The early Christians, living in the fear of the Lord, gathered around the times set by God, regardless of the inconvenience. They gathered in obedience to the Will of God. The will of God is paramount to the order of service! In obedience, the Will of God is acknowledged and adhered to. Isn’t this the Lord’s prayer? “Thy will be done!” Christianity today may have lost what it means to tarry until He speaks, and His Will is made known, as the early church did.

 “Now in the church that was at Antioch there were certain prophets and teachers… As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, "Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." Acts 13:1

It has been my experience that whenever we gather before God to seek His face especially in anointed worship, God always speaks. As there are many now speaking out about this issue, I believe God is moving to confront our lukewarm and compromised Christianity served up to Him in worship without having any Spiritual substance.

Worship and services can become routine and mundane—just going through the motions without a foundation rooted in holiness. Sin is not confronted, obedience is not taught, and the fear of the Lord is not present! Many will leave the worship service, and go out and sin. There is no death to self, and no accountability to God in Worship through surrender to the Divine Will.

“…Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts, And in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.” Psalm. 51:5

Modern day seekers-sensitive worship misses the key ingredients of Christianity that is death to self, the fear of the Lord, humility, full surrender and obedience to the will of God.

“My old identity has been co-crucified with Messiah and no longer lives; for the nails of his cross crucified me with him. And now the essence of this new life is no longer mine, for the Anointed One lives his life through me—we live in union as one! My new life is empowered by the faith of the Son of God who loves me so much that he gave himself for me, and dispenses his life into mine! Galatians 2:20 TPT

WORSHIP IN TRUTH

There's only one Truth—the Word of God! Jesus is the Word! Are we bowing the knee to Him or to idols? Have we picked up our cross to follow Him in a life of consecration? During worship, people may sometimes be weeping over their troubled lives, or they may be troubled by their sin, and this is good! It is best to bring everything to God in prayer and worship. Nevertheless, saints must grow up to the place where they weep because they are overcome by the Presence of God sitting heavily upon them, because of a heart of worship tenderized by obedience that is living out the Cross daily.

Worshippers who live the crucified life will possess the heart of a Worshiper. They easily enter into the Presence, their worship opening the way to the Altar of God. Some worship leaders have the strong anointing of David on their lives to lead others into the Presence. David’s worship even calmed the demonic spirits that were attacking Saul. Because of his consecration, the anointing on David’s life was so powerful that his songs became scripture. Posture in Worship is important—the posture of a life bowed low in the Spirit of God in truth. However, many may assume this position in the natural, while bowing to the idols in their lives.

Anointed Worshipers living the death experience open the floodgates where deep is calling unto deep, setting the atmosphere for the Presence to invade. In the death experience resurrection union with Christ is entered where we are seated in Him and with Him. The sweet fragrance of His life and Presence can then be released through our lives without any effort on our part! This is key!—it happens without any effort of the flesh.

WORSHIP IN SPIRIT

To worship in Spirit is to enter the dimension and realms of God through the Holy Spirit. God is Spirit and we are spiritual beings. We enter true worship by the Resurrection Life of the Holy Spirit that is in us.  People can worship mechanically with their minds, they can worship with their souls for what they can get out of it, or they can worship with their emotions without having made an authentic connection with God!  Many of us have done this in the process of God working to kill the flesh in us and mature us in Christ. Moments in true worship show the possibilities of living in the Spirit and makes us hungry for more! More of Presence not manifestation.

Some live their lives in partial obedience, partial consecration, partial surrender, while expecting the full benefits of resurrection union. They offer God lukewarm Christianity yet expect all the rewards. God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. The priesthood of the Old Testament were given no reward other than God. He told Abraham, “I am your exceeding great reward. Walk before me and be blameless!”

"I am  God Almighty; Walk [habitually] before Me [with integrity, knowing that you are always in My presence], and be blameless and complete [in obedience to Me].” Genesis 17:1 AMP

In worship, God may catch us up into the heavenlies calling us to a higher place, He may come with conviction and release repentance, or He may come with a rebuke. He is fully in charge as Lord of all! Many may go around attempting to do great things for God to build a name for themselves, but God may ask them, Who are you that calls me Lord?

Are you busy and wrapped up in the world having idols in your life while calling Jesus Lord? There is a consequence for that as God will hold you to your word that says He is Lord, and work to remove the idols in your life. When He is resisted, it can be painful.

In Him everything is given. Christianity has become tainted by the world and the things of the world, the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh and the pride of life, where the focus is on self and how great we are! The Lord has said we are to worship Him in Spirit and in truth. There is no other way!

“For we have already experienced “heart-circumcision,” and we worship God in the power and freedom of the Holy Spirit, not in laws and religious duties. We are those who boast in what Jesus Christ has done, and not in what we can accomplish in our own strength.” It’s true that I once relied on all that I had become. I had a reason to boast and impress people with my accomplishments—more than others—for my pedigree was impeccable… Yet all of the accomplishments that I once took credit for, I’ve now forsaken them and I regard it all as nothing compared to the delight of experiencing Jesus Christ as my Lord!  To truly know him meant letting go of everything from my past and throwing all my boasting on the garbage heap. It’s all like a pile of manure to me now, so that I may be enriched in the reality of knowing Jesus Christ and embrace him as Lord in all of his greatness. My passion is to be consumed with him and not clinging to my own “righteousness” based in keeping the written Law. My “righteousness” will be his, based on the faithfulness of Jesus Christ—the very righteousness that comes from God.”  Philippians 3:3-11 TPT