True

Worship

David Alsobrook

True Worship

"There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give
me to drink. (For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.) Then
saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest
drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with
the Samaritans. Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of
God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked
of him, and he would have given thee living water. The woman saith unto him,
Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast
thou that living water? Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the
well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle? Jesus answered
and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: But
whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the
water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into
everlasting life. The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst
not, neither come hither to draw.

Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither.

The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou has
well said, I have no husband: For thou has had five husbands; and he whom
thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly. The woman saith unto
him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet. Our fathers worshipped in this
mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to
worship. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye
shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. Ye
worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the
Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship
the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God
is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
The woman saith unto him, I know that Messiah cometh which is called Christ:
when he is come, he will tell us all things. Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto
thee am he" (John 4:7-26).
When Jesus spoke with the Samaritan woman He stressed that worship should
not be associated with a place as much as it should be connected with a Person.
The way we are to worship that Person, Jesus taught her, is in spirit and in truth.

Jesus struck down the idea of conventional worship with a place when He said to
her, "Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this
mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father." That is to say, "the hour is
coming when you are not going to associate worship with a mountain of Samaria
or a city of Israel. You are not going to think of worship in connection with a
geographical place, or with a building. You are simply going to worship the
Father regardless of the physical surroundings."

"But the hour cometh, and NOW IS, when the TRUE WORSHIPPERS shall
worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship
him." What truly matters is not where you worship, but who and how you
worship Him.

As in the past, many people presently associate worship with a geographical

location. One is often asked, "WHERE do you worship?" And expressions such
as "I worship at such and such a church" are often heard. When confronted with
her sin by divine revelation, the Samaritan woman turned to religion in her
conversation with Christ in an attempt to sidestep the issue of personal sin. She,
as many people will do today when under conviction for their sins, tried to begin
an argument with a Jew on the right mountain at which to exercise worship. Her
reply to Jesus' disclosure was, "Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye
say that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.' Often I've been
told, "My parents raised me in the Baptist church; where do you attend church?"

No small wonder Jesus told her that she, as well as the rest of Samaria, did not
know what they were worshipping! "Ye worship ye know not what...." How true
that is of many denominations that claim the name of Jesus today. At the door of
the building, one is handed a rundown of the events of the coming hour even to
the closing prayer! She was correct in asserting that the Jews associated the city
of Jerusalem with the PLACE men should worship. External formalism and
outward correctness had replaced heart-felt sincerity in the worship of the
unseen God in Israel. The general thought seemed to be, "Make sure you are in
Jerusalem during the Feast Days." They did not know what they were
worshipping, but it certainly was not God!
Centuries before, in Isaiah, God reproved the externalities of Israel's religious
observances. Yahweh grieved, " . . . this people draw near me with their mouth,
and with their lips do honor me, but have removed their heart far from me ..."
(Isaiah 29:13).

Similarly Amos said that Israel went to the house of God in order to sin! "Come
to Bethel, and transgress; at Gilgal multiply transgression; and bring your
sacrifices every morning ..." (Amos 4:4).

Carnal Christians, if such a creature truly exists, do the same thing today as
history repeats itself with attendance contests, social parties, and preachers who
clown (or is it clowns who preach?). In a vain attempt to entertain the
personality-conscious church crowd, how much true worship is offered to the
invisible God in the charismatic/pentecostal realm? Our heavenly Father desires
His children to worship Him in reality with hearts of sincere love and devotion
to Him.

Our English word "worship" is actually a contracted form of an earlier word

"worthship." Although the "th" has been dropped from the word due to its
awkwardness of pronunciation, the beauty of the thought remains. Please ask
yourself before reading further: "Do I show God His worth to me when I
worship Him?" There are definite patterns of true worship revealed to us in the
Word of God. As we yield to the Holy Spirit we receive power to worship God.
Are you willing to yield your whole being to the Holy Spirit, to worship the
Father in any form of praise the Scripture enjoins?

I am not speaking of the forms of men's vanity, but the forms or expressions to
worship God which are found in His Word.

Jesus told the woman at the well to worship God in truth. Later in John's Gospel
He prayed to the Father to sanctify the disciples with truth adding, "... thy word
is truth" (John 17:17). We are to worship God according to the Bible pattern; not
according to a form of godliness that denies the power of true godliness.

Twice Jesus affirmed that true worshippers worship "in spirit and in truth." In my
opinion the "in spirit" of true worship is the FLOW in worship. The "in truth" of
true worship is the FORM in worship. We must have both the flow and the form
if our worship is to produce light much in the same way as the light that fills
your home at night. It requires a "flow" of electrical current together with the
proper "form" of electrical wiring and facility. Take away either one and the
lights will go off. Worse yet, take away the form but keep the flow and you will
be calling the fire department!

We have beseeched the throne, "Lord send the fire, send the power, pour out the
Spirit," etc. God has mercifully answered these requests many times only to see
His power dissipate into wasteful displays of fleshly excesses. It often happens
that a

"vessel" explodes because it is not purged and prepared to carry the power of
God.

Even as the electrical wiring contains the proper form to conduct electricity,
likewise the Word of God contains the proper pattern to channel the moving of
the Spirit. When Jesus fed the multitude He did not instruct His disciples to
leave the remainder of the feast for the birds and ants. We sing "He's more than
enough" thinking that what is left over is to be left behind.

" Gather up the fragments that remain that nothing be lost.” God designed the
physical body to be His temple. A temple is primarily a facility of worship.
Worship begins with a flow and is culminated in an appropriate expression of the
inner desire to glorify God. The "flow" in worship is the desire to worship.
Innate with the new nature is the burning desire to glorify God. Through the
impartation of the Holy Spirit a believer is given the ability to express his
innermost desires to magnify God. Jesus said, "He shall glorify me" (John
16:14).

This is not only a privilege but a responsibility of our "temple":

"What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in
you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a
price: therefore GLORIFY God in your body, and in your spirit, which are
God's" (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).

The word translated "glorify" is the Greek word doxa and means "praise, honor,
and worship."

The heavenly creatures rest not day or night in the worship of God. The
seraphim (burning ones) that hover about the throne cry one unto another "Holy,
holy holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory." It is a
living, fresh, sincere worship with each utterance of "holy' and a deeper
realization of the holiness of God. In an eternity, the depths of the infinite
holiness of Yahweh can never be fully realized.

The sincerity of your heart toward God is seen by the Father in your worship. Is
your heart in your worship? Only if God is your treasure for "where your
treasure is there will your heart be also." Solomon treasured the worship of his
God as expressed by the magnificent wealth displayed in the dedicatory
offerings.

Solomon caught a glimpse of the great worthiness of God in his sacrifice of

22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep on Mount Moriah (see 2 Chronicles 7). Why
such an extravaganza?

Nothing is too costly, even an alabaster box worth 300 pence, in expression of
love to the Lord. We could never calculate the costliness of the Supreme
Sacrifice offered by God for us. May we offer in return our bodies as living
sacrifices back to Him. It is our reasonable service (see Romans 12:1-2). " If
thou knewest the gift of God..." Jesus told the water drawer, "... thou wouldest
have asked of him and he would have given thee living water.'

Knowing Jesus, the gift of God to man, produces the "in spirit" of true worship.

"The hour cometh, and NOW is, when the true worshippers SHALL...." In John
4:24 the verb reads "must": "God is a Spirit and they that worship him MUST...."
True worshippers shall worship Him because they must worship Him. The true
worshippers MUST worship THE FATHER. How? In spirit and in truth. God
wants to be worshipped. He is seeking true worshippers.

In John 4:23 Christ referred to "'the true worshippers."

Knowing Jesus as I do, there is nothing He says that is without relevance. Had
all worshippers been genuine He would not have designated them as "the true
worshippers" but rather as "the worshippers." By using this adjective He was
implying not all worshippers of God are true worshippers.

One immediately thinks, "Yes, since there are people who are not born-again and
do not know God as their Father and yet go through the motions of worship,
Jesus used the qualifying description." Yet, it is indeed clear in the Scripture that
there are those who are part of the covenant, who are priests unto God, who are
ministering to Him in the tabernacle and who were yet classified by God as false
worshippers.

In Leviticus 10 we see two sons of Aaron—Nadab and Abihu—who were

qualified to minister to Yahweh in every respect. They were part of the covenant,
they were in the priestly line, they were called upon to exercise the sacerdotal
functions of their covenant. Yet we see they "offered strange fire before the
LORD, which he commanded them not. And there went out fire from the LORD,
and devoured them, and they died before the LORD" (Leviticus 10:1-2).

Nadab and Abihu had been true worshippers before they strayed from divine
instruction and died under judgment. Herein lies a principle worthy of our
consideration: True worship produces life: false worship results in death. Where
the Holy Spirit is quenched and the letter of the Word is solely ministered, the
result is "dead works' offered to God from which we are to repent. What is truly
sad is that there are those whose consciences have been purged from dead works
to serve the living God who offer the strange fire of religious worship to God
(see Hebrews 6:1; 9:14). The blood that provides the means of access into the
Holy Place has never been acted upon in faith and the worshippers remain in the
Outer Court of traditional religion void of the quickening power of the Holy
Spirit.

There are many things going on today in the name of worship which are not the
pure fire God has commanded. The result is death. We substitute our own works
failing to understand that the highest calling is ministering to the Lord.

Of Israel Yahweh said, "This people have I formed for myself; they shall shew
forth my praise" (Isaiah 43:21). The intent of this verse is that Elohim created
Israel for His pleasure, which was to offer praise to Him.

Of the Church it is written "... that ye should shew forth the praises of him who
hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light" (1 Peter 2:9). Jesus
redeemed us to praise Him!

For this reason we are chosen, royal, holy and peculiar.

As previously stated, worship was originally pronounced "worth-ship." A few

years ago God's "worthship" to you would have been perhaps the singing of the
doxology. Eventually His worthship increased in your estimation to the point
where you were willing to show forth His praises in the public lifting of hands,
etc. Note these verses: "... that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus
Christ, to whom be PRAISE and dominion FOR EVER AND EVER" (1 Peter
4:11). "And a voice came out of the throne, saying PRAISE OUR GOD, all ye his
servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great"

(Revelation 19:5). "... therefore let us offer the sacrifice of PRAISE to God
CONTINUALLY, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name"
(Hebrews 13:15). "I will call upon the Lord who is WORTHY TO BE PRAISED"
(Psalm 18:3).

' Woman, believe me, the hour cometh.. . . " The hour coming is the hour of His
glorification, by way of the cross, to set those who desire to be free from liturgy
into living praise.

The blood He shed gives us boldness to enter the Holiest of all (see Hebrews
10:19). Jesus entreated her in an unusual way:

"Woman, believe me...." How beautiful it would be if the Church would believe
Jesus. Like the Samaritan "he whom thou now hast is not thy husband." Paul
exhorted the Corinthians, "...for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may
present you as a chaste virgin to Christ" (2 Corinthians 11:2). The Church is
living with tradition instead of living with the Truth.

A recent survey of American churches indicated that the average church building
is utilized one and three-quarters hours per week! Think of the tremendous
financial sum invested in these buildings for such a short time of use! In the Old
Testament the temple was a place of continuous activity, all of which was
focused on the worship of God. It was the place to meet God, bring Him
sacrifices, and to minister to Him. The Apostle Paul says that this has not
changed: "Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the
glory of God"

(1 Corinthians 10:31). Everything we do is to be focused to the worship and

praise of God.

Do you realize that as a believer you are a priest of the "spiritual house" of God
(1 Peter 2:5). Jesus said, "My house shall be called a house of prayer for all
nations," and if our body is the temple, it is the house of prayer for all nations.
You are to be a house of prayer, a citadel of intercession, a place where spiritual
sacrifices are being offered continually.
There were two broad requirements in the Old Testament tabernacle: It was to be
1) The house of God's residence, and 2) A facility used for worship.

The Apostle Paul brings this out when he said, "What? know ye not that your
body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and
ye are not your own? for ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in
your body, and in your spirit, which are God's"

(1 Corinthians 6:19-20).

Jesus said, "If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love
him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him " (John 14:23).
WE are a habitation of God: "the Father and I are going to make our abode in
you." Ephesians 4:6

reads: "One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, AND IN
YOU ALL." "And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for YE
ARE THE TEMPLE OF THE LIVING GOD; as God hath said, I will dwell in
them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people"
(2 Corinthians 6:16).

In reference to Israel, God said, and we repeat it once more, "This people have I
formed for myself; they shall shew forth my praise." In Revelation 4:11 this
concept is worded from our point of view: "Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive
glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and FOR THY
PLEASURE THEY ARE AND WERE CREATED." God does not exist for our
pleasure, but we for His. How disgusting are the lines of the tent revival song:
"Jesus on the main line, tell Him what you want.... Just call Him up, call Him up
and tell Him what you want' ad nauseum. God is more than a heavenly bellhop
anxiously waiting for our ring.

In meetings where the tangible anointing of God flows, the people enter into
praise quite easily. Sometimes people praise God because it makes them feel
good, not realizing the pleasure their praises bring to the Father. "Bless the
LORD, O my soul ..." (Psalm 103:1).

The Letter to the Hebrews reveals that new covenant praise replaces old
covenant burnt offerings as a sweet aroma. In the closing chapter the writer says,
"By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is,
the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name' (Hebrews 13:15).
The word "fruit" is literally "calves, bullocks." That is to say that praise is "the
calves of our lips, the bullocks of our lips." In the old covenant the fat of young
cows and bulls was offered unto God for a burnt offering which smelled as a
sweet savour to Him. Hosea realized this principle when he instructed the nation
of Israel to "... turn to the LORD: say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and.
receive us graciously: so will we render the calves of our lips" (Hosea 14:2).

Praise is incense. God hears prayers, but smells praise. Mix your prayers with
praise (see Philippians 4:6). There is something about praising God that excites
Him. It makes God delighted to know that we who cannot see Him with the
natural eye yet believe on Him. It seems folly to our minds, but pleases the
"Father of spirits" (Hebrews 12:9).

As a teenager I worked in several barbecue restaurants. I started with the job of

cleaning the pit after a meat fire. Oh, did it stink! I can still remember the smell.
Later, after I was saved, I noticed where God repeatedly said that the burning of
the animal sacrifices smelled pleasantly to Him. I realized that the Lord not only
sees things differently from man (1 Samuel 16:7), but smells differently as well!

Several years later, from Hebrews 13:15, I realized the wonderful connection
between burnt offerings and praise and laughed for joy. Just as a meat fire in the
pit smelled dreadful to me, so the pure praise offered to God in the Spirit
"smells" horrible to religious "noses" in the modern church of our day.

"But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are
foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually
discerned'' (1 Corinthians 2:14).

"Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law
of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please
God" (Romans 8:7-8).

In some circles there is an emphasis on the word "sacrifice" in connection with

praise in the sense that one must make much sacrifice of personal comfort when
praising God. It is true there are times when we do not feel like praising the One
whom we are to continually praise, but the word "sacrifice" means that praise is
the equivalent in the new covenant to that which animal offerings were under the
Law.

There is a prophecy about "the sacrifice of praise" in Jeremiah which indicates

that Judah would be restored to her former inheritance after she learned to bring
the sacrifice of praise into the house of the Lord.

"Thus saith the Lord; again there shall be heard in this place, which ye say shall
be desolate ... the voice of them that shall say, Praise the LORD of hosts: for the
LORD is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: and of them that shall bring the
sacrifice of praise into the house of the LORD. For I will cause to return the
captivity of the land, AS AT THE FIRST, saith the LORD" (Jeremiah 33:10-11).

Often there exists an accurate parallel between God's dealings with Israel in the
Old Testament and those with the Church in the new covenant. Both the
tabernacle in the wilderness and the temple built by Solomon were attested to by
the supernatural display of God's glory. In Jeremiah's period, Nebuchadnezzar
came and laid it waste. The temple was to be in a state of utter desolation when
the above mentioned verses were fulfilled. However, Jeremiah prophesied a
positive promise that would occur when Israel would be brought back to the
Land after seventy years of Babylonian exile. "I will cause to return the captivity
(the people carried away into exile) of the land, AS AT THE FIRST...."

The Church was born on the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2.

The corporate temple was likewise attested to by a supernatural display of God's

glory, i.e., a rushing mighty wind, cloven tongues like as of fire, and speaking
with other tongues.

The Glory of the Lord was there; so much so on Peter that the aura of the
tangible presence of God that the sick brought near him were healed every one.
The word "overshadow" in Acts 5:15 is episkiazo and means: "to envelop in a
haze of brilliancy."

It is also used in connection with the Holy Spirit's coming upon Mary at the
moment of the Incarnation (see Luke 1).

Over the centuries, however, the Church fell from her glorious beginning. What
is happening in our day? The mighty miracles and movings of God are once
again being restored to the Church. Like it began, the Church will be endued in
the end (even greater). God is returning the captivity of the Church AS AT THE
FIRST!

Israel used the five books of the Psalms as their ancient hymnal. One can easily
observe that the Psalms are filled with praises to Yahweh. It has been remarked
that there is more black and white in the Bible on the topic of praise than on any
other single practice. Because the Holy Spirit breathed through holy men of God
as the Word was put into writing, we must realize the top priority the Holy Spirit
gives to our praising of the Lord.

Jesus said, "He (the Holy Spirit) shall glorify Me...." (John 16:14).

A second reason such emphasis is placed upon praise in the Scriptures is because
praise brings the victory to us in our times of trial. This thought is beautifully
expressed in Psalm 50:23:

"Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation
aright will I shew the salvation of God."

"Whoso..." means anyone! "Anyone who offers praise glorifies Me" says the
Lord.

" . . . offereth ..." means "to make a sacrifice." Our principle thus far is: Anyone
who makes a sacrifice to praise glorifies God! We are sometimes led to believe
one must do a very hard thing to glorify God in this life. While it is true that God
requires us to give Him all in taking up our daily cross, the Scripture says that
we can glorify Him simply by making a sacrifice of praise to Him. Notice the
verse does not say,

"Whoso goeth to Africa glorifieth Me."

One of the inbred characteristics of the new nature received through the new
birth is a deep yearning of the innermost being to glorify God. Thus, by praising
God, a believer can express this desire to the One who created it within the new
nature. In the expressing of this desire to glorify God by vocalized praise, a deep
fulfillment comes within the heart. A life of true worship will not be a life of
spiritual frustration.

The remainder of Psalm 50:23 reads: "... and to him that ordereth his
conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God." The word "conversation"
means the behavior and manner of life. The word "shew" means to manifest,
make known, or reveal. The word "salvation" means deliverance, healing,
prosperity, and victory. Thus this verse can be fully realized in the following
expression: ANYONE WHO MAKES A SACRIFICE OF PRAISE GLORIFIES
GOD: AND TO HIM WHO ORDERS HIS MANNER OF LIFE CORRECTLY
WILL I MANIFEST THE VICTORY OF GOD!

We are told in Psalm 78 that Israel forgot God's salvation because they
"remembered not all his works." In this Psalm salvation means ALL THE
WORKS OF GOD. It is more than deliverance from Egypt. It is more than the
parting of the Red Sea, more than the manna every morning, more than clothes
that did not wear out. It is more than the new birth and the baptism in the Holy
Spirit. Salvation is Jesus every moment! Knox rendered this verse this way:
"Anybody who praises me prepares the way for me to manifest my victory."

Praise prepares the way for God to manifest His victory. An excellent example
was Jehoshaphat's victory over the three armies that attacked them in 2
Chronicles 20. Because the Israelites were vastly outnumbered, the King
instructed the people to pray and fast. As they sought the Lord, a Levite began to
prophesy,

"Be not afraid or dismayed by reason of the great multitude; for the battle is not
yours, but God's. Tomorrow go ye down against them.... Ye shall not need to fight
in this battle: set yourselves, stand still, and see the SALVATION of the LORD
with you ... and the Levites ... and the children of the Korhites, STOOD UP TO
PRAISE THE LORD GOD OF ISRAEL with a loud voice on high" (2 Chronicles
20:15-19).

What was the end result of their praises (and fasting, supplication, and trust)?

"And when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushments against
the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah;
and they were smitten, for the children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the
inhabitants of mount Seir, utterly to slay and destroy them ... every one helped to
destroy another. And when Judah ... looked unto the multitude, behold, they were
dead bodies fallen to the earth, and none escaped" (2 Chronicles 20:22-24).

In this passage we see that: PRAISE CONFUSED THE ENEMY AND

PREPARED THE WAY FOR GOD TO MANIFEST HIS VICTORY. Those who
laid aside their weapons and praised God went out empty-handed, but came back
full. They were "three days in gathering of the spoil, it was so much" (verse 25).
God showed Israel His victory in that not only was Judah set free from three
stronger armies, she was also given the spoil or riches these three armies had
amassed through their raids in other countries. All of this occurred in a large
valley.

Jehoshaphat named the place of victory "THE VALLEY OF BERACHAH"

which means "the valley of blessing and prosperity." This valley had appeared to
be a shadow of death—extinction appeared unavoidable—but God had changed
it into a valley of blessing and prosperity. Often Christians remark about their
trials and difficulties as a valley through which they must pass. Hear what God
says about these valleys: "The VALLEYS

are covered over with corn; they SHOUT FOR JOY, they also SING" (Psalm
65:13). Praise activates the principle of Berachah: Blessing and Prosperity flow
in the valley when praise is offered to God. Jehoshaphat put the praisers out front
and won God's victory. Praise can turn your valley of despair into a valley of
blessing. Learn to put the praise out front!

Even as there is a positive law that praise brings deliverance, there is an opposite
law that murmuring destroys. "Neither murmur ye, as some of them also
murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer' (1 Corinthians 10:10).

Why Praise Brings the Victory

In Psalm 22:3 we read: "But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of
Israel." That word "inhabitest" literally means: to sit enthroned upon, to dwell
in. God dwells in the praises of His people. Their praise creates the throne on
which He sits. He is the King and He alone deserves this throne. Our praises
exalt Him in the public meeting to the point that the King can come among us
and sit enthroned upon our heart's adoration.

As we minister to Him with our praise, He will minister to us with His provision.
We will receive the direction and guidance for which we long have prayed when
we get caught up in adoration of Him. We see such an example in Acts 13:1-4.

"As they ministered to the Lord...the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and
Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.... So they, being sent forth by
the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia...." The word "minister" means: "to be in
attendance upon, to wait before, to receive orders."

Ministering to the Lord involves long periods of waiting in His presence with
prayer and praise. Sometimes people say, "I don't know what God would have
me to do with my life, but I'm waiting on the Lord until I find out." When asked
what they mean by "waiting on the Lord," the usual reply reveals it is marking
off days from the calendar. If that is truly waiting on the Lord, the most
reprobate prisoners are doing the same. Some Christians are waiting on the Lord
as if they must wait for Him to catch up with them!

Having studied the Hebrew and Greek words translated in the Old and New
Testaments as: waiting, ministering, serving, etc., I find the true waiting on the
Lord to be basking in His presence, quietly and patiently trusting in Him to bring
it to pass, and standing in attendance in His presence to receive His instructions.

We are waiting on the Lord when we minister to Him with the fruit of our lips.
An old timer shared this unique insight about prayer: "You will get further in an
hour's praying if you'll spend five minutes ASKING and fifty-five minutes
BASKING."

Prayer does not change the unchangeable God. Prayer gets the pray-er into the
realm where he or she can hear specifically and unmistakably the Father's voice.
So often our praying is giving advice to God; we tell Him what He needs to do.
Those who make good and easy progress in their walk pray in order to receive
His instructions.

"They that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength ..." (Isaiah 40:31).
One meaning of the word "renew" is exchange. As we spend time basking in
God's presence, warming under the rays of the Sun of Righteousness, our
weakness is exchanged for His strength. "My power is perfected in weakness"
Jesus promised Paul (2 Corinthians 12:9, Fenton translation). When we are weak
in ourselves we can be strong in our God.

Jesus said, "Men ought always to pray and not to faint'(Luke 18:1). Fainting
occurs when a shortage of oxygen is experienced in the brain. In the last verse of
the Psalms, praise is associated with breathing. Praise is the oxygen of heaven
that our spirits breathe. Whenever we grow weary and fainthearted, we need to
"breathe" in the presence of God by the fruit of our lips. David expressed the
same thought this way: "Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy
youth is renewed like the eagle's" (Psalm 103:5). Note the comparison between
David's "thy youth is renewed like the eagle's' and Isaiah's "(they) shall renew
their strength. They shall mount up with wings as an eagle.'
The eagle is the highest flying bird. Praise and worship (the good things that
satisfy the mouth) lift the believer up into the high realms of the Spirit. God
wants us to soar into the heavenlies in Christ Jesus. As we fly into the higher
realms of God, it will be on the wings of praise and worship. Those who are not
in a hurry with God will find He is not in a hurry with them. Spend time with
God and He will spend time with you.

As I travel across the land I notice again and again how lacking the corporate
worship of the Body of Christ is in the true presence of God. As I sought the
Lord about this problem I became aware that corporate worship is but the
collective worship of individual worshippers. The deadness of the praise services
in many churches is but a reflection of the deadness of the praise in the
individual temples of the Holy Ghost. In the middle of a truly blessed worship
service one evening I was given a precious vision from the Lord. I saw a
sparkling stream bubbling over the rocks with a happy melodious splash. Birds
were singing all around and the day was sunny but cool. I was made to know this
was a victorious believer ministering the living water of praise back to the Giver.
Quickly I was transported near another stream quite similar in appearance but
distinctively different in the tone of the splash against its rocks.

Then a third and a fourth such streams were seen. Immediately I was removed to
a large hill overlooking a mighty river. It contained the sound of many waters of
praise to the living God.

After the vision had ceased I enquired of the Lord, "Was the mighty river a
picture of the praise You are hearing from the saints and angels in heaven?" He
replied, "No, the mighty river is a symbol of a group of 30 believers in Texas
who are worshipping Me now." My! The Power that is present in praise!

"For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the
midst of them" (Matthew 18:20). Someone pointed out that the words "are
gathered together" can be translated also as "make a symphony together" in
Jesus' Name.

Thus we see that Jesus will personally visit even a small gathering of believers
who worship Him in spirit and in truth!

The experience in such meetings is similar to Moses' beholding the residue of

God's glory after He passed by.
Seven Blessings of God's Presence

1. Praise creates an atmosphere that attracts the conscious presence of God.

Where His presence is His JOY reigns supreme. "In thy presence is fullness of
joy" (Psalm 16:11). A benefit of our praising the Lord is the JOY His presence
brings.

2. In God's presence there is deep FULFILLMENT: " . . . and at thy right hand
there are pleasures for evermore" (Psalm 16:11).

3. There is HEALING in His presence. "And it came to pass on a certain day, t h

a t . . . the power of the Lord was present to heal them" (Luke 5:17). Being
present where Jesus is will bring healing. There are times when the Presence is
so real that people are healed without the use of the customary methods of
ministering to the sick.

4. There is BEAUTY in God's presence: "For the LORD taketh pleasure in his
people: he will beautify the meek with salvation" (Psalm 149:4). When the joy of
the Lord comes upon a child of God, the countenance of the individual brightens
and beautifies. Once I saw Kathryn Kuhlman before a miracle service began.
She looked older than her 65 years testified. Only a few moments later, and
again a few feet from her, I saw the face of a lovely 16-year-old maiden (or so it
seemed). She blossomed when under the restorative anointing of the Holy Spirit.
The opposite is likewise true: Cain's countenance fell (see Genesis 4:5).

5. Where God's presence is, there is REFRESHING. On the Day of Pentecost

Peter exhorted the lost: "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins
may be blotted out, WHEN THE TIMES OF REFRESHING SHALL
COME FROM THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD" (Acts 3:19).

Where do we get refreshed? In the presence of the Lord!

6. God's presence results in DELIVERANCE. In 1 Samuel 16:14-23 we are

shown such an example. The young Bethlehemite, David son of Jesse, played his
harp before the tormented Saul and the evil spirit departed from Saul. "So Saul
was refreshed, and was well...." There's more than one way to cast out a demon!

7. Where there is praise there is SALVATION. "And they, continuing daily with
one accord in the temple ... praising God, and having favor with all the people.
And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved" (Acts 2:46-47).
Who is Entitled to Praise God?

According to Psalm 150:6 there is only one requirement to be eligible to be a

praiser. "Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the
LORD."

The devil will accuse you saying, "Who do you think you are to praise God.
Look at this and look at that in your life.' You may not be perfect yet, but don't
let that hinder your worship of God. AS LONG AS YOU ARE A BREATHER
YOU CAN BE A PRAISER!

Looking at praise from a purely physical point of view, it is interesting to note

that the exclamation of appreciation is given forth only on the exhale of the
breath. The inhale is what you need to carry oxygen into your lungs and
throughout your body.

The exhale is what you don't need; you give out what is left over. It won't hurt
you to praise God.

When I received the baptism in the Holy Spirit at dawn in 1970, I sang praises to
the Lord. The sun was coming up and the birds were singing outside. They were
praising the Creator with me. "Praise ye h i m . . . all flying fowl (birds of wing)"
(Psalm 148:10).

It is scriptural to likewise "shout unto God with a voice of triumph" (a clear

ringing voice—Fenton Translation) (Psalm 47:1). This ringing cry doesn't have
to always be loud, but a joyful cry. Like the Israelites at Jericho, it was a shout of
victory voiced loudly when the enemy would be overcome.

What Is True Worship?

True worship is stimulated in the spirit of the believer, experienced in the soul,
and demonstrated in the body. IF our worship is what it really should be, our
God is worth shouting for with a ringing cry. He is worth lifting holy hands
before His throne with exceeding joy and gently swaying them in a wave
offering. He is worth singing to in a heavenly tongue and worthy of our silent
adoration in times of a holy hush. He is worthy of our praise. As we allow the
Word of Christ to saturate us fully, we will teach and admonish one another as
we enter into psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs before the Lord (based on
Colossians 3:16). "Be filled (be being filled) with the Spirit; speaking to
yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody
in your heart to the Lord" (Ephesians 5:18-19).

God is worth dancing, leaping for joy, and marching for. But always remember
true worship must be in spirit and in truth. Let the form be determined by the
flow. An excellent way to learn is in your prayer closet. If you have difficulty
dancing before the Lord with people around, get before the Lord privately and
tell Him: "I yield my feet to You. My feet are part of the body. My body is the
temple. The temple is the proper facility for worship.

I will to glorify God in my body and in my spirit which are Yours." Let that holy
joy and delight stimulate your actions.

Never be light or frivolous concerning your acts of praise.

There must always be a holy reverence or sense of awe as you minister to the
Lord. Of course there will be joy, sometimes even laughter, but it will be a holy
joy. When you truly see the Majesty, your flesh will tremble with reverence
toward Him.

Second Corinthians 3:17 promises us "Now the Lord is that Spirit and where the
Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty." When the Holy Spirit is yielded to there
will be sweet, precious liberty.

When His leadership is quenched there will be bondage.

Two Kinds of Victory

We have stated that praise prepares the way for God to manifest His victory.
There are two kinds of victory of which we speak: outward and inward. Let us
look at Paul for an example.

Paul's "reward" for casting out a demon was a public beating and incarceration
in a Macedonian jail. Along with his assistant, Silas, he prayed "and sang
praises unto God" (Acts 16:25). As a certain southern preacher said, "God began
to keep time with His foot" and the prison doors swung open during the
earthquake. You know the rest of the story. By maintaining the correct attitude of
glorying in the persecution of man for the sake of the Gospel, Paul and Silas
were able to avoid the common pitfall of murmuring and complaining over their
lot.
With backs bruised and feet bound in stocks they prayed and sang praises
oblivious to their physical condition. The praises they sang to God were a key
element in their outward deliverance from the cell that held them.

Later in his epistles we count five occasions where the Apostle referred to
himself as "the prisoner" of the Lord. Why did he call himself a prisoner of the
Lord Jesus? Jesus came to set Paul free; it was Rome that bound him. The only
suitable explanation to be found is that Paul must have done the same things
when thrown into prison later without obtaining a supernatural release on any
further occasion. There was no earthquake and the prison doors held fast. Years
after his supernatural deliverance from the Macedonian prison in the city of
Philippi, he wrote the church in that city and acknowledged he was at that
moment under the Roman chain (see Philippians 1:7, 13-14). Yet in the same
letter he exhorted the Philippians to " Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say,
Rejoice.... Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication
with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God" (Philippians 4:4,
6).

No doubt he practiced what he preached. Obviously he had been rejoicing in the

Lord in his prison cell and offering prayers with thanksgiving as he had done
years before as recorded in Acts 16. Paul realized that no cell could hold him
unless God willed it. He had walked free by the power of God the first time.

Now he was held by a chain. He was not the prisoner of Rome, but the prisoner
of Christ. He maintained his attitude of rejoicing and his continuous praise to the
Lord during his frequent jail stays and kept the victory on the inside. Praise
prepares the way to victory. He was held in body, but free in spirit. It was his
rejoicing in Christ Jesus that set him free and kept him free no matter what his
circumstances. Inward victory means permanent victory.

The Key to Seeing the Power of God

Where God's conscious presence is His conscious power is manifested. One day
while a scared Hebrew was beating out wheat behind a winepress to keep it out
of sight of the oppressive Midianites, the angel of the LORD appeared to him.

"The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valour" (Judges 25 6:12). Mighty
man of courage? God saw Gideon as he would become not as he presently was.
The angel addressed a man who would dare to stand up against the idolatry of
his day and against the tyrants who ruled over his people. Nevertheless, at the
moment the angel appeared to him Gideon was not much of a courageous man.

He was scared yet the angel called him "a mighty man of courage."

He felt forsaken and alone yet the angel declared "the LORD is with you!"

The words of this messenger were perplexing to young Gideon. He rightly

questioned in response to the strange salutation: " If the LORD be with us, why
then is all this (Midianite oppression) befallen us? And where be all his miracles
which our fathers told us of?"

Let's examine the meaning of the italicized portions of his response:

"If the LORD be with u s . . . " In effect Gideon questioned,

"If I truly have the presence of God in my life why are my enemies oppressing
me?"

" . . . where be all his miracles. . . " Gideon thought, "If I have God's presence
where then are the supernatural results of His power?"

Now let's tie both statements together: "If the LORD be with us where be all his
miracles?" It is impossible to have the presence of God but not the power of God
because the power of God is the presence of God in operation.

Note the reason Peter gives for Jesus' ability to heal those who were afflicted by
the devil: "How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with
power: who went about doing good, and healing all who were oppressed of the
devil; for GOD WAS WITH HIM" (Acts 10:38). Jesus manifested God's power
because He had God's presence even as Nicodemus acknowledged: "Rabbi, we
know that thou art a teacher come from God: FOR NO MAN CAN DO THESE
MIRACLES THAT THOU DOEST, EXCEPT GOD BE WITH HIM" (John 3:2).

We should rightly question the Lord's abiding presence if we never see any
manifestation of His power. Not that we must see or otherwise will not believe,
but, in the words of Jesus: "If thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory
of God" (John 11:40).

God inhabits our praises. Praise is one of the keys given to us in the Word of
God to seeing His power manifested in our lives.

Let us offer Him the fruit of our lips right now....

About the Author

David Alsobrook is a living testimony to God's great grace. Although he was

raised in a minister's home he rebelled against the church's teachings in his early
teens. He became involved in all forms of sin embracing the hippy tradition of
the late 60's.

Through active involvement in Transcendental Meditation a strong spirit of

suicide obsessed his mind in the Summer and Fall of ' 69 until in his despair he
called on the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ. He was born again on November
30, 1969, and read the Bible from cover to cover four times the first six months.

As a result of intensive study of the Word of God he was led into a conviction of
the reality of the Baptism in the Holy Spirit for today. At the age of 17 he began
traveling the country sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ and teaching the Word
of God without partiality to man's traditions.

God has confirmed His Word through supernatural signs and wonders on many
occasions. David teaches the Kingdom of God on a wide variety of subjects.
Dianne, his wife, assists him in ministering to people's needs.

They are the happy parents of two lovely children and make their home in
Paducah, Kentucky.
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