Prayer Is The Key For Powerful Worship

by Jason A. Aguilar

Romans 12:1-2
“So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life--your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life--and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.” The Message (MSG)

Worship As A Lifestyle
For many people the weekend is a time when the family gets to together and goes to church to worship. The term “worship service” used to mean a time when the people of God met to offer up their sacrifices of service to God through worship and the serving of others. Over time, this term has slowly reversed into something very far from its original purpose. The worship service has become the time of the week when we go to a church building much like a car goes to a “service station.”

Most people view the worship service as a place where we go to get serviced spiritually. It is a place to “fill our spiritual tanks.” It is also a place where someone will preach to us a good sermon and give us our weekly sustenance. You could probably even call it our weekly “fill-up.” We come to the service station to be led in the singing of songs by a song leader so we can feel good through connecting emotionally to the gathering of other saints and feel confident and secure that we did indeed “worship” for that week. Furthermore, we go to weekly worship services to drop off our kids at the “children’s service” so they too can be serviced by having their weekly fill-ups. And many others are glad that the weekly service stations now provide a mini-mart café that serves coffee and refreshments in the church lobby. The “worship service” is as convenient as the gasoline stations off the sides of almost every major road in the country.

I must say that I am being a bit facetious but with a very serious attitude toward our responsibility to change! We must offer up to Jesus true unmodified worship. Our worship services have suffered tremendous modifications because we have changed the meaning of what true worship is. We must recognize that true worship is about Him and not about us. It’s not about Jesus serving us. It’s about us serving Jesus. That is why it is imperative that we see worship as more than the lifting of hands, the bending of knees or the singing of songs. True worship is a lifestyle.

Worship should purely be about offering service and worship to Jesus. We should offer to Jesus our prayers, our praise, our confessions, our finances, our service to others, and our lives. To put it plainly, worship is about giving, not getting. When we understand worship as a lifestyle, we understand the purpose for gathering to worship. We gather to bring service to the Lord. The key word here is “serve.” Because of the misunderstanding of worship, the term “worship service” does not, at all, describe what we should do to be true worshipers. Theologically, a better term would probably be “worship gathering.” The church is gathering to worship. The church is made up of individuals who gather to bring their service (their offerings) to Jesus and to others and not individuals who come to a service to receive something.

Worship is “the act of adoring and praising God, that is, ascribing worth to God as the one who deserves homage and service.” Worship is an act of reverence and devotion, and in biblical times often involved bowing, kneeling, and lying prostrate in reverence before a great and holy God. Worship is the way to express our love and devotion to Jesus, who first loved us and gave Himself up for us.

We create a place where we can express love, devotion, adoration, and praise to Jesus when we gather to worship. This is what God designed us for. He never intended worship to be something we do only once a week. He meant for it to be a lifestyle of being in love with Him and in awe of Him all week long. Worship should be an offering of our love, our adoration, and our praise to Him through our lives all day long, everyday.

If we could ever truly make worship a lifestyle and those in our churches also do the same, I wonder how powerful the spiritual atmospheres would be in churches across America where people gather once a week to demonstrate the worship that has been happening in their lives all week long. I believe we would return to the power of the church of the Book of Acts. Signs, wonders, and miracles would be the norm for everyday life.

Authentic worship exhibits a lifestyle consistent with the discipleship demands of the Sermon on the Mount. As stated before, worship is more, much more, than the Sunday morning designated hour when the saints come together to do church. Lifestyle worship has many components characterized by service and love for Jesus. Needless to say, our Sunday morning worship is only as good as our Monday morning life sacrifice. We are distinctive and separated to the Lord as Christian disciples, not because we show up in suits and ties and in our Sunday’s best, but because we refuse to live worldly in favor of the righteousness of God.

Biblical Worship
To get a better grasp of worship as a lifestyle we must explore the twofold meaning of Biblical worship. Out of the rich vocabulary of the Old and New Testament several words are translated "worship," and they cluster around two main categories or meanings.

Worship - to bow down in adoring veneration
The first definition of worship means to bow down, to adore, to lovingly venerate God, both personally and also corporately. It is something that is done in a specific place at a specific time. The Old Testament word shachah is from Psalm 95:6, “So come, let us worship (shachah): bow before him, on your knees before GOD, who made us!” The Message (MSG)

The most primitive root of that word, from the Old Testament definition, means a dog licking his master's feet. The same idea in the New Testament, the Greek word proskuneo, means adore.
Both the Old Testament and the New Testament word combine not only physical posture and expression in worship, but also the words we pray or sing. We do these things activity solely to honor the Lord. Regardless of whether I worship by myself, or with my family or roommates, in a home friendship group, a Bible study, a Sunday School class, or a church worship service, we do it to focus on the Lord.

Worship - to actively serve, work and minister
The second meaning of worship is to actively serve, to work, to minister. It can be a personal expression or we can join with other people corporately to worship. The Old Testament word abad, to serve, is found in Joshua 24:15, “If you decide that it's a bad thing to worship GOD, then choose a god you'd rather serve--and do it today. Choose one of the gods your ancestors worshiped from the country beyond The River, or one of the gods of the Amorites, on whose land you're now living. As for me and my family, we'll worship (abad) GOD.” The Message (MSG)

The New Testament word for service, latreuo, parallels it. It is also in main passage that I used for this chapter, Romans 12:1, “I appeal to you therefore, brethren, and beg of you in view of [all] the mercies of God, to make a decisive dedication of your bodies [presenting all your members and faculties] as a living sacrifice, holy (devoted, consecrated) and well pleasing to God, which is your reasonable (rational, intelligent) service (latreuo) and spiritual worship.” Amplified Bible (AMP)

Both the Old Testament and New Testament expressions give us a complete understanding of worship. They unite a sense of moral and ethical behavior. This kind of worship does something to you and those around you. It is proactive. In Isaiah 6, we see a picture of the prophet worshiping God on his face in humility. But does God leave him there? No, my friend, God has a plan and a purpose for him. God lifts him up, puts him on his feet, cleanses him, and sends him out to speak, serve, and minister. These are expressions and forms of worship. This definition confirms that all of life--every thought, every choice, every action--is indeed worship.

These two definitions, adoration and service, reinforce each other. If we are to be Biblical worshipers, we cannot have adoration without service or service without adoration. Without adoration on a regular basis our service becomes empty, barren activity. On the other hand, without the regular choice to live out the moral and ethical implications of worship through a lifestyle of obedience, our praise and worship become hypocrisy. It is no wonder God, through the prophets, acknowledges that Israel's worship services are impeccable. He says, "their hearts are far from me" (Isaiah 29:13), because their lifestyles are faithless. It makes their singing of God's greatness and His glory a lie. The reality is that we must live in complete dependence on Him, not only for our physical life and health, but for our spiritual life as well. He is eternally worthy of our wholehearted "amen." Amen is the “yes” of worship. It means we agree that it is the way it ought to be. That is why Paul ends hymns and scripture texts with a resounding amen.

Worship Is Natural
Worship is a natural instinct and a basic need for every person. God created us with a desire to worship Him. Really think about it. What is it that has most of your devotion? What is it that takes most of your time? Whatever the answers to those questions are, that is what you worship. Not all people in the world worship the same God, but everyone, whether they realize it or not, worships something or someone. They are devoting their time and energy into something or someone they believe in. When we become conscious of that natural desire created in us to worship, we must conclude that we are created by a higher being for the very purpose of worship.

Worship is not only a natural instinct but it is a command from God. I didn’t say “request.” I said “command.”

Exodus 20:2-3 
“I am the Lord your God, Who has brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall have no other gods before or besides Me.” Amplified Bible (AMP)

Matthew 4:10
Jesus' refusal was curt: "Beat it, Satan!" He backed his rebuke with a third quotation from Deuteronomy: "Worship the Lord your God, and only him. Serve him with absolute single-heartedness." The Message (MSG)

Without reservation, Jesus plainly commands that our devotion should be focused and centered on Him. When Christ is the center of our lifestyle worship, everything else is incidental. Our lives will be devoted to pleasing Him and the outcome is our happiness and contentment that we are in the Will of God. This is cause for rejoicing, thanksgiving, exaltation, praise, the singing of songs, which are all forms of worship. We have a reason to express our service and love to Jesus. As a pastor, I have encountered many different kinds of excuses of why people don’t express themselves openly in a public setting through Biblical worship. “It’s not my style,” says one. Another says, “That is not the way I grew up.” It is obvious that these kinds of people don’t understand true worship at all. When worship is your life, there is a reason for the demonstration. You are revealing outwardly something that is happening on the inside. With that understanding, pleasing Him is not just what I do--it is who I am. My life’s significance is found in who I am in Jesus. Without Jesus at the center of our daily life, it is impossible to be a true worshiper.

Forms Of Worship
The Word of God, the Bible, is full of examples of various forms of true worship. Some of these forms include:

Glorifying God,
Psalm 29:2
“Give to the Lord the glory due to His name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness or in holy array.” Amplified Bible (AMP)

Praising God,
Psalms 150:1
“Hallelujah! Praise God in his holy house of worship, praise him under the open skies;” The Message (MSG)

Honoring God,
I Samuel 2:30
“Therefore--this is GOD's word, the God of Israel speaking--I once said that you and your ancestral family would be my priests indefinitely, but now--GOD's word, remember!-there is no way this can continue. I honor those who honor me; those who scorn me I demean.” The Message (MSG)

Giving thanks to God,
I Thessalonians 5:16-18
“Be cheerful no matter what; pray all the time; thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live.” The Message (MSG)

Verbal testimony,
Psalm 66:16-20
“All believers, come here and listen, let me tell you what God did for me. I called out to him with my mouth, my tongue shaped the sounds of music. If I had been cozy with evil, the Lord would never have listened. But he most surely did listen, he came on the double when he heard my prayer. Blessed be God: he didn't turn a deaf ear, he stayed with me, loyal in his love.” Message (MSG)

Songs of worship,
Psalm 100:1-2
“Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all you lands! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come before His presence with singing!” Amplified Bible (AMP)

Reverently reading God’s Word,
Psalm 19:7-10
“The revelation of GOD is whole and pulls our lives together. The signposts of GOD are clear and point out the right road. The life--maps of GOD are right, showing the way to joy. The directions of GOD are plain and easy on the eyes. GOD's reputation is twenty-four-carat gold, with a lifetime guarantee. The decisions of GOD are accurate down to the nth degree. God's Word is better than a diamond, better than a diamond set between emeralds. You'll like it better than strawberries in spring, better than red, ripe strawberries.” The Message (MSG)

Seeking to know God,
Psalm 63:1-4
“God--you're my God! I can't get enough of you! I've worked up such hunger and thirst for God, traveling across dry and weary deserts. So here I am in the place of worship, eyes open, drinking in your strength and glory. In your generous love I am really living at last! My lips brim praises like fountains. I bless you every time I take a breath; My arms wave like banners of praise to you.” The Message (MSG)

Humbling yourself,
I Peter 5:6
“So be content with who you are, and don't put on airs. God's strong hand is on you; he'll promote you at the right time.” The Message (MSG)

Giving to support God’s work,
Malachi 3:10
“Bring your full tithe to the Temple treasury so there will be ample provisions in my Temple. Test me in this and see if I don't open up heaven itself to you and pour out blessings beyond your wildest dreams.” The Message (MSG)

Having an obedient life,
I John 5:3
“The proof that we love God comes when we keep his commandments and they are not at all troublesome.” The Message (MSG)

Jesus being your first love,
Revelation 2:1-4
“Write this to Ephesus, to the Angel of the church. The One with Seven Stars in his right-fist grip, striding through the golden seven-lights' circle, speaks: "I see what you've done, your hard, hard work, your refusal to quit. I know you can't stomach evil, that you weed out apostolic pretenders. I know your persistence, your courage in my cause, that you never wear out. "But you walked away from your first love--why? What's going on with you, anyway?” The Message (MSG)

Surrendering and giving your life to God,
Romans 12:1-2
“So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life--your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life--and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.” The Message (MSG)

These forms of worship are just a part of the enormity of the definition of a true worshiper.

Powerful Worship Is A Challenge To Our Culture
Verse 2 of Romans 12 is the key to powerful worship. Paul uses a very powerful expression which challenges the reader not to conform to the “spirit (attitude) of this age,” but rather to be a challenge to our culture. The word “conformity” is likened to a liquid that can be solidified into different shapes--a liquid that adapts itself to a mold. We are called to discern these molds that want to press us into the schemes or gimmicks of this world and break the mold by embracing a lifestyle of true worship in obedience to Jesus Christ.

Our age has challenged the church. Many church services are more entertainment than sacrificial offerings of worship. Worldliness has crept into our churches through our music and through the fashions of this world and has adulterated the purity of the lifestyle of a true apostolic worshiper. Romans 12:1-2 demands that we now challenge the world by standing separate from it. Unashamedly, we must question and test the spirits of this age by calling it out like it is.
I John 4:1, “My dear friends, don't believe everything you hear. Carefully weigh and examine what people tell you. Not everyone who talks about God comes from God. There are a lot of lying preachers loose in the world.” The Message (MSG)

We must allow God to reprogram our thinking and belief systems. We must allow God to “transform us by the renewing of the mind so we can prove what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” We are not to be molded by the world but transformed by the Spirit. The mold is a confining arrangement for “makeup” but transformation is freedom through an extreme “makeover.” It is the Holy Ghost that transforms us. We must, more than ever, be filled with the Holy Ghost.

The reality is that there is a war raging over who and what will be the primary influences in our lives. We must ask the Lord for spiritual discernment to recognize the difference. But God has not left us without spiritual resources. We have the ammunition to win this war. We need people to tell us the truth, to call us to give account when they see us being molded or shaped by the world in our thinking and behavior. We need the word of God reminding us what is true and what is real, uncovering the lies of the influences that pressure us. And we need the Holy Ghost, at work in us, changing us. Then and only then can we be the worshiping servants of God that we are called to be. We can finally live sacrificially for the good of others. Amen!