My Worship

Foundation Scriptures: John 4:19-24

The woman said to Him, “Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet. 20 Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship.” 21 Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father. 22 You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. 23 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. 24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”  
John 4:19-24 NKJV

1. The differences between Old Testament worship and New Testament worship.

• Everything changed after the Cross, Resurrection, and Pentecost.
• 2 Timothy 2:15 NKJV—Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
• What changed everything? The veil of the temple was torn in two (Matthew 27:51), the Holy Spirit came out of the earthly tabernacle, made by the hands of man, to come and live in our hearts. We are His temple, made by His hands.
• True worship comes from the heart.

2. We can learn a lesson from the children of Israel.

• Exodus 32:1-8
• While Moses was in the Glory, they were building a golden calf and worshipping it.
• This sounds like the modern church.
• What is a golden calf in today’s context?
• Anything that takes away from the presence of the Lord.
• Anything that draws attention away from God Himself.
• We don’t need anything other than our hearts, our hands, our mouths, our feet and His presence.
• His manifest presence is what we look for.

3. A type of Pentecost.

• The priests could not stand to minister— 2 Chronicles 5:11-14 KJV—And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place: (for all the priests that were present were sanctified, and did not then wait by course: 12 Also the Levites which were the singers, all of them of Asaph, of Heman, of Jeduthun, with their sons and their brethren, being arrayed in white linen, having cymbals and psalteries and harps, stood at the east end of the altar, and with them an hundred and twenty priests sounding with trumpets:) 13 It came even to pass, as the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD; and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of musick, and praised the LORD, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of the LORD; 14 So that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of God.
• The priests could not enter the room—2 Chronicles 7:1-3 KJV—Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the Lord filled the house. 2 And the priests could not enter into the house of the Lord, because the glory of the Lord had filled the Lord’s house. 3 And when all the children of Israel saw how the fire came down, and the glory of the Lord upon the house, they bowed themselves with their faces to the ground upon the pavement, and worshipped, and praised the Lord, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever.
• The fire fell. The house was filled with the cloud of God’s glory. They worshipped, saying, “The Lord is good and His mercy endures forever”.

4. The Holy Spirit and worship.

• The Holy Spirit is our Comforter—our Counselor, Helper, Advocate, Intercessor, Strengthener, and Standby
• Ephesians 5:18-20 KJV—And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; 19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; 20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
• Be filled with the Spirit.
• Speak to yourselves in Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your hearts to the Lord.
• Give thanks always for all things.

5. New Testament worship is Spirit-led and proceeds from the anointing—not the flesh or the mind.

• Music that is anointed.
• Lyrics that glorify God.
• Word content—words of power, words of faith— not just mere words.
• Worship is about Jesus not about us.
• You cannot worship with an arrogant heart—true worship comes from a humble heart.