THE POWER OF WORSHIP

BY

CHRISTOPHER MONAGHAN

Copyright © 2012 by Christopher Monaghan

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except in the case of a reviewer, who may quote brief passages embodied in critical articles or in a review.

Trademarked names appear throughout this book. Rather than use a trademark symbol with every occurrence of a trademarked name, names are used in an editorial fashion, with no intention of infringement of the respective owner’s trademark.

The information in this book is distributed on an “as is” basis, without warranty. Although every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this work, neither the author nor the publisher shall have any liability to any person or entity with respect to any loss or damage caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by the information contained in this book.

Cry Out Ministries International

P.O. Box 103

Webster, IN 47392

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 Biblica. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

eBook conversion by ePubTemplates.com

Contact us at ChrisMonaghan@Juno.com

The Power of Worship

“But You are holy, Enthroned in the praises of Israel” (Psalm 22:3)

God is enthroned in the people of His praises.  Where His throne is there is His government (authority) and power (miracles).  Worship brings us into the supernatural realm because God shows up and He is supernatural!  Worship is a gate we enter through into the presence of God.   Consider the psalmist who declared, “Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name” (Psalm 100:4).  As we cross over the gates of thanksgiving we enter the courts of praise.

Worship is a tool that releases a supernatural realm on earth.   Ministry leaders will see greater manifestations of the presence of God when they interpret the moving of the Spirit.  Worship puts our attention on God the Father and the Lord Jesus and not on our problems and needs.  We shouldn’t seek His hand unless we are seeking His face.

An empty balloon has no shape or purpose until it is filled with air.  Praise brings form to what God is doing around us and lifts us up into a higher place. Praise makes God bigger in our present situations and carries into a place of faith.

Praise and worship creates an atmosphere of power.  We have authority to bring forth an atmosphere of power wherever we are!   A thermometer will merely tell us the temperature.  A thermostat will change the temperature.  Christians must become thermostats that change the temperature through their praise and worship.

In the atmosphere of heaven, we receive healing, power and revelation. We must set a high priority on praise and worship when we gather so that we can operate in the realm of the supernatural.   We should expect in our gathering times:

- Prophecy

- Deliverance

- Preaching

- Healing

- Miracles

Before we pray, prophecy, heal or work miracles we are worshippers.  All ministry is the overflow. It is a practical way to daily experience the presence of God.  Praise and worship is not about getting healed, delivered and saved as it is about worshipping the Healer, Deliverer and Savior!  When we begin to come to God as Healer we get healed!  The supernatural realm is opened through praise because He inhabits our praises!

We have been given the privilege to worship the King of the Universe and His Glorious Son Jesus.  There is a huge psychological difference between having to worship and getting to worship.  Many only worship when they feel right or the music sounds good or they are familiar with the song.  Worship is more conducive if these elements are incorporated but worship is not dependent upon these elements.  Worship is an act of the will!  Worship is not just emotion.  Devotion must lead your emotion.   Hear the words of David:

I will praise you, O LORD, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonders. I will be glad and rejoice in you; I will sing praise to your name, O Most High. (Ps 9:1-2)

- I will praise

- I will tell

- I will be glad

- I will sing

Hear the repetitive “I will’s” in these verses.   David was one who worshipped the LORD in the good times and the bad.  He had the revelation that worshipping God strengthened him so that he could be empowered to accomplish God’s will for his life.

But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble.  O my Strength, I sing praise to you; you, O God, are my fortress, my loving God.  (Ps 59:16-17)

Music Can Change the Atmosphere

Music has great power and is a weapon to release deliverance from evil spirits.  Music can cast demons out of people that are being tormented.  In ancient Israel, people understood the authority that music carried in the realm of the Spirit.

Now the Spirit of the LORD had departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD tormented him. Saul’s attendants said to him, “See, an evil spirit from God is tormenting you. Let our lord command his servants here to search for someone who can play the harp. He will play when the evil spirit from God comes upon you, and you will feel better.”  (1 Samuel 16:14-16)

King Saul was a demonized man.  He was controlling and insecure.  The Spirit of God moved upon him at times and other times he was murderous and vile.  Those around Saul saw that he was being tormented in his soul and suggested he find a harpist.

So Saul said to his attendants, “Find someone who plays well and bring him to me.” One of the servants answered, “I have seen a son of Jesse of Bethlehem who knows how to play the harp. He is a brave man and a warrior. He speaks well and is a fine-looking man. And the LORD is with him.” (vs.17-18)

This is the first time Saul meets David.  Though a simple shepherd boy, unnoticed by his own father amidst his seven brothers, David was a king.  He first served Saul, not as a warrior but as a worshipper.  He played with skill and with spiritual authority so that demons could not remain in his presence.

Whenever the spirit from God came upon Saul, David would take his harp and play. Then relief would come to Saul; he would feel better, and the evil spirit would leave him. (vs.23)

Notice that David played the harp and the evil spirit left Saul.  Scripture does not mention him even singing.  The mere authority in his fingers as he strummed the strings on his harp drove out evil!   How much more should we expect supernatural deliverance for those who are seeking God in our midst as we declare the goodness of God and His Son Jesus!  If Saul got delivered and his walk with God was corrupt, imagine the deliverance possible for those who are righteous through the blood of Jesus!

Being a worshipper does not make you weak.  I often share that revival will happen when men start dancing!   David was a worshipper and a warrior!  Sometimes when you step out to worship God with all your might others will persecute you and mock you!  David’s wife despised him because he was a worshipper.

Now as the ark of the LORD came into the City of David, Michal, Saul’s daughter, looked through a window and saw King David leaping and whirling before the LORD; and she despised him in her heart (2 Samuel 6:16).

David, though a king, did not hold back his worship to the King! David knew his abandonment in worship we bring forth fruit in his life.  Michal took offense and tried to shame him.

Then David returned to bless his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, “How glorious was the king of Israel today, uncovering himself today in the eyes of the maids of his servants, as one of the base fellows shamelessly uncovers himself!” So David said to Michal, “It was before the Lord, who chose me instead of your father and all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the Lord, over Israel. Therefore I will play music before the Lord. And I will be even more undignified than this, and will be humble in my own sight. But as for the maidservants of whom you have spoken, by them I will be held in honor.” Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no children to the day of her death (2 Samuel 6:20-23).

Michal despised radical worship and remained childless.  Anyone who opposes true worship will not see fruit.  The supernatural realm will not be released without making ourselves small and making God big!

We must understand that worship is sometimes warfare.  People will bring in a judgmental and critical spirit that will try to put a wet blanket over the gathering place.  Like David, we must worship with all our might so that heaven falls.

Releasing Authority from Heaven to Earth

Music by God’s people brings authority from heaven to earth.  It releases the kingdom of God in this realm by saturated the atmosphere with songs of deliverance.  When Elisha needed revelation in a difficult situation, he called for a harpist.  “’But now bring me a harpist.’ While the harpist was playing, the hand of the LORD came upon Elisha” (2 Kings 3:15).  The hand of the LORD is a metaphor used in describing the power of God. When Scriptures refer to the hand of God, our mind sees five fingers and a palm.  Biblical thought sees the function of the hand, not the form.

When we need revelation in a difficult place, we should call for the musicians.  Revelation will manifest itself in power and the hand of God will come upon us.

The touch of God is received from worshipping hearts; worshippers are able to give and are also more likely to receive from God.  Worship brings the reality of our situations in perspective.   Jesus said, “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:24).  I like to translate the word truth as reality.  Worship brings us into reality and knowing our reality makes us free!  Jesus said, “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32).

Many people in our culture do not understand the necessity of worship.  We do not worship God because He is insecure of His omniscience and his omnipotence.  We worship Him because a King must be worshipped and as we give him reverence, He graces us with His Spirit.  We must not come to worship to be entertained- we come to enter in!  With a mix of boldness and humility, we approach His throne and surround Him with our praises.

Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.  (Heb 4:16)

Our Duty And Our Passion

Worship is our duty to the King, but it must also be our passion. Our decision to worship is made regardless of our emotional status.  Once we make this conscience shift in our mindset concerning worship, there will be a tremendous outpouring of His Spirit upon our congregations.  As the late Ruth Heflin said, “We must praise Him until we can worship Him and then we must worship Him until His glory descends.”  Our goal as we worship is to touch heaven and to release heaven on earth.

When all the Israelites saw the fire coming down and the glory of the LORD above the temple, they knelt on the pavement with their faces to the ground, and they worshiped and gave thanks to the LORD, saying, "He is good; his love endures forever." (2 Chronicles 7:3)

We must not neglect our duty to worship our King.  When we fail, we miss out on His glory and His glory is what brings us facedown before Him.  As Hezekiah encourage the priests of his day:

My sons, do not be negligent now, for the LORD has chosen you to stand before him and serve him, to minister before him … (2 Chronicles 29:11)

What an honor we have been given!  To stand before the King of the universe and serve Him in our worship!  Thank you Lord for this privilege!

Not a Worship Service But Worship Servants!

Worship is our service to the LORD.  When we worship, we serve and when we serve we worship.  Worship involves our entire life comes out as an overflow in everything we do.   Peter wrote to the early Christians:

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. (1 Peter 2:9)

Our duty is to declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness!  We are to be like the Levites of the Old Testament.  Out of the twelve tribes of Israel, the Levitical tribe was chosen to be set apart in a special way.  The Levites were those in charge of the tabernacle (Num.1:50).  They rallied to Moses to deal with the sin of the golden calf (Ex. 32:26).  Only they could approach the sanctuary without dying (Num. 3:10).  They were the ones given wholly unto the Lord (Num. 8:16).  The Body of Christ, the born-again believers are the new Levites of the kingdom of God.

The tabernacle was the tent in which God dwelt during the time between their Exodus from Egypt until the building of the temple.  The Levites were descendants of one of the twelve sons of Jacob and their job was to care for the tabernacle.  To care for the tabernacle was a solemn responsibility that was shared amongst the male descendants of Levi whose were between the ages of 30 to 50.

Levi was son of Jacob and Leah.  Jacob had also married the sister of Leah, Rachel.  Rachel was much more beautiful than Leah and Jacob favored her over Leah.   But God opened the womb of Leah and she began to have children while Rachel had none.  Through Leah’s fruitfulness she hoped to win the heart of her husband.

Levi means, “to be attached to” or “joined to”.  He was named Levi as a statement of faith in hopes that Leah would one day be attached to her husband.  Just like a button keeps both sides of your coat together, so worship keeps you connected with God.

I view my duty as a worshipper in the same way a Levite would view his duties in the tabernacle.  These duties were part of his job description unto the LORD.

Command the Israelites to bring you clear oil of pressed olives for the light so that the lamps may be kept burning. In the Tent of Meeting, outside the curtain that is in front of the Testimony, Aaron and his sons are to keep the lamps burning before the LORD from evening till morning. (Exodus. 27:20-21)

The Levites had a responsibility to keep their lamps burning with clear oil.  The oil had a fragrance, a warmth and a shine.

Are You A Fragrant Offering?

If you want to be a true worshipper you must be a radical worshipper!  “For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.  To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life”  (2 Corinthians 2:15).   Every time we come to worship we must make the choice to release the fragrance of His praise or to hold on to it and waste it!

The only way to release the aroma of a perfume is to open the bottle.  The greatest act of worship is described in Luke 7:37-38:

When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume, and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.

Mark 14:3 says “ ...she broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head. “   Jesus spoke of her saying, “I tell you the truth, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her" (Mark 14:9).  If only Christ could say that of us!  What are we missing in our worship that keeps us from receiving such praise from Christ?

Ecclesiastes 10:1 says, “...dead flies give perfume a bad smell…”.  Ungodly attitudes and behaviors are ‘dead flies’ that cause our worship to become an unpleasant odor instead of a beautiful fragrance.   Pride, envy and lust must be plucked out of our sacred anointing oil.   The longer these “dead flies” remain the less potent our praise!

The LORD commanded Moses to use fragrant anointing oil throughout the tabernacle where God would dwell.  “Make these into a sacred anointing oil, a fragrant blend, the work of a perfumer. It will be the sacred anointing oil. Then use it to anoint the Tent of Meeting (and everything in it)...You shall consecrate them so they will be most holy, and whatever touches them will be holy” (Ex 30:25-29 italics mine).

Fragrant praise consecrates an atmosphere so that God can come and inhabit His sanctuary.   Scoop the dead flies out of your anointing and break open the jar of your fragrance.  Wipe His feet with your hair and kiss His feet.  Pour yourself out for the One who loves you so passionately!

Zeal for Worship

Satan deeply opposes any worshipper because he fears the manifest presence of God. I love to quote Psalm 46:1: “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”  This verse does not say God is just present, but very present!  In certain places I feel His presence, but in other places I feel God is very present.  I believe the difference between present and very present can be overcome by zeal.

Let’s face it.  Some things just will not get done in the kingdom without zeal.  If God Himself accomplishes His purpose through zeal, He does so to teach us to do the same.   The prophet Isaiah declares, “The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this” (Isaiah 9:7).  Zeal means “to burn or to be hot.”  It denotes fire. The Hebrew word for zeal, qana, “...represents the act of the advancement of God and His glory over all substitutes.”[1]

Zeal is like an unction given to us through His word.  We understand our call to lift up Jesus above all else.  God’s Word to us is an appeal for zeal to function in unction!

In Romans 12:11-12, Paul says, “Never be lacking in zeal but keep your spiritual fervor serving the LORD. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction and faithful in prayer.”  Zeal is not an option!  Daily we must renew our passion for the things of God.  Zeal will be the catalyst for a fruitful life.

But keep in mind, “…it is not good to have zeal without knowledge nor to be hasty and miss the way” (Proverbs19:2).  Paul instructs the Galatians, “It is fine to be zealous, provided the purpose is good, and to be so always and not just when I am with you” (Galatians 4:18).   We must be grounded in His Word and empowered by His Spirit.  We want to be electrified not electrocuted!  In our zeal for God, we must not overlook our own need for character development and brokenness.

Zeal is only real when it carries over into our daily life.  We must be lovers of God and a passionate bride of Christ both in public and in private.  In our day, many people in the body of Christ are over-cautious in their worship.  But we must remember how David danced before the LORD with all his might.

David, wearing a linen ephod, danced before the LORD with all his might, while he and the entire house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouts and the sound of trumpets.   (1 Samuel 6:14-15)

Though it is not good to have zeal without knowledge- it is even worse to have knowledge without zeal!  As one preacher said, “It is easier to restrain a fanatic than it is to raise the dead!”

Jehoash, king of Israel was not totally delivered from his enemies because he failed to strike the arrows to the ground with unction. (2 Kings 13:14-20).  Because of his lack of zeal he only received a shallow victory over his enemies.  Let the worshipping church learn this lesson as well.

There must be a high level of zeal and exuberance in our praises if we are expecting God to respond.  The Hebrew word for cry out is za’ag and it means, “to shriek from anguish or a sense of danger” and symbolizes, “..a crying out to God from a disturbed heart, summoning help and deliverance.” [2]

I can remember times in my life when I felt such oppression and distress that my only choice was to cry out from the depths of soul.  David said, “In my distress I called to the LORD; I cried to my God for help. From His temple he heard my voice” (Ps. 18:6).

In our intellectual society, it might seem improper to do such a thing.  But I must ask, do you want civil acceptance or spiritual freedom?

Crying Out Brings Deliverance

Reading through the book of Judges, you will discover a pattern that is repeated over and over in the life of the Israelites.   Below is a diagram that describes this cycle of oppression to deliverance as we cry out to God to raise up a deliverer.

Scripture says, “...they groaned under those who oppressed and afflicted them”  (Judges 2:18).   “But when they cried out to the LORD, He raised up a deliverer…” (3:9).   If you are facing oppression due to sickness, finances, stress or whatever is against you– cry out!  He has already risen up our deliver and his name is Jesus!

And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you. (Romans 8:11)

We should high expectations in our worship and in our crying out to God for supernatural happenings!  Paul and Silas had ever reason not to worship in their prison.   They were stripped, beaten, severely flogged and chained up as criminals- yet they made a choice on that day to cry out to God in worship.

After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully.  Upon receiving such orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks. About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.  Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everybody’s chains came loose.  (Acts 16:23-26)

This account reminds us that our praises will not only set us free but also those around us.  Chains were broken and prison doors flew open as Paul and Silas prayed and sang.  Scriptures teach us that worship brings not only deliverance and revelation but also salvation.  The jailer asked Paul and Silas: “What must I do to be saved?” (vs.30).  If Paul and Silas kept silent that day, souls would not have been saved.

Worship, Prophets and Transformation

In Biblical times, there were schools of prophets who would gather to prophesy and worship. One day, the prophet Samuel told Saul, the soon-to-be king of Israel, what was about to take place.

As you approach the town, you will meet a procession of prophets coming down from the high place with lyres, tambourines, flutes and harps being played before them, and they will be prophesying.  The Spirit of the LORD will come upon you in power, and you will prophesy with them; and you will be changed into a different person (1 Samuel 10:5-6).

As Saul came in the midst of prophetic music, three things happened:

1.        The Spirit came upon him with power.

2.       He began to prophesy.

3.       He became a different person.

This portion of scripture inspires me to expect awesome happenings in the midst of worship.  When I go to get a haircut, I expect to walk out looking different, so also I expect when I go into worship, I will walk out a different person. I no longer just sing the words of a song, but instead, I prophetically declare the word over those within the sound of my voice in song.

My goal as a worshipper is to visibly witness a transformation over people as I worship Jesus.  A notable change happened in my spirit when I began to see myself calling forth change in lives as I ministered and recognized the power of His word.

So is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it (Isaiah 55:11).

To experience supernatural power in worship, we must see our worship as prayers releasing heaven.  These prayers are not just spoken- they are sung.  St. Augustine taught, “He who sings prays twice!”.  Something beyond words is released as we worship into the atmosphere.

In ancient times, a king would rule his kingdom by issuing his will to his scribes who would then write the king’s wishes down and pass on to different heralds.  These heralds would travel throughout the kingdom and proclaim the king’s will to all areas of the kingdom.  The moment the herald proclaimed the king’s will from the scroll, the king’s words became the law in that realm in which it was proclaimed.

Worshippers are heralds of the kingdom of God decalring the will of heaven here on earth.  The King’s Word becomes reality once it is proclaimed!  Heaven is released on earth as we declare the praises of the one who called us out of darkness.   We must not be silent anymore.  Let worship arise in the hearts of His people!

Reflection

1.        Consider the different times in the Bible where worship or music brought about a breakthrough?  Is there a time in your life when worship and music helped bring about a victory in your life?

2.       Another word for truth is reality.  What do you think Jesus meant when he said, “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:24).

3.       What does the statement “He who sings prays twice” mean to you?

4.  Paul describes worship as a fragrance.  Is your worship bottled up or is it uncorked?

5. Zeal can be defined as“...represents the act of the advancement of God and His glory over all substitutes.” Do you apply zeal your worship?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Chris Monaghan and his wife, Debbie, live near Richmond, Indiana, U.S.A. Chris and Debbie are the Senior Leaders of a group of believers in the Richmond area called Gateway Vineyard Fellowship. We focus on changing the atmosphere of our city through worship, teaching and humanitarian acts.  Gateway seeks to create a movement centered on revival that flows out of our new identity in Jesus as sons and daughters in the kingdom of God.  Chris and Debbie expect supernatural happenings whenever and wherever the body of Christ gathers together and regularly see physical and emotional healings take place.  They also serve as coordinators for Family Foundations International and promote the Ancient Paths Seminars in their region.  Chris and Debbie have five children:  four boys and one girl.

[1] Zodhiates, Spiros, and John R. Kohlenberger. The Hebrew-Greek Key Study Bible: New International Version. Chattanooga, TN: AMG Pub., 1996. 1548

[2] Zodhiates, Spiros, and John R. Kohlenberger. The Hebrew-Greek Key Study Bible: New International Version. Chattanooga, TN: AMG Pub., 1996. 1513