THE POWER OF WORSHIP and PRAISE Post Encounter Lesson 3

Man was created to worship God

SATAN WANTS TO DESTROY THIS RELATIONSHIP Matthew 4:10 “When Satan tempted the Lord, one of his offers was, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.” And the Lord answered, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written, ‘You will worship the Lord your God, and Him only will you serve.’”

TEN COMMANDMENTS Exodus 20:4-5 “You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third & fourth generation of them that hate me.”

Worship belongs exclusively to God

THE ONLY WAY TO WORSHIP GOD IS IN SPIRIT John 4:24 “God is spirit; and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth.”

GOD IS SPIRIT John 3:3 “In reply Jesus declared, I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.”

HOW CAN WE WORSHIP GOD?

We can worship anywhere! 1 Kings 8:27 “But will God really dwell on the earth? The heavens, even the highest heaven, cannot contain you. How much less this temple?” We can worship anywhere!

1. TO KNEEL DOWN Psalm 95:6 “Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker…”

Kneel (Hebrew) - blessing Philippians 2:9-11 “Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

2. TO BOW DOWN Psalm 95:6 “Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.”

Expression of brokenness, humility, and of rendering Revelation 4:9-11 “Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to Him that sits on the throne and who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne, and worship him who lives forever and ever.

Acknowledge his authority They lay their crowns before the throne and say: ‘You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.” Acknowledge his authority

Isaiah 6:1-3 “In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on the throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: with two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two were flying. And they were calling to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord almighty; the whole earth is full of His glory.”

3. TO SPREAD OUT HANDS Psalm 143:6 “I spread out my hands to you; my soul thirsts for you like a parched land.”

Symbols of rendering Exodus 17:8-16 The Amalekites came and attacked the Israelites at Rephidim. Moses said to Joshua, "Choose some of our men and go out to fight the Amalekites. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hands. So Joshua fought the

Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill. As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. When Moses' hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it.

Aaron and Hur held his hands up-one on one side, one on the other-so that his hands remained steady till sunset. So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword. Then the LORD said to Moses, "Write this on a scroll as something to be remembered and make sure that Joshua hears it,

because I will completely blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven." Moses built an altar and called it The LORD is my Banner. He said, "For hands were lifted up to the throne of the LORD . The LORD will be at war against the Amalekites from generation to generation.”

HOW CAN WE PRAISE GOD Psalm 34:1-3 “I will bless the Lord at all time; His praise will always be on my lips. My soul will boast in the Lord; let the afflicted hear and rejoice. Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt His name together.”

Praise produces spiritual joy God created music Praise produces spiritual joy Psalm 22:3 “Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One; you are the praise of Israel.”

The Tongue Matthew 12:35-37 “The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him.

But I tell you that men will have to give account on the Day of Judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, by your words you will be condemned.”

Control the tongue— the enemy does not want us to use it to praise God Hebrews 13:15 “Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise--the fruit of lips that confess his name.”

Has the power of quiting the voice of the enemy BENEFITS OF PRAISE Has the power of quiting the voice of the enemy

2.God shuts the mouth of the accuser 3. Protection from God for our family and for our finances

Lifts up a wall of protection 1. Family 2. Finances

B. WHEN SHOULD WE PRAISE GOD? Psalm 145:2 “Everyday I will bless You, and I will praise Your name forever and ever.”

Psalm 34:1 “I will bless the Lord at all times, His praise will always be on my lips. My soul will boast in the Lord; let the afflicted hear and rejoice. Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt His name together.”

C. HOW SHOULD WE PRAISE THE LORD?

1. WHOLEHEARTEDLY Psalm 111:1 “I will praise the Lord with my whole heart, in the assembly of the upright and in the congregation.”

2. WITH UNDERSTANDING Psalm 47:7 “For God is the King of all the earth; sing praises with understanding.”

3. BLESSING HIS NAME Psalm 63:4 “Thus I will bless You while I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name.”

Psalm 150:4 “Praise Him with stringed instruments and flutes.” 4. WITH TRIMBREL & DANCE Psalm 150:4 “Praise Him with stringed instruments and flutes.”

D. WHO SHOULD PRAISE? Ps. 148:11-14 “Kings of the earth & all peoples; princes & all judges of the earth; both young men & maidens; old men & children. Let them praise the name of the Lord, for His name alone is exalted; His glory is above the earth & heaven. And He has exalted the horn of his people, the praise of all his saints – of all the children of Israel, of people near to Him. Praise the Lord!”

GROUP DISCUSSION WHAT ARE SOME THINGS THAT HAVE HINDERED YOU FROM WORSHIPING GOD? TELL OF A GREAT WORSHIP EXPERIENCE IN YOUR LIFE. NOW THAT YOU LEARNED WHY AND HOW WE WORSHIP, HOW WILL YOU APPLY THIS LESSON TO YOUR NEW WORSHIP LIFESTYLE