Prayer is Your Place of Safety (Part 11)

The Prayer of Worship

5.3.2020

Review

Since the first of the year, I have been teaching a series on prayer.

I took a few Sundays to address the Corona crisis since we have been unable to meet together.

You never live past your prayer life…

In this series, we are addressing the importance of prayer in 2020, and how your prayer life can become the most important part of your day.

Week 1, we saw that Jesus lived out of His prayer life, and that He spent a lot of time praying before ministry.

We talked about the importance of our praying about everything, and how prayer can prepare us for the things that are in our future.

Weeks 2 through 4, we talked about why we must pray.

God cannot legally do anything unless He gets cooperation through His people. God must go through the church before He does anything on earth today!

Then, we started looking at Eight Different Kinds of Prayer

Ephesians 6:18 (NIV)

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.

Different kinds of prayer have different kinds of rules, i.e. sports.

1. The prayer of faith (primarily a prayer for yourself)

2. The prayer of consecration (relinquishing personal control)

3. The prayer of supplication (prayer for others)

4. The prayer of intercession (taking another’s place)

5. The prayer of agreement (when your faith needs a boost)

6. The prayer of worship (focusing on God)

7. United praying (tremendous power)

8. Praying in the spirit (beyond your own knowledge)

Follow the rules for each kind of prayer!!

Last week, we looked at The Prayer of Agreement and United Praying.

Today – The Prayer of Worship

One of the most important types of prayer, and perhaps the most neglected, is the prayer of worship.

We often spend time praying for others and petitioning the Lord for our own needs, but we should also spend much time in thanksgiving and praise.

6 Things to know about worship:

1. Enter God’s manifest presence by beginning your prayer time with worship.

Jesus began “The Lord’s Prayer” with worship.

Matthew 6:9 (NKJV)

In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.

Psalms 100:4 (NKJV)

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise.

Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.

The church worshipped when Jesus ascended into heaven. We should be worshipping when He returns.

Luke 24:51-53 (NKJV)

Now it came to pass, while He blessed them, that He was parted from them and carried up into heaven. (52) And they worshiped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, (53) and were continually in the temple praising and blessing God.

The early church had a habit of worship.

Acts 2:46-47 (NKJV)

So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, (47) praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.

Acts 13:1-3 (NLT)

Among the prophets and teachers of the church at Antioch of Syria were Barnabas, Simeon (called “the black man”), Lucius (from Cyrene), Manaen (the childhood companion of King Herod Antipas), and Saul. (2) One day as these men were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Appoint Barnabas and Saul for the special work to which I have called them.” (3) So after more fasting and prayer, the men laid their hands on them and sent them on their way.

1 Thessalonians 5:17 (NKJV)

Pray without ceasing.

Ephesians 5:18-19 (Passion Translation)

And don’t get drunk with wine, which is rebellion; instead be filled with the fullness of the Holy Spirit. (19) And your hearts will overflow with a joyful song to the Lord Jehovah. Keep speaking to each other with words of Scripture, singing the Psalms with praises and spontaneous songs given by the Spirit!

I inherited something from my dad. At any time he would sing, whistle, or hum. And I do too. Praise is prayer. Don’t limit God.

Colossians 3:16 (Passion Translation)

Let the word of Christ live in you richly, flooding you with all wisdom. Apply the Scriptures as you teach and instruct one another with the Psalms, and with festive praises, and with prophetic songs given to you spontaneously by the Spirit, so sing to God with all your hearts!

2. In the Old Testament, God’s presence manifested when animal sacrifices were brought before the place of His Presence: The Ark of the Covenant.

Psalm 80:1 – Give ear, O shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock; you who Dwell between the cherubim, shine forth!

Psalm 99:1 – The Lord Reigns; Let the peoples tremble! He dwells between the cherubim; let the earth be moved!

Exodus 25:22 – And there I will meet with you, and I will speak with you from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are on the ark which I give you in commandment to the children of Israel.

1 Samuel 4:4 – So the people sent to Shiloh, that they might bring from there the ark of the covenant of the Lord of hosts, who dwells between the cherubim…

2 Chronicles 5:1-10 (NKJV)

So all the work that Solomon had done for the house of the Lord was finished; and Solomon brought in the things which his father David had dedicated: the silver and the gold and all the furnishings. And he put them in the treasuries of the house of God. (2) Now Solomon assembled the elders of Israel and all the heads of the tribes, the chief fathers of the children of Israel, in Jerusalem, that they might bring the ark of the covenant of the Lord up from the City of David, which is Zion. (3) Therefore all the men of Israel assembled with the king at the feast, which was in the seventh month. (4) So all the elders of Israel came, and the Levites took up the ark. (5) Then they brought up the ark, the tabernacle of meeting, and all the holy furnishings that were in the tabernacle. The priests and the Levites brought them up. (6) Also King Solomon, and all the congregation of Israel who were assembled with him before the ark, were sacrificing sheep and oxen that could not be counted or numbered for multitude. (7) Then the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the Lord to its place, into the inner sanctuary of the temple, to the Most Holy Place, under the wings of the cherubim. (8) For the cherubim spread their wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubim overshadowed the ark and its poles. (9) The poles extended so that the ends of the poles of the ark could be seen from the holy place, in front of the inner sanctuary; but they could not be seen from outside. And they are there to this day. (10) Nothing was in the ark except the two tablets which Moses put there at Horeb, when the Lord made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they had come out of Egypt.

2 Chronicles 5:11-14 (NKJV)

And it came to pass when the priests came out of the Most Holy Place (for all the priests who were present had sanctified themselves, without keeping to their divisions), (12) and the Levites who were the singers, all those of Asaph and Heman and Jeduthun, with their sons and their brethren, stood at the east end of the altar, clothed in white linen, having cymbals, stringed instruments and harps, and with them one hundred and twenty priests sounding with trumpets — (13) indeed it came to pass, when 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 music, and praised the Lord, saying:

“For He is good, For His mercy endures forever,” that the house, the house of the Lord, was filled with a cloud, (14) so that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud; for the glory of the Lord filled the house of God.

2 Chronicles 7:1-3 (NLT)

When Solomon finished praying, fire flashed down from heaven and burned up the burnt offerings and sacrifices, and the glorious presence of the Lord filled the Temple. (2) The priests could not enter the Temple of the Lord because the glorious presence of the Lord filled it. (3) When all the people of Israel saw the fire coming down and the glorious presence of the Lord filling the Temple, they fell face down on the ground and worshiped and praised the Lord, saying, “He is good! His faithful love endures forever!”

3. Now God’s presence manifests when we offer the sacrifice of praise and worship.

In the Old Testament, God dwelt in the Holy of Holies between the cherubim on the mercy seat over the ark of the covenant.

Now He DWELLS IN US … and has promised to manifest Himself in our praise!

1 Corinthians 3:16 (NKJV)

Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?

1 Corinthians 6:19 (NKJV)

Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?

Hebrews 13:15 (NKJV)

Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.

Psalm 22:3 (NKJV)

But you are Holy, Enthroned in the praises of Israel.

Enthroned:

Hebrew – Yashab – to sit down, to dwell, to remain…

Note From Spirit Filled Life Bible, notes, page 770, Psalm 22:3:

“The verb enthrone indicates that wherever God’s people exalt His name, He is ready to manifest His kingdom’s power in the way most appropriate to the situation, as His rule is invited to invade our setting.”

(From Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 770, notes, verse 22:3):

“Since God is enthroned in the praises, worship is the key to entering fully into His presence. The concept here is that praise releases God’s glory, thus bringing to the worshippers actualized responses to His kingly reign. His enthroned responses through the Holy Spirit can take many forms, such as prophecy, healings, miracles, affirmation to individual hearts, a call to reverential silence and awe, conviction of sin, and salvation of sinners. This verse should be a guiding goal for all personal and corporate worship times.”

4. Worship keeps your heart consecrated to God and His kingdom.

Jeremiah 29:11-13

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. (12) Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. (13) And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.

Jeremiah 29:11-13 (MSG)

I know what I’m doing. I have it all planned out — plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for. (12) When you call on me, when you come and pray to me, I’ll listen. (13) When you come looking for me, you’ll find me. Yes, when you get serious about finding me and want it more than anything else,

Isaiah 29:13 (AMPL)

And the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near Me with their mouth and honor Me with their lips but remove their hearts and minds far from Me, and their fear and reverence for Me are a commandment of men that is learned by repetition [without any thought as to the meaning],

5. Worship allows God to fight your battles.

Ps 149:6-9 (NLT)

Let the praises of God be in their mouths, and a sharp sword in their hands — (7) to execute vengeance on the nations and punishment on the peoples, (8) to bind their kings with shackles and their leaders with iron chains, (9) to execute the judgment written against them. This is the glorious privilege of his faithful ones. Praise the Lord!

Spirit-Filled Life Bible Note on Psalm 149:6

‘This statement may be drawing from the OT historical event of sending the singers and Levites out to battle with the Israelite soldiers (2 Chr. 20:21, 22). Human strength, without acknowledging God’s might, does not win spiritual battles either. High praises: Although the root appears in Ps. 66:7, the translation “high praises” only appears here. It is only one word: Hebrew rowmemah. Its basic meaning speaks of being “lifted up” or “exalted”; however, there are various interpretations. It refers to high in the sense of volume, as in the musical notation fortissimo, or high as in exalted motives. The word might also refer to an exalted place or a high place, as in the place of angels, in the spirit world. This would be likened to the “heavenly places” spoken of in Eph. 6:12 and would suggest spiritual warfare. Coupled with the language of the two-edged sword, the “assembly of saints” (“assembly” being also used of a military formation), and references to vengeance, punishments, and judgment, this psalm is a unique depiction of praise as an effective weapon in spiritual warfare.’

Spirit-Filled Life Bible Note on Psalm 149:6:

“The literal enemies mentioned here find their NT counterparts in Paul’s list of Eph. 6:12 and in the generalized works of the Devil (disease, poverty, demonization, and so on). All these enemies can be countered in a worshiper’s life by God’s reign released through heartfelt worship and praise.”

2 Chronicles 20:14-26 (NLT)

The Spirit of the Lord came upon one of the men standing there. His name was Jahaziel son of Zechariah, son of Benaiah, son of Jeiel, son of Mattaniah, a Levite who was a descendant of Asaph. (15) He said, “Listen, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem! Listen, King Jehoshaphat! This is what the Lord says: ‘Do not be afraid! Don’t be discouraged by this mighty army, for the battle is not yours, but God’s. (16) Tomorrow, march out against them. You will find them coming up through the ascent of Ziz at the end of the valley that opens into the wilderness of Jeruel. (17) But you will not even need to fight. Take your positions; then stand still and watch the Lord’s victory. He is with you, O people of Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid or discouraged. Go out against them tomorrow, for the Lord is with you!’”(18) Then King Jehoshaphat bowed low with his face to the ground. And all the people of Judah and Jerusalem did the same, worshiping the Lord. (19) Then the Levites from the clans of Kohath and Korah stood to praise the Lord, the God of Israel, with a very loud shout. (20) Early the next morning the army of Judah went out into the wilderness of Tekoa. On the way Jehoshaphat stopped and said, “Listen to me, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem! Believe in the Lord your God, and you will be able to stand firm. Believe in his prophets, and you will succeed.” (21) After consulting the people, the king appointed singers to walk ahead of the army, singing to the Lord and praising him for his holy splendor. This is what they sang: “Give thanks to the Lord; his faithful love endures forever!” (22) At the very moment they began to sing and give praise, the Lord caused the armies of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir to start fighting among themselves. (23) The armies of Moab and Ammon turned against their allies from Mount Seir and killed every one of them. After they had destroyed the army of Seir, they began attacking each other. (24) So when the army of Judah arrived at the lookout point in the wilderness, all they saw were dead bodies lying on the ground as far as they could see. Not a single one of the enemy had escaped. (25) King Jehoshaphat and his men went out to gather the plunder. They found vast amounts of equipment, clothing, and other valuables — more than they could carry. There was so much plunder that it took them three days just to collect it all! (26) On the fourth day they gathered in the Valley of Blessing, which got its name that day because the people praised and thanked the Lord there. It is still called the Valley of Blessing today.

Acts 16:22-26 (NLT)

A mob quickly formed against Paul and Silas, and the city officials ordered them stripped and beaten with wooden rods. (23) They were severely beaten, and then they were thrown into prison. The jailer was ordered to make sure they didn’t escape. (24) So the jailer put them into the inner dungeon and clamped their feet in the stocks. (25) Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening. (26) Suddenly, there was a massive earthquake, and the prison was shaken to its foundations. All the doors immediately flew open, and the chains of every prisoner fell off!

6. Worship keeps you standing in faith.

Psalm 106:12

Then they believed His words; They sang His praise.

Psalm 106:12 (MSG)

Then they believed his words were true and broke out in songs of praise.

Romans 4:19-21

And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb. (20) He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, (21) and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform.

Romans 4:19-21 (AMPL)

He did not weaken in faith when he considered the [utter] impotence of his own body, which was as good as dead because he was about a hundred years old, or [when he considered] the barrenness of Sarah’s [deadened] womb (20) No unbelief or distrust made him waver (doubtingly question) concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong and was empowered by faith as he gave praise and glory to God, (21) Fully satisfied and assured that God was able and mighty to keep His word and to do what He had promised.

Action Points:

1. Do you see worship as an important part of your prayer life?

2. Are you willing to worship when things go wrong? That is offering a sacrifice of praise.