We are coming to the end of the age and there is a great battle that is raging in the churches, one is the introduction and focus on Satan/antichrist into the worship music and the other is the pure adoration of Jesus our God in the act of worship.
We need to wake up for God will not share His glory with another.
Isaiah 42:8 I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images. (KJV)
Isaiah 42:8 deals with idolatry and the life of the debauched.
Colossians 3:4When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. (NKJV)
When we come to Colossians 3:4 it deals with the Christian way of life, that being of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience because we have Christ in our life thus listening to the mind and influence of Christ.
The next two scriptures indicate the spiritual forces at play. They show that we need to be active in our endeavours to pray, and press into God to find the answers. “Do you want to live in the Kingdom of God now on this earth?”
Matthew 11:12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of Heaven is taken by violence, and the violent take it by force. (MKJV)
Luke 16:16 The Law and the Prophets were until John. Since that time the kingdom of God is proclaimed, and everyone is pressing into it. (MKJV)
My paraphrasing of Matthew 11:12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of Heaven is taken by A strong force (US) and it is (We are) attacked by A negative force (Satan) that is crowding us into a passive position to seize or press us into a non-active role if we let it. We need Jesus and our self to be a Forcer, to be active, aggressive and be energetic. To be a person that will go to any Biblical lengths to see the Kingdom of God come. If we fail to apply force spiritually, we may miss the moment or time to seize, to pluck, catch; pull, to take by force that which belongs to the Kingdom of God.
The forceful position we could adopt can be one of sweet surrender and adoration of our Lord Jesus.
Satan believed he was equal to God; thus, he was cast out of heaven. There are many passages of Scripture that mention the Devil, but for us to then to say, “It is Scriptural” does not mean we are permitted to enter that Scripture into song in a worship service. A worship service is to give thanks and adoration to the LORD our God. If you say it for warfare, then you fail to see that adoration of the LORD is the highest form of warfare.
Highest form of warfare
We can see many levels of praise through to worship as we come from the world to the Courts of God where we sing praise; and then from praise we move into worship in the Holy of Holies.
I could praise another person for doing something great, but that does not mean I am worshipping them with adoration and exultation.
We need to move forward from the pattern of praise that is in the Church now into a sphere of pure adoration and intimacy with Christ and our God. Many in the Church do not know the difference between Praise and Worship.
Praise is an act of expressing gratitude, thankfulness, admiration, paying tribute to God with enthusiasm in song and music (Psalm 9:11, 22:3, 33:2, 100:4, 150:1-6, 2 Chronicles 20:22, Isaiah 42:12, Hebrews 13:15).
Praise[1] (Gr134 / aineo H1984 / haw-lal’ / Psalm 63:5) to speak in praise of, to praise, extol, to sing praises in honour to God, to allow, recommend, to promise or vow.
Praise (Gr5214 / humneo / Psalms 113 – 118 and 136) “to sing, to laud and sing to the praise of”
Praise (Gr1843 / exomologeo / Luke 26:6) “will I give praise”; “I will confess, pledge publicly”.
Worship is a state of adoration, devotion, exaltation and expression of profound love that leads to an encounter with God in a sensitive way so that believers can hear God (1 Chronicles 16:29, Psalm 29:2, 95:6, 96:9, 99:5).
Worship (Gr4352 / proskuneo / John 4:21-24) “to make obeisance, do reverence to” used as an act of homage, bow down or reverence to God.
Worship (Gr3000 / latreuo / Romans 12:1) “to serve, to render religious service or homage”; to worship (by the Spirit of God) “to worship” (God in Spirit).
Praise/Worship
Psalm 66:4 “Everything on earth will worship[2] you; they will sing your praises[3], shouting your name in glorious songs.”
Isaiah 42 Praise to the Lord
10 Sing to the Lord a new song,
And His praise from the ends of the earth,
You who go down to the sea, and [d]all that is in it,
You coastlands and you inhabitants of them!
11 Let the wilderness and its cities lift up their voice,
The villages that Kedar inhabits.
Let the inhabitants of Sela sing,
Let them shout from the top of the mountains.
12 Let them give glory to the Lord,
And declare His praise in the coastlands.
13 The Lord shall go forth like a mighty man;
He shall stir up His zeal like a man of war.
He shall cry out, yes, shout aloud;
He shall prevail against His enemies.
(NKJV)
Do not give place to songs which give place to Satan.
When believers have Christ centred worship, they will be refreshed but there is more to this experience. The heart felt worshiper will walk victoriously in life in Christ.
[1] http://www.abbalovesus.com/PraisevsWorship.html
[2] H7812 shâchâh shaw-khaw’ bow (self) down, crouch, fall down (flat), humbly beseech, do (make) obeisance, do reverence, make to stoop, worship.
[3] H2167 zâmar zaw-mar’give praise, sing forth praises, psalms.
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