O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever ~ Psalms 136:1.
Preamble:
God wants everything He created to worship and give Him pleasure at all times (Revelation 4:11). Quality worship is a very critical element in releasing the Lord’s glory. No one truly worships God without experiencing His tangible power, attributes and goodness.
Whenever you want God to inhabit your space and your circumstances, give Him quality praise and worship (Psalms 9:11).True worship is a magnetic spiritual force that can draw God into your situation: “O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel”(Psalm 22:3).
We are shown in 2 Chronicles 5:11-14 that, in the atmosphere of worship, the cloud of God’s glory filled the house of the Lord, to the extent that “the priests could not stand to minister” in His presence. This was a firm confirmation that God took up residence in the temple.
The cloud symbolized the divine presence, and its occupation of the temple signified that God took possession of it. It also testified to God’s gracious acceptance of the temple, as He did for the tabernacle of Moses, assuring His people He would be the same God in it (Exodus 40:34).
See, it’s God’s primordial passion to have a Royal Residence on earth, wherein He would dwell and reveal His glory (2Samuel 7:5-17). He constantly expressed this and vigorously pursued it until, happily, King Solomon built for Him a temple.
Earlier, God was present in the thick darkness of the cloud on Mount Sinai (Exodus 20:21). He also manifested His glory in the tabernacle and over the tent of meeting (Exodus 40:34–35). He then eventually dwelt in the Most Holy Place of the temple.
Meanwhile, God’s ultimate goal is to dwellin His children as His permanent temple of glory (Hebrews 9:11; Colossians 1:27). To this end, the passion of David should inflame us, and we should be resolved to build a befitting temple for God in our hearts (2Samuel 7:2b).
The high note here in 2 Chronicle 5:11-14 is that Jehovah God showed up in the temple when His people gave Him quality worship and performed to His pleasure (Psalms 29:1-2).
What’s True and Acceptable Worship?
Worship is an expression of profound gratitude, which in itself is a product of deep thinking. It is giving the “deserving worth” to Jehovah God, the One Who truly deserves all our worship and stewardship (Psalms 150:1-6).
God is the only One who is truly holy, righteous, all-powerful, excellent, absolutely just, benevolent and abundantly rich in mercies! He's the supreme, sovereign, immutable, illimitable, omnipresent, omniscient and omnipotent God, the Creator of heaven and earth, whose power is unassailable and whose judgment is incontestable (Psalm 24:1).
He is mysterious, and awesome in His majesty. His wisdom is unfathomable. He cannot be explained; He can only be experienced. Unto Him alone shall everyone pay worship obeisance and ascribe greatness. Alleluia!
True worship is primarily about God and how we relate with Him, not about our circumstances and privileges or the lack of it (Numbers 20:1-8). It’s an expression of our obedience and gratitude to God because of His love and mercies for us.
Worshiping God without purity of heart is totally displeasing to Him (Amos 5:21-24).The Levites whose worship released the glory were all “arrayed in white linen”, and they also ministered unto the Lord “as one, to make one sound” (2Chronicle 5:12-13).
Their “white linen” was symbolic of “holiness” or “purity of heart”, and their “one-ness” expressed the “agape-love” and the “unity of purpose” among them.
We can only offer to God acceptable sacrifices when we worship Him with the right hearts, and not until then can we truly experience His glory.
God’s glory is a covenant affair (1Kings 8:9-11). It can only be attracted, and especially experienced, by believers who walk in covenant with Him. If we would have God dwell in our hearts, we must leave room for Him (John 2:13-17). Everything else must give way (1Corinthians 3:16-17; 6:19-20).
True worship is usually felt inwardly and then expressed through our actions in everything we do, not only when we’re in church, but indeed, anywhere and everywhere (Ephesians 5:17-20; Colossians 3:15-16)!
True Worship and the Release of Glory
Undoubtedly, God’s glory is manifested in an atmosphere of true worship. I affirm that heaven is never silent on true worshippers! Glorious divine interventions without number happen in the atmosphere of worship.
The following supernatural dimensions of the Lord’s glory are accruable to all true worshippers: miraculous intervention and salvation (Psalm 50:23); supernatural direction (Acts 13: 2-3); and victories in spiritual conflicts (2Chronicles 20:20-23).
Others include: supernatural curse cancellation (Genesis 8:20-21); miraculous supply and breakthroughs (John 6:11); swift and sweatless deliverance (1Samuel 16:23); and incredible healing (Matthew 15: 25-28).
From the early days of our ministry till now, it has been our privilege to regularly witness God’s acts of incredible intervention in the lives of believers, purely in the atmosphere of worship.
Years ago, there was this Christian lady, a nurse, who received an incredible touch of God’s intervening power. She had a complicated issue with fibroids, and after a lot of self-care to no avail, she decided to book an appointment for surgery with a well known university teaching hospital in Lagos.
About a week before the medical procedure was to be performed, she was in the Church worship service on a Sunday morning. The worship that day was truly saturating, soaking and so memorable that I could still remember the song which charged the atmosphere: “I am serving a Living God …”. Every worshipper was caught up in the ecstasy, giving glory to God.
Suddenly, I sensed within me that God was moving gloriously amongst His people. I took the microphone and announced that the Lord’s hand was upon someone for good. Almost immediately after I did, the lady rushed to the toilet to ease herself.
According to her testimony later, as the worship, singing and dancing were ongoing, she felt something like a screw gently touching the center of her head, driving and whirling down from her head. When it reached her abdominal area, it turned vigorously and she became pressed to urinate. She did and, afterwards, lo and behold, the fibroids had disappeared. Alleluia!
Our God is immutable (Hebrews 13:8). Once we create the atmosphere suitable for His manifestation, we shall see His glory! Albeit, worship is an essential element in this regard.
Meanwhile, it takes faith to worship God acceptably. We must command ourselves to grow up in it because it takes faith to see certain dimensions of God’s glory (John 11:40). And, fainting is inevitable without it (Psalms 27:13).
Brethren, let’s choose to walk in covenant with God, tuning up our spirits and beginning to give God quality worship. We’ll soon become enraptured in the glorious warmth of His powerful presence. You won’t miss this, in Jesus name. Amen. Happy Sunday!
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Archbishop Taiwo Akinola,
Rhema Christian Church,
Otta, Ogun State, Nigeria.
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