Powerful Worship

by Monica Phillips, 5/1/03

Have you heard the song by the Newsboys entitled “He Reigns"? It’s a song about varying nations of the world joining in worship together, and the effect it has.  However, there is a potent line in that song that gives me goose bumps EVERY TIME!

“And all the powers of darkness

Tremble at what they’ve just heard.

‘Cause all the powers of darkness

Can’t drown out a single word.”

Wow!  Imagine that!  During our worship, all the evil of the world trembles, shakes, and gets ticked because they can’t stop us!  Wow!  And to boot, they realize our dedication is to God and not to Satan.  

Let me squeak in some cautions, however.  This is an area where we must use wisdom, because there is potential for abuse and ineffectiveness.

We know that there is a battle.  Evil forces are at work, not because God cannot prevent it from being so, but because they are one tool which He chooses to shape the church.

Understand, worship is for God ALONE.  The purpose of all worship is to glorify God.   Warfare, then, cannot be a primary intended function of worship.  We are to meet God Himself.  We are not to enter into worship with the motivation of spiritual warfare, self-exaltation, or fellowship.  Keep in mind that worship is not magic:  the demons do not automatically “run” at the mention of God.

However, worship does release the anointing of God, and it is when Jesus is lifted up that every knee must bow.  Know that Satan can’t handle it when God gets all the attention and glory.  When we worship God and are yielded to Him and His perfect will, then He is able to demonstrate His strength on our behalf.

Also, we need to understand that not all music is worship.  There are songs of deliverance, prophecy, and intercession.  These may reflect the Word of God and can be an appropriate response during worship.  As we include these songs with those that glorify the characteristics of God, we then have put God first.  We never worship at the devil (though he would like it if we did).  We worship God and Him alone we will serve.

Here’s the kicker:  worship puts the enemy in perspective.  Worship induces us to use the sword of the Spirit (God’s Word) and other “weapons” effectively.  The weapons help us fight our strongholds (thoughts, behavioral patterns, and sins where the enemy resides).  

Worship is for God alone.  It is for His glory.  There is a side effect:  the evil forces around us tremble.  The lost tremble watching us worship.

So...does our corporate worship reflect this?  Does it look like we believe this?

Easter Sunday, we were lead in some powerful worship.  We lifted God high and exalted the name of our Risen Lord!  Imagine the trembling going on that day!

Do it each week!  Understand that worship is not music, it is not the sermon, it is not the atmosphere, it is not the people around you, it is not the building, it is not the objects in front of you, it is not the metaphor. Worship is glorifying God.  Regardless of the music, the sermon, the atmosphere, the people around you, the building, the objects, or the metaphor, we can lift up God and exalt the name of Jesus!!

Prepare.  Pray.  Prepare.  Read the Word.  Prepare.  Sing.  Prepare to meet God.  And prepare to see:

“All the powers of darkness

Tremble at what they’ve just heard.

‘Cause all the powers of darkness

Can’t drown out a single word.”