How To Develop Personal Worship

Life Building Station: How To Develop Personal Worship: Session I

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SESSION I A. INTRODUCTION - WHY WORSHIP GOD 1. The heart cry of the Father will never be fulfilled not until true worshippers are raised up in the body of Christ. But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. John 4:23

2.

A life that is so close to Him. God wants us to draw near to Him so that He can draw near to us and thus fulfill that desire for intimate fellowship that He is longing for. And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. Then the LORD God called to Adam and said to him, "Where are you? Gen 3:8,9

3.

We are the temple of the HOLY SPIRIT. 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? 1 Cor 6:19

4.

We are created in His image. To desire for God only. As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God? Ps 42:1-2 And God spake all these words, saying, I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments. Exo 20:1-6

B.

HEBREW WORD 1.

SHACHAH

07812 (166 times used)

To bow down, prostrate, to fall on knees with forehead touching the ground, to fall flat, to reverence. (The picture we imagine is as one who would pay homage to a great king by bowing down before him, but of course, our King is God Almighty). Ref: Gen 22:5, Exo 34:14, Josh 5:14, Psa 95:6, Rev 1:17, Phi 2:9-11, Exo 19:6, 1 Pet 2:9.

Life Building Station: How To Develop Personal Worship: Session I

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C. GREEK WORDS 1.

PROSKUNEO

04352 (54 times used)

To fawn or crouch, to prostrate oneself in homage, to do reverence or to adore. The word is taken from a word meaning to kiss, like a dog licking his master’s hand. Jesus used the word Proskuneo in John 4 in his discussion with the woman at the well in Samaria. The devil used this word in Luke 4:7-8 when he asked Jesus to worship him and it is this worship that he craves.

2.

LATREUO

03000 (21 times Used)

To minister to God, to render religious homage, serve, do the service, worship. Acts 24:11-14 Paul was talking about his life of service to God. He was saying that Proskuneo is a type of life service of Latreuo that he lived. The word Latreuo has the connotation of a service as a bondslave, completely sold out to his lord and master. We could say ‘a willing slave to worship’.

3.

SEBOMAI

04576 (10 times used)

To revere, adore, stressing the feeling of awe or devotion. Worship Worshipped Worshippeth

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Matt 15:9, Mar 7:7, Acts 18:13 Acts 16:14; 18:7 Acts 19:27; 18:13

From the bible perspective, worship is full of body expression and related with relationship based not just a religious duty, word or work.

D.

DEFINITION OF WORSHIP 1.

Worship means ‘to ascribe worth or value, or to count worthy to God.

2. Worship is giving to God, especially of our total self. I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.Rom 12:1-2

Life Building Station: How To Develop Personal Worship: Session I

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3. Worship is the ability to magnify God with our whole being. But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth. Jn 4:23-24

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Worship is all the overflow of our understanding of God as He has revealed Himself in His Word and as He has demonstrated His word in our lives.

5. Worship is the outpouring or outflowing of our whole being, spirit, soul and body, under a sense of Divine favour in the presence of God. Jesus said to him," 'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind”. Matt 22:37

E.

WORSHIP IS A DIVINE CYCLE OF GIVING Worship completes a divine cycle of giving when we consider that the spiritual life that flows from God to us, returns to Him in worship from us, and thus the divine cycle is complete. It could be presented as follows: GOD (Father)

HOLY SPIRIT

JESUS (Son)

MAN 1.

It all started with God Who gave His all to man through Jesus Christ. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16

2.

Jesus gave His all to us (His life). I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. John 10:11 Life Building Station: How To Develop Personal Worship: Session I

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3.

Man gives his all (in worship) back to God by the help of the Holy Spirit. I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. Rom 12:1 And Jesus answered and said to him, “Get behind Me, Satan! For it is written, 'You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve. Luke 4:8

4.

God gives more back to man through Jesus. John 10:30 I and My Father are one. John 8:19 Know Me, know My Father.

SESSION II A.

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU WORSHIP (YOUR SOUL’S RESPONSE & EXPRESSIONS) 1. To worship is to quicken the consciousness by the holiness of God. 2. To feed the mind with the truth of God. 3. To purge the imagination by the beauty of God. 4. To open the heart to the love of God 5. To devote the will to the purpose of God.

B.

WORSHIP IS “A FLOW” IN THE HOLY SPIRIT (YOUR SPIRIT’S RESPONSE & EXPRESSIONS) 1.

Trusting the Holy Spirit is the Key to Worship

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The Holy Spirit is our helper to pray and worship. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. John 14:26

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We are the temple of the Holy Spirit (1Cor 6:19). He is the best person to teach us all things because it is His home.

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Learn to develop obedience in responding to the person of the Holy Spirit. John 3:3 John 4:24 John 6: 63 John 14: 26 John 16: 13

Born of the Spirit is spirit. Must worship Him in spirit and in truth. It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. How be it when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth: for He shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak; and He will show you things to come.

At times the Holy Spirit leads us into prophetic expression and this will give us breakthrough in our personal walk with God, our faith and our situation.

C.

BIBLICAL POSTURES (THE BODY’S RESPONSE & EXPRESSIONS) 1. The Laughing Mouth. Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing. Then they said among the nations, "The LORD has done great things for them. Ps 126:2

2. The Singing Mouth. I will sing of the mercies of the LORD forever; With my mouth will I make known Your faithfulness to all generations. Ps 89:1 Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him; Talk of all His wondrous works!

Ps 105:2

3. The Bended Knee. Oh come, let us worship and bow down; Let us kneel before the LORD our Maker. Ps 95:6

4. The Bowed Head.

And Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God. Then all the people answered, "Amen, Amen!" while lifting up their hands. And they bowed their heads and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground. Neh 8:6

5. The Clapping Hands. To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. Oh, clap your hands, all you peoples! Shout to God with the voice of triumph! Ps 47:1

6. The Shouting Voice. Oh come, let us sing to the LORD! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation. Ps 95:1 Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth; Break forth in song, rejoice, and sing praises. Sing to the LORD with the harp, With the harp and the sound of a psalm, With trumpets and the sound of a horn; Shout joyfully before the LORD, the King. Ps 98:4-6

7. The Lifted Hands. Let us lift our hearts and hands To God in heaven.

Lam 3:41

At the evening sacrifice I arose from my fasting; and having torn my garment and my robe, I fell on my knees and spread out my hands to the LORD my God. Ezra 9:5 Hear the voice of my supplications when I cry to You, when I lift up my hands toward Your holy sanctuary. Ps 28:2 Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, And bless the LORD.

Ps 134;2

8. The Prostrated Face. Now when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, "The LORD, He is God! The LORD, He is God! 1 Kings 18:39 And the twenty-four elders who sat before God on their thrones fell on their faces and worshiped God, saying: "We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty, The One who is and who was and who is to come, Because You have taken Your great power and reigned. Rev 11:16-17

9. The Uplifted Head. Lift up your heads, O you gates! And be lifted up, you everlasting doors! And the King of glory shall come in. Ps 24:7 I will lift up my eyes to the hills - From whence comes my help?

Ps 121:1

10. The Dancing Body. Then Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took the timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances. Exo 15:20 And so it was, when those bearing the ark of the LORD had gone six paces, that he sacrificed oxen and fatted sheep. Then David danced before the LORD with all his might; and David was wearing a linen ephod. 2 Sam 6:13-14 Let them praise His name with the dance; Let them sing praises to Him with the timbrel and harp. Ps 149:3

SESSION III A.

RESULTS IN WORSHIP. 1. 2.

Brings you closer to God. Worship time helps to create an environment for the Holy Spirit’s anointing and gifts. But now bring me a musician." Then it happened, when the musician played, that the hand of the LORD came upon him. 2 Kings 3:15

3. Prepare your heart for the Word. 4. Helps to increase your spiritual momentum toward your spiritual goal. B.

HINDRANCES. 1. Pride – I don’t need to build the relationship (Husband and wife). 2. Backsliding – Lose your first love. 3. Not wholehearted – your heart is somewhere else, on something or someone. 4. Unprepared heart – distracted like Martha (Luke 10:40). 5. Bondages – sin, habitual sins and unsettled pasts. 6. Emotional problems – Be yourself with God, don’t hide anything. 7. Fear of being manipulated / controlled – Not ready to respond fully to God, holding back ourselves. Soul – emotional, mind, will & Body – embarrassment of the expression. Lifting up of hands, crying, dancing and etc….

8. Hypocrisy – What we say but not doing it.

9. Lack of teaching – Most cases is this area where we don’t understand. 10. Lack of discipline – take things for granted or priorities not right: God, yourself, family, friends and ministry/work.

C.

PRACTICAL TIPS STEP 1 – RIGHT DESIRE. 1.

Develop a lifestyle of worship in you. Learn to have a habit to worship God at all times.

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Desire to have quality time of worship with God.

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Desire for God to reveal more of Himself to you.

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Desire to have breakthroughs in your time of worship with God. Hear my cry, O God; Attend to my prayer. From the end of the earth I will cry to You, When my heart is overwhelmed; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For You have been a shelter for me, A strong tower from the enemy. I will abide in Your tabernacle forever; I will trust in the shelter of Your wings. Ps 61:1-4

STEP 2 – LOCATION AND TIME. 1. Personal worship is spontaneous. 2.

Worship starts at home. You and God alone.

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Find a comfortable place where there will be no distractions.

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Anytime and anywhere. It can be while you are eating breakfast, washing the dishes, driving, shopping, while brushing your teeth or etc….

STEP 3

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PRACTICAL ACTIONS.

1. Quiet down yourself and focus on who God is. 2.

You can start by singing songs that you feel is appropriate for that time. Songs that you can easily sing to the Lord or you may want to read a scripture first.

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You can start by praying in the spirit or tongue.

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Play worship cd or vcd. To help only. Songs or music is a language to the soul.

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Thank Him for what He has done, He’s doing and what He’s going to do. It will builds up FAITH in you. Read & express Ps 147:1-20.

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Be open to the Holy Spirit at all times. Who you are what He is speaking about you.

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Go deeper in worship by expressing your Love to God. (Agape) Through the Holy Spirit’s Help in spirit, soul and body.

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It takes time to build relationship with God. Do not RUSH in your personal time with God. The more you experience Him, the more easier for you to flow in worshiping Him.

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Be sensitive always to the leading of the Holy Spirit. You may be led to sing a song, sing new songs, read scriptures or even pray in the spirit.

10. Learn to rest in the presence of God. Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!

Ps 46:10 / Heb 4

The above tips are just a guide for you to start off, but as you develop more in worshiping God in His presence, you will know what works best for you. D.

CONCLUSION. Finally, God the Father desires to build strong and deep relationship with us. He is looking for true worshippers who will worship Him in spirit and in truth, and those who want to seek after His own heart.

“Service is not ‘Worship’ but it can be an act of worship. Worship is based on our relationship with God our Creator.”

HOW TO DEVELOP PERSONAL WORSHIP