Worship is Prayer - Engage

​Earlier today, I was at the kitchen sink washing the morning dishes. Elevation Worship’s “Only King Forever” was playing in the background and I felt the sudden urge to worship the King. With hands raised high and singing as loud as I could, I sang out the chorus…

​You are the only King forever
Almighty God we lift You higher
You are the only King forever
Forevermore, You are victorious

​Did you know that worship is truly just a spoken prayer to God? Great Christian worship artists do not reinvent the wheel – they use Scripture to lead their songs. You know what happens when we start singing to the Lord? He hears us and sometimes even responds.
 
And of course, He responded to me today.
 
As I stood there with arms lifted high, my Spirit whispered this (it was so powerful, I had to write it down in my “notes” on my iPhone so I would not ever forget what He said), “You worship me like this in secret, but why do you not worship me this wholeheartedly in public? If you worship Me like this in public, it will catch on. Be the spark!” Thank you Jesus for bringing the conviction!
 
I love worship music. It plays in my house and in my car anytime music is playing. The lyrics soothe my soul and I love nothing more than when I hear my children singing along to it or randomly singing it in the house with no music in the background. Talk about hiding God’s Word in your heart!
 
I attended a weekly missions prayer meeting last night. We prayed earnestly that our church would become a stronger house of prayer. Seems crazy that we need to teach Christians how to pray, right? But it is true…even the disciples said to Jesus, “teach us how to pray” (Luke 11:1). Why do we struggle with prayer? Why do we feel inadequate or ill equipped when it comes to prayer? It is because Satan knows the power of prayers lifted to the Heavens. God always – always – hears our prayers. He bends His ear down to hear our prayers (Psalm 116:2).
 
Sometimes we need to start with baby steps. Let’s let our prayer movement start with worship.

​Let’s continue to dig into solid, Scripture based worship music in the Church and let’s actually fully engage in the act of corporate worship. Sing out. Cry out. Lift your hands up in surrender. Speak and sing the Word of God. His Word always produces fruit. It accomplishes all He wants it to (Isaiah 55:14). Battles are won as Kingdom warriors begin to sing and play music.
 
I am so thankful I attend a church service where my pastor always shows up ready to worship the Lord. I am thankful that we are allowed the freedom to worship during the service. He often jokes about his church upbringing when there was one man (and only one man) who raised his hands during worship. My pastor said that he was always afraid that guy was going to get circus-hooked out of there (note to pastor and security: please do not circus-hook me! I am just trying to be obedient to the Spirit of God)!
 
Church, we need to win spiritual battles of gigantic proportions. Let’s turn our worship into an offering of prayer to Heaven. King David said in Psalm 141:2, “Accept my prayer as incense offered to you, and my upraised hands as an evening offering.” I don’t know about you, but I know (according to Scripture) David liked to dance and sing. Perhaps this “prayer” was really a song.
 
Let’s let song as prayer catch fire!