Here in America we have experienced some of the greatest in quality and anointing of worship for several decades yet the church grows more secular almost by the day. People often pick the church they go to with the worship as the primary consideration. As so many of us have felt a flood of His Presence as we poor our hearts out in pure worship we just cannot settle for less. Most of us have seen the talent with no anointing as well and I am not talking about that either but true very anointed worship.
When I gave my life to God in the 1980s and shifted my attendance to Spirit filled churches every once in while the worship would be very anointed and His presence would show up in a great way, even the gifts would show up at this time. This was not the normal service but the special service that just happened occasionally. After being touched by God like so many in spin off of the Toronto Blessing and Brownsville Revival myself and other found that we could have powerful worship and presence any time we worship. My self and others were or maybe are addicted to His presence found in deep worship. Where allowed great worship is found in many places today like this but the church continues to diminish and grow more secular or become overshadow with new traditions to quench its life.
One Individual
I remember one person specifically because I saw the refreshing so many times with them. This happened with many others too but this one individual would show up on Sunday nights every few months seemingly ravaged by life to be refreshed in pure worship. Now this individual was very involved in their personal church, even involved in worship yet in spite of all that the circumstances of this person’s life did not give a place of refreshing where they could recharge in His presence. I am not implying this person’s life was just like King Saul but they were exactly the same in that it took worship like David provided to break this spirit of depression and melancholy over one’s life. Just like King Saul this person would show up at The Father’s House when they needed a fix and go about their life until the next round. I saw this in many people’s life when they would come to our special events or someone that just had missed church for a period of time. I remember one lady coming and telling me that our Holy of Holy Worship on Sunday’s night literally saved her life from all the things she was going through.
David the Worshipper
We are told much about David being a musician and through much of his writing we see his words and heart and can understand why he was a man after God’s own heart.
Acts 13:22 And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will.
In the books of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles and especially Psalms we see the evidence of David the worshipper. David was not only a musician and singer but skilled craftsman the made instruments as well.
II Chronicles 7:6 And the priests waited on their offices: the Levites also with instruments of musick of the LORD, which David the king had made to praise the LORD, because his mercy endureth for ever, when David praised by their ministry; and the priests sounded trumpets before them, and all Israel stood.
So when it comes to the quality of worship David produced I think we can safely say it was nearly the best humanly possible yet it could not change King Saul permanently though Saul knew it brought refreshing to his life.
I Samuel 16:23 And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.
David’s music and possibly song was so powerful that it changed the negative atmosphere of King Saul’s life temporarily to give peace to King Saul yet King Saul’s heart remained the same.
King Saul – Worship A Band-Aid For an Unchanged Life
Powerful worship as good as it gets, even better than Kim Walker, could not change bad behaviors and mind sets of King Saul. Yet today many preach, teach, and act as if it can. This is not a message against worship, it’s a message to understand worship and realize its purpose and limitations. King Saul was a man that was told to do certain things and not to do some things and most often he did as he pleased or failed to seek the Lord for guidance. He was a chosen man yet had little faith of who he was or who he was in God and was filled with envy and jealousy. He was a man that did not keep his word, in that he promised David two of his daughters gave only one then took her away. He rewarded people that did his job for him, made hasty decisions, and in the end was so distraught that he went to a witch. This is a man that set under possibly some of the most anointed music ever heard on the planet, whenever he wanted it. So why would we expect that city wide worship event to change our city on its own? King Saul would not have needed the worship refreshing if he was not in rebellion against the word of God.
The Power of Worship
Again this is not a message to put down worship but bring it into the proper perspective. As I have already shared, King Saul was under judgment for bad behavior and even with that David’s worship shifted the atmosphere and brought peace.
Psalms 100:4 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.
The simple chorus popular in the 80s from the above Psalm says it all and are not merely words but exactly what really happens. Deep worship lead and given from the heart takes us spiritually through heavenly gates into the courts of His presence any time we chose to worship. Worship literally opens the heavens and all those within that realm get to experience the benefits of it. People today have attempted to recreate the Tabernacle of David with twenty four hour praise and worship or have other events for a few days because they have tasted and experienced what the presence is like. Even the symbolism of incense being burnt in the tabernacle was a picture of prayer and praise and created a cloud that God visited the Moses or the high priest within.
Not in the Bible
As much as worship is a part of all types of ministries in America and the world the Biblical example or explicit teaching just is not in the Bible, period! We don’t find Jesus trying to round up enough worship team members so the sermon on the mount could be a success or Paul writing the church at Corinth with advice how to handle the squabble in the choir. In fact a person that was never exposed to organized religion could possibly read the Bible and have a understanding that believers would only gather minister to one another and be taught about the Bible with no music or very little music being involved. This would be a church in America that no one would go to because they have no music. There several examples and commands to sing or worship in the new testament but never as an organized part of routine meetings or even ceremonies.
Balance
I personally don’t like it when someone brings up balance, maybe because they might be right about an issue were are discussing. The answer is balance in regards to worship. In most churches worship is out of balance due to tradition and public demand and carries a greater role and time slot in a traditional weekly meeting. In more traditional settings worship is out of balance because worship’s importance is either because it has to be what the people are used to, such as particular hymns or what the people like such as more contemporary music and God is removed from the equation almost completely, though they are songs about God. The other extreme is a local ministry is given over completely to worship and think it will save their city if they can just get everyone to worship and the Bible and biblical standards are not even taught. The word of God and getting Biblical truth into people is a must and this cannot happen in an environment of popular Christian music and a pep talk for one hour a week or less for many. The biggest step to putting the worship department into balance is elevating the Word of God, both in public ministry and personal study. The American church has been convinced that a secular life 6 days and 23 hours and a God life for one hour a week makes you an acceptable living sacrifice before God, this must change! I believe as leaders set this example of the power of the Word to others this will lead more people to have worship in the proper place in their life and we can still enjoy His deep presence in worship too! The world needs a move of His presence to stir the hunger for His word and His presence.
Flagship Apostolic 
Posted on July 19, 2015
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