More Than A Song, Part 5
Type: Sunday Morning Service
Series: More Than A Song
Sermon: The Secret Power of Worship
🗣️ Speaker: Pastor Tom Van Kempen
When we worship, it's like opening a magical zipper that unlocks God's presence, peace, and power in our lives. Worship begins when we change our focus from our problems to God, just like King Jehoshaphat did when faced with a surprise attack. By worshiping, we invite God's powerful presence into our lives, which can transform any situation. Worshipping God with all our hearts is not just for God's benefit, but for ours too. When we truly worship, our hearts and perceptions change, leading us to victory even when it seems impossible. Worshipping God isn’t just something we do for special occasions, but is a powerful tool that brings God's blessing into our daily lives.
ℹ️ Tip: The video is set to start at the beginning of the sermon, but you can scrub the playhead to any part of the service. ℹ️
Additional Info
The info below was generated by an AI from the audio recording of the sermon.
Changing Your Focus through Worship
The journey of worship begins with shifting focus away from our problems and toward God. A vivid example can be found in the story of King Jehoshaphat from 2 Chronicles 20:1-3. Faced with an unexpected threat, his initial reaction was fear. Instead of letting fear consume him, he chose to seek God through fasting and prayer, calling for collective worship across Judah. This unified approach reminds us that in moments of crisis, turning our attention toward God creates a powerful atmosphere for transformation.
The Atmospheric Change Invoked by Worship
Worship does more than just shift focus; it changes the very atmosphere around us. When we engage in worship, we invite God's presence into our lives, turning chaos into peace and hopelessness into potential. God's presence is profound, and as Psalm 22:3 reveals, He inhabits the praises of His people. This means worship is not just about singing; it is about ushering in God's transformative power into our circumstances.
Three dimensions of God's presence include:
The Awesome Presence of God - A sense of reverence comes when recognizing God's infinite majesty. This brings an awareness of His awareness of us.
The Abiding Presence of God - It is a personal relationship with God, affirming that He will never forsake us, offering comfort and security in every situation.
The Amazing Presence of God - This presence transforms our reality, changing what is deemed possible in our lives. When God invades our situations, everything shifts.
The Connection Between Worship and Intervention
Worship not only prepares our hearts to hear from God but also releases His supernatural intervention in our lives. In 2 Chronicles 20:14-16, we observe how God reassures Judah, saying that the battle belongs to Him. This illustrates that God values our internal state during external challenges. He encourages us not to succumb to fear but to trust in His ability to handle our battles.
Worship Leads to Victory
As the story unfolds, Judah turns to a unique approach in preparation for battle, sending out the worshippers ahead of the army. This radical act exemplifies that worship can be a strategy for victory. In 2 Chronicles 20:22, as they began to sing and praise God, He set ambushes against their enemies, leading to their defeat. This simple act of worship changed the tide of battle.
The Benefits of Worship
Engaging in heartfelt worship has transformative effects:
Change of Heart - Through worship, our hearts are renewed and filled with hope, leading us to act according to our renewed faith.
Change in Perception - Worship shifts our understanding of circumstances, showing us that praise is more than a response to victory; it is a pathway to it.
Experiencing God's Provision - Worship not only releases God's intervention but also opens us up to receive His abundant provision, physically, emotionally, and relationally.
Conclusion: The Invitation to Worship
Worship should never be underestimated. It is an invitation from God, not just for His sake but for our benefit. The act of worship changes our hearts, minds, and souls, allowing us to experience His presence and power in profound ways. To harness the true secret of worship, one must engage wholeheartedly, understanding it as a pathway to experiencing God's overwhelming grace and intervention in daily life.
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Use the questions listed below as a launching point to discuss the sermon points together as a family. These are great for dinner table discussions and small groups.
Reflect on Times of Fear
Share a personal experience of facing unexpected fear. How did you respond, and what role did your faith play in it?
The Power of Worship
Pastor Tom talked about worship shifting our focus from our problems to God. How does this perspective change impact your everyday life?
Experiencing God's Presence
Discuss how worship changes the atmosphere around us, based on Pastor Tom's message. Have you felt a shift in your life during worship?
Heart over Ritual
Pastor Tom emphasized that worship is more than songs; it is an expression from the heart. How can we ensure our worship is heartfelt and not just a routine?
Practical Application
How can we incorporate worship more intentionally into our daily routines to experience God’s presence and peace?
Witnessing Transformation
Share any testimonies of how worship has led to breakthroughs or changes in your life or others' lives.
Open Floor
What lingering questions or insights do you have from Pastor Tom's sermon that you'd like to explore further as a group?
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Historical Context of 2 Chronicles 20
In the time when 2 Chronicles was written, the ancient Near East was a complex region with various tribes and nations vying for power and territory. The book of 2 Chronicles details the history of the Kingdom of Judah, focusing on its kings and their relationship with God.
King Jehoshaphat, the reigning king in the story, ruled around 873-849 BCE. This period was marked by significant political and military activity. Jehoshaphat is known for his reforms, which aimed at turning the people of Judah back to the worship of Yahweh, amid influences from surrounding pagan nations.
The Ammonites, Moabites, and other groups mentioned were frequent adversaries of Israel and Judah. These groups often formed coalitions to challenge the power of Israelite kings. The threat of war was constant, and alliances were unstable.
Jehoshaphat's decision to seek God's counsel through worship instead of relying solely on military might represents a deliberate shift back to covenantal faithfulness—a theme that threads throughout 2 Chronicles. This narrative reinforces the chronicler's theological perspective that God is sovereign and faithful to deliver those who earnestly seek Him.
In ancient Judah, communal worship and seeking divine intervention were common practices during crisis times. Jehoshaphat's leadership in proclaiming a fast and gathering the people for prayer showcases a dependence on God that was intended to unify the nation under divine guidance and protection.
Understanding the cultural and religious climate of the era helps illustrate the boldness of Jehoshaphat's faith and the miraculous victory that followed. Through this lens, worship is not just a religious duty but an active invocation of God's presence and power in times of desperate need.
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Kids Lesson Plan: The Secret Power of Worship
Introduction
Hello kids! Today we're going to talk about a really special topic - the power of worship! Worship is not just singing songs; it's a way to show God how much we love Him. It can change our hearts and help us focus on God, even when things are tough.
Are you ready to learn? Let’s go on a fun adventure together!
Scripture
Today we are going to be looking at 2 Chronicles 20:1-20. In this story, King Jehoshaphat heard that some armies were coming to attack his people. Instead of being scared, he called everyone together to pray and worship God. God helped them, and the armies ended up defeating themselves! Isn’t that awesome?
Key Verse: "The battle is not yours, but God's." (2 Chronicles 20:15)
Craft
Worship Medals
Materials Needed:
Cardstock or heavy paper
Scissors
Markers or crayons
Ribbon or string
Hole punch
Instructions:
Cut out a circle from the cardstock (about 5 inches in diameter).
Decorate the circle with stickers, drawings, and the words "Worship Medal".
Use a hole punch to make a hole at the top of the circle.
Attach a ribbon or string to the hole so that it can be worn around the neck.
Talk about how everyone who worships God has a special part in His family, just like a medal!
Discussion Questions
What is worship?
How did King Jehoshaphat show worship when he was scared?
Why do you think worship can help us feel better in hard times?
Can you share a time when you felt close to God during a song or prayer?
Wrap-Up with Prayer
Let’s close our eyes and pray together:
"Dear God, thank you for being with us today and teaching us about worship. Help us to always remember that we can turn to you when we are afraid or when we face challenges. Thank you for loving us so much! We want to worship You with all our hearts every day. In Jesus’ name, Amen."
Thank you for joining today! Remember, worship is powerful, and you can worship God wherever you are!
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Good morning. Can you say hallelujah with me? Hallelujah. I actually believe we did what that video just said this morning. Right?
We entered his gates with thanksgiving. We came into his courts with praise. It actually was taking place in our midst. Hallelujah. I'm just letting you know that if we get a hold of the truth of worship, our lives will be completely transformed in the name of Jesus Christ.
A number of weeks ago, we started talking about these seven different praise words in the Old Testament, and they all have a little different connotation. One of the connotations, for example, for Zamar, is to play a musical instrument before the Lord. One of the words was tehila, and it has this idea of singing. And one is Shabbak. And that's this idea of yelling or shouting or loud sound before the Lord.
Yada was another one where we lift our hands to God. And this morning we were putting them all together. Last week we told an Old Testament story about David and how he gave his entire heart in love and appreciation and passion to God and he was halaling H A L A L. He was acting foolish before God and he got blessed. But his wife got cursed because she disrespected worship. She didn't appreciate someone else's demonstration just because it was not dignified.
And what did David say? He said, from now on, I'm even going to be more undignified. I'm going to be even more devoted. I'm going to be even more committed to my God. And if it makes me appear foolish in front of man, I don't care who can say Amen.
There's another aspect that I want to talk about today, and it comes from another Old Testament story, and this is found in 2 Chronicles, chapter 20. So if you've got your Bibles, you can turn there. We'll be sharing some of the scriptures up on the board, and you'll be able to see those again. Second Chronicles is probably not the most popular book in the Bible. People seem to avoid especially those first eight or ten books.
They're not the most interesting. Sometimes there's a good story here and there, and that's what we're going to be telling today is a good. And the story is about the secret. Say secret. The secret power of worship.
There's a power associated with this thing that we do, this thing that we think, this thing that we feel. There is a. There's a power associated with it beyond what we've experienced up to this point in our lives. I heard a story about a little boy, four year old, his name was Kyle. And he wanted to go on outside and it was cold and his mother handed him his jacket and said, kyle, zip it on up.
And so Kyle puts the jacket on and he cannot get that zipper to work. And he's frustrated. He starts crying and she says, son, there's a secret to zipping up the coat. And he says, what is it? And she says, well, you have to take the zipper all the way down and.
And then you take the other metal part and you make sure it goes all the way in and then you can pull it on up. And he starts working on it and sure enough, it works. He's beaming. He looks at his mom and he says, mom, why does it have to be a secret?
What a great question. It doesn't have to be a secret, does it? Everybody can know how to zip up a coat. Everybody can know the power of worship. Who can say amen.
This isn't something that is going to be a mystery that can never be discovered and never found out. This story explains it fully and completely. That worship unlocks the presence, peace and the power of God. Worship, just like Kyle Zipper. Once you learn how it really works, it can literally change everything.
Amen. So three things I want you to consider today. Number one. Worship begins by changing your focus. Worship begins by changing your focus.
This story starts in 2nd Chronicles 20, verse 1. This is what it says. It happened. I just love those first two words because it's so like our lives. One day you're walking around and it happened, whatever that it may be, it just shows up, it knocks on your door, it screams, it yells, it shouts.
It happened after this that the people of Moab, with the people of Ammon and the others with them besides the Ammonites came to battle against Jehoshaphat in verse two. We're not going to show it, but some people come and they start yapping in Jehoshaphat's ear. They're coming, they're coming, they're coming and they're gonna kill you. And so all of a sudden a scary problem shows up out of nowhere. No rhyme, no reason, it just arrives and the king's response is a completely normal and natural response.
In verse three it says, and Jehoshaphat feared. When something comes out of nowhere, unexpected, unexpectedly, surprisingly, oftentimes our initial response is fear. Oftentimes the first thoughts that go through our mind is, what am I gonna do? How am I gonna handle that? You know, like when you hear a loud noise in the middle of the night, it can startle you.
Especially our young children. I've got five grandkids with me right now and I'm having the time, I'm having a decent time was a little more challenging than I expected. Last year we did four, this year we go to five. It's a little bit more challenging. But whenever you're around little kids, things can scare them quite easily.
There was a little three year old and she heard the crack of thunder in the middle of the night. She ran out of her bed into her parents room and she shook her mom awake. Mommy, I'm scared, she said. And of course her drowsy mom said, go back to your bed. God will be there with you.
So the little girl lowers her shoulders and heads over into the doorway. And then she turns around and she looks at her mommy and says, mommy, I got an idea. Why don't I sleep in here with Daddy and you go sleep with God in my room?
Well, that's what I would want to say. Sometimes, especially with that initial shock of fear. I want somebody with some flesh and blood. I want someone to support me. I want someone to be with me.
But listen to what Jehoshaphat does. He sets himself to seek the Lord. Who can say amen? He's scared, yeah. But he immediately knows where to go.
I'm gonna seek the Lord. So he proclaims a fast throughout all of Judea. And so Judah gathers together to ask help from the Lord. And from all the cities of Judah, they come to seek the Lord. I love this.
It's not just the king, but everybody joins in. Everyone decides what we're going to do is together we're gonna seek, seek the Lord. Because it is always say always. It's always the best response to a crisis situation. The king signals his commitment by proclaiming a fast.
The king signals his seriousness by calling everybody in the land, listen. Sometimes when a big problem hits, division sets in. Disagreement rules the day. Whether it's a family, whether it's a church, whether it's a community, a nation. But not here.
Jehoshaphat knows what to do. He calls the entire nation into unified worship. Worship begins shifting our Attention from the problem to the problem solver, from the fight to the one who's gonna do the fighting for us, who can say amen? This is why it's so important that we know who and what we're listening to, that we actually guard our hearts and our minds against so much of the negativity that's out there. I know we've got Fox News junkies in our church.
I know you're out there, okay? And I'm just saying be careful because I don't care what side of the aisle you're on, your side is going to make it sound worse than it really is. It's not that bad, and it's not even bad at all. If God's in control, who can say amen? I mean, God's in control of this thing.
We've got to be careful. Back in 1971, Dr. Herbert Simon coined the term attention economy. And he postulated that people had limited attention supply. So if all you do is listen to the news, if all you do is get on social media, there's not gonna be any attention left over for God. There's not gonna be any attention left over for the positive because negative things have a tendency of grabbing our attention more easily and more quickly.
So the King do, he refocuses everyone's attention toward God first by bringing them into the temple area. And then he gets Judah to look heavenward by declaring who God is. Now you gotta watch this. He gets Judah. Who knows what Judah means?
Praise. Okay? But praise has to be directed heavenward or it's not going to make a difference in your life. That's what Jehoshaphat does. He gets Judah.
He gets praised, focused this way rather than this way. And he does that by describing this great and glorious God that we serve. First he says he's Lord Jehovah, the covenant making, promise, keeping God. Then he says he's the God of our fathers. Okay?
In other words, the. The same God who talked to Abraham is with us today. The same God who saw Isaac through and Jacob through is with us today. The same God who parted the Red Sea is with us today. Who can say amen?
I'm not just talking about these guys. I'm talking about you and me. He's the same exact God. He is no respecter of persons. He knows what you're going through.
He. And the secret is for you to worship him. Not whine, not cry, not fight. It's to worship him. He's the God in heaven, which means he's above all Stronger than all, mightier than all.
He can do anything at any time. Who can say Amen? The scripture says he rules over all the kingdoms of the earth. That means these three armies that are coming to attack Jehoshaphat, and he's their boss too. He can make them do anything he wants.
And finally, this is what he says. He says he's our God. There's this personal nature to this relationship. He's not just some guy up in the sky. He will show up on our behalf.
He will never leave us, and he will literally never forsake us. So after these things that are going on here, Jehoshaphat says, speaks this faith filled declaration that literally came out of the mouth of his probably great, great, great grandfather Solomon. This is what he says. If disaster. This is verse nine, by the way.
If disaster comes upon us, sword, judgment, pestilence or famine, we will stand before this temple and in your presence, for your name, your character, your power. Who you are is literally in this temple. And we will cry out to you in our affliction, and you will hear and you will save. Who can say Amen? This is the God that we still serve today.
That's why in verse 12, he finally says, our eyes are upon you. Our eyes are on you. Point number two. Worship changes the atmosphere.
Worship changes the atmosphere. Listen. God's presence brings a transformative shift. What was heavy becomes light. What was chaotic becomes peaceful.
And what was impossible becomes within the realm of reach. Why? Because worship literally invites the presence of God into our very midst. We've talked about this at least three times in the last five weeks. We talk about it when we say Psalm 22:3 tells us that God inhabits the praises of his people.
But today I want you to see just a little bit more, I want you to understand a little bit more of the dimensions of God's presence that is available in your life. Because there's at least three that we haven't really articulated yet. Number one, is this the awesome. Say awesome. The awesome presence of God.
In Psalm 139, the Psalmist cries, where can I flee from your presence? I want you to think about that. David wrote this psalm. And David is articulating that if I go out east, you'll be there. If I go on out to California, you're also going to be there.
If I go on up to Canada, you're going to be there. And if I go down to the southernmost tip of South America, you're going to be there. If I go to the other side of the World, you're going to be there. If I go to the North Star, you're going to be there. If I go to the farthest galaxy, you're going to be there.
If I go into heaven, you're there. And even if I go to hell, I can't get away from you. Even there, you might be saying, I thought David wanted to be in the presence of God. He did. But the first manifestation of God's presence is this awesome, scary, reverential thing that you come in contact with.
Somebody asked me after the first service. I don't get it. Pastor, I said, who is the person in your life that you'd be most intimidated to see? And even though you love them and adore them, and if you stood in their presence and spent lunch with them today, how would it make you feel? Is it a president?
Is it an athlete? Is it an actor? Is it someone who lived a thousand years ago and they're standing here right now eating lunch with you, how would you feel? You'd be in awe of that human person. God is a billion times more awesome than that.
More glorious, more great, more grandiose, more majestic. It is logical to feel intimidated in that presence. In God's presence, David felt almost claustrophobic. Why? Because the Hebrew writer says this.
Nothing is hidden from his sight. All things are naked and open to his eyes. If that doesn't scare you, you're not thinking right. All right. I don't want God to see everything I do.
I don't want him to know every thought that I have. I must disappoint him on a regular basis. And even though I want to live in his presence, even though I adore him, it embarrasses me sometimes who I really am as a person in God's presence. Isaiah felt the same way. So what does he say?
He says, I am a man of unclean lips. He starts repenting. He starts saying, oh, God, I'm so sorry about what I did today. I'm so sorry about what's happened this last week. I'm so sorry about how I treated my wife.
I'm so sorry that. That I'm not where I should be. But, Father God, your holiness and greatness. I know I can come to you and take my sin to you. And you will forgive me in Jesus name.
Who can say Amen? He'll forgive us every single time. And that's why in God's presence, in just a couple of verses, Jehoshaphat falls straight on his face. He humbles himself before God. He prostrates himself.
Listen. To stand in God's awesome presence is to be consumed by a profound reverential fear, a breathless awe that acknowledges his infinite majesty. That's just the awesome presence of God. Once you've experienced that, now you're eligible to move into the abiding presence of God. How many times does God say, I will never leave you and I'll never forsake you.
He said to Moses, my presence will go with you. He said to Joshua, I will never leave you. I'll never forsake you. The Hebrew writer says, he will never leave you. He'll never forsake you.
Jesus says at the great Commission that, lo, I am with you always, even to the ends of this earth. This is the presence of relationship. Are you hearing me? We evolve from this reverential fear into this relational experience with the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. It reminds me of an old song that we used to sing.
I hope I can do it. I'm running out of saliva in my mouth.
Can you help me, Pastor Jeff? He walks with me and talks with me and tell and the joy we share as we tarry there none other has ever known. So that first verse begins by being in a good garden with God. And some people think that has to do with heaven. Someday.
That's right here on this planet, we can be in this tranquil, serene setting with God on a regular basis, on an abiding basis. God's abiding presence is the comforting and steadfast reality that he will never leave us. He will never forsake us. It is a promise woven into the very fabric of his character, offering reassurance and security in every single circumstance. Who can say amen?
Number three is the amazing presence. So watch this. It goes from this awesome reverential presence into this relational presence into this transformational presence. It begins to change things. God's amazing presence is not just a comforting thought.
It's not just a Bible verse. It's not just an emotional high that we get when we sing songs. It's not just a gentle nearness. It is a dynamic and powerful reality. God's presence is a divine breaking into the mundane, the difficult and the impossible.
It is a powerful incursion of heavenly reality and into earthly situations. Who can say amen When God's presence invades, our circumstances are no longer the determining factor. The weight of worry, the grip of fear, the despair of hopelessness are all suddenly overwhelmed by the manifest power of God. It changes everything. That's why we worship God.
He Shows up and worship once he's here, prepares our hearts to hear his voice. So why do we begin this service today with 30 minutes of singing? It's to prepare your hearts. It's to enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise. It's getting you ready to literally hear the word of the Lord.
Listen. Second Chronicles, chapter 20, verses 14 and 15. Then when, after they started focusing on God, after they were fasting, after they were doing some prayer and some different things like that, then the spirit of the Lord came upon Jahaziel and he said, listen, do not be afraid or dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God's. The battle's not yours. But this is what I learned from this is God is more interested in what is happening on the inside of you than what is happening on the outside of you.
He's concerned that you're afraid. He's concerned that you're gonna give up before you even allow him to get involved. That's what fear does. Fear paralyzes us. Fear stops us in our tracks.
It causes us to shrink back, to go in a way we normally wouldn't go. But every problem that you face is an opportunity for you to grow in God, to be changed into the person that God wants you to be. So he deals what is probably the biggest issue many people face, and that's fear itself. He says, don't be afraid. He says, watch me.
In this story, God shows us that he doesn't even need our help if he doesn't need it, right? I mean, sometimes he wants you to do something. But in this story, they don't have to do hardly anything. And so literally, he offers them a front row seat to the battle. So I've been very blessed in my lifetime.
When I lived in Las Vegas, I got really close tickets to an Oscar De La Hoya, Floyd Mayweather fight. It was so fun, so exciting. I got to see these two boxers just up close and personal. And then one time, I loved taking my children on their 16th birthday. We would go on a special adventure.
And so this one child wanted to go to a professional basketball game. So I got front row tickets to the Phoenix Suns. All right? This is when Steve Nash was on the team. They were making it deep into the playoff runs.
They were super, super good. But I didn't know what front row seats meant because I'm a commoner, okay? I am not royalty, except God's child, all right? But when it comes to the things of this world, I'm Just an average, normal nobody kind of person. So I didn't know that if you had front row seats, you had your own entrance into the auditorium.
Did anyone else know this? I mean, I actually showed up and I gave them my tickets, and they started laughing at me. I'm like, what's so funny? They go, sir, you have a special ticket. Your entrance is over that direction about 100ft.
And so I didn't even see anything over there. And so I'm walking on over there, and then I see all these security guards, and I'm like, oh, my son. And I. He's like, dad, are you sure this is where we're supposed to go? You know, you can't even get into a high school game, dad.
And so, sure enough, I go and I show these tickets, and they part the Red Sea. They let us go down this deep, dark staircase, and all of a sudden, we're standing in this big room and. And we're hobnobbing with the players. We're hobnobbing with execs from the team. There is filet mignon over here.
There's lobster over here. There's one of the biggest salad bars I've ever seen. I'm like, how much does this cost? They laughed at me again, sir, look at your ticket. Yeah, you can have anything you want, and it's for free.
I'm starting to get super excited now. Unfortunately, I was so dumb, I actually ate before I got there, not knowing that if you have a front row seat, you have special privileges. Then they walked me on out to my seat, and it wasn't the front row, it was courtside. It was the very front seats courtside. And I stand next to none other than Muhammad Ali himself.
I'm like, I'm somebody.
And I sit down in my seat and enjoy the rest of the game. That's what God is doing for the children of Judah. Right here he's saying, you guys have seen special privileges. You are sons and daughters of the King most high who can say amen. I mean, you have special privileges.
I'm going to let you watch in the physical realm what I'm normally doing for you in the spiritual realm. And so in Second Chronicles, chapter 20, verse 16, it says this. Tomorrow go down against them, but you will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourself, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord. Who is with you, O Judah.
And so they do what they have to do at this time. They get so excited that they start praising and worshiping God. Why? Because God's word requires, say requires God's word requires a proper response. It requires it.
You know, at the end of every sermon, Pastor Jeff and the worship team comes on up here and they start playing a song. And some of you think that's the dismissal signal.
No, listen, listen, listen. When the word is preached, you're supposed to respond, you're supposed to think about it, you're supposed to meditate on it. You're supposed to worship God for a little bit. There is something God is always asking us to do, so. So it demands a response.
And in verses 18 and 19, what do they do? They bow. They bow again. They bow again, it says. And then they start H A L A L ing.
They start going crazy for God. This is not some shy, inhibited form of praise and worship. It says they're shouting at the top of their lungs. They're screaming. They've become radical, radicalized.
We hear about radicalized terrorists. Did you know there can be radicalized Christians too? And really that's what worship is all about. It's about sharing with our God how much we love him, how crazy we are about how he is. And when we do, this worship literally changes us and it changes our future.
So this message is entitled the Secret of Worship. And there's two mistakes most people make when it comes to worship. Number one, they don't worship with all their heart. They hold something back. And we said this last week that worship demands your very best.
Not leftovers, not half hearted, your very best. But here's the second thing people don't realize. They worship is just about God now. It's just focused at God. But did you know he called us and invited us to worship Him?
Not for his benefit. He doesn't need your worship. It's because he knows it's. It benefits you. You get something out of worship.
Now that can't be our motivation, okay? Our motivation is love. Our motivation is honor. Our motivation is respect. But when we do it with the right heart, there is a benefit that follows.
And it's way more than you could ever understand. Three things are changed in, in our lives when we worship God like this. Number one, our hearts are changed. Okay? In verse 12, Jehoshaphat says, There's no hope.
I can't do this. I don't even have a plan. But in verse 20, it says they rise early in the morning and go on out in the wilderness. How can a group of thousands of terrified men and women all of a sudden get up early in the morning inspired to go to this particular battle, it's because God's changed their hearts. Hope is born, Expectations are raised.
They're so excited, they can't wait to see what God is going to do. The king in these verses challenges them to put their faith first in God and then in the prophets. The scripture says he's referring to, referring to the word. Both the already written word which was Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and at least Deuteronomy back then, and then the current word that God had spoken through Jhaziel in that particular 24 hour period. And then their perception changes.
Previous to this, they were thinking, you know what, when God answers my prayer, then I'm going to praise him. When God does what I ask, then I'm gonna praise him. Their thinking is transformed. They are beginning to realize that praise and worship is a pathway to victory. It's not just what you do in response to victory.
It actually gets you to the finish line in Jesus name. It gives you the victory again and again and again and again. How do I knew this? Because they do something no one has ever done before or since in the history of Judaism or Christianity. In preparation for going to battle, they send out the choir.
Where's our, where's, where's the people that were up in the choir today? Raise your hands. Okay. One, two, where else? Right?
Three, four, five. Okay, some more choir members. Any more choir members? I see you in the back there. Yep, yep, yep.
So think about it. The United States of America goes to war with a foreign adversary. President Trump calls you up and says, you're leading the way, you're leading the way.
We're sending out the singers and we're sending out the praisers. Because it was two distinct groups. Singing was one group, Praisers was another group. And that other group was the ones that were declaring, praise the Lord for his mercy endures forever. Who can say amen now watch this.
Second Chronicles, chapter 20, verses 22. Now, when they began to, to sing and to praise the Lord, set ambushes against all three armies. And they were defeated. Literally. Their circumstances were transformed by the power of praise.
Who can say amen? Two things as we wrap this up. Number one, worship releases God's supernatural intervention. We have to learn what worship really is. Guys, gals, I'm just letting you know it's not just singing a couple songs at the beginning of a church service.
Worship is releasing God into this earthly realm. It reminds me of the Lord's Prayer. Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Right, but how does The. The prayer begin.
Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. It begins with praise. Once you praise God's power and rulership and kingdom is released into our planet, something phenomenal, something spectacular can take place. Sure. Defeat is transformed into victory.
And number two, worship releases God's supernatural provision. I don't even have time to go over the rest of the chapter here. Okay, but. But this is what we discover. He blesses them financially.
Does anybody need a financial blessing today? Be honest. Let me see if you need a financial blessing today. Let me see your hands. Okay, so a lot of people raising their hands.
They. You guys know the rest of the story. They get to the tip of the hill, they look over, and everybody's dead. There's nobody left. Three armies somehow got confused, and they all killed each other.
And so all that's left is all the resources that they brought. So they go and they start pushing over dead bodies. And they're finding gold and they're finding silver and. And they're finding weaponry for the next battle if they need Says the spoils are an abundance of valuables, more than they could carry in three days.
God's no cheapskate, just so you know. Number two, how many have an emotional issue that needs to be solved? Broken hearts, pain of some kind in your heart? Well, they walk away from this battle, which is supposed to be the end, and they are filled with joy. Anybody have a relational issue that needs to be healed in Jesus name, let me see your hands.
Be honest. Be honest. Yeah, I got you. I gotcha. Well, listen, they have peace from their enemies completely.
You might say, well, my wife's not my enemy. Well, in this situation, she might be right. Hey, God's got peace for you. God has got peace in your relationships. These are the countries that surrounded them.
He made peace with them. And then finally there was a physical thing they had rest. Who has a physical issue they need God's answers for? Would you all stand with me, please, prayer partners, if you'd come on Facebook forward, we're gonna give you guys a couple of opportunities here to respond to God's word. Number one, you can sing along with the worship team.
Number two, you can stand right there and contemplate the message and trust that God will provide what you need. Number three, you can come up and ask one of these prayer partners, would you pray with us in whatever means that you need.
