ROOTED: Worship Is Our Weapon

March 6th, 2022/Riverside & Lookout

Jesus, name above all names

Beautiful Savior, Glorious Lord

Emmanuel, God is with us

Blessed Redeemer, Living Word

Jesus, name above all names

Beautiful Savior, Glorious Lord

Emmanuel, God is with us

Blessed Redeemer, Living Word

Big Idea:

When you fight your battles with tangible means then you’ll get temporary results, but if you want to see a victory that will bring true freedom, lasting rewards, and honor to God then it’s going to require WORSHIP!

Pray:

Story: Do you ever feel like you are in the middle of warfare?

There’s tangible and invisible battles. You could also say that there are natural and supernatural battles that we all face!

We’re in a battle…

“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this darkness, against evil, spiritual forces in the heavens. 13 For this reason take up the full armor of God, so that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having prepared everything, to take your stand.” - Ephesians 6:12-13 CSB

I’m not looking to cope, I’m running toward Hope, I’m standing firm, I’ve got a clear enemy and My God wins!

We have a clear enemy. Jesus first said this about false shepherds, and it describes how our enemy works too:

“The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy.” - John 10:10 NLT

King Jehoshaphat in battle:

In 2nd Chronicles 20, King Jehoshaphat was surrounded by his enemies, the Ammonites, Moabites and their allies. Jehoshaphat prays and God sends the answer through the prophet Jahaziel. The battle doesn’t belong to you, the battle belongs to God. Stand by and watch what God will do. “For the Lord is with you”

Story: When our vehicle was stolen and the text from Ps. Keith “Watch what God will do.”

“Then Jehoshaphat knelt low with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before the Lord to worship him.” - 2 Chronicles 20:18 CSB

Here’s how I’d apply that: if you want to be intimidating in battle, then get intimate when bowing!

Don’t bow to the idols of this world! We bow to nobody but the true King, King Jesus!

Story: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in Daniel 3.

“But if you don’t worship it, you will immediately be thrown into a furnace of blazing fire—and who is the god who can rescue you from my power?” 16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied to the king, “Nebuchadnezzar, we don’t need to give you an answer to this question. 17 If the God we serve exists, then he can rescue us from the furnace of blazing fire, and he can rescue us from the power of you, the king. 18 But even if he does not rescue us, we want you as king to know that we will not serve your gods or worship the gold statue you set up.” - Daniel 3:15-18 CSB

We don’t overcome the world by becoming more like it, we overcome the world by becoming more like Christ and that happens in worship. Worship is the moment we surrender our lives to Christ and take away everything that doesn’t look like Jesus.

But you don’t know my battle, my battle isn’t spiritual? Really? Have you prayed about it? Have you worshiped in the middle of it? Have you surrendered it to God? A battle that is not spiritual is called a novel, it’s not real life!

“Then he consulted with the people and appointed some to sing for the Lord and some to praise the splendor of his holiness. When they went out in front of the armed forces, they kept singing:

Give thanks to the Lord,

for his faithful love endures forever.

22 The moment they began their shouts and praises, the Lord set an ambush against the Ammonites, Moabites, and the inhabitants of Mount Seir who came to fight against Judah, and they were defeated.” - 2 Chronicles 20:21-22 CSB

This was an irrational and unconventional decision, especially in battle. Unless those skinny jeans are lined with chain mail, this is going to end very badly, BUT GOD!

Paul & Silas In Prison:

“About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the jail were shaken, and immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s chains came loose.” - Acts 16:25-26 CSB

At midnight, in prison, falsely accused, beaten, and locked up in chains… AND THEY WERE WORSHIPING GOD!

WORSHIP DOESN’T SHOW UP WITH A PREFERENCE, IT SHOWS UP WITH A PURPOSE.

“I didn’t like worship today!” I’m sorry to hear that, but you weren’t our target audience.

“Worship was too loud.” You didn’t seem to mind loud when you were screaming at your spouse?

“I was distracted by the lights.” Which is more of a distraction, the lights or ski season?

We don’t ask God to meet us on our terms in worship, we meet Him on His! He is worthy of our praise and adoration. He is worthy of our lives! He is worthy of our praise, even when we don’t feel like it!

Let your mood follow your mouth!

Let your walk follow your words!

Let your season follow your singing!

Let your perspective follow your praise! C’mon!

Sometimes in your darkest hour, deepest pain, greatest doubt… you don’t need a solution, you need a song!

“I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips.” - Psalm 34:1

Worship is not always music and songs.

Worship is not a moment or movement.

It’s not staging an event or better with a cup of your favorite local coffee!

What then is worship?

______ is our weapon

Sacrifice (Jeremiah 33:11 NKJV, Psalm 100:4-5 NKJV)

Obedience (Romans 12:1-2 NLT)

Adoration (John 4:23-24 NKJV)

Repentance (Ps 24:3-4 NKJV)

When we worship with sacrifice, obedience, adoration, and a repentant spirit, God is glorified, Christians are sanctified, the church is edified, and the lost are evangelized.

“When the jailer woke up and saw the doors of the prison standing open, he drew his sword and was going to kill himself, since he thought the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul called out in a loud voice, “Don’t harm yourself, because we’re all here!” 29 The jailer called for lights, rushed in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 He escorted them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” 32 And they spoke the word of the Lord to him along with everyone in his house. 33 He took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds. Right away he and all his family were baptized. 34 He brought them into his house, set a meal before them, and rejoiced because he had come to believe in God with his entire household.” - Acts 16:27-34 CSB

When you fight your battles with tangible means then you’ll get temporary results, but if you want to see a victory that will bring true freedom, lasting rewards, and honor to God then it’s going to require WORSHIP!

Illust: at a songwriter retreat

I don’t need a word, I don’t need to impress

I don’t need applause, I don’t need a song

I only want you, more of you Jesus

I only need you, just me and you.