The Throne Room in the Mansion of Prayer is where we take time in our prayer life to praise God for who He is. This is adoration. This is worship. There are actually three words used in the New Testament that are translated worship. One means “to adore.” Another carries the idea of serving without compulsion. But the most common word for worship is transliterated “proskuneo.” It literally means “to kiss toward” and was the idea of throwing a kiss as a token of homage or respect. This was part of the ancient oriental mode of salutation.
When we enter the Throne Room of adoration, we take the time to show our respect and homage of God as we focus on who He is. But what exactly is worship? To me, the answer is found in the pages of John chapter four as Jesus is talking to the woman at the well. As he does, the topic of worship comes up. Jesus makes this statement. He says that those who worship God must do so “in spirit” and “in truth.” I believe that the definition of worship can be seen in these two prepositional phrases.
Let’s take the last one first. We must worship God “in truth.” What does that tell me? It tells me that worship is not simply singing a song. Worship deals with truth. What kind of truth? It is truth about God. So what is one aspect of worship? Worship begins by recognizing a truth about God. So when you stand in church on Sunday and you sing the songs, do you just sing or do you focus on the lyrics of the song you are singing in order to recognize a specific truth about God? That is worship. Worship is focusing on a Biblical truth about God. In Isaiah 5:1-3, the primary focus of the prophet’s worship was seeing God. The more I learn about God the more I will want to worship Him. True worship begins with a hungry, seeking heart that is dissatisfied with religious substitutes. My friend, the greatest deterrent to worship is losing your awe of who God really is.
But along with worshipping God “in truth” we also must worship him “in spirit.” The first aspect dealt with recognizing a truth about God. This one deals with our responding to the truth that we have recognized. So if you put the two ideas together you could rightfully define worship as “a Spirit-led response to a truth about God.” Worship is all that we are acting rightfully to all that God is. Yes, this even includes our emotion. Unfortunately, in many non-Pentecostal churches, we have so tried to differentiate ourselves from those on the charismatic side of the denominational fence that we have taken our churches to the other extreme side of the pendulum. In many churches, worship is all emotion, making their worship out of balance. But my friend, showing no emotion at all in our worship of God is just as extreme and ineffective. Worship includes a Spirit-led emotion that is acceptable (Matthew 15:8-9).
And what is the key that unlocks this room? I have found that the key is to be creative. There are so many different ways to praise God. I can sing. I can shout. I can dance. I can raise my hands. I can stand in silence. I can kneel. I can lay prostrate. I can draw. I can paint. I can write. I can jump. Sometimes I think we get into a “praise rut.” As long as we are focusing on a truth of who God is and we are being led by His Spirit, the sky is literally the limit to the many different ways that we can praise God in the throne room – the room of adoration.
When we enter the Throne Room of adoration, we take the time to show our respect and homage of God as we focus on who He is. But what exactly is worship? To me, the answer is found in the pages of John chapter four as Jesus is talking to the woman at the well. As he does, the topic of worship comes up. Jesus makes this statement. He says that those who worship God must do so “in spirit” and “in truth.” I believe that the definition of worship can be seen in these two prepositional phrases.
Let’s take the last one first. We must worship God “in truth.” What does that tell me? It tells me that worship is not simply singing a song. Worship deals with truth. What kind of truth? It is truth about God. So what is one aspect of worship? Worship begins by recognizing a truth about God. So when you stand in church on Sunday and you sing the songs, do you just sing or do you focus on the lyrics of the song you are singing in order to recognize a specific truth about God? That is worship. Worship is focusing on a Biblical truth about God. In Isaiah 5:1-3, the primary focus of the prophet’s worship was seeing God. The more I learn about God the more I will want to worship Him. True worship begins with a hungry, seeking heart that is dissatisfied with religious substitutes. My friend, the greatest deterrent to worship is losing your awe of who God really is.
But along with worshipping God “in truth” we also must worship him “in spirit.” The first aspect dealt with recognizing a truth about God. This one deals with our responding to the truth that we have recognized. So if you put the two ideas together you could rightfully define worship as “a Spirit-led response to a truth about God.” Worship is all that we are acting rightfully to all that God is. Yes, this even includes our emotion. Unfortunately, in many non-Pentecostal churches, we have so tried to differentiate ourselves from those on the charismatic side of the denominational fence that we have taken our churches to the other extreme side of the pendulum. In many churches, worship is all emotion, making their worship out of balance. But my friend, showing no emotion at all in our worship of God is just as extreme and ineffective. Worship includes a Spirit-led emotion that is acceptable (Matthew 15:8-9).
And what is the key that unlocks this room? I have found that the key is to be creative. There are so many different ways to praise God. I can sing. I can shout. I can dance. I can raise my hands. I can stand in silence. I can kneel. I can lay prostrate. I can draw. I can paint. I can write. I can jump. Sometimes I think we get into a “praise rut.” As long as we are focusing on a truth of who God is and we are being led by His Spirit, the sky is literally the limit to the many different ways that we can praise God in the throne room – the room of adoration.
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