7 Things - Prophetic Worship

I’m speaking tomorrow morning at my church – The Fellowship, in Sandy, Utah.

Here is the outline of 7 points from 2 Corinthians 3:18

2 Cor. 3:18 – 7 Principles of prophetic worship

But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. (NKJV)

And all of us have had that veil removed so that we can be mirrors that brightly reflect the glory of the Lord. And as the Spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more like him and reflect his glory even more. (NLT)

• But we all – the priests of worship

• with unveiled face – the preparation for worship

• beholding as in a mirror – the priority of worship

• the glory of the Lord – the Presence in worship

• are being transformed into the same image – The purpose of worship

• from glory to glory – the pathway of worship

• just as by the Spirit of the Lord – the power of worship

I am passionate about affecting the theology of the Church and our approach to worship...that we allow the Lord - His will, voice and presence to be a part of our services. The presence of God is the most important thing - we have made worship about the music, but the music (and all the arts) must always serve the presence of God. For centuries, we have done all the talking and singing in worship and have made God the "audience." Prophetic worship makes way for the voice and presence of God to become a part of every service - He is not the "audience" - He is the focus and voice; He sings in the midst of the Church and He wants us to:

- adore Him

- minister to Him

- wait for Him

- look at Him

- be changed to be like HIm

- listen Him

- commune with Him

- draw near to Him

- respond to HIm

- obey Him

- walk with Him

...I believe that worship is the most important work of the Church - this is the reason why He created us and saved us - so that He could have relationship with us. We are here because He wants fellowship and intimacy with us - that is the bottom line of life. We are not saved so that we can get others saved - we are brought into sonship with Him so that we can commune with Him, and He can enjoy our fellowship for eternity. A natural outcome of this intimacy is that others will see Him and come into the Kingdom also.

It is worship like this that will reflect God's glory in all the earth.

The greatest glory in the universe is not the display of the supernatural -
it is lives changed into His image

It is not the music or the songs that changes you
the presence of God changes you

You can tell if you really worshiped - you will be changed.
It is impossible to worship and stay the same

Your theology determines the style of worship you prefer
God's presence determines the affect of worship in/through your life

A glimpse of God will save you - to gaze at God will transform you

In worship there is no audience and no performers - only communing hearts

5 Secrets That Will Help You See God

The Lord is beautiful - He is beyond compare. We are called to be those who gaze at God. So much of worship concerns looking at His glory (2 Cor. 3:18), but we have made worship about the songs and music. Take time this week to open the eyes of your heart and look at God - this is the focus of worship.

He is beautiful in his creation

Psalm 27:4


One thing I have desired of the LORD,
That will I seek:

That I may dwell in the house of the LORD
All the days of my life,

To behold the beauty of the LORD,
And to inquire in His temple.

He is beautiful among His people    

• "One thing have I desired" - bring your desire for God into focus. Reduce it to the most important thing. The word "desire" does not simply mean "to ask" but it means to make a careful request - even to "beg," or desire with great sincerity.

• "That will I seek" - this word means to "seek until you find," or to demand. Don't give up until you find the face of God.

• "That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life" - it takes time to create a dwelling, or to make a place into your home. Make His presence Your home, and become comfortable with His house. Claim it as your own. This word "dwell" means to "sit down, abide or stay."

             He is beautiful in his courts

• "To behold the beauty of the Lord" - means "to see with your whole being." Look with spiritual eyes, but also look with your understanding. Take time to look at the Lord carefully. He wants us to see Him (John 17:24), and every part of Him is desirable. He transcends all other created and beautiful things. He is beyond compare.

• "...And to inquire in His temple." - This word means to cling to the thing you are looking at. There is a sense in this word that we are expecting a response from the Lord. We are asking Him for a response to our looking.

5 Theological Truths Of Worship

Here are 5 essential theological truths of worship these need to be understood by all believers in all denominations.

1. Biblical worship demands the active participation of every member of the congregation (1 Chron. 15:28; 1 Peter 2:5, 9). The Lord loves everyone in your congregation, not just the extravagant worshipers and loyal church members. Worship leaders have the responsibility to gather each one, even those who don’t like you or agree with you. Each one has to be gathered into a holy royal priesthood to minister before the Lord. Worship is not a spectator sport - each member of your congregation is invited to participate in tan intimate relationship with God through worship.

2. We can, and should expect the manifestation of God’s presence in every service (2 Chron. 5:11-14; Psalm 22:3; 1 Cor. 14:26). If we look at the first century Church, we see Christians worshiping the Lord and enjoying the benefits of His manifest presence (Acts 2:31, 47; 13;2; 16:25-26).

Lutheran bishop Bo Giertz acknowledges that the presence of God should be experienced in our worship, calling it “the nearness of the eternal.” He concurs that the chief enemy of worship is “that dull passivity which wants to hear and enjoy a service of worship instead of taking part in it.”

God has a plan and purpose for every service – He desires to be present with us even more than we long for Him.

3. Christian worship involves the actions of our entire being - heart, soul, mind and strength - to praise and adore our Lord. (Mark 12:30) As we actively worship Him, our journey takes us into His throne room, before his very presence. Every song and act of praise, every reading, prayer and response, every movement of the worship service is a “sacred action” designed to bring us to an awareness of God’s presence. Without the presence of the Lord, we sing and speak empty words, our attempts at music and artistic expression are in vain and our gestures meaningless. The psalmist says, “My soul yearns and faints for the living God.”

The presence of the Lord fulfills the Church! Apart from God’s presence, we are only another social club, a concert hall, a humanitarian organization. But, with the living Christ in our midst, we become the Church, the ekklesia, the house of God.

4. We also need to understand that worship involves a journey—a journey into Him. He dwells in our midst, but we are also called into His presence. This is not a “pretending” place, but a place where the entire Church is called to meet Him. Consider the following scriptures:

Ps 100:4 Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.

Heb 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

(Emphasis mine)

Your whole congregation is invited to move towards the Lord in worship—to come into His very courts and commune with Him. He is a God who welcomes us into intimate communion with Him.

The best worship occurs when we break in on Him and we invite Him to break in on us.

5. Any true worship will bring enduring change to the soul. Worshipers can expect the ever-emerging character of Jesus as their prize. Passionate worshipers are not the crazy, flaky, hysterical, unbalanced people in the church—no, true worship will make us more sane, more gracious, more powerful, more humble, more balanced, more sensible, more wise, more forgiving, more attractive to the lost than we ever were before. Why? Because we become like the One we worship. It is quite simple really—if you are not changing, you are not worshiping. This verse is the truest test of your worship leading skills, and the congregation’s authenticity in their worship ministry before the Lord—2 Cor. 3:18

NIV And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

NKJV But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

Wey And all of us, with unveiled faces, reflecting like bright mirrors the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same likeness, from one degree of radiant holiness to another, even as derived from the Lord the Spirit.

7 principles of worship from this verse (NKJV 2 Cor. 3:18)

But we all…worship is for everyone

With unveiled faces…we must come in transparency

Beholding as in a mirror…worship is about seeing and reflecting what we see

The glory of the Lord…it is all about His glory

Are being transformed into the same image…we are constantly being changed

From glory to glory…we are changed from one degree of glory to another

Just as by the Spirit of the Lord…this is the greatest work of the Holy Spirit – to make us like Christ.