For those who are interested, the songs I used were:
1) One Day (Hillsongs, A major)
2) The Steadfast Love of the Lord (D-E major)
3) Here I am to Worship (E-G major)
4) I Love You, Lord (G major)
I recently put up some teaching on the Spotlight Anointing. What I didn't tell you is that sometimes it just isn't there. This was one of those occasions. I felt so alone out there, as if no one else was singing along and I was trying to do a solo show. Bad feeling!
I dread those times. You see, when I step up to lead worship, I usually (OK, almost always) get this feeling that everything I've done before, every success I had before, all the experience, revelation and skill I have, isn't enough THIS TIME. Those of you who have read my book know what I mean, I mentioned that in the chapter on spiritual hindrances common to the worship ministry.
The purpose of that feeling is to drive me to the flesh instead of the Spirit, to try and control, manipulate and hype up the praises rather than trust God and let him have his way.
Usually that feeling goes away half-way through the service. Last Friday was one of those times it stayed throughout. I think there was a problem with the projector half-way, so I tried to lead the worship and feed the people the lyrics (while playing piano) at the same time. That wasn't easy! (Stumble, stumble, bump. Oww!) So I ended off that time feeling totally lousy about myself, wondering if there's something wrong with me spiritually, was there something more I could have done, and all that.
It's in such moments I need to return to what it means to worship God in Spirit and in Truth.
That phrase is one of the most over-used and misunderstood phrases in the entire Praise and Worship scene. People read into it whatever THEY feel it should mean, instead of checking the Bible to get the definition from there. Bad move. You see, that phrase is taken from the Gospel of John, which is a teaching gospel, arranged in themes. So when we want to understand what a particular phrase from the Gospel of John means, we should seek it in the Gospel of John first.
And that is what I have NOT seen in many definitions of 'in Spirit and in truth.'
Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth. (John 4:23-24, NIV)
So, looking back at John 3, this is what Jesus said.
Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. (John 3:5-6, NIV)
The immediate context tells us that it is through the Spirit that we receive our second birth into the Kingdom of God. This suggests to me that to worship in Spirit means that we are to worship God on the basis of our identity as born-again believers, not anything else.
Paul also hints at this in the following passage.
For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh (Philippians 3:3, NIV)
Paul contrasts us, who worship by the Spirit of God, with the circumcision group, who teach that people need to do more in order to be pleasing and acceptable to God. The circumcision group taught that believers needed to come under the Old Testament law in order to worship God. We face the descendants of the circumcision group anytime we encounter people who try to make us feel less worthy, less qualified to approach God, unless we fast a certain number of days a week, pray a certain number of hours a day, keep ourselves from sin at least 80-100% of the time, and all that.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that we should not do all the above mentioned things. But do we worship God based on all that we can (or cannot) do? Or do we worship God based on our status and identity as his children, whom he has given new birth into a living hope?
That's the Spirit. How about the Truth?
But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God. (John 3:21, NIV)
This passage tells us what is Truth – that what good we do, including the worship we offer, is done through God. (Hebrews 13:15 again!) There is nothing we can do to make ourselves any better. Even more importantly, there is nothing for which we can claim any credit or glory for, since every good we have done, including our worship, all came from God and was done through God in the first place.
The flesh has no room to boast and pride has no place to stand.
If you have the same kind of thinking system as me you'll be uncomfortable over the definitions of Spirit and Truth seem to overlap. But that is how the Apostle John thinks and writes. He uses one word to define another, and the another word to define the first, until you get totally confused using conventional syllogism.
That's how John works. That's why I read John's writings whenever I think I've got everything figured out. He helps keep me humble!
Some people think that Truth refers to what they can use to bash people, putting it bluntly. They say something like "Jesus came to give both grace AND truth!" And use that to justify whacking other people over their inadequacies and failings. But that is NOT how John uses that word. Consider this:
For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. (John 1:17, NIV)
Many people use the Law and call it truth. How do you know if someone is using the Law?
Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin. (Romans 3:20, NIV)
If someone is using the Law, you'll become conscious of sin. You'll aware of how much you fall short in and of yourself. That is good if you take the next step, which is to throw yourself wholeheartedly onto God's grace. It's bad if someone tries to use the Law to keep you from going there.
To sum it up: to worship God in Spirit and in Truth means to worship God as his children, acknowledging that our worship is done through God. I'm not saying that my definition is the ONLY good one around, but I urge you to reject any other definition that would go contrary to this one. I especially urge you to reject any teaching on this that tries to involve your flesh and self-effort. That's 180 degrees against what John would have us believe.
Back to last Friday: Because I was so discouraged, I asked for feedback. The most accurate source of feedback will be from people in the back of the room or auditorium, because only good worship leaders will be able to engage the people in the back of the room consistently. So I grit my teeth and asked how things were from back there.
The reply? "God's anointing is upon you!"
If I did lead worship poorly, does that affect my status, my position and identity as a child of God? No, because I worship him in Spirit. Seems that I did well last Friday, but does that give me any room for pride? Nope, not really, since the Truth tells me how well I served has been done through God anyway.
Just something for you to meditate on. Be blessed!
I dread those times. You see, when I step up to lead worship, I usually (OK, almost always) get this feeling that everything I've done before, every success I had before, all the experience, revelation and skill I have, isn't enough THIS TIME. Those of you who have read my book know what I mean, I mentioned that in the chapter on spiritual hindrances common to the worship ministry.
The purpose of that feeling is to drive me to the flesh instead of the Spirit, to try and control, manipulate and hype up the praises rather than trust God and let him have his way.
Usually that feeling goes away half-way through the service. Last Friday was one of those times it stayed throughout. I think there was a problem with the projector half-way, so I tried to lead the worship and feed the people the lyrics (while playing piano) at the same time. That wasn't easy! (Stumble, stumble, bump. Oww!) So I ended off that time feeling totally lousy about myself, wondering if there's something wrong with me spiritually, was there something more I could have done, and all that.
It's in such moments I need to return to what it means to worship God in Spirit and in Truth.
That phrase is one of the most over-used and misunderstood phrases in the entire Praise and Worship scene. People read into it whatever THEY feel it should mean, instead of checking the Bible to get the definition from there. Bad move. You see, that phrase is taken from the Gospel of John, which is a teaching gospel, arranged in themes. So when we want to understand what a particular phrase from the Gospel of John means, we should seek it in the Gospel of John first.
And that is what I have NOT seen in many definitions of 'in Spirit and in truth.'
Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth. (John 4:23-24, NIV)
So, looking back at John 3, this is what Jesus said.
Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. (John 3:5-6, NIV)
The immediate context tells us that it is through the Spirit that we receive our second birth into the Kingdom of God. This suggests to me that to worship in Spirit means that we are to worship God on the basis of our identity as born-again believers, not anything else.
Paul also hints at this in the following passage.
For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh (Philippians 3:3, NIV)
Paul contrasts us, who worship by the Spirit of God, with the circumcision group, who teach that people need to do more in order to be pleasing and acceptable to God. The circumcision group taught that believers needed to come under the Old Testament law in order to worship God. We face the descendants of the circumcision group anytime we encounter people who try to make us feel less worthy, less qualified to approach God, unless we fast a certain number of days a week, pray a certain number of hours a day, keep ourselves from sin at least 80-100% of the time, and all that.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that we should not do all the above mentioned things. But do we worship God based on all that we can (or cannot) do? Or do we worship God based on our status and identity as his children, whom he has given new birth into a living hope?
That's the Spirit. How about the Truth?
But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God. (John 3:21, NIV)
This passage tells us what is Truth – that what good we do, including the worship we offer, is done through God. (Hebrews 13:15 again!) There is nothing we can do to make ourselves any better. Even more importantly, there is nothing for which we can claim any credit or glory for, since every good we have done, including our worship, all came from God and was done through God in the first place.
The flesh has no room to boast and pride has no place to stand.
If you have the same kind of thinking system as me you'll be uncomfortable over the definitions of Spirit and Truth seem to overlap. But that is how the Apostle John thinks and writes. He uses one word to define another, and the another word to define the first, until you get totally confused using conventional syllogism.
That's how John works. That's why I read John's writings whenever I think I've got everything figured out. He helps keep me humble!
Some people think that Truth refers to what they can use to bash people, putting it bluntly. They say something like "Jesus came to give both grace AND truth!" And use that to justify whacking other people over their inadequacies and failings. But that is NOT how John uses that word. Consider this:
For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. (John 1:17, NIV)
Many people use the Law and call it truth. How do you know if someone is using the Law?
Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin. (Romans 3:20, NIV)
If someone is using the Law, you'll become conscious of sin. You'll aware of how much you fall short in and of yourself. That is good if you take the next step, which is to throw yourself wholeheartedly onto God's grace. It's bad if someone tries to use the Law to keep you from going there.
To sum it up: to worship God in Spirit and in Truth means to worship God as his children, acknowledging that our worship is done through God. I'm not saying that my definition is the ONLY good one around, but I urge you to reject any other definition that would go contrary to this one. I especially urge you to reject any teaching on this that tries to involve your flesh and self-effort. That's 180 degrees against what John would have us believe.
Back to last Friday: Because I was so discouraged, I asked for feedback. The most accurate source of feedback will be from people in the back of the room or auditorium, because only good worship leaders will be able to engage the people in the back of the room consistently. So I grit my teeth and asked how things were from back there.
The reply? "God's anointing is upon you!"
If I did lead worship poorly, does that affect my status, my position and identity as a child of God? No, because I worship him in Spirit. Seems that I did well last Friday, but does that give me any room for pride? Nope, not really, since the Truth tells me how well I served has been done through God anyway.
Just something for you to meditate on. Be blessed!
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