Created for Worship week 2

“The 3 Sides of Worship”

Today, I want to continue our thoughts on how worship empowers us for spiritual breakthrough.

I believe it is an undeniable fact that worship and spiritual warfare are inter-related.

Scriptural examples which can support this belief are:

- Jericho

- Jehoshaphat’s Victory:

- Paul and Silas:

As we prepare for our text today, I want to suggest that there are actually 3 sides to worship.

These “sides” consist of prophet, priest, and king.

These are the essential aspects to Christ’s earthly ministry and as such, we carry forward the work of Christ as His representatives.

This thought is according to Christ’s own words that we would “do the same works that He did and even greater.”

To lack this understanding will limit us in our expression of worship.

When I speak in terms of prophet, priest, and king in regard to praise and worship I mean:

Prophet: declare

Priest: minister

King: rule

The prophet side of worship is to declare God’s Word over our lives and situations.

It is to speak what God speaks.

It is to come into alignment with God’s promises.

It is to join ourselves in proclaiming the Truth of Christ to prevail in our situations and circumstances.

The proclamation side of worship requires us to safeguard what we say.

Jesus said: “From the heart the mouth speaks.”

The tongue must be brought under the Lordship of Christ.

We must stay aware of what we are singing.

The priest side of worship is to minister.

The Old Testament priest would enter into the Temple for their act of ministry.

Today, each of us have become priest’s of God through the sacrifice of Christ on the cross.

Scripture tells us: [Rev 1:5-6 ESV] 5 “To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood 6 and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”

We must also understand that the foundational aspect of praise and worship is ministry unto God and one another.

Our worship becomes a “sweet sacrifice” unto God as we daily choose to live in thanksgiving.

As we learn to minister to God, the natural outflow will become a ministry to others.

The king side of worship is to rule.

Our rule begins with our own hearts and minds.

We are called by Scripture to: [Col 3:1-2 ESV] 1 “seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.”

The act of “setting” is an act of ruling.

As we continue to grow in our rule over heart and mind, we can then experience an extended rule into situations around us.

Many never get to a place of bringing God’s rule to bear in their situations.

Our extended rule will only be as strong as our personal rule.

We will never be able to grow into an extended rule until we rise to a greater level of personal rule.

The act of praise and worship establishes Christ as the One seated on the throne of our hearts and situations.

Christ’s reign in my life equips me to reign in life.

Text:

[Mat 10:1, 5-15 ESV] 1 “And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction. ...

5 These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them, "Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans, 6 but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

7 And proclaim as you go, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.'

8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay.

9 Acquire no gold or silver or copper for your belts, 10 no bag for your journey, or two tunics or sandals or a staff, for the laborer deserves his food.

11 And whatever town or village you enter, find out who is worthy in it and stay there until you depart.

12 As you enter the house, greet it.

13 And if the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it, but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you.

14 And if anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town.

15 Truly, I say to you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town.”

Teaching . . .

Representing Jesus:

Called by Jesus

Sent by Jesus

The disciples were called and then sent by Jesus. In like manner, we are also called and sent into the world by Christ as His representatives to share His gospel message.

[2Co 5:20 ESV] 20 “Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.”

An ambassador is one who represents the sending country.

In and of themselves, they possess no inherent authority, but as they go on behalf of the nation, it is the authority of the sender who backs up the representative.

In like manner, as we go as Christ’s ambassadors, we are backed by heaven’s authority.

Speaking for Jesus: (Prophet)

“Proclaim as you go”

“The Kingdom of heaven is at hand”

A primary assignment given to the disciples by Jesus was one of proclamation.

They were instructed to “proclaim as you go.”

The act of going was the initial response of obedience, but the proclamation of “the Kingdom of heaven at hand” was the fruit of their mission.

To go without proclamation would have resulted in a partially fulfilled assignment.

Our proclamation must be accompanied by a lifestyle of praise and worship.

For a proclamation of God’s Kingdom to be accompanied by a lifestyle no different than the world’s misses the essence of the assignment.

We are to go out into the world, carry the message of hope, and live a lifestyle that exhibits the coming of the Father’s Kingdom.

Minister to others and trust God: (Priest)

“Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons” (priest/king)

“You received . . . give” (priest)

Trust God for your provision (priest- ministry unto God)

Jesus gave the disciples specific instructions as they were sent out with the message of hope.

They were to have evidence of their sent assignment reflected in “healing the sick, raising the dead, cleansing the lepers, and casting out demons.”

This supernatural evidence would serve as a confirmation to their assignment.

In addition, Jesus instructed the disciples to completely trust in the Father’s provision for their every need.

This required level of trust results from a firm foundation of belief in the Father’s promise that He will in fact provide for our every need.

The assignment prompted by obedience is sustained through continual trust of the Father’s provision.

Although put in financial terms for the disciples, we can understand that God provides for our complete set of needs spirit, soul, and body.

Making a judgement: (King)

“Find out who is worthy”

“Let your peace come upon it . . . let your peace return to you”

“Shake off the dust”

Eternal ramifications

Lastly, in their assignment, Jesus instructed the disciples to make judgments as they went from house to house and town to town.

There is a significant difference between making judgments and being judgmental.

The Pharisees were judgmental.

The disciples were instructed to make judgements based on the evidence of what they saw in the individual’s life.

Their judgments would result in peace being given or removed.

We continually make judgments on a daily basis.

A lifestyle of praise and worship however safeguards us from slipping into judgmentalism.

Living with a judgmental and critical spirit becomes the outward evidence of a life void of praise and worship centered on the sufficiency of Christ’s provision for our every need.

The final statement in Christ’s assignment to the disciples reveals the eternal significance and weight that the assignment carries.

“Truly, I say to you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town.”

The same can be said of our assignment today. We carry the weight of eternity as we go on behalf of Christ’s assignment.

Our proclamation of the Good News, our complete trust in the Father’s provision, and the evidence of supernatural manifestations all bear witness to a life lived as ambassadors of Christ who have grown into a lifestyle of praise and worship.

Application . . .

“Prophet”-

When dealing with a situation or spiritual warfare, find the promise of Scripture that applies.

Daily proclaim the Scriptural promise into the situation.

Guard what you say to yourself and others.

“Priest”-

Minister daily to God through praise and worship for who He is.

Let your requests be made know with thanksgiving.

Minister to others. This will keep our focus off of ourselves.

“King”-

Take charge. (Start with yourself.)

Take authority in the spirit for the situation. (win the battle in the spirit then receive the manifestation in the physical)

Celebrate prior to the physical evidence.

Receive the fulfillment of the promise.

In summary . . .

We have been assigned the representational task of “having dominion over the works of God’s hands.”

The 3 sides of praise and worship:

The prophet side of worship is to declare God’s Word over our lives and situations.

The priest side of worship is to minister.

The king side of worship is to rule.

We are to go out into the world, carry the message of hope, and live a lifestyle that exhibits the coming of the Father’s Kingdom.