Worship as Warfare (Spiritual Warfare Sermon)

the message tonight is one that I feel like gots been kind of working on in my heart for quite a while now I think it probably began it was before Passover so back before the lockdown before Passover it it was something that got it it kind of started working in my heart about and last week before church as the worship team was practicing I was standing outside and I just felt like God was telling me to come up and lead it you know lead out the worship last week and so last week I stood up here and saying the first part of the first song kind of led that out the worship and this week as as I was praying and studying and through some of the conversations I've had with some people and seeing some of the stuff that's going on in the world I feel like God to kind of put all the pieces together finally and so this is like I said something that's kind of been in the works for a few months so I'm gonna start in second chronicles chapter 20 verses distorted version 1 and we're gonna read through we're gonna kind of skip around a little bit just to highlight some things staring verse 1 second chronicles chapter 20 verse 1 happened after this that the people of Moab with the people of Amman and others with them besides the ammonites came to battle against Jehoshaphat then some caiman told you hostfest saying a great multitude is coming against you from beyond the sea from Syria and they are in Hassan Tamar which is in Getti and Joseph had feared and he set himself to seek the Lord and he proclaimed a fast throughout Jew all Judea so Judah gathered together to ask help from the Lord and from all the cities of Judah they came to seek the Lord so we see that the the Moabites and the ammonites were coming to fight against Israel so they had a these two outside nations come against Israel teaming up against Israel to come against them in battle and King Jehoshaphat was afraid and so he turned to the Lord nests the Lord what to do he prayed he had to call for a fast help people prayed fast and now listen to what the Lord said to them stir in verse 14 then the Spirit of the Lord came upon JA has a oh the son of Zechariah the son of benaiah the son of Jael the set of mattaniah a Levite of the sons of ASA okay so this is a prophet and a Levite this is in the midst of the assembly and he said listen all you of Judah and all you inhabitants of Jerusalem and you King Jehoshaphat thus says the Lord to you do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude for the battle is not yours but it's God's okay so this is the word that came to them when this when the enemies rose up against them the Lord said the battle is not yours the battle belongs to the Lord and I don't know about you guys but there is a lot of battles going on lately I don't know if you guys have seen it if you're aware of it but the enemy is really working overtime right now on trying to come up against God's people and is not just one area I mean it is it's a global attack and so there is there's things going on individually where people are experiencing various kinds of troubles trials tribulations hard times but not attacks of the enemy individually but then there's also attacks globally corporately various countries various cities I saw just recently I guess the state of California has decided to ban public reciting of liturgy and public singing of worship songs they're banning that they're saying you can't do that in the state of the entire state of California okay and I've heard that there are other places where individual cities are doing the same thing this is an attack of the enemy and I'm going to be talking about this more tonight but there are a number of things that the enemy is doing to try to come against the Scots people there are places where churches are still not allowed to meet and even in places where they are allowed to meet they're told you have to abide by certain guidelines keep your social distancing wear your masks what not these are all things that the enemy is trying to do to come against us people there are like I said there's individual things that are going on it could be anything like car problems dishwasher going out getting hit on the head with a box and knocking unconscious these things happened to Amanda recently so just all kinds of stuff going on but he said the battle is not yours it's God's I want to I want us to keep that in mind when the enemy comes against you we need to rely on God's string turn to him and let him fight the battle for us so let's look and see what else happened in here looked at verse 17 he said you will not need to fight this battle position yourself stand still and see the salvation of the Lord who is with you Oh Judah and Jerusalem do not fear or be dismayed tomorrow go out against them for the Lord is with you and Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his faces with his face to the ground and all Judah and the inhabitance of Jerusalem bowed before the Lord worshiping the Lord then the Levites of the children of the kohathites and the children of the core tight core Heights stood up to praise the Lord God of Israel with voices loud and high so he said you don't need to fight this battle just stand your ground stand firm stand still and you know it reminds me of some other verses where we're told just to toe abide right you abide in Yeshua you abide in God you stay there you stay put you remain there don't turn away from him stay with him abide with him versus to talk about how your shoe is the solid ground all other ground is sinking sand you guys familiar that's all right on Christ the solid rock I stand all other ground is sinking sand all other ground is sinking saying this is the solid ground we need a stand stand firm this is what we read in Ephesians where he talks about the armor of God right he says when you've done everything you can to stand and stand firm this is what he told Joshua right be strong a courageous stand your ground but I want you to listen to what happened next second chronicles chapter 20 started verse 20 so they rose early in the morning and went out to the battle in the wilderness of Toccoa and ate and as they went out Jehoshaphat stood and said hear me o Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem believe in the Lord your God and you shall be established believe his prophets and you shall prosper and when he had consulted with the people he appointed those who should sing to the Lord who should praise the beauty of holiness as they went out before the army as they went out before the army she gifts that he sent the singers out ahead of the army as they went up before they and we're saying praise the Lord for His mercy endures forever and when they began to sing into praise the Lord set ambushes against the people of Ammon Moab and Mount Seir who had come against Judah and they were defeated they sent the singers out ahead of the army and the singers were singing praise and worship and while they were singing as they begin to sing worship and praise to God God defeated the enemy does God set ambushes for the enemy and they were all defeated all they did was sing just worship praise God there's a anybody here ever listen to Petra old Christian rock band like the 80s there's a song and it's been in my head for weeks and and the lyrics are put the singers first in front of the rest let the brazen sing to me and you will see the salvation of your God and watch your enemy fleet is the lyrics of the song s is based on this chapter right here but the singers first in front of the rest and watch the enemy fleet so tonight the message that I feel like God has been working on in my heart for the last few months is that worship is warfare you worship is warfare when we worship we come against the enemy when we when we sing praises to God the enemy hates that any fleas let me go ahead and read the last section of this second chronicles 2024 says so when Judah came took place overlooking the wilderness they looked towards the multitude and there were the dead bodies fallen on the earth no one escaped and then amazing all these armies coming against them these several other armies from other nations coming against Israel and God just wiped them all out they were being attacked from multiple directions they didn't have to do anything they didn't they'd have to lift up a shield or a sword at all they just lifted their voices praising God worshipping him and he thought that is powerful you worship is a weapon in spiritual warfare when we lift our voices to God the enemy is defeated this is what I feel like God has been working on my heart someone asked me a question on my live stream on the Tuesday night Q&A a few weeks ago they said which is more important the teaching or the worship I mentioned this a few weeks ago here as well I'm not a worship leader I'm not a singer I'm not a musician I'm a teacher you check-check oh but I believe worship is more important than the teaching okay worship is more important than the teaching and I want to instill that in you guys I want you guys to understand that teaching is great it's great to learn it's great to hear here from your from the word here from testimony's growing our knowledge but what good is that if you're not a worshipper okay if all you have is the knowledge if all you do is expand your knowledge and you don't worship it's useless knowledge that you learned from the Word of God and from teaching about the Word of God should cause you to worship God if it doesn't that is not doing its job if all it does is give you knowledge about what does puff you up make you think you're somebody special or that you know something of work you've missed the whole purpose the Word of God should draw us closer to him and should cause us to bow before him when the preaching of the word is done right it should cause us to worship into praise but worship is more important than teaching rather you come here and just worship and worship and worship and I even here teaching honestly if you guys wanted to do that I would be fine with that because I think worship is more important than the teaching we lift our voices to praise God the enemy is defeated so what makes worship a weapon you you guys heard the phrase that god inhabits the praises of his people this comes from psalm 22:3 in the King James the King James Version says but thou art holy o thou that in habitus the praises of Israel if you look at other translations it doesn't say it habits this is something else so let me read from the King the New King James this is but you are holy enthroned in the praises of Israel at first this kind of sound like two different things didn't it inhabits the praises of his before he is enthroned in the praises of people so looked at the Hebrew word to choose their neighbor where does your shop and it means to sit to remain to dwell to abide to inhabit to occupy something is placed like my place this here to reside to sit and throne to take a seat this word is used in all these different ways it means all these different things so it means that he abides there he dwells there is a throne there he occupies their inhabits there he remains there so God dwells in the praises of his people and he is enthroned [Music] in the praises of his people this is why worship is a weapon you're seeing God on his throne is in his authorities in his power you are placing that authority and power on in your life when you worship Him you were giving him that authority and that power in your life to intervene on your behalf that makes sense you were enthroning him in your life when you worship you why does worship defeat the enemy what is the enemy wanting the enemy wants to take the throne that's what Satan says I will be like the Most High right it wants to be exalted like God what we see in Revelation was the Beast do the Beast wants the worship of the people he causes all the earth to worship to bow down to his image that's what he wants he wants the worship that belongs to God so this whole thing is a struggle over worship who's going to get the worship is Satan gonna get the worship that he wants where's God gonna get the worship that he deserves when we worship God we are not that's why the enemy is defeated that's why worship is so important in the life of a believer you look throughout this tree of Israel what was the main issue they struggled with is idolatry right the main problem they had was idolatry what does that mean they were taking the worship to belong to God and they were giving it to something else that was the problem but still the problem today isn't it we may not have golden statues that we bow down to there's a lot of things we do that I would say is is idolatry we're giving our worship away to something that does not belong it does not deserve our worship they give you another example from Scripture let's turn to first samuel chapter 16 sorry verse 14 this is what the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul and a distressing spirit from the Lord troubled him and saw servants said to him surely a de-stressing spear from God is troubling you that our master now command your servants we're before you to seek out a man who is a skillful player on the heart and it should be that when he will play it with his hand when the distressing spirit from God is upon you and you shall be well now this is a verse that or this is a passage that troublesome people they they say well wait God sent an evil spirit to trouble Saul and that bothers some people you remember Jobe in the book of Job what happened Satan came to God and he said give me permission to go and cause trouble for Joe Satan had to clear with God he had to get permission to go and cause that trouble God has authority over all his ultimate authority is sovereign the demons can't just do whatever they want they have to they have to do what he allows they have to get permission they can't just run around do anything they please he has authority over them so if he says stop they have to stop so why do we come to him because he's the one that has authority to tell them what they can again do what did you shoot it when he was on earth remember the Legion of demons that came to him they cried out and they said we know who you are you're the Holy One of Israel then they pleaded with him don't send us into the abyss allow us to go into the pigs instead they had to give permission they begged him not to destroy them in the abyss so he gave them permission to go into the bigs instead he commanded authority over those demons so when the enemy comes against you we shouldn't even have any fear because we are we are worshipping and praising and serving the one who has ultimate authority over them right so this is interesting Saul was being troubled by a distressing spirit and I think this is a type of depression that he was probably dealing with most likely is what it sounds like some kind of a depression that he was struggling with it he had this overwhelming since the spirit of depression that come upon him he was troubled by it and she was his advisors told Salda firing someone to play music to soothe him and saw requested that David would be the one to come to play this was still when David was young Saul was still King David was young listen to verse 22 says then saul sent to jesse saying please let david stand before me for he has found favor in my sight and it was so whenever the spirit of god was upon saul the david would take a harp and play with his hand and Saul would become refreshed and well and the dust and the distressing spirit would depart from him so when when David played his harp this evil spirit left just music we know through the Scriptures that David was a songwriter he wrote majority of the Psalms what are the Psalms their worship songs songs of praise and worship David was a beautiful songwriter he wrote some of the probably some of the most amazing worship music we have David also was a worshipper he was a musician he was a dancer he danced there's Bible talks about how he would dance for the Lord they said David was a worshiper where else we what else we know about David is that he became king he was a warrior he defeated Goliath with a stone this guy had no fear he fought lions and bears you but he was a worshipper and he was not afraid to pour out his heart to God in worship so let's let's see what happens second samuel 6 14 through 16 I'm sorry this is this is what I'm talking about dancing David danced before the Lord listed this and David danced before the Lord with all his might and David was wearing a linen ephod so David and all the house of Israel brought up the Ark of the Lord shouting and with a loud trumpet now the ark of the lord came into the City of David Michael Saul's daughter which was David's wife look through a window and saw King David leaping and whirling before the Lord she despised him in her in her heart David was leaping and whirling became this is this is when David was king this wasn't when he was a little shepherd boy now this is when he was king he brought the Ark of the Covenant back after it had been taken away and as he was bringing it back what he was dancing leaping and whirling his wife was embarrassed because he was making such spectacle of himself why was he doing it how to praise out of worship of rejoicing you didn't care what anybody else thought was praising God David was a worshipper he had a heart of worship the Bible says that David was a man after God's own heart his heart was chasing after God when Saul was was confronted in his sin he rejected when David was confronted in his sin he repented see the difference between those two men they were both warriors they're both kings they're both mighty men David had a heart that pursuit God who is a worshipper was a dancer use repentant you know I would I would love to see the men of graft it'd be more like David I would love to see myself be more like David I'm gonna be completely honest with you guys I am afraid to dance seriously I think there's like a phobia it's like fear of dancing and I'm pretty sure I have it okay we went Amanda and I went on a cruise years ago and she wanted to go dancing and we got out onto the dance floor and my feet didn't move I felt like I had cement bags strapped to my feet they just wouldn't go anywhere and the room started spinning around in circles I thought I thought the ship was sinking or something I don't understand it I just something about me like dancing is terrifying to me I'm not afraid of a whole lot of stuff so it's kind of an odd one to be afraid of it I'm also you know you know I have no problem getting up here and standing in front of you and talking to you for hours standing up last week and singing that short little intro to that song made me nervous I was uncomfortable with that and you guys know that for a while whenever you kept asking me to sing the ironic blessing it's in the service I was really uncomfortable with that for a while because I'm not I'm not comfortable singing in front of people you guys pushed me to get out of my comfort zone a little bit into you kept asking and kept asking and now I do it and I'm not it doesn't make me super uncomfortable anymore maybe just a little bit but so I appreciate you guys pushing me out of my comfort zone a little bit nazarius and anyone who came to my house this year at Passover got to see me dance okay I actually led the dance circle for a little bit it was great wasn't it lots of clapping yep yep I had no idea what I was doing but I was trying hard um but I would love to see the men of this church the men of this congregation be more like David not afraid of making a fool out of yourself not afraid of what anybody else thinks just wanting to pour out your heart to God singing with all of your might dancing with all of your might unashamed that's what I want to see men you're supposed to be the spiritual leaders teach your children how to worship show them worship like David did he's probably one of the best examples of worship we have he wasn't afraid of anybody like I said this little little kid stood up against a giant he didn't have fear they didn't care that his dancing embarrassed his wife let me give you another example from Scripture actually let me back up just a second you know what the fear about singing and dancing and things like that you know where that comes from right not given us a spirit of fear has he who gives us a spirit of fear that comes from the enemy why do you have that fear of singing and dancing in front of people that's the enemy trying to stop you from worshiping you realize that when you have a hesitation about singing praise to God that's not from the Spirit of God that's from the enemy when you have a hesitation about dancing before the Lord that is not from the Spirit of God that's from the enemy is trying to keep you from worshipping God so let me give you another example from Scripture acts 16 start verse 16 it says now it happened as we went to prayer that a certain slave girl possessed with the spirit of divination Metis who brought her master's much profit by fortune-telling this girl followed Paul and us and cried out saying these men are the servants of the Most High God who proclaimed to us the way of salvation that's interesting this demon-possessed woman was telling him these guys served the Most High God and they tell you how to be saved it's kind of almost maybe she's like a mocking tone to that I'm guessing but it's interesting that these demons when they cry on they they recognize who someone is they recognize Joshua you are the son of God you are the Holy One of Israel I saw Paul and Silas they said these men preach the way of salvation these men followers are the Most High God I think it's really interesting that these these demons do this but it says and this she did for many days but Paul greatly annoyed you imagine all getting annoyed a mite that might be a scary thought all was always wrong as guys he probably didn't want to annoy it was old that Paul greatly annoyed turned and said to the spirit I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her and he came out that very hour but when her master saw that their hope and profit their hope of profit was gone they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to the authorities now this is spiritual warfare isn't it they're preaching the gospel and an evil spirit comes to cause problems to torment them to annoy them so they deal with the spirit that cast spirit out and then they get arrested so they're in prison this is spiritual warfare the going to prison because of an attack that the enemy came against them with and they fought back so now they're in prison a demon-possessed woman was tormenting them they cast it out and the enemy orchestrated their capture see how that works it's like entrapment torment you until you cast out the demon and then hi now you get thrown in jail verse 22 then the multitude rows together against them and the magistrates tore off their clothes and commanded them to be beaten with rods a Stiga wit beat and when they had laid many stripes on them they threw them into prison commanding the jailer to keep them securely having received such a charge he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks so they they got put in the most secure place in the jail and then they the stocks on their feet so they couldn't go anywhere lock their feet this is some heavy spiritual warfare going on they were beaten thrown in a prison stocks on their feet you see how this is spiritual warfare they came against the kingdom of darkness and then the reaction of that is that they face all these things right the preaching gospel to preaching salvation and the enemy doesn't like it - the enemy attacks now listen what happened x16 25 but at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God praying and singing hymns and the prisoners were listening to them suddenly there was a great earthquake so that the foundations of the prison were shaken and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone's chains were loosened all they were doing was praying and singing hymns the whole prison fell apart isn't that Wow just praying and worship me the stocks fell off their feet the prison doors flew open foundations of the whole jail were broken because they were worshipping you see why I say that worship is warfare worship is a weapon against the enemy you're coming under spiritual attack your first response should be praise God worship God exalt him stop paying attention to the thing that's tormenting you turn your attention to God you they sing hymns the chains were broken in the doors were opened now if you keep reading you also see that the prison guard was afraid and so what they end up doing instead of them all leaving they stayed and they ministered to the garden they preached the gospel of the garden he got saved and his whole house got saved and they stayed there in prison anyway even though they had no chains tying him down and the doors wouldn't even shut they stayed there and now listen what happened in the morning verse 35 and when it was day the magistrates sent officers saying let those men go so the keeper of the prison reported these words to Paul saying the magistrates have sent to let you go now therefore depart and go in peace but Paul said to them they have beaten us openly uncondensed I've thrown us into prison and now do they put us out secretly no indeed let them come themselves and get us out all is bold right I mean you know a lot of people be like oh good we get out let's go I was like no tell them to come here themselves let them face me themselves he was unafraid you the officers told these words to the magistrates and they were afraid when they heard that there were Romans then they came and pleaded with them and brought them out and asked them to depart from the city so they went out of the prison and entered the house of Lydia and when they had seen the Brethren they encouraged them and departed you remember the song last week that I sang in my god fights for me is the name is on I love that song that's what happens when you worship those God fights for you not only did they release Paula Silas but they were given a public apology it's a spiritual warfare they didn't do anything they just sat a prison braid and saying Prison fell apart and they got an apology you sure you should quoted Psalm chapter eight but he made a slight change in the wording and I want to compare what he said with what Psalm 8 said I think it's really interesting what he chose to say in place of what was written in Sami Matthew 21 verses 15 and 16 it says but when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that he did and the children crying out at the temple saying Hosanna to the son of David they were indignant and they said to him do you hear what these are saying and you sure said to them yes have you never read out of the mouths of babes and nursing infants you have perfected praise and this is the words that you sure used you have perfected praise you're ordained praise listeni psalm eight verse two out of the mouths of babes and nursing infants you have ordained strength or power as the word is Hebrew strength or power might but you should use the word praise isn't that interesting what was happening as these children were praising Hosanna Hosanna glory to God in the highest and Yeshua says God has ordained praise from their mouth but you look at what he quoted as says God has ordained strength is ordained power from the mouth because the praise is the power the worship is the strength this is what you sure was trying to show us you music power to shape our mind will and emotions you guys there's what this-this-this power can be used for good or bad it could be negative it could be positive did you know that MTV they recognize this power and this is a quote from years and years and years ago they said that we we have the power to shape the minds of another generation do whatever we want that's a loose quote I don't I didn't write it down that's what MTV's goal is to shape the minds of young people with music what are they trying to shape people's minds into it's not good but is it working absolutely this world is falling apart and music has had a big deal with that big influence on that if praise in worship is a weapon to fight against see and music also be a weapon that st. uses against us I think so most definitely worldly music is a weapon that Satan uses older generations said that rock and roll is the devil's music you guys remember hearing that back in what the 50s and 60s the older generation who was in church they were saying no at rock-and-roll is evil that's the devil's music they were right but it's not the style of music it's not about electric guitars and drums it's about what's being said in that music but it's not just rock and roll rap/hip-hop country pop soul jazz it's all the devil's music if it's not about God as nothing to do with the type of instrument that playing as everything to do with what's the spirit behind it in which the words that they're saying what's the message that's being pumped into your mind I would argue that all music is worship now you may disagree with me but I believe that all music is a type of worship the problem is it doesn't all worship God it doesn't all give worship where it needs to go and so secular worldly pagan probably the best way to describe it secular world in music is pagan because it's not praising God what does it do it glorifies the flesh they glorify sin you glorifies worldliness you turn on on any worldly music that's the kind of message you get right lots of sensuality lots of sexuality lots of anger depression violence money greed is worldly music is full of worldliness full of sin below the flesh what is that it's worship worship of the flesh worship of the enemy you you are you giving Satan permission to preach to you through your earbuds nobody's doing if you're listening to that kind of stuff what is he doing if you're singing along with it what are you doing you're participating in the worship but the enemy ordained that's a scary thought isn't it you are you letting the enemy whisper sin and blasphemy in your ear you know so much of the worldly secular music blasphemous against God it's a lot of it is there's some uh singers and and musicians that are actually involved in the occult involved in witchcraft you know that a lot of the music industry that when these when they put out a new album they take the album and they pray over it to Satan dedicate it to him that happens not making it up that happens that's scary you if David could drive way evil spirits with music is it possible that music could also invite those evil spirits in you know that in some cultures that's what they do heard stories of cultures tribal people but they they sing and play certain types of music to invoke demonic possession and that's scary we just act like Isis music it's a weapon Satan is trying to use that weapon against you is trying to invade your mind trying to warp your thinking trying to get a hold of you when we listen to it sing worldly music we are letting worldly values immorality profanity sexuality violence depression anger and many other things into our mind and here's the thing I'm guilty of it too and I have been heavily convicted recently about some of the stuff that I've listened to I'm just going to openly admit this to you you know what kind of stuff I list - it's country music but I went through my iTunes the other day I deleted a whole bunch of stuff because I said you know what this isn't horrifying I used a it's country country's okay there's a lot of stuff in country music not any better rock or hip-hop you but you know I've been convicted by God that I should only be listening to worship singing praises to him so the music that I listen to music I sing along with means to be worshipped the glorifies in music that glorifies him shouldn't be participating in anything else you know what unfortunately some Christians put more passion and energy into singing the favorite world music than they do when singing worship the church driving around your car screaming at the top of your lungs beating on the steering wheel really getting into the music right people in the car next to you think you're nuts because you're so excited about the music on the radio what is that music it's not crazy God but then those same people come to church he's God right you music is worship what are you worshiping who are you worshiping how often are you worshiping spent six days a week worshipping the devil and you come to church one day we worship God that was happening you you I want the song in my heart to bring glory and honor and praise to God how often do you you're just kind of sitting and then all the Senna song just pops into your head something happens and it triggers a memory and a song pops in your head that happened you guys it happens to me a lot and you know I hate it when it's the jeopardy theme song but I also hate it when it's some worldly song that I listen to 25 years ago stuff that I listen to in high school that I can still remember the lyrics in high school I listen to all kinds of trash all kinds of trash and something will happen it'll trigger memory and I can recite all the lyrics of that song I haven't heard in 25 years I can still tell you the words that song this miss lodged in my memory and I would love to just rip it out so I hate it there are a number of songs that are that way something triggers a thought and then that song pops into your head I want the song that pops into my head to be praising God I want my default mode whenever something pops into my head if I'm just sitting alone and my thoughts wander song of praise worship something that glorifies things all Scott that's what I want running in my head you praise and worship or weapons in spiritual warfare I want to be doing battle as often as I can because you know what the enemy is doing battle against you is often seeking so are we should be constantly letting our lips be giving praise worship to God because the enemy is constantly coming against us we need to have a constant song our mind our lips on our heart Satan hates it when we worship do you know that he hates God loves it when we worship the Satan hates it you know it's scratching on the chalkboard sound I imagine that's kind of what worships like to him he's like oh stop irritating me he doesn't want to hear us worshipping gun so he's gonna do whatever he can to stop us you know that worship is one of the most common problems in churches because it's dershlits people argue about style of music song selection should we use instruments or not which songs we should sing which songs we shouldn't sing who should be singing who should be up on you know leading worship all those things cause problems in churches why because the enemy wants to stop you from worship so he puts these thoughts in your mind make you prideful or to make you judgmental make you fearful make you arrogant to make you angry to make you offended all kinds of things that Satan does to try to keep people from worshipping so one of the most common contentions in churches is over worship why is safe wants to stop us from worshipping you know I've heard people be contentious about songs written by Hillsong and Bethel and elevation right I have issues with the theology of some of those things I have issues with the theology coming out of Hillsong Bethel elevation and I have issues with some of the theology of some of the songs they sing but you know I've heard people say well we just shouldn't ever sing a Hillsong song ever why not all bad some of them are great the thing is the people writing the songs aren't necessarily the people putting up the bad theology from the pulpit you know that in in some of those churches they actually have real Christians I heard the Catholics do too now actually real Christians is some of their churches they really love God and really follow him you we can't be so judgmental we just throw the baby out with the bath run or say I don't have anything do with that at all you know what I do when when you know it comes to selection of worship songs Amanda comes to me she says hey what do you think of this song I don't ask her well who wrote it I don't ask her well who sings that I just listen the song listen the words and I said is this song glorify God does this song lift got up and exalt him and honor him or is this is this song doing something else does this song just glorify me because I like it because if that's the issue then no I'm going to sing is there there's worship songs that are like that it's all about me like that's not a worship song worship should be about God giving him praise glory and honor so whenever whenever I am asked to evaluate a song I don't care who wrote it most time I don't even know who wrote it and so if we sing a song that happens to been written by Hillsong or Bethel elevation I don't know don't care the song itself though is what I'm concerned with is this song glorifying God is this song motivate us to worship and praise Him I also hate songs that just drone on and on repetitive I don't like that so sometimes I said no I don't want that one because it just repeats itself too many times and that annoys me but I don't care who wrote it why does it matter you know David wrote the majority of the Psalms you know David was an adulterer and a murderer that disqualify him from writing praise and worship now which of you is without sin cast the first stone being too judgmental is an issue and you know who causes that issue say he stirs up your heart to judge someone else who are you to judge another man's servant the God judge like I said I have issues with the theology that's coming out of some of those places I have issues with the theology of some of our songs so I don't sing those songs you know what's that was that song that was really popular on the radio a while back about God's reckless love I have theological problems with that song God is not reckless so we don't sing that song right I don't know who wrote it I don't care I just have issues with the idea that God is reckless God is not reckless he is very controlled very precise he knows exactly what he's doing he's not reckless he's not careless his love is exuberant as love as beyond imagination we can't comprehend his love but he's not reckless with you you know I've also heard people argue especially messianic circles well I don't want to sing that song because use the name Jesus instead of Yeshua really you realize that's the same person right Jesus is his English name Yeshua is Hebrew name they're the same person get over that shouldn't be an issue if you come to hear me preach you'll hear me use those names interchangeably Jesus is Yeshua Yeshua is Jesus I I have issues with people who want to make a big deal about that I prefer the name Yeshua I think the name Yu Shu is beautiful love calling him by Z burning but you know what if you call him Jesus that's great I'm just glad you call on him I'm glad you worship Him I'm glad you love him being hypercritical keeps people worshipped they're too concerned about criticizing the singers or the song and they're not thinking about worshipping God giving him their heart this is an attack of the enemy this is Satan trying to keep you from worshipping he wants to silence your worship he's gonna do whatever he can to ruin prevent sour or destroy our worship that's his goal you know sometimes he comes in here and he tries to mess with the sound system these guys in the sound booth will tell you that happens it's one of the frustrations of the every worship team I've ever met in every church I've ever been a part of you know talk about the the gremlins in the sound system it's seriously it's everywhere sometimes Satan just comes in here monkeys with the sound system why because he wants to mess up our worship we've got to learn how to worship anyway you know forget how the guitar sounds forget what the singing sounds like let's just drop it all and just sing with acapella voices just pour out your heart because that's what worship is anyway right fear I think fear is one of the greatest enemies of worship you know there are people in here who probably have some amazing voices fraid the same afraid of what other people are going to think why because the enemy is planted to see the fear in your life it was to keep you silent you are a weapon your voice is a weapon your praise is a weapon and Satan wants you to hold your tongue that fear does not come from God you know the dance is also worship and dances of weapon when you're doing Godley dance you know again just like music there's dance that sexual sensual and evil but if you dance like David praising God if you're afraid to sing or dance and worship that comes from the enemy second Timothy 1:7 says for God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power and of love and of a sound mind Romans 8:15 for you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear but you received the spirit of adoption by whom we cry out Abba Father the Spirit we receive should cause us to cry out spirit of God causes us to cry out in worship in a praise spirit of fear keeps you the last one I want to talk about there's a whole bunch more we could get into but that's what I want to mention tonight is apathy laziness apathy I just don't want to I don't feel like it I don't want to and I like the song yeah or be here I'm bored that's something muscle memory whatever Satan uses apathy keep us from worshiping let me just say this if you feel any resistance to worship that comes from the enemy if you feel any kind of resistance that keeps you from worshipping that is coming from the enemy that is not coming from God so what do you need to do face that so you know what I don't feel like worshiping that means I have better worship I need to worship I don't feel like singing so that means I need to sing I don't feel like dancing so that means I have better dance like realize that that's an attack of the enemy and worship is your warfare against that enemy so what do you do you worship right

Channel: The Grafted Church

Views: 2,336

Rating: 4.9076924 out of 5

Keywords: Grafted Church, worship as warfare, sermon, church online, sabbath service, live sabbath service, preacher, bible teaching, Lex Meyer, Torah Portion, Yeshua, Jesus, Bible, spiritual warfare, spiritual warfare sermons, spiritual warfare music, spiritual warfare sermons 2020, spiritual battle, spiritual battles we must fight, spiritual battle music, Spiritual battle sermon

Id: sdc8XR9KezQ

Length: 65min 9sec (3909 seconds)

Published: Sat Jul 04 2020