Summer
2008
Quality of Worship
Wade E Taylor
Christians who have never been together before in a Gospel
meeting, such as takes place during a Pinecrest Convention,
are able to worship the Lord in such beautiful harmony and
flow of expression that a casual observer might think that
they had been worshiping together for years.
Worship brings unity into a Gospel meeting. It releases the
anointing of the Holy Spirit upon a service and helps in creating
an awareness of the Lord's presence within those who are worshiping.
Also, worship hinders the functioning of demons and principalities
and aids deliverance, where needed. Therefore, the Holy Spirit
readily imparts the enabling power that lifts corporate worship
into a flow of harmonious expression.
This inner capability of flowing together in audible worship
relates to the fact that we received at the time of our salvation
experience the enabling ability to express worship to the
Lord. This “spirit of worship” abides deep within
each one of us, and awaits an opportunity for expression.
All that is needed for us to begin to worship the Lord is
the proper atmosphere, and a little encouragement.
There are many different expressions of worship within the
Body of Christ. The first time that I attended a Full Gospel
meeting, I was greatly disturbed by the loud audible worship,
and attempted to leave. I understood “blessed quietness,”
but I had never heard everyone in a service singing and worshiping
the Lord freely and loudly. Today, I am eternally thankful
that the Lord had His way and that, though slowly, I entered
into this same spiritual freedom and expression of worship.
Worship increases our desire to experience the presence of
the Lord. It is a key to our becoming sensitive to His presence
and to our learning to recognize His voice. As we are faithful
in our expression of worship to the Lord, we will become increasingly
more aware of His abiding presence, and more easily discern
His voice. Our vocal worship will do much in helping to develop
these spiritual qualities within us.
Moses both knew and valued the presence of the Lord. “And
He (The Lord) said, my presence shall go with thee, and I
will give thee rest. And he (Moses) said unto Him, If thy
presence go not with me, carry us not up hence” Exodus
33:14-15. This intense desire within Moses to have the presence
of the Lord abide with him did not just happen. It came about
through circumstances that caused him to diligently seek the
abiding presence of the Lord.
Though Moses was “learned in all the wisdom of the
Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds” (Acts
7:22), he failed in Egypt and fled into the wilderness. Here,
while keeping the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, he pursued
the call that rested upon his life as he journeyed towards
the mountain of God.
As he traveled he noticed, at a distance to the side of his
path, a bush which burned with fire but was not consumed.
“And the Angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame
of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold,
the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed”
Exodus 3:2. After Moses noticed this burning bush, he said
“I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why
the bush is not burnt” Exodus 3:3. He responded quickly
to this visitation from the Lord.
“I will now turn aside.” This speaks of something
within Moses that desired and was responsive to the presence
of the Lord. Notice that the Lord appeared in a bush that
was “a distance off to the side” of the path that
Moses was taking, even though he was moving towards the mountain
of God. This is because the Lord wants to be wanted. He seeks
a response from us that indicates our desire for His presence.
He chooses to reveal Himself in such a way that it requires
a deliberate action on our part as an indication of our true
desire for His presence.
This passage of Scripture speaks to the heart of the vision
of Pinecrest Bible Training Center, and of the Banner. Always
present in the ministry of Pinecrest is the intent to impart
a desire that leads to developing within us a “spiritual
sensitivity” which can more clearly discern His presence
and respond to Him. This “bent of spirit,” or
“spiritual aptitude” towards His presence does
not come easily. It must be actively cultivated and sought
after. Worship is a key to developing this spiritual sensitivity
and aptitude for His presence.
“And Moses said, I will now turn aside ... and WHEN
THE LORD SAW that he turned aside to see, God called to him
out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And
he said, Here am I” Exodus 3:4. Although Moses was intent
on moving towards that which pertained to God, he desired
the presence of the Lord so much that he willingly responded
to this manifestation of the supernatural. He was obedient
to the voice of the Lord, though at the time he did not understand
what was taking place.
I can personally relate to this action of Moses in turning
aside. When I first came to Christ entered this “Full
Gospel Church” and as the church service began I found
myself disturbed by their loud audible worship and the emotional
response to the presence of the Lord which at the time I could
not understand. I attempted to leave because it was so different
from anything that I knew. However, the Lord hindered me.
Gradually, I began to see that there was something special
there, and “turned aside” from the liturgy to
which I had been accustomed, in order to stand in the presence
of this audible worship, and receive from the Lord.
All of us are affected by the worldly environment that surrounds
us. As a result of this, we develop varying amounts of sensitivity
to earthy things. When we became “Born Again,”
we received the capacity to know and respond to eternal things.
Through the working of the Holy Spirit within us, we began
to understand that we were now a new creation, and that we
had entered a new and higher realm of life. We learned that
the purpose of the Lord is not to build up the temporal, but
rather to introduce us to the supernatural. This understanding
will help us to turn aside from temporal things, and to focus
our attention on cultivating an increasing sensitivity to
His presence and to eternal things.
Due to the present spiritual climate in our country, there
is an urgent need for an increase in the quality of our worship.
As the presence of the Lord increases in our services, those
who are spiritually hungry will be drawn by this manifestation
of His presence and will turn aside to worship the Lord with
us. The presence of the Lord will draw those who are truly
spiritually hungry.
Later, while I was in Bible school, during the mid 1950's,
a heavy anointing came upon a service and our singing blended
as one voice. Spontaneously, every one became quiet. And many
audibly heard the “Choirs of heaven” singing.
Then in perfect harmony, everyone then began to worship along
with them. Heaven had come into our meeting.
As we worship, there will develop a “flowing”
with the Spirit that lifts us into His presence. Here, we
enter into the realm of His rest, the atmosphere of Heaven.
This “atmosphere of heaven” is tremendously important,
as the Lord is present to both work and move within it.
When I was in bible school I learned a very important spiritual
principle from one of my teachers, Walter Beuttler. It was
very simple, yet absolutely profound. He said, “The
Lord appreciates being appreciated.” This may not seem
special, but it expresses something that is very close to
the heart of the Lord. We all desire to be appreciated, but
the Lord uniquely appreciates being appreciated. He shares
His presence with those who appreciate Him, and who let Him
know that they do.
This means that when the Lord has moved in some special way
in one of our services, or has blessed us with His presence,
then we should be very careful to take enough time, after
we have enjoyed His presence, to say “Lord, You are
here, and we want to let You know that we know that You are
here, and that we like it very much.”
Our worship is tremendously important. Our music, our worship,
everything that we do in a service should be directed towards
coming into this dimension of His revealed presence. We should
develop this sensitivity to His presence so we will be able
to recognize His presence and know when to turn aside as He
comes into our meeting.
When Moses responded to His presence and turned aside, the
Lord spoke to Him and imparted the instructions that led to
the deliverance of His people from bondage. The Lord enabled
Moses to lead them into a land that was flowing with milk
and honey. The fruit of His revealed presence is satisfying.
As we begin to respond to His presence in our day, as Moses
did in his day, there will come the deliverance that we so
desperately need.