by Joe E. Edwards
Freedom in Worship
Freedom or frenzy? Which do we normally seek in worship? Do we strive for an atmosphere of praise and adoration unto God, or do we merely seek an air of excitement? Freedom in worship should result in exhilaration. However, we do not worship to become exhilarated; we become exhilarated as a result of worship. Our purpose in this lesson is to explore the operation of the Holy Spirit in granting us freedom or liberty in worship.
RESTRAINTS TO WORSHIP
Obviously, for worship to be enriching and effective, it must be unhindered. Unfortunately, certain factors act as restraints and tend to hamper worship. Our major emphasis in this chapter is public worship. However, public worship should be preceded by private and personal worship. If we are to succeed in worshiping in the Spirit, we must first enter into a spirit of worship. Let us consider some of the restraints that confine us in our worship of God. These restraints make it difficult to “get into worship.”
- Most daily concentration is spent on nonspiritual matters. Worship demands that we get our mind out of the realm of the natural and into the realm of the spiritual, for worship results from our attitude toward the Person of almighty God. Worship denotes the esteem we hold for the Lord.
- Our environment is usually permeated with unbelief and filled with unchristian acts committed by those around us. Ours is a corrupt society, and the clamoring voices of the unregenerate take their toll on those who are constantly exposed to such activity. Worship is a preoccupation with God. As long as we are preoccupied with our surroundings, we are distracted from worship.
- The flesh we dwell in is naturally hostile to God and the things of the Spirit (Galatians 5:17). Worship includes verbal and bodily expressions consistent with our inner thoughts and feelings about God. The flesh resists the idea of being an agent of worship and adoration. Its insubordinate character generates opposition, which tends to restrain our worship.
RELEASE IN WORSHIP
Scripture clearly indicates that our worship should be preceded by a time of preparation (2 Chronicles 30:18-20). The need for and the preparation method are the same for both private and public worship.
The process of preparation breaks down the barriers that hinder worship. It is interesting that the introductory part of the worship service usually consists of music and singing. This pattern was established in ancient biblical times. The psalmist pointedly tells us to “come before his presence with singing” (Psalm 100:2). You see, in the time of the Patriarchs, congregational and individual singing were not intended to entertain. Rather, they were meant to magnify the Lord God. Biblical singing was always either directed to God or dedicated to Him. Thus, Scripture mandates that we sing and make melody in our heart to the Lord (Ephesians 5:19).
As we honor the Lord in song, something wonderful happens to us. Remember the therapeutic effect that David’s music had on King Saul (1 Samuel 16:14-23)? Even so, medical science has now discovered that an emotional and physical reaction takes place when we sing or listen to music.
God has designed us so that the proper kind of singing and music can condition us for worship. As we come before His presence, singing of His greatness, we can enter into a spirit of worship. As we sing from our heart of the majesty of God, He reciprocates by causing something to happen in us. The various factors that previously hindered our worship suddenly succumb to our adoration of God, for God inhabits the praise of His people (Psalm 22:3). As we lift up our voices in adoring song, God lifts up our spirit, and we enter into a spirit of worship.
This process of preparation can be experienced in private or public worship. The results are the same — release for worship.
For many people, worship is a passive activity. However, worship demands our active involvement. We do not wait indifferently for God to move us in worship. Rather, we take the first step by acknowledging that God is a worthy object of praise and worship.
Much of the present-day stagnation and disappointment in worship stems from improper concepts of worship and how one should worship. These facts, combined with the restraints, often leave us with a life devoid of worship and church services that never “get off the ground.”
We should not pursue frenzied worship. However, it is possible to enjoy a great degree of freedom in this important matter. It is not the pace of the music that sets the spirit free; it is the power of the message in the song. As we sing of His greatness, His majesty will cause harmony throughout our entire being and bring us to a place of unashamed and unreserved worship.
ROLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN WORSHIP
The ministries of the Holy Spirit are multifaceted. One of His many ministries involves this matter of worship. For our worship to be productive and enriching, we need not only to get into a spirit of worship but to worship in the Spirit.
The woman of Samaria was confused over the matter of worship. She was preoccupied with the location and technique. Jesus taught that the most elementary aspect of worship is that of substance. He explained to the Samaritan woman that true worshipers are to worship God “in spirit and in truth” (John 4:23, 24). The important thing is not so much our mode of worship as our motive, not so much our style as our sincerity.
In John 4:24, we are taught that the Spirit plays a vital role in worship. The term “in spirit” can refer to either the realm of worship or the instrument of worship.
Thus, we see an important truth emerging. The Holy Spirit has indwelt the believer to assist Him in the matter of worship. It is only through the Holy Spirit’s help that we can truly worship “in spirit.”
The ultimate liberty or freedom for worship comes as we honor the Person of the Holy Spirit, for “where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty” (2 Corinthians 3:17). Stifling the work of the Holy Spirit results only in bondage. But as we surrender our whole being to Him, He causes us to become free-spirited, unrestrained, and open to use.
The Holy Spirit does His greatest work in an atmosphere of faith, humility, and worship. Where these factors prevail, the Spirit can be counted on to intervene and distribute His many graces in ministry.
Why did the early church experience such success in their worship services? Because they believed. They were humble. And they knew how to worship (Philippians 3:3). They recognized the important role the Spirit of God wanted to play in the course of the worship services. As they honored the Person of the Lord. He blessed them with a demonstration of his presence and power.
What is a successful worship service? It is one in which the Holy Spirit is free to fulfill His purpose through His people. Freedom in worship includes being sensitive to the promptings of the Spirit so that we can do His bidding. When we do His will, we receive His blessing. Where the Holy Spirit is free to work, He freely works. The result is true freedom in worship.
Freedom in worship does not give each person present the option to do his own thing. For this reason, certain guidelines are given for worship. Order and freedom go hand in hand. Disorder breeds disharmony, and disharmony counteracts freedom.
Guidelines in worship do not constitute restraint. Thus, in 1 Corinthians 14, the writer gave the positive results of how the Holy Spirit works when He is the agent of worship. On the other hand, the writer explained the disastrous results when individuals override the Holy Spirit and carelessly do their own thing. We need not be apprehensive about the outcome of the Holy Spirit’s role in our worship services. The damage that often occurs from a lack of restraint results from sincere people who insist on expression; it is not the result of the Holy Spirit’s unrestrained operation.
Those who are turned off and subsequently turned away from our method of worship are usually soured by the behavior of a person who is out of order. But we can be sure that whatever the Holy Spirit does or bids will be orderly and productive.
Often, persons unfamiliar with Pentecostal worship enter a sanctuary where the congregation practices a biblical form of freedom in worship. Their worship is not a show of spirituality but an expression of adoration unto God. Because the worship has substance, God honors and anoints it by His Spirit. The gentle Spirit works in response to the adoration heaped upon Him and, thus, begins to minister to those present, including touching the hearts of those unfamiliar with His operation. The result of such worship is recorded in 1 Corinthians 14:25. Those unbelievers will humbly “report that God is in you of a truth.”
Yes, the Holy Spirit has an important role to play in the matter of worship, especially public worship. Through the operation of tongues and interpretation, He can present a sign to the unbeliever (1 Corinthians 14:22). Through the gift of prophecy, He can encourage and comfort the believer (1 Corinthians 14:3, 4). Through a word of knowledge, He can expose those who pose a problem to the church (Acts 5:1-10). He has a variety of ministries and modes of operation, but they all have the same aim: to bring glory to God and blessings to mankind.
CONCLUSION
Today, there is a need for greater emphasis on the act of worship rather than the art of worship. It is possible to overcome those obstacles that hamper our attempt to enter a spirit of worship. If we approach God with humility, faith, and reverence, we can be assured that He will honor our efforts. When He makes His presence known, we must submit to whatever He directs. True liberty in worship means we overcome all restraints to worship and worship Him freely. Further, the One whom we freely worship freely works amid our worship.
Freedom or frenzy? Which do we want? Frenzy brings a high for the moment. Freedom sets Him on high and is concerned not with selfish gratification but God’s glorification. The Holy Spirit grants us the freedom to worship the way He wants us to worship, not the way we wish to worship.
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PERSONAL APPLICATION
- As a Spirit-filled believer, I plan to do the following things to prepare myself for our next public worship service:
- Read Luke 7:36-47. What guidelines for worship do these verses suggest?
- What can your pastor do in leading worship services that will assist you in true spiritual worship?
- I am committed to spiritual worship. To this end, I pledge to do the following things in the next three months to help me be more spiritually sensitive in worship: