Worship Fans

2 Sam 6:14, 20-22a

David danced before the Lord with all his might, wearing a priestly garment.

²⁰ When David returned home to bless his own family, Michal, the daughter of Saul, came out to meet him. She said in disgust, "How distinguished the king of Israel looked today, shamelessly exposing himself to the servant girls like any vulgar person might do!"

²¹ David retorted to Michal, "I was dancing before the Lord, who chose me above your father and all his family! He appointed me as the leader of Israel, the people of the Lord, so I celebrate before the Lord. ²² Yes, and I am willing to look even more foolish than this, even to be humiliated in my own eyes!

Worship can actually create a challenge to church growth

 If it were just good music to listen to, with nothing required of me, that's ok.  But I'm not comfortable when you require me to engage in open expressions.

Jesus said that real worship is in Spirit & in Truth 

•  Many don’t understand “true” worship
•  Many don’t know the value of real worship – so they don’t press in
•  Many think worship is optional
•  Some think “spiritual worship” means emotional or demonstrative 
  • This makes some uncomfortable – especially men

There are Gender differences in expressions of worship 

•  Men tend to shut down when emotions are involved, while women open up
•  Men generally don’t think & feel at the same time
  • Worship is a conscious decision, not an emotion 
•  To men, Worship & the spiritual can be “intangible”
  • So men tend to gravitate to palpable works of service 

Danger: men can set the stage, but miss what comes from the stage

Worship is what really sets the stage for the Presence of God

•  The Father is seeking worshipers – John 4:23
•  Our praises create a throne for Him – Ps 22:3

This explains why we Worship before the Word

2 Kings 3:15-16

[Elisha said] “Now bring me a musician."  Then it happened, when the musician played, that the hand of the Lord came upon him. ¹⁶ And he said, "Thus says the Lord.”

When He comes, our blessings are attached to His Presence

Matt 18:19-20

"Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven.  ²⁰ For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them."

Sumphœnéœ;  be in agreement with; in unison; to speak together with another. a sound, voice.  Symphonious, blending of voices or musical instruments.

Look at what happens…

Isa 30:29-32

You shall have a song…

³⁰ The Lord will cause His glorious voice to be heard…

³¹ For through the voice of the Lord [the enemy] will be beaten down,

As He strikes with the rod.

³² And in every place where the staff of punishment passes,

Which the Lord lays on him,

It will be with tambourines and harps; and in battles of brandishing He will fight with it.

Symphonic Worship Energizes God against our opposition

Like the 12^th Man (the crowd) at a football game (11-man football team)

That’s not emotional – that’s being Enthusiastic (en-Theos: God within) 

The opponent tries to “quiet the crowd”

 Just Like te enemy works to shut down our Worship, to ultimately shut down God’s movement

He creates “Hell” – an environment to stop our worship

Worship can get you out of Hell

Jonah 2:9.  I will sacrifice to You with the voice of thanksgiving

Remember: God is looking for Worshipers – He moves to it

          If God shows up, it won’t be Hell anymore

                    So, Hell has to kick you out

So, don’t let anything stop your worship

•  Don’t let your feelings stop your worship
•  Don’t worry about looking foolish

I act differently when I’m at game with others than when I’m at home alone

Deindividuation:  loss of self-awareness & individuality;

not concerned about how others around them evaluate their actions

What Have We Learned Today?

• There can be gender differences to worship
• Worship is a decision, not an emotion
• Worship sets the stage for the Presence of God
• The Word & more are attached to His Presence
• Symphonic Worship energizes God against our enemies
• The enemy works to shut down our Worship
•  Creates Hell – an environment to stop Worship
• Worship can get us out of Hell
• Don’t let anything stop your Worship

Men, find a place to serve, but don’t let it be a substitute for your Worship

Revealing Some Mysteries in Worship

There is a reason we Worship before the Word

2 Kings 3:15-16

[Elisha said] “Now bring me a musician."  Then it happened, when the musician played,

that the hand of the Lord came upon him. 16 And he said, "Thus says the Lord:”

Why does God need or want Worship before He gives a Word?

God made man in His image & after His likeness & gave man dominion over the earth

Everything in God is Finished & He is in a position of Rest

Heb 4:3-4

For we who have believed do enter that rest, as He has said:

"So I swore in My wrath, 'They shall not enter My rest,'"

although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.

4 For He has spoken in a certain place of the seventh day in this way:

"And God rested on the seventh day from all His works."

We are charged with the work:

“Manifesting in the earth what He has finished in heaven”

That’s why we pray “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven”

• Dominion & Authority
• Binding & Loosing
• If we want a mountain to be moved, we have to speak to it

God’s movement is not based on Work, but on Worship

“The Father is seeking worshipers” – John 4:23

Eulogize Him (Eph 1:3) "speak well of"

God goes, not where He is given a job, but where He is celebrated

Do you know how God moves?

In the wilderness God lead them with a cloud

When the worship is good, His Shekinah is in a glory cloud

On the Mount of Transfiguration, God speaks from the cloud

He comes on the Clouds

•   Ps 104:3.  He makes the clouds His chariot
•   Isa 19:1.  Behold, the Lord rides on a swift cloud
•   Acts 1:9.  Jesus was received up into a cloud
•   Matt 24:30.  Jesus is coming back on the cloud

Where do Clouds come from?

Job 36:27-28

For He draws up drops of water, which distill as rain from the mist,

28 Which the clouds drop down and pour abundantly on man.

We Create the Clouds

John 7:38.  Out of our bellies will flow rivers of Living Water

Ezek 34:26.  Showers of Blessings

The enemy works to shut down our Worship to shut down God’s movement

He understands the mysteries of Worship, because He was there…

Ezek 28:12-14

You were the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.

13 You were in Eden, the garden of God;

Every precious stone was your covering: the sardius, topaz, and diamond, beryl, onyx,

and jasper, sapphire, turquoise, and emerald with gold.

The workmanship of your timbrels and pipes was prepared for you on the day you were created.

14 You were the anointed cherub who covers.

Is 14:12.  Lucifer:  Heylel (celebrate)

         He began to think he was the reason for the worship…

Heylel – Yah (Celebrate God) 

  God kicked Satan out

Satan Creates “Hell” (in our lives) – an environment to stop worship

Worship can get you out of Hell

Jonah 2:9.  I will sacrifice to You with the voice of thanksgiving

Remember: God is looking for Worshipers – He moves to it

         If God shows up, it won’t be Hell anymore

                  So, Hell has to kick you out

So, don’t let anything stop your worship

Isa 30:29-32

You shall have a song…

30 The Lord will cause His glorious voice to be heard…

31 For through the voice of the Lord [the enemy] will be beaten down,

As He strikes with the rod.

32 And in every place where the staff of punishment passes,

Which the Lord lays on him,

It will be with tambourines and harps; and in battles of brandishing He will fight with it.

We Worship to receive a Word

Everything in God is Finished & He is in a position of Rest

God’s movement is based on Worship, not work

He moves on the Clouds

We Create the Clouds

Satan works to shut down our Worship

Worship gets us out of Hell

So, don’t let anything stop your Worship

Let’s have a Concert!

Having a 4some in Relationship

God has a 4some that’s central to the perpetual celebration of His majesty

Rev 4:6-8

Before the throne there was a sea of glass, like crystal. And in the midst of the throne, and around the throne, were four living creatures full of eyes in front and in back. ⁷ The first living creature was like a lion, the second living creature like a calf, the third living creature had a face like a man, and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle.

⁸ The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night, saying:

"Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!"

As I begin to look at God’s 4some, I saw how each one met a specific need

I want a 4some, too – actually, I need & deserve a 4some

Need a Man / Woman:

The Crown of God’s Creation

Men & Women are of the Ultimate Value to God

      Made in the image of God – “God is love”

Masterpiece, fearfully & wonderfully made

Value themselves – Self-esteem

Value others – appreciate & celebrate

When we turn to relationships

Appreciate difference – Value Masculinity, honor femininity

Gloria Steinem: a woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle

Need a Lion:

King of the jungle – the Lion signifies Majesty, with its beauty & strength

Lion is most social of all cats; the only one living in family –

Pride w/ male at the center

• Male lions are responsible for security & protection
• Female lions do most of the hunting

Men

Protector, or Covering – responsibility for

Family Commitment

Women

Respect

• Not conditional respect – “he has to earn my respect”
• Love is unconditional – so is respect

Need a Flying Eagle:

Majestic – flies higher & faster than most birds

Vision is the eagle’s strength

An eagle can spot a rabbit up to two miles away – even camouflaged

When it rains, the eagle will fly above the cloud

Men

Must have Vision – a plan & a strategy for the family

Fly above the storm – when difficulty comes / be consistent

Women

Admiration – wind beneath wings (help to soar)

A man wants his woman to be his cheerleader – Celebrate and praise your man 

Treat him like he’s her champion

That energizes and inspires him to achieve more

Nest – place to lay head

A man needs a home that is a refuge – for restoration and recovery

A man needs space, because that’s how he sorts out problems

Gotta have an Ox:  (dullest & lacking the majesty of the others)

Strong, beast of burden

Willing (& trained) to serve & work (for another)

Used for plowing & threshing – able to do boring, repetitive work

Able to be yoked & paired – Submission

Work for the other

Produces Provision

Sacrifice – give their lives 

Serving & Doing the Things for the other person that are not comfortable

Things that produces growth in relationship

Men 

Affection – says I care, it’s safe, I give comfort 

          Giving without expecting anything

Conversation (men don’t have the need for conversation, esp. re: feelings)

          Listen without solving the problem

Women 

Direct Communication

Honesty  

Sex – a basic, primal & vital need in a man.  It is God’s idea. 

Just like a woman expects her husband to meet her emotional needs

          The man trusts his wife to meet his sexual needs for the rest of his life

“Let your fountain be blessed, and rejoice with the wife of your youth.

As a loving deer and a graceful doe, let her breasts satisfy you at all times;

And always be enraptured with her love. 

For why should you, my son, be enraptured by an immoral woman,

And be embraced in the arms of a seductress?”  – Prov 5:18-20

Take a closer look at these 4 creatures: 

Ezek 1:4-6, 10-12

Then I looked, and behold, a whirlwind was coming out of the north, a great cloud with raging fire engulfing itself; and brightness was all around it and radiating out of its midst like the color of amber, out of the midst of the fire. ⁵ Also from within it came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance: they had the likeness of a man.

⁶ Each one had four faces, and each one had four wings.

¹⁰ As for the likeness of their faces, each had the face of a man; each of the four had the face of a lion on the right side, each of the four had the face of an ox on the left side, and each of the four had the face of an eagle.

¹¹ Thus were their faces. Their wings stretched upward; two wings of each one touched one another, and two covered their bodies. ¹² And each one went straight forward; they went wherever the spirit wanted to go, and they did not turn when they went.

Not 4 creatures with unique qualities

But 1 person with 4 different strengths 

Ezek 1:12 shows the flexibility to respond to whatever the need demands

Each person should work to have all 4 strengths in a relationship 

Don’t focus on who the other person is supposed to be

Start by focusing on who you are supposed to be