What’s Connected To New Testament Praise & Worship?

Worship is a central truth for us in this last day revival. We could say it’s a flow of this revival. Worship draws the flow of heaven like a magnet.

Everything in God has its own job description. It will work to do what it was designed to do.

For example, prayer has its place in our lives. It enables us to lay hold of things God has provided for us and receive them. But, praise and worship is like a weapon God has given us in the Spirit for these last days to win battles with. We see from the Word that when God’s people praised, battles were won. Because of what will oppose this revival, we must learn to use this weapon in particular very skillfully.

Worship will not take the place of other things we have in God. For example, we can worship with our mouth and not obey Him with our actions, and worship won’t take the place of obedience. On the other hand, other things won’t take the place of worship. For example, prayer won’t take the place of worship.

Too often people use the wrong spiritual tool when they need to overcome the opposition of the enemy. It’s like using a screwdriver to do something that calls for a jack-hammer.

Praise Completes Prayer

Acts 16:25-26

And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, AND SANG PRAISES UNTO GOD: and the prisoners heard them.

“And suddenly...” miracle power, delivering power came into manifestation and they were delivered. The midnight hour symbolizes your darkest hour of need. In their darkest hour of need, what did Paul and Silas do? They prayed AND sang praises unto God. And they did it right out loud!

The answer they needed didn’t come when they were praying to God, but while they were praising Him! Many people are praying, but they've never got to the end of their request or their prayer and started praising God. This reveals why they haven’t had a “suddenly” yet like Paul and Silas got in their darkest hour.

When we move beyond prayer and turn to praising God, it keeps us from lingering in our problem. Many people are praying, but they are still in their problem because they have never switched from prayer to praise. Paul and Silas didn't get out of jail while they were praying, they got out of jail while they were praising!

The Bible gives equal time to both prayer and praise in Acts 16. So to keep a balanced prayer life, learn to give equal time to praising God that you do to prayer.

You can get behind in your praise; but if you can get behind, you can catch up. When your praise catches up to your petition, you’ll see a manifestation of your miracle. For some folks, that's gonna take some time because they’ve been praying for a long time.

All of your petition prayer should lead you into God consciousness. In other words, it should end with God in your focus through praise and worship. You are not finished praying, nor have you reached the highest form of prayer, until you have praised.

Petition prayer to God is not wrong. The Bible tells us to make our request known unto God. But it clearly tells us to do so, “with thanksgiving” (Philippians 4:6).

Too often we have gotten out of balance in this area. We have gotten away from the prayer of praise and worship (if we ever really were there to begin with). If the only kind of prayer we pray is the prayer of petition, we need to make an adjustment and take time to minister to the Lord both corporately and individually.

According to the Scriptures, it's in this atmosphere of praise and worship that God can do more for His people. He can move more readily and mightily in our midst.

Dad Hagin said, “Any man will pray when he faces a need. But only a man of faith will praise when he faces a need.” That statement reveals the problem people have with giving God very much praise...it’s a faith problem!

Even sinners will pray when a great need arises in their life. But, I don’t want my faith to only rise to the level that any sinner can muster in his time of need.

What’s Connected to Praise and Worship?

Dad Hagin also said, “I believe there is a close relationship between ministering to the Lord and receiving deliverance from tests and trials.”

Ministers need to teach people that there are things connected to worshipping God in the Spirit and in truth and what those things are. For example, we see in this Scripture above (and many others) that there IS a connection between worship and miracles, just like Dad Hagin said.

What may be hard to you is easy for God. So keep your hardness off of God. How? By worshipping Him in faith!

Worshippers are faith people, and faith keeps its eyes on the One who can do all things...with ease! Don’t pray looking at the situation. Turn your eyes toward God by worshipping Him. Worship takes your eyes off all the impossibilities of man and puts them on what God and His realm is capable of doing.

There’s nothing you can’t praise your way out of or praise your way into. Praise is the exit door out of your darkest hour, trials or depression. Praise is the garment you can put on for the spirit of heaviness (Isaiah 61:3). Praise is also your way into the presence of God, into miracles, into the direction you need or into all He has in mind for your life.

Direction is Connected to Praise and Worship

As I said, we need to learn what is connected to worshipping God in the Spirit. For example, we see in this Scripture above (and many others) that there is a connection between worship and miracles.

But, in Acts 13:1-2, we see something else that’s connected to true worship in the Spirit. There we see that any direction we need concerning further steps to take is also received in this place of worshipping God.

Acts 13:1-2

Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers. ...AS THEY MINISTERED TO THE LORD, and fasted, THE HOLY GHOST SAID, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.

If we need further direction about how to progress in life, or concerning how to exit a time of trial, the place of worship is the place you and I will hear that. Worship is the place of hearing.

God Directs Acknowledgment

When we learn to properly acknowledge God through praising and worshipping Him, He will respond to our acknowledgment with direction.

Proverbs 3:6

In all thy ways ACKNOWLEDGE HIM, and he shall DIRECT THY PATHS.

God directs acknowledgment. If a man won’t turn and acknowledge that God has the answers he needs or won’t seek Him through times of praising and worshipping Him, he robs himself of God’s help and direction that would reveal the direction and answers he needs. He may never see his way of escape.

Hebrews 13:15 (AMPC)

Through Him, therefore, let us constantly and at all times offer up to God a sacrifice of PRAISE, which is the fruit of lips that THANKFULLY ACKNOWLEDGE and confess and glorify His name.

What is this verse saying? Praising God is acknowledging Him. Like when you bring your offering, you’re acknowledging Him. You can’t receive from someone you won’t even acknowledge. When someone is constantly praising God, they are properly respecting Him, and that gives Him the opportunity to direct their paths.

Faith Is Specific

The aspect of God you respect through worship is the part of Him you’ll experience. God can only be to humanity what people praise Him for. A man may make a general statement that he acknowledges God, but faith isn’t general like that--it’s specific. What part of God do you respect and acknowledge through praise?

Praise Him as your Provider when you need finances; as your Healer when you need healing; as the one who reveals your way of escape and directs your paths when you need to know what to do.

How long will it take? How long should I do it? Till the anointing comes!

Here's an interesting thought. In Acts chapter 13, we have no record that they asked God for the revelation they received. So, God spoke to them about things they didn't even know they needed while they were praising and worshiping God. The same thing will happen for you when you spend time ministering to the Lord. He will keep you way ahead of what the devil is going to try to do and get you ready for it, even though you didn’t know what was coming.

Worship, The Road Into Revelation

Sometimes we say that praise and worship creates an atmosphere in which the Holy Ghost speaks. That may be true, but really, He's always speaking. It actually creates an atmosphere in which we hear. Or, an atmosphere in which revelation is received.

When you praise God, it gives God an opportunity to reveal things to you so that you can make adjustments and live in the FULLNESS of all His blessings; which include long life, divine health, full supply, etc. Why? Because we’re in a better position to receive what He is saying.

If we’ll learn to practice this as a lifestyle, we’ll move beyond just living in the good, or the acceptable and move on over into the land of the perfect will of God--the best He has for us!

When those ministers in Acts 13:1-2 spoke to God in worship and praise, He spoke to them in revelation--revelation of His plan; what to do; revelation about their future so they knew what to put their faith on. It moved them into the highest plan He had for them.

Worshipping the Lord positions us to better hear what the Holy Ghost is saying--especially the particular direction we need. He can’t speak until we’re ready to hear it.

Worship is the road into revelation knowledge because it ushers us into the room called the secret place where that knowledge is (Psalm 91:1). The secret place is the place where God shares His secrets. It’s a reference to the realm of the Spirit where God is...as well as His answers.

The knowledge we receive in the secret place can include the revelation of Himself, further revelation of His Word or covenant with us, something made known through one of the revelation gifts, further revelation concerning the next part of His plan or the way of escape from a test or trial we may be in.

The thing we are really saying is that praising and worshipping God is a launching pad into the realm of the Spirit where all that you need is laid up and waiting for you to receive. Praise and worship is a means of exiting our mind and flesh where we’re more conscious of our need and our problem and entering into the consciousness of God and His solution in the Spirit realm.

Psalm 100:4

ENTER His gates with thanksgiving....ENTER His courts with praise.

You'll See Your Way of Escape

I Corinthians 10:13

There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make A WAY TO ESCAPE, that ye may be able to bear it.

Psalm 77:13

THY WAY, O God, is in the sanctuary (that means His presence): who is so great a God as our God?

As Psalm 100:4 says, we enter into that place of His presence (where answers are) with thanksgiving and praise. God will show you what to do when you're in His presence praising Him.

He will give you direction and answers; there will be clarity in His presence. The spirit of seeing and knowing will come into manifestation. You'll have His wisdom concerning the matters of life. You'll see what's really going on because sometimes the real issues in a situation are not what they seem to be on the surface. But as you worship Him, what is happening in the Spirit realm will be revealed and you will be more accurate in what you are using your faith for (James 1:5).

Being in the Spirit realm through praising and worshipping God helps you see things as they are, not as they seem. It helps you get the right perspective--reality. Jesus already defeated your problem. You’re not trying to get victory, just enforcing the victory Jesus already won for you (II Chronicles 20).

Magnifying God!

Psalm 69:30

I will praise the name of God with a song, and will MAGNIFY him with thanksgiving.

Psalm 34:3

O MAGNIFY the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together.

When something is magnified it is made bigger in your eyes. To magnify the Lord and His works means to make a big deal out of them because they WERE a big deal. It means to brag on God and what He did for you in redemption rather than magnifying your problem.

Praise magnifies His goodness in your eyes. It brings it to the forefront of your attention. It puts Him in view rather than what you are facing.

You are the most conscious of what you say--what you are always talking about. The more you talk about His goodness and magnify His works and faithfulness, the more you go into the Spirit and your consciousness shifts.

By praising God in advance for what He said in His Word, you are expressing your faith in Him. And faith is your victory over anything this world can throw at you. It will bring any direction you may need and it taps into the anointing that destroys the yoke of bondage.

I think I’ll praise Him!