RECOGNIZE GOD’S NATURE | Rejoice and sing to come into His presence

Thanksgiving relates us to the goodness of God, praise relates us to the greatness of God but worship is the highest activity of the human soul.

Thus we thank God for what He does, we praise Him for who He is. Worship is our attitude, our appropriate response to God’s tender love and care for us.

If you want to deepen your understanding of worship and learn practical steps to enter into a meaningful experience with God, tune in to this “Steps to Worship” by Derek Prince. In this 10 minute podcast, Derek Prince explains how true worship goes beyond external actions and requires an inner attitude of the heart, leading us into a direct and sincere relationship with God. Discover the prelude to worship through thanksgiving and praise, and be inspired by the beautiful picture presented in Psalm 95.

”Oh come, let us sing to the Lord! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms. For the Lord is the great God, And the great King above all gods. In His hand are the deep places of the earth; The heights of the hills are His also. The sea is His, for He made it; And His hands formed the dry land. Oh come, let us worship and bow down; Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker. For He is our God, And we are the people of His pasture, And the sheep of His hand. Today, if you will hear His voice:’

Psalms 95:1-7

‘So will I bless You as long as I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name.’

Psalms 63:4

‘Blessed and happy are the people who know the joyful sound [of the trumpet’s blast]! They walk, O Lord , in the light favor of Your countenance! In Your name they rejoice all the day, And in Your righteousness they are exalted.’

Psalms 89:15-16

SILENT SOUL SURRENDER | Let Go! Relax! Pause in his presence.

In his Steps to Worship podcast Derek Prince said “We see there two results of true worship, of bowing down and kneeling in the Lord’s presence. First of all, it’s hearing God’s voice. You see, we pass from that stage of loud, exuberant praise and thanksgiving into a stage of inner rest, tranquility, quietness, where everything is hushed, where we’re still in the presence of God. And then, in that attitude of worship we can hear God’s voice in a way that we can never hear it while we’re taken up with ourselves and our own problems and perplexities. You see, one of the essential things of worship is focusing on the Lord, turning away from ourselves, as it were, almost merging our identity in the Lord.”

“So you see how important it is that we follow these appointed steps, praise and thanksgiving, that lead us into bowing and kneeling down, an attitude of stillness, of hushed reverent quietness before God in which we hear His voice and through which we enter into our appointed rest.”

Think of it as Elijah hearing the still small voice moment.

‘and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice. So it was, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. Suddenly a voice came to him, and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”’

I Kings 19:12-13

“Be still and know (recognize, understand) that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations! I will be exalted in the earth.”

Psalms 46:10 AMP

‘Surrender your anxiety. Be still and realize that I am God. I am God above all the nations, and I am exalted throughout the whole earth.’

Psalms 46:10 TPT

TEMPLE CLEANSING TIME | Confess your sins, if you are not sure, pray through Psalm 51 TPT

‘Search me [thoroughly], O God, and know my heart; Test me and know my anxious thoughts;’

Psalms 139:23 AMP

‘God, give me mercy from your fountain of forgiveness! I know your abundant love is enough to wash away my guilt. Because your compassion is so great, take away this shameful guilt of sin.

Forgive the full extent of my rebellious ways, and erase this deep stain on my conscience. For I’m so ashamed. I feel such pain and anguish within me. I can’t get away from the sting of my sin against you, Lord!

Everything I did, I did right in front of you, for you saw it all. Against you, and you above all, have I sinned. Everything you say to me is infallibly true and your judgment conquers me.

Lord, I have been a sinner from birth, from the moment my mother conceived me. I know that you delight to set your truth deep in my spirit. So come into the hidden places of my heart and teach me wisdom.

Purify my conscience! Make this leper clean again! Wash me in your love until I am pure in heart. Satisfy me in your sweetness, and my song of joy will return. The places you have crushed within me will rejoice in your healing touch.

Hide my sins from your face; erase all my guilt by your saving grace. Keep creating in me a clean heart. Fill me with pure thoughts and holy desires, ready to please you. May you never reject me!

May you never take from me your sacred Spirit! Let my passion for life be restored, tasting joy in every breakthrough you bring to me. Hold me close to you with a willing spirit that obeys whatever you say. Then I can show other guilty ones how loving and merciful you are.

They will find their way back home to you, knowing that you will forgive them. O God, my saving God, deliver me fully from every sin, even the sin that brought bloodguilt. Then my heart will once again be thrilled to sing the passionate songs of joy and deliverance! Lord God, unlock my heart, unlock my lips, and I will overcome with my joyous praise!

For the source of your pleasure is not in my performance or the sacrifices I might offer to you. The fountain of your pleasure is found in the sacrifice of my shattered heart before you. You will not despise my tenderness as I bow down humbly at your feet.

Because you favor Zion, do what is good for her. Be the protecting wall around Jerusalem. And when we are fully restored, you will rejoice and take delight in every offering of our lives as we bring our sacrifices of righteousness before you in love!’

Psalms 51:1-19 TPT

WORD-ENRICHED PRAYER | Use any scripture the Spirit places on your heart.

‘“Is not My word like fire [that consumes all that cannot endure the test]?” says the Lord, “and like a hammer that breaks the [most stubborn] rock [in pieces]?’

Jeremiah 23:29 AMP

DEVELOP HOLY ALERTNESS | Quiet your spirit and look, listen or feel what He wants to show you.

‘Be faithful to pray as intercessors who are fully alert and giving thanks to God.’

Colossians 4:2 TPT

‘Be persistent and devoted to prayer, being alert focused in your prayer life with an attitude of thanksgiving.’

Colossians 4:2 AMP

REMEMBER THE WORLD | Use 5 minutes to intercede for your leaders or representatives in your schools, community and country.

‘Most of all, I’m writing to encourage you to pray with gratitude to God. Pray for all men with all forms of prayers and requests as you intercede with intense passion. And pray for every political leader and representative, so that we would be able to live tranquil, undisturbed lives, as we worship the awe-inspiring God with pure hearts.’

1 Timothy 2:1-2 TPT

‘Since we first heard about you, we’ve kept you always in our prayers that you would receive the perfect knowledge of God’s pleasure over your lives, making you reservoirs of every kind of wisdom and spiritual understanding.

We pray that you would walk in the ways of true righteousness, pleasing God in every good thing you do. Then you’ll become fruit-bearing branches, yielding to his life, and maturing in the rich experience of knowing God in his fullness!

And we pray that you would be energized with all his explosive power from the realm of his magnificent glory, filling you with great hope.’

Colossians 1:9-11 TPT

WORSHIP IN SONG | Be glad, give thanks and make a joyful noise!

‘Serve the Lord with gladness and delight; Come before His presence with joyful singing.’

Psalms 100:2 AMP

PONDER SPIRITUAL THEMES | Ponder any personal themes that you picked up from Father or the Spirit in these 5 minutes.

‘But to as many as did receive and welcome Him, He gave the right [the authority, the privilege] to become children of God, that is, to those who believe in (adhere to, trust in, and rely on) His name— who were born, not of blood [natural conception], nor of the will of the flesh [physical impulse], nor of the will of man [that of a natural father], but of God [that is, a divine and supernatural birth—they are born of God—spiritually transformed, renewed, sanctified]. ‘

John 1:12-13 AMP

‘This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall read [and meditate on] it day and night, so that you may be careful to do [everything] in accordance with all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will be successful. ‘

Joshua 1:8 AMP

CONFESS MY BLESSINGS | Verbalise at least five things you are thankful for. Speak life into your own Spirit, Soul & Body.

‘Rejoice always and delight in your faith; be unceasing persistent in prayer; in every situation [no matter what the circumstances] be thankful continually give thanks to God; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.’

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 AMP

‘I have been crucified with Christ [that is, in Him I have shared His crucifixion]; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body I live by faith [by adhering to, relying on, and completely trusting] in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.’

Galatians 2:20 AMP

RECEIVE SPIRITUAL INSTRUCTION | Be quiet and listen to what He says or instructs you.

‘Guard your steps and focus on what you are doing as you go to the house of God and draw near to listen rather than to offer the [careless or irreverent] sacrifice of fools; for they are too ignorant to know they are doing evil.’

Ecclesiastes 5:1 AMP

CONCLUDE WITH PRAISE | Sing, dance & jump for joy. Praise the Lord Oh my soul!

‘I will thank You forever, because You have done it, [You have rescued me and kept me safe]. I will wait on Your name, for it is good, in the presence of Your godly ones.’

Psalms 52:9 AMP