Spritual Warfare - 2

Worship is a response


* Gideon had to hear, see and touch before he could worship and arise.

He saw and heard the Lord. He saw the supernatural fire rising from the rock that consumed the sacrifice. He probably couldn’t totally believe his eyes and ears. He wanted to handle a fleece of wool that was supernaturally moistened, and also kept dry, before he wholeheartedly worshiped and arose to serve the Lord.

* Thomas faced a similar situation when he heard of the resurrection of Jesus.

25 The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen the Lord.” So he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.” 26 And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, “Peace to you!” 27 Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.” 28 And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”   John 20:25-29 (NKJV)

* Mary and Mary worshiped the risen Lord when they saw Him.

9 And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, “Rejoice!” So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him.  Matthew 28:9 (NKJV)* The eleven disciples went to the mountain to see the risen Lord.

16 Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. 17 When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted. Matthew 28:16-17 (NKJV)* What about me? Am I tuning my ears to hear, lifting my eyes to see and reaching my hands to touch so that I might believe and worship?

I will find Him when I seek Him with all my heart. In response to my desire to know the Truth, God reveals Himself to me. Now I respond by worshiping Him. I cannot help but worship when my heart is convinced and believes in the Living God. When I worship and bow down, I surrender my will to Him and accept Him and His ways which are beyond the reasoning and rationalizing of my mind. This brings me to walk in unquestioning obedience to God. This is the life of victory.

The devil and his demons know and believe in God, but refuse to bow down and worship. If I find myself in this situation, I need to search myself and put away any influence of the enemy affecting me, hindering me from worshiping God.