GO DEEPER IN WORSHIP OF JESUS
SCRIPTURE:
“After this, I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” 2 At once, I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. 3 And the one who sat there had the appearance of Jasper and ruby. A rainbow that shone like an emerald encircled the throne. 4 Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads. 5 From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings, and peals of thunder. In front of the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits[a] of God. 6 Also, in front of the throne, there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal. In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front, and in back. 7 The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. 8 Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night, they never stop saying: “‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty,’ who was, and is, and is to come.” 9 Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor, and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives forever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say: 11 “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.” (Revelation 4:1—11)
OBSERVATION:
John wrote about his encounter with a VOICE that spoke to him like a trumpet inviting him, saying, “COME UP HERE, AND I WILL SHOW YOU WHAT MUST TAKE PLACE AFTER THIS.” At ONCE, John was IN THE SPIRIT, and he saw things that he had never seen before. He heard a voice inviting him, and immediately he was in the Spirit, and he SAW before him a throne with someone sitting on it. And the one who sat there had an appearance of jasper and ruby. A rainbow that shone like an emerald encircled the throne and twenty-four thrones.
This passage is saying there are many things that are going on in the Spirit that we cannot see in the natural. John heard a voice, and a door was open, and he was invited into the door to see things he had never seen before. The voice said, COME and I will SHOW you what must take place. Not only did he hear the voice’s invitation, but he also saw a throne with someone sitting on it.
There are so many things that we have not experienced or seen yet. John said, “AT ONCE” I was in the Spirit. John also saw in the Spirit the setup of worship in heaven. He saw living creatures’ worship in action. He heard how they worshiped and what they were saying. “Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come…They lay their crowns before the throne and say, “YOU ARE WORTHY, OUR LORD GOD, TO RECEIVE GLORY AND HONOR AND POWER, FOR YOU CREATED ALL THINGS, AND BY YOUR WILL THEY WERE CREATED AND HAVE THEIR BEING.”
There are things that I do not understand about worship unless I respond to the Spirit’s guidance and allow Him to open up the spirit realm to see who I am really worshipping. Worship is not just singing wonderful songs but a revelation of the one I am worshipping. The Spirit will take my worship deeper into the throne room of God to see who heaven also worships Jesus. No true worship is complete without me, as a worshipper, gaining the understanding of why I worship Jesus. Worship is an invitation to a revelation of who Jesus is. Worship is not for my entertainment or my feel-good spiritual gratification. Worship is hearing the invitation to enter deeply into the throne room of God, declaring who he is; he is holy and worthy to receive glory, honor, and power, for he created all things, and by his will, we have our being. Worship is all about Jesus, not how I feel.
APPLICATION:
I want to hear the Spirit of God daily, inviting me to come deeper into the worship of Jesus. I know sometimes I worship about how I feel. Today, I am reminded that worship is not about me and my feel-good desires but how I see Jesus, who is holy and worthy of my praise and worship. I am grateful for the reminder of worship focus and purpose.
PRAYER:
Jesus, I worship and praise you for who you are. You are holy and worthy of all my praises and worship. Thank you for inviting me daily to worship and to sit in your presence to hear your voice through your word. Teach me to be sensitive to hear your invitation to worship and to be with you, declaring your holiness and worthiness. Teach me to come boldly to your throne room to sit in your presence. I am grateful that I get to worship you and hear your word daily. Amen!
