Isaiah 61:3
In place of a spirit of heaviness
August 24, 2016
Did you ever think of wearing praise like a garment? The word describes praise as such. We are clothed in Christ. We are to exchange our heaviness of spirit, which means our depressed, negative, and fearful attitudes of thinking, which are contained in our flesh covering, our body. The covering of Christ is to be clothed in the spirit, walking in obedience to the Father. Everything He did was a praise to his father. Even as he hung upon the cross, signifying the death of our flesh life, He was praising the father in his actions.
We Christians misunderstand the depth of the word praise thinking it to be only something we are to do on a Sunday morning at church to open the service. Praise has become the activity of flesh as it raises its voices and instruments of piano, drums, and trumpets to a loud and disturbing sound that drown out the spirit while offending the ears. This is not praise. We are not worshiping God in this display of flesh, seeking to be seen of men looking for applause. This kind of music only stirs the emotions, the feeling senses of those who find pleasure in music that is loud and serves only the soul , the seat of the thoughts and feelings of man.
True worship is like still waters that run deep.
When both the giver of the music as well as the receiver are in the spirit which feeds the place where God communicates, we are moved by the presence of God, brought into the place of the abode of Christ, we are seated beside him in the heavens and our praise has become an attitude of thanksgiving to him, yet in turn a receiving of his love and blessing of who he is.
A true worship leader is one who knows how to use his talent which was given by the Lord to please and thank God for its use and more, to know the love of God and worship him in spirit and in truth bringing the body of Christ into his presence.
In this experience, we become quiet in our flesh as our spirits reach deep to the source of the water of the word that is washing over us. In this quiet, we hear the voice of God as we have now entered into his presence. The depth of the spirit runs deep and our flesh is put under the power of the spirit and we are truly praising and worshiping God. We are wearing praise as a garment because the spirit of praise has put our flesh asunder.
When you attend church next Sunday, remember to wear your new garment, the garment of praise, instead of the flesh garment of heaviness. (Is. 61:3)