WORSHIP IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH

Key Scripture:"But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth." (John 4:23-24)

 Worship in Spirit

a. Romans 8:26 (NIV) 26: In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.

b.  John 14:26(KJV): “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you

c. Romans 5:5(NIV) “And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

d. John 8: 31 (KJV) “Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

 1. What do those verses of scripture tell us about worshipping in Spirit?

2. How is worshipping in Spirit accomplished?

When we worship God we are giving tribute and honor to Him as King of kings and Lord of lords. We are honoring, exhaling and God as we giving him the glory that is due Him.  Worship is personal, but it can also be corporate.

In corporate worship we come together in fellowship to praise and worship God. This interaction is between and among Christians and addressed to God.  Paul exhorts us in Colossians 3:16 -17 to “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”

Another scripture reads “speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Ephesians 5:19, 20

Personal worship is between the supplicant and God.  It is an individual relationship that comes from the heart of the worshipper and goes to God. Worships honors and glorifies God, but it also strengthen and renews us.  Importantly, worship brings us into the realm of the Holy Spirit. We should understand that The Holy Spirit leads and guides us into the true realm of devotion with God.  It is always grounded in truth- or the Word of God! The more we know God the fuller we can worship Him.

The Holy Spirit also teaches us the Word of God: “But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you (John 14:26).”

Significantly, we receive a deep understanding of God’s love and care for us through the work of the Holy Spirit in our hearts: “And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us (Romans 5:5).”

Worship in Truth

3. How do we worship God in truth?

God is interested in how we worship Him. True worship also comes from the heart and is genuine and focused on God.  The Bible speaks of how the Holy Spirit helps us to worship in Romans 8:26:“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.”

Thus, worship must always be centered on the will and truth of God’s Word.  Jesus told the woman at the well that God seeks those who worship Him in Spirit and in truth (John 4:24). Worshipping in truth means that we worship in God’s way and according to His will.  His will and ways are found in His Word, the Bible.

"Jesus said to the woman at the well, "Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews.  But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and (in) truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.  God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." (John 4:21-24, NKJV)

Psalm 100 is one illustration of how to worship God in truth:

“Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands. Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing. Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations”

When we worship God in truth we allow the Holy Spirit and the Word of God to guide our every action:

“For though we walk (live) in the flesh, we are not carrying on our warfare according to the flesh and using mere human weapons. For the weapons of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh and blood], but they are mighty before God for the overthrow and destruction of strongholds, [Inasmuch as we] refute arguments and theories and reasonings and every proud and lofty thing that sets itself up against the [true] knowledge of God; and we lead every thought and purpose away captive into the obedience of Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One), Being in readiness to punish every [insubordinate for his] disobedience, when your own submission and obedience [as a church] “

God is love

Romans 5:6 (NIV) reads “And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.”

4. What does love have to do with it?

God does not command us to do anything that he has not equipped us to do. We know that the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost (Romans 5:5). 

We were not left without a comforter to sustain us.  We were not left without God’s enabling power to keep us. We are furnished by the Holy Ghost to do good works.  He has produced in us the mind of Christ and enabled us to obey the Word of God (John 16: 7-15). This is a solid testimony of God’s love for us.

This is summed up is Ephesians 3:17 -19:

  “so that Christ may dwell in your heartsthrough faith. And I pray that you, being rootedand established in love, may have power, together with all the saints,to grasp how wide and long and high and deepis the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge--that you may be filledto the measure of all the fullness of God.Now to him who is ableto do immeasurably more than all we askor imagine, according to his powerthat is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen”