Worship
Scripture
“Then I heard him speaking, and as I listened to him, I fell into a deep sleep, my face to the ground. A hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees. He said, ‘Daniel, you who are highly esteemed, consider carefully the words I am about to speak to you, and stand up, for I have now been sent to you.’ And when he said this to me, I stood up trembling.” -Daniel 10:9-11, NIV
God’s Presence Demands Our Reverence
In 2007, I had a profound assignment from the Lord that came when I was on my face in prayer one day. I had gathered with a group of people in Colorado to pray for the nation. The Holy Spirit clearly called me and showed me it was time to mobilize the Body of Christ in North Dallas to worship and pray so that revival would come to our area. I had seven months, a small team, and a powerful mandate. I secured the soccer stadium in Frisco, Texas, by faith. God brought the funds, the churches, the worship leaders, and every last detail. It was one of the hardest things the Lord has ever asked me to do.
Over the course of those seven months, I often held “envisionings” for pastors and worship leaders to catch the vision for this revival event called “God of the City.” This was to help them to call and mobilize their churches for this gathering that would take place on May 6. During one particular “envisioning” lunch, two of my key worship leaders, Roland Worton and Ty Johnson, were leading this room of 75 people in worship. There was a unity of hunger for God to unite His Bride and move as we had never seen Him. All of a sudden, Ty’s car, parked in the front row of the parking lot closest to the room, erupted in flames. Seconds later, the Mercedes next to it was also ablaze. The fire came out of nowhere, so we thought.
The atmosphere was weighty with God’s presence before, during, and after the fire episode. Intercessors who had come had shared with me before we began worship that they saw balls of fire coming from Heaven. I didn’t quite know what to make of that until after I saw God do what He did. I remember one pastor’s face was as white as a ghost because he knew he had just encountered the Lord in a powerful way. It was a burning bush moment for every person in that room that day.
There was a hole burned into the cement of that parking lot that is forever a reminder that God showed up in fire, and the weight of His presence undid the people standing in that room as we worshiped in reverence and awe.
“His whole character commands our reverence because it is superlatively holy, and his name is to us a word of awe never to be mentioned flippantly, and never to be quoted without earnest thought and prostration of heart before him.” -Charles Spurgeon
Am I really hungry for His presence?
Do I even long for a holy fear of the Lord that consumes my whole life?
Do I revere God in awe and wonder?
I am pondering these questions as I am longing to touch the fire of God and be consumed afresh with the holiness, greatness, and fear of the Lord.
Reverence Leads to Intimacy with God
Daniel had this response in the presence of an angel that came to him. How much more in the presence of a holy God who comes to us in love but who rightfully commands the holiness of those who bear His name? Isaiah encountered the holiness of God when He was taken to Heaven to the throne room. He was undone and abhorred himself in the presence of the Lord. Then his lips were touched; he was sanctified and sent out in the presence of the Lord.
To be truly hungry for His presence means we understand the enormity and greatness of God in the light of a glorious fear of Him. Scripture says, “God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be held in reverence by all those around Him (Psalm 89:7, NKJV).” He will not manifest His presence in a place or to a people who do not revere Him.
Our hunger for the fear of the Lord in this hour will result in a people who walk in holiness and live in His presence. And out of this will flow wisdom, understanding, counsel, power, and knowledge (Isaiah 11:1-2).
Beloved of the Lord, what I am about to say to you is what I am crying out for in my own life. I have watered down a fear of the Lord to make God simply wonderful, loving, kind, and merciful, which He is all of those things. However, living under the covering of a fear of the Lord means that my whole being—body, soul, and spirit—is consumed by the holiness of God and a consuming awareness of who He is. I live and move and have my being in the awe of His being and a hunger for His presence. There’s no gray space. The Lord is inviting us to ask Him for this. We will live to esteem and adore the very person and presence of God above all else in literally all things. I want to get there now on Earth, not just in eternity. I want God to do that in me now. I want God to do this in His Church.
The Fear of the Lord Produces New Life
Let me give you a list of characteristics of what exactly is a fear of the Lord. This list is taken from John Bevere’s new book, “The Awe of God.” He writes:
“To fear God is to reverence and be in complete awe of Him. To fear God is to hallow Him. … To fear God is to esteem, respect, honor, venerate, and adore Him above anyone or anything else. When we fear God, we take on His heart. We love what He loves, and we hate what He hates. … To fear God is to hate sin. To fear God is to hate injustice. To fear God is to depart from evil in every sense—thought, word, and action. … To fear God is to walk in authentic humility before God and mankind. To fear God is to give Him the praise, adoration, thanksgiving, and worship He deserves. To fear God is to give Him all that belongs to Him. To fear God is to tremble before Him in wonder and awe. It is to give His Word and presence our full attention. To fear God is to obey Him. … To fear God is to abstain from any form of complaining, murmuring, or grumbling. To fear God is to respect, honor, and submit to His direct and delegated authority. … The fear of the Lord shapes our intentions, thoughts, words, and actions.”
As I read this list, I realize I long for the Lord to do an even deeper work in me. I am pressing in and invite you to do the same. As the world grows darker and darker, we are going to need to live in His presence, consumed by Him and transformed in greater measure into the holiness of Christ. No mixture of light and darkness. No excuses or passivity. Resolute conviction and passionate consummation.
I want to live consumed by Jesus. Do you?
A Few Key Notes
- See God’s power unleashed in your life. Join us for a six-week study through the Robby Dawkins book “Do What Jesus Did” every Tuesday through October 10. Sign up by emailing Jordan Gaudet at [email protected].
- Join us at this special Arise Lunch and Learn on September 11 where we will hear from Jill Hellwig! Jill is a gifted author, inspirational speaker, vision-driven coach, and founder of Brand New U. Learn more and register here.
- Join Arise for a night of worship and prayer followed by 72 hours of prayer at Knee-Deep in the Garden. Join us on September 17 as we praise the Lord for what He has done and will do. Then, sign up for a 30-minute slot to intercede for the nations. Register here for Knee-Deep in the Garden.
