Praise -or- Worship?


We have learned the meanings and expressions of praise. Praise is the act of expressing thanks to God, boasting of Him, telling Him of our need for Him, and magnifying Him, most often with music. We don’t praise or decide not to praise based on our feelings. Praise is often associated with sacrifice because sometimes it is the last thing on earth we feel like doing. We praise based on our covenant with God that He will be our God, and we will be His people. As His people, we obey His Word, which tells us to praise Him. (Psalm 150:1-6 and many other places!) We praise God using many different forms of expression, including: speech, shouting, singing, dancing, clapping, and the playing of instruments.

Worship almost defies definition except by experience; but to try to define it, let’s say that it is “God accepting our praise and inviting us to draw near to Him by manifesting His presence in the midst of us.” Worship is throne-centered. It embraces the whole person. A lukewarm or rebellious heart cannot enter into worship. This is why praise most often precedes worship — to allow God to deal with our hard or rebellious hearts, and with our fears, worries, etc. It prepares our minds and hearts and helps us to deal with issues in our lives that block us from the manifested presence of God. It gets our flesh out of the way and leads us to focus on God instead of self. As we lose sight of ourselves and begin to focus on God, He invites us into worship. We become aware of God’s presence and respond to it. God meets with us.

Praise and worship are inter-related. Praise tends to describe the physical, outward act; and worship describes the inward, intimate, heart-to-heart act. Here are some examples of this thought:

a. Praise occurs outside our hearts; worship occurs in our hearts.

b. Praise is almost always seen or heard – worship is not always evident to an observer.

c. Praise is often a preparation for worship. When we praise, it’s often easier to worship.

d. Worship, at its core, is communion between your spirit and the Spirit of the Lord. That is why true worship - worship in spirit and in truth - is confusing or scary to non-Christians, and unnerving or uncomfortable even for many Christians. The part of us created in God’s image craves and needs worship; we were made for it! But the fleshly nature in us tries to avoid worship.

In order to praise and worship God for who He is, we must seek to know Him: What He is like, What He wants, What His plans are, and the Desires of His heart; this is relationship with God. It is possible to be in the act of praise to God if you do not know Him personally. A person can sing and dance, clap and shout to the Lord, but not really know Him. A desire to know God, to meet with Him, is the key to the Spirit-filled worship of God. Without this desire to stand in His presence, you will stay in the mode of praise, not moving past it into worship.

Many Christians equate worship with singing songs. Worship can and often does include singing, but worship is not the same as singing! You can sing and not be worshiping! You can worship without singing!

Through worship you increase your intimacy with the Lord. Perhaps the two most powerful change agents that the Holy Spirit uses in our lives as God’s children are worship and the Word. When real worship takes place, we get in touch with God, and when we get in touch with God, our lives get realigned (we take our rightful place at our Creator’s feet), our priorities again become clear, our spirit or inner being is cleansed, refreshed, given life, nurtured, healed and made whole.

When God’s people truly worship Him, we can expect to be changed. When we worship, we allow the Holy Spirit to do what He wills. We give in to what God wants for us. As a result, God meets with us. Healing takes place. Deliverance. Victory over satan. And best of all, we make our God happy! We minister to Him!

This is also when we are most likely to hear prophetic songs and words. Prophecy is hearing and speaking forth the words of God. Prophetic songs are those words in the form of music. Can you imagine, if God sang you a song, what He might say to you? (Zeph. 3:17) This is really the basis of prophetic praise and worship. There are songs from Jesus to us, songs from Jesus to the Father, and songs and words from us to Jesus. This happens sometimes in our praise and worship here at our church.

Good stuff! No wonder we love to worship! In worship, we hug God and He hugs us back. Do you desire closeness to the Lord? Then worship Him in spirit and in truth as often as possible.

“Draw near to God and He will draw near to you” James 4:8

Worship doesn’t have to be just what you do in church on Sunday. It can be who you are! You can worship God with your life. It is a heart attitude.

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy,
to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God –
this is your spiritual act of worship” Romans 12:1