Characteristics of a True and Sincere Worshipper who can Influence the World

(Delivered by Roli S. Arangote during Praise & Worship Explosion at Nabas Public Market Plaza;

March 29, 2009)

Text: Deuteronomy 11:13-20
13 So if you faithfully obey the commands I am giving you today—to love the LORD your God and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul- 14 then I will send rain on your land in its season, both autumn and spring rains, so that you may gather in your grain, new wine and oil. 15 I will provide grass in the fields for your cattle, and you will eat and be satisfied.
16 Be careful, or you will be enticed to turn away and worship other gods and bow down to them. 17 Then the LORD's anger will burn against you, and he will shut the heavens so that it will not rain and the ground will yield no produce, and you will soon perish from the good land the LORD is giving you. 18 Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 19 Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 20 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates, (NIV)
• Know the true God
• Worship God with all your everything
• Then God will shower you the rain of blessings
• Never turn your back from God because He will not only stop the blessings but He will release His wrath upon you

The Purpose of the Church

Ephesians 3:10 10His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, (NIV)
Matthew 5:13 – We are the salt of the world
Matthew 5:14 – We are the light of the world

Goal
- To be a true and sincere worshipper of God to influence the world and change the world for God’s purpose and glory
- When you make a step and be a true and sincere worshipper of our true God, God will just bring the result, a mighty result, a notable achievement

CHARACTERISTICS OF A TRUE AND SINCERE WORSHIPPER WHO CAN INFLUENCE THE WORLD

(Worship in singing, giving, sharing Jesus, witnessing, following God’s Word, and doing everything for God in His direction and His will)

1. UNASHAMED
David was unashamed to dance before the Lord
• 2 Samuel 6:21-22 21 David said to Michal, "It was before the LORD, who chose me rather than your father or anyone from his house when he appointed me ruler over the LORD's people Israel—I will celebrate before the LORD. 22 I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes. But by these slave girls you spoke of, I will be held in honor." (NIV)
• Result: 2 Samuel 8:14b The Lord gave David victory wherever he went

2. UNAFRAID

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were unafraid to disobey the king’s decree to worship the golden image even it would cost their lives
• Daniel 3:17-18 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. 18 But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up." (NIV)
• Result: King Nebuchadnezzar issued a decree to all people of any nation to respect the true God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (Even the king was changed to respect the true God)
• Daniel 3:28-29 28 Then Nebuchadnezzar said, "Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants! They trusted in him and defied the king's command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. 29 Therefore I decree that the people of any nation or language who say anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego be cut into pieces and their houses be turned into piles of rubble, for no other god can save in this way." (NIV)
• Daniel 3:30 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were promoted

Daniel continued to show his true and consistent worship to the true God and was unafraid to disobey the king’s decree to worship only King Darius even it would cost his life
• Daniel 6:10 10 Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before. (NIV)
• Result: King Darius issued a decree to all his kingdom to fear and respect the true God of Daniel
• Daniel 6:26-27 26 "I issue a decree that in every part of my kingdom people must fear and reverence the God of Daniel.
"For he is the living God
and he endures forever;
his kingdom will not be destroyed,
his dominion will never end.
27 He rescues and he saves;
he performs signs and wonders
in the heavens and on the earth.
He has rescued Daniel
from the power of the lions." (NIV)
• Daniel 6:28 Daniel was prospered

3. UNDIVIDED HEART

Abraham worshipped the true God with undivided heart even it would cost him his only beloved son Isaac
• God tested Abraham in Genesis 22:2 - Then God said, "Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about." (NIV)
• Abraham followed God immediately without question because of his undivided heart
• Gen 22:3 Early the next morning Abraham got up and saddled his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about. (NIV)
• Genesis 22:9-12 9 When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. 10 Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. 11 But the angel of the LORD called out to him from heaven, "Abraham! Abraham!"
"Here I am," he replied. 12 "Do not lay a hand on the boy," he said. "Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son." (NIV)
• Result: God blessed Abraham
• Genesis 22: 15-18 15 The angel of the LORD called to Abraham from heaven a second time 16 and said, "I swear by myself, declares the LORD, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, 18 and through your offspring [b] all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me." (NIV)

4. UNSHAKEN

Elisha stood in the side of God and was never shaken even there were strong forces of enemy’s horses and chariots surrounded him
• The king of Aram ordered to capture Elisha
• 2 Kings 6:13-14 13 "Go, find out where he is," the king ordered, "so I can send men and capture him." The report came back: "He is in Dothan." 14 Then he sent horses and chariots and a strong force there. They went by night and surrounded the city. (NIV)
• Elisha’s reaction: 2 Kings 6:16 16 "Don't be afraid," the prophet answered. "Those who are with us are more than those who are with them." (NIV)
• Result: 2 Kings 6:17-18 17 And Elisha prayed, "O LORD, open his eyes so he may see." Then the LORD opened the servant's eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. 18 As the enemy came down toward him, Elisha prayed to the LORD, "Strike these people with blindness." So he struck them with blindness, as Elisha had asked. (NIV)
• God is bigger than our problems

Nehemiah stood with God and continued in building the wall of Jerusalem and he was never shaken by any opposition
• Opposition: Nehemiah 4:7-8 7 But when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites and the men of Ashdod heard that the repairs to Jerusalem's walls had gone ahead and that the gaps were being closed, they were very angry. 8 They all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and stir up trouble against it. (NIV)
• Nehemiah’s response: Nehemiah 4:9,14,20 – 9 But we prayed to our God and posted a guard day and night to meet this threat. 14 After I looked things over, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, "Don't be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes." 20 Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, join us there. Our God will fight for us!" (NIV)
• Result: Nehemiah 6:15 The wall was completed in 52 days
• Nehemiah 6:16 16 When all our enemies heard about this, all the surrounding nations were afraid and lost their self-confidence, because they realized that this work had been done with the help of our God. (NIV)

5. UNSTOPPABLE

Joshua
• God’s promise to Joshua: Joshua 1:3,5 – 3 I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. 5 No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.
• God’s instruction: Joshua 1:8 8 Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.
• When God told Joshua to cross the Jordan River, Joshua followed the instruction. Even the river was flooded, when the Levites step onto it, the water stopped and they cross-over.
• Your trust in God by following His Word makes you unstoppable

Peter and John
• Peter and John were seized and put into prison and were told to stop speaking or teaching about Jesus (Acts 4:17-18 17But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must warn these men to speak no longer to anyone in this name." 18Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. NIV)
• Peter and John’s response in Acts 4:19-20 – 19But Peter and John replied, "Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God's sight to obey you rather than God. 20For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard."
• No one could stop Peter and John in telling about Jesus

Macedonian Churches
• The churches in Macedonia, - poverty could not stop them in giving for God’s glory
• 2 Cor. 8:1-3 – 1And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. 2Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. 3For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. (NIV)


Conclusion

When you stand for God, God will stand for you! Change the world by your faith. Influence the world by your action and your lifestyle. Those who are with us are more than those who are with them. Greater is our God that is in us than anything and anyone in this world. Just live by faith in Christ and die for it, if necessary. You will still live again with Christ in eternity.

Being a true and sincere worshipper of God is not just doing what you want to do for God, but doing what God wants you to do for Him. Sacrifice without obedience is nothing. But sacrifice with obedience in God is influencing. Serve God not at your will but in God’s will.

Philippians 1:20,21 20I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. 21For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. (NIV)