Inviting God’s Presence

The Challenge

Praise God with a loud voice! Let the whole Earth shake, and let our praises reverberate outward and upward into the Heavens! When we do this, His Holy Spirit comes down. When we do this, Heaven invades the Earth. When we proclaim God’s praises as a single loud voice, He comes to dwell in our midst, and He inhabits our praises.

And when He comes, His glory comes with Him and shines all around. His Majesty and power fill His temple. Not just the building, but it enters and fills us – we are the temple of God! And when I say He fills us, I mean that in the most literal way. Because every nook and cranny of our being is filled, every dark corner is lit, and we overflow with His mighty power.

And this is when things get really good! Because when the power of an Almighty and infinite God touches the innermost part of finite man, something has to give. That’s when miracles happen. That’s when chains are broken, addictions and bad habits fall by the way side, battles are won, victory is secured, and lives are forever changed in Jesus’ name! This is where we need to be, in the presence of the Lord our God. That’s where sickness cannot abide, disease and deformity are healed, and even death is conquered.

If Heaven is dwelling with God, in His presence for eternity, then worshipping Him in spirit and truth here on Earth is as close to Heaven as this life gets. There’s no place I’d rather be than in the company of the Holy Spirit and fellow believers praising God. So let those praises rise among us now, and may we usher in the presence of our Lord! He is why we are here. Let’s show our love for Him by offering up our worship and the praise He is due.

Let it rise! Let praise arise, and our enemies be scattered. Welcome Jesus in this place – the mighty Warrior who has already defeated sin, hell, and the grave! Lift your voice in worship to the Name above every name – the mighty name of Jesus Christ!

This is where your personal battles are won, church. Surround yourself with the heavenly forces of God’s army right now. No weapon formed against you will prosper! Jesus fights our battles for us, and He DOES NOT LOSE…EVER. Praise Him right now for taking those flaming arrows for you, for taking the nails meant for you, for taking your punishment and leaving it on the cross, and for delivering you and placing your feet firmly on the rock.

The Prayer

With every breath we breathe, with every word we speak, with every song we sing, and with all that is within us… Lord, we want to worship You. We want to glorify You in everything we do. Let our hearts be broken for those things that break your heart, O God. And may we BE overflowing fountains of Your Love to the world for Your sake. We give ourselves as willing vessels to accomplish Your work and grow Your kingdom.

Let it be so, Lord. May our numbers increase, not for our sakes, but for Yours. That Your glory will be proclaimed by all, that every knee would bow, and that every tongue would confess that Jesus Christ is Lord of all. And our loud praises will indeed shake the whole world, and Your Name will be magnified on Earth as it is in Heaven.