Acts 13:1-4
“Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away. So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus.”
I want you to notice the expression in verse 2 that we emphasized as we read, “As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted. ..” (Acts 13:2). Here we are talking about different kinds of prayer.
Oftentimes the only kind of prayer we are familiar with is the prayer of petition, or the prayer to change things. We also call that the prayer of faith. We are almost always petitioning God to do something for us and, of course, it is scriptural to pray the prayer of petition and to receive our needs met, but in this text in Acts 13:1-4, the people were not petitioning God to do anything. Instead it says that they ministered unto the Lord – this is the prayer of praise and worship. This prayer is very specific because its focus is ministering unto Him – the source of all answered prayer. We have become dependent on the Lord ministering unto us – oh, how we have missed it!
Petition means that’ I am receiving’, but praise and worship is giving Him that which rightfully belongs to Him. You are connecting into a lifestyle of the condition of the heart [out of abundance].
The atmosphere of praise and worship creates a move of the Holy Spirit for a supernatural move to do more than to simply sing songs. God will manifest Himself in our midst as we fellowship with Him as our Father. When you tell God how much you love Him, by giving Him thanks and honouring Him for His goodness and mercy, then He will inhabit therein and reveal Himself.
True praise and worship reveals the condition of the heart. God desires for us to worship Him in Spirit and Truth – Spirit meaning, ‘living a life sold out to the Holy Spirit, a life from within and truth is the Word as you abide in Him.’
Acts 16:25, “Paul and Silas sang praises in prison in the midnight hour, the darkest time of night [you might be in a dark hour of your life].” In verse 26 God sent an earthquake of breakthrough. Praise opened the prison doors and made every chain fall off – this is the power of praise!
2 Chronicles 20:1-32 tells us that Israel was confirmed inbreds of Lot. The incestuous sons of Lot, and aboriginal occupants of Mount Seir. Jehosaphat enquires of the Lord and God speaks through a prophet saying, “The battle is the Lord’s and He will fight for you.” They worship before they go into battle saying, “We have already won the battle.” And with a loud voice, their singers begin to rejoice and praise the Lord and establish the prophetic word through their praise.
They sent the singers out ahead, not the army, as they came to Mount Seir and looked into the valley, they saw that God defeated the enemy on their behalf. The enemy had turned on one another, without the Israelites having to intervene physically. It took them 3 days to gather the spoil from their victory and for the next 25 years, they had enough provision to support themselves. They named that place, ‘The valley of prosperity and blessing.’ It is the place of victory.
They had brought the sacrifice of praise, and released the Glory of God saying that, “HE IS GOOD AND HIS MERCY IS FOREVER”. When the righteous rejoice, there is great Glory.
The prayer of thanksgiving and worship go together hand in hand. When Jesus healed the sick, they came back and fell at His feet, some were found in the temple giving God glory and praise.
When the leper was healed, he came and fell at Jesus’ feet worshipping Him because he was restored and made whole with new fingers, feet, ears and skin. This is only one example that shows how worship restores what satan has stolen. Lucifer was the Glory Worshipper who had all the musical instruments within him, which is why he became the instrument when he worshipped. Then he rebelled, but now we are the Glory Worshippers ushering in His glory into our atmosphere as we do what David did in Psalm 150 declaring that, “Everything that hath breath.”
When David ran to Goliath, he ran with his mouth open telling the enemy how he has already lost. We need to open up our mouth in praise, honour, glory, majesty and in awe of the One we Love and serve, because that is our address in the Spirit of breakthrough!
So lift up your kings to the coming King of glory, and shout just like they shouted Jericho’s wall’s down.
In Psalm 29:3-4, 9-10 it says, “The voice of the Lord is over the waters;
The God of glory thunders;
The Lord is over many waters.
The voice of the Lord is powerful;
The voice of the Lord is full of majesty.
The voice of the Lord twists mighty oaks
and strips the forests bare.
In His Temple everyone shouts, “Glory!”
The Lord rules over the floodwaters.
The Lord reigns as King forever.”
Our King is on a wave of whatever you’re believing Him for.
In 2 Chronicles 5 and 7 the singers and musicians were all in one accord, and God filled the temple and not one stood still. When you come to this place, all your cares, worries and problems will also fall to the ground and you will declare your victory in Jesus Name.
Rise up and declare that He is good!
