Worship in Spirit and Truth

God is not a Spirit; He is Spirit. He is like no other. He is not a force, a power, a concept, a material being, an unknown thought, an impersonal God. God is Spirit. “However, the Most High does not dwell in temples made with hands, as the prophet says: ‘Heaven is My throne, and earth is My footstool. What house will you build for Me? says the LORD, or what is the place of My rest? Has My hand not made all these things?’” (Acts 7:48-50).

That means He is everywhere at all times. There is no thought, imagination, or place where He does not exist. Because of the fact that He is Spirit, you can worship Him anywhere and at any time. However, because He is Spirit, you must worship Him in spirit. Your whole heart must be involved in loving God if you are to truly worship in spirit. God wants your heart, not empty words.

Most people think that you have to be in a certain place to worship, such as a church building. Others believe you can worship while fishing, hunting, or at other times apart from a church building. The question is not where do you worship as much as do you worship where you are. The Samaritan woman supposed one had to worship in a special place because this is the only information she had to draw from. But Jesus said, “But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth” (John 4:23).

Many believe attending church is worship. True worship is in spirit and truth. You can be in church and never focus on God. Worship services can be led by many who have not spent much time with God during the week. This is not worship in spirit and truth. Singing, praising, lifting hands, and giving offerings are all acts of worship. God’s people were worshiping God in these ways in chapter one of Isaiah. Yet, God said to them that it was not worship because their hearts were not in it. They were not worshiping in spirit and truth.

You can do many things that you believe is for God, and at the same time, have no love for Him in your heart. God is not interested in rituals, but in your heart. If you do not have a right heart toward God by obeying His commands, then your worship will be wrong. Though you may have a physical response in worship, it is only genuine if the heart is in obedience to God’s Word. The way in which believers live during the week will determine if they are ready for genuine worship in spirit and truth.

It is also important to recognize that just because you can worship anywhere in spirit and truth, does not mean you should avoid church. It would seem that many people believe this. There is more to gathering with the Body of Christ than worship. The body needs what God is building up in you. Be sure not to avoid going to church because you think you can meet all of God’s requirements by worshipping God at home. Whatever God gifts to you in spirit is for use in His body, the Body of Christ, the church.

Jesus told the woman at the well that “true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth.” This means that there will also be false worshipers. Those who try to worship outwardly. However, if they have a heart full of envy, bitterness, hatred, pride, or any other sin that is driving them then they are not worshiping God. It is important to allow the Lord to show you the condition of your heart. Otherwise, you are not a true worshiper.

It is sad to see many in church with a smile on their face, eyes closed, and lifted hands, claiming to worship God when you know that just this past week they engaged in horrible sins. There is mourning when this takes place because this type of action has the potential to turn people away from God, not toward Him. This happens every Sunday. This does not mean that someone cannot turn to God through repentance but as long as they are far away from Him in heart, he or she is not worshiping Him.

 

From John: True Belief Brings Joy by Alison Veazey and Kerry Skinner.