Worship is Inward Not Outward

God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.
John 4:24

Focus on Christ

What does it mean to worship God in spirit and in truth? God is Spirit! Not one of many spirits! He is Spirit and must be worshiped on a deeper level than just the physical. To worship in spirit is more than the physical posture during worship. It is the deep concern of the heart. You also must have the truth of Jesus residing in your life to worship. Worship, then, is not just physical or just truths taught about worship; it is both. To have one without the other is not true worship according to Jesus. 

One must be born again spiritually in order to learn the truths of God’s Word. How would you worship One you do not even know? Why would you worship One you do not know? When you have no truth in regard to who God is, what exactly are you worshipping? When you can engage freely in sin during the week and raise lifted hands on Sunday to a Holy God, how exactly is that worship? Worship is adoring and praising your Creator, the One Who saved you from your sin. Of course, you would not know this without the truth of God’s Word, and you would not be able to discern it without the Spirit of God. 

Singing, giving praise, lifting hands, and giving offerings are all acts of worship. God’s people were worshiping God in these ways in Isaiah chapter one. Yet God said to them that it was not worship. Why? Because their hearts were not in it. They were not worshiping in spirit and truth. They were doing and not loving. You can do many things that you believe is for God and at the same time, have no love for Him in your heart. This is not worship. “And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. This is the first commandment” (Mark 12:30). This is acceptable worship to God. God is not interested in rituals but in your heart. 

 God told His people, “Even though you make many prayers, I will not hear” (Isaiah 1:15). 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 all week will determine if they are ready for genuine worship in spirit and in truth.

Focus on Self

When self tries to worship God, it judges itself by the actions people see. Self wants to be seen and cares little about the condition of its heart. If self can hide the inward parts and only look good on the outside, then it is satisfied. The problem is that this is unacceptable to God. Who are you worshiping? Self or God? You will know based on the condition of your worship. Are you worshiping in spirit and in truth?

*Taken from Gifts from God by Kerry Skinner and Alison Veazey. Click here to order your copy!