Worship God with Body, Soul, and Spirit- Part 1

Worship is such an important aspect of making a spiritual connection with God. It is through our worship that we can experience His prescence in our lives, thus it is important that we learn how to truly worship with all of our being - body, soul and spirit.

Spirit Worship

Spirit worship forms the basis of all kinds of worship. In John 4:24 we read, "God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth." True spirit worship involves the intellect as well as our level of understanding and faith. When we read or hear something, it first goes to our intellect where we become aware of the knowledge that is being passed on to us. The second step is understanding, where we interpret that knowledge based upon our level of understanding, and the third step is faith, where we choose to either believe or disbelieve. In spirit worship, God prepares our intellect where we can receive the written or oral word. He then sharpens our understanding so that we can get meaning from what is being read or said. He then gives us faith to discern truth or non-truth, and to believe or reject what is being said or read, based upon faith, as our faith is inspired by what we read or hear.

For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?
So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God (Romans 10:13-17).

I tell you, many of us falter at spirit worship because we allow ourselves to become distracted while reading or hearing the Word. How many times has your mind wandered off while listening to a sermon or reading a passage of scripture? We allow the distractions of this world to enter in our mind and cause us to drift mentally. When we do allow ourselves to settle down and listen, our level of understanding prevents us from fully appreciating all that is being said, and we might even misinterpret what is being said or read. Based upon our level of understanding, our faith is inspired as we attempt to discern truth, and if we feel what is being said cannot work, or it is not for us, or it is something we do not want, then we reject. If we feel that what is being said or read is possible, and is truth, and that it will work for us, then we accept. This is one of the biggest reasons why so many diverse doctrines and scriptural interpretations abound. All persons claim to have the Holy Spirit, and claim to be interpreting scripture according to the Holy Spirit, and yet we get diverse views. We get diverse views because somewhere down the line in our receipt of truth, there is some weakness in the process. Trust me, the weakness is not the Holy Spirit. The problem really lies with us, based upon our level of understanding, motives, and willingness to open our minds to learn. Many people make the mistake of thinking that if something in scripture does not agree with their preconceived views, then there must be an error in the scripture, and the text is somehow corrupted or tampered with. How far from the truth.! All scripture is not only given by inspiration of God, but all scripture is in total harmony (2 Timothy 3:16). Just because you do not understand a given part of scripture does not mean that there is something wrong with the scripture. It just simply means that you do not understand - that's all! When we humble ourselves before God, and confess to Him that our knowledge is finite and limited, and that our level of understanding is inferior to His, we can be assured that He will open up our minds and understanding so that we can come into His understanding, His knowledge, and His wisdom. He says, "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him" (James 1:5). Once we allow God to mold our understanding and give us wisdom, we enter into the realm of true spirit worship, where our minds unite with His mind, and we become one with our Creator.

Next post will deal with soul worship.