Hijacked by Replacement

So if God emphatically taught us not to worship using our own craft or imposed imagery, and certainly not iconic imagery, then why are we so persistently and impulsively pushing for imagery before the people? 

Distraction, and it is working! Creative worship has evolved into an artistic show of synchronized lights and sounds that is numbing our ability to discern context and content of what is being presented. 

Our present synchronized atmosphere of imagery, lights and sounds is an age old strategic tactic to cause sensory overload, which is a common occult technique, to distract individuals from using the frontal lobes of the brain from where we discern and reason.

Less than thirty years ago, none of us would have imagined that our sanctuaries would be venues of concert platforms of “worship,” where the lights went out and the disco-Danny light show with all inclusive lava–lamp visuals began! “But every church does it and if we don’t, then we won’t be competitive, we gotta at least put on a good show.” Therein lies the problem – worship has become a show. Here is a great building block for churches: people will go out of their way and be personally inconvenienced when they find a place that hosts God’s Authentic and Beautiful Presence!

There is nothing about our present PERFORMANCE-BASED WORSHIP SERVICES, with lights flashing every which way, that glorifies the Lord. No matter if all the Western Church does it, it stillllllllll has nothing to do with worshipping the Lord. It is for the sheer, raw entertainment and stimulation of the people! 

We have exploited the worship that is rightfully due our God and used it as a platform to entertain and attract the masses (not to say the masses come) becoming poor in the true praise of God! Rather than being the leaders in our communities of how to worship and access God’s Presence, we have become followers of how to perform.

Satan’s assimilation technique has worked, and whether we are willing to admit it or not, he has successfully hijacked the sanctuary of God and turned it into a worldly exhibit. Are we evolving? Is our worship getting better? Are those rockin’ out for Jesus learning the true art of worship in being sensitive to His Spirit? The success of a church is not measured by its culturally relevant expression, but the level of holiness and the active octane of God’s Presence abiding within! 

Have we failed our children by not raising them in sanctuaries where they can truly experience the Authentic and HOLY Presence of God? We’ve been so busy defending our parched state and very evident absence of God’s divine activity amongst us, that we forget that the simplicity of being in His Presence changes lives, attracts deeper hunger and promotes growth. People come back for more of HIM.

Beauty and strength are in His Sanctuary (Ps 96:6)! Our sanctuaries should be pristinely clean and a holy place where we show respect for God, His truth, His altar and worship that glorifies Him and Him Alone! And yes, our hearts are the ultimate Temple of the Lord, not our buildings – but what we build Him is the manifestation of what is in our hearts! And no, the church should not build walls to keep people out, but neither should we build Babylon within our walls and keep God out! 

The Holy Spirit gets labeled with much that is neither holy, nor honoring! This spills over into the evolving - make no mistake – assimilating experiential alternative worship that is looking more and more like world. In Fact, the Western Church is almost unrecognizable. As one discerning saint put it, “Rather than making room for the Holy Spirit to come, we have created an experience and call that experience the Holy Spirit.”

Our worship services should be designed in a way to teach and lead the people into Spirit-filled worship that has been steeped and deeply integrated with God’s Word so that we can experience the wonderment of His FULL Presence! 

All authentic worship is contingent upon revelatory truths! It is no small thing to put distraction between God and His people.

However, in these swells of deception intended to dilute the praises of God leveraged against God's truths and His people, has yet again trumped the enemy at his own game. He raised up and anointed folk to lead the flock back to sincere and pure devotion and we are now living in a time of exuberant and explosive praise, abounding in unmatched adoration of The Lord! Praise the Lord!

Not today, Satan, the Gentiles are praising Him well!