Worship Is a Weapon — Shane Idleman

Worship as Warfare in a Time of Spiritual Crisis

Quite a while and that topic is has been actually worship as warfare. Worship as warfare and it's no secret that our nation is experiencing stage four spiritual cancer right now. It seems like everything's falling apart, correct?

But I'm very hopeful and here's why any time. Darkness is moving darkness seems to be overcoming all areas of society. God's Word God's light is still going out even stronger. If you read about the history of revivals, you'll you'll see that God would bring a revival a spiritual awakening in times of crisis and I think it's a good reminder that there is only one hope right now.

Only one remedy only one solution for this type of spiritual cancer. And it's for God's people to get on fire again and begin to worship him and pray like never before. But I want to is okay to go on this.

I don't know. It looks plastic, right? It's okay. All right. That'd be funny, right if I fell through this. But I've got a confession to make and I think I think men can relate but for many years as even as a Christian I Was not really a worshiper.

I was a worker. I Was working hard. I was serving but it's hard to get men to worship and we would say well, I'm just not emotional. Ever heard that. Well, you express anger real. Well is Anger not an emotion.

We express different types of emotion and if we could get men back again to being worshipers and on fire for God and leading their family that is contagious and. So briefly on this topic, I've never preached from my phone before but I was able to hold a hold note.

Spiritual Warfare and the Weapons of Prayer

So, let's see how it works worship as warfare. Many of you know the verse about spiritual warfare the weapons of our warfare are What not carnal but they are mighty through God for the pulling down of strongholds and casting down Arguments.

In other words your gun safes are full, but your prayer closets are empty. Oh I can go deeper if you want. Convicting convicting convicting to get us back on our face before God and it's a wonderful story.

Jehoshaphat Sends Worshipers into Battle

About many how many of you heard of Jehoshaphat? Well, Jehoshaphat did something you don't do instead of sending out seal team six. He sent out the worship team to go fight the enemy. This is how I fight my battles on my face before God.

So if you want to contend for your family if you want to contend for your prodigal son and your daughter. Do not give up find yourself on the floor in your prayer closet calling out to God and saying God.

Oh, unless you hear my prayers. I'm not going to leave. I'm desperate for you. Worship is not only a battle cry worship is a prayer. Did you know that when you get into your worship and you press in and you can find this read this tonight or tomorrow?

Second Chronicles chapter 20, they said a great multitude is coming against us and you want to relate and Jehoshaphat he feared and here's a key. He said himself to seek the Lord. Sometimes it doesn't matter what your friends are doing or your family doing or what's going on around you.

You've got to set yourself to seek the Lord. You've got to strengthen yourself in the Lord. Although all hell is breaking loose. I will get up tomorrow and I will seek God like never before God. You'll find me on my knees crying out to you because you are our only hope and it's a seeking God.

Seeking God with Persistence and Fasting

And People who go to Westside Christian Fellowship, they've heard me say this before but I think it's so important that word seek In the Old Testament has been just a a treasure for me over the years.

And if you look it up in the Hebrew language It's it's a word called bakash and it means to find to look for something until you find it. You don't give up. How many of you parents right now if you couldn't find your two or three year old would keep listening to me.

I hope not. You would get up and you would what you would find that child there. Nothing else mattered. I'm not gonna eat. I'm not gonna rest. I'm not gonna stay. I'm not gonna run errands. I'm gonna find that child and so that's what he said here.

He he sought the Lord. He began to press in and here's a secret to the victorious Christian life. Press in even when you don't feel like it. I Have found that that's often when God moves the most is when I don't feel like it.

I have to tell my feelings. Come on, that's we're gonna begin to seek and worship God like never before. And so it says he set himself to seek the Lord and he proclaimed a fast throughout all of Judah and I do think it's a time that we need to get back to praying and Fasting it's a it's a one-two combination in the Bible.

That is is very powerful. Starving the flesh to be filled with the Spirit. And he goes on it goes on to say Jehoshaphat reminded God of his promises. I love that you ever remind God of your of your of his promises to you.

Lord your word says this you said if you if I seek you I will find you. Your word says the more I Seek you the more I love you the more I love you the more I want to worship you and Lord your word says that You will fill me with the fire of the Spirit and he reminded God of his promises.

He said if disaster comes upon us and we cry out to you you will hear and you will save. Folks, we've got to get back to being desperate for more of God. Desperate for more of God like the cry of Isaiah.

Oh God, would you ran the heavens? Oh God. Would you rip open the heavens and come down and visit your people Lord? We need you like never before. And there's a desperation there. Here's the desperate cries of his people.

Faith Over Fear and Humility Before God

And what's so important here is his faith his faith overruled his fear. Folks, I know it's hard right now. We're living in some very interesting times and and if you look at the news does fear ever rise up in you.

Like me as well. You've got kids you look what's going on. What are we leaving them but faith must push out that fear or fear will begin to control and dominate your life. So you have to take those thoughts captive and say I'm Lord.

I'm trusting in you. I'm I'm casting these thoughts away and you push fear out and you have to remind yourself I pulled this from an old sermon what demon can beat God what power can overcome God what force can discourage God?

What agenda can stop God what ruler can control God and what situation can confuse God? None, no one nothing. That's the God you serve. And so he cried out. Oh Our God. Oh our God. We have no power. We have no power against this multitude and Especially men.

Did you know it's okay to say God? I have no power over what's going on. It seems that maybe my family's falling apart my situation my finances Lord. I can't trying to fix this. I humble myself before you God you are my only solution.

You humble yourself before God watch what God does with humility. Watch what God does with humility as a matter of fact, he will raise up the humble. But he will what push down a base the proud and getting us to a spot of humility.

And so he cried out Lord. We've got this great army coming against us and we don't know what to do. But our eyes are upon you. Our eyes are upon you and How relevant for tonight now all of the people of Israel all of their little ones all of their wives all of the children stood before the Lord.

Just like tonight. Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jahaziel and he said do not be afraid or dismayed because of this great battle for the battle is not yours but God's. You need to remind yourself of that.

Listen, I didn't come up here just as a motivational motivational speaker and kind of get the crowd fired up and I'll see you later. I've lived this close to hell. I could. I've been so close to hell.

I can still smell the smoke on my clothes. I've I've I've walked through that valley of the shadow of death. I have seen God move in powerful ways. This isn't some pep rally. This is a truth that of a life that's been radically changed by the power of God.

Full Surrender and the Filling of the Holy Spirit

But I don't want to over. I don't want to miss this then the Spirit of the Lord came upon Him now, I want it. I want it. I don't want to get deep into this topic. But I do want to say this you have all of the Holy Spirit at conversion, but does he have all of you?

Don't leave here tonight. With that question unanswered you have all of the Holy Spirit at conversion. I believe but does he have all of You the fully surrendered life. And many times we read about people just this might mighty anointing of the Holy Spirit this this this Holy Spirit.

Just fills them and and many people can't relate. It's because they have not fully surrendered their life. Once you fully surrender and you come in humble and Brokenness God begins to fill you and fuel you with boldness.

You become bold for the things of God. There's one acid test as someone fill with the Spirit of God. Do you love Jesus Christ? And do you talk about him often. Is he is he an all-consuming thought in your life and you want to do more for God?

That is a byproduct of being filled the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit came upon this in divert. This individual and he reminded the people for the battle is not yours, but God's so no matter what you're going through tonight some of you here are going through a divorce or Health issues or financial situations and I want to remind you the battle is not yours.

It's God's just make sure you're on the right side of the battle. Stop trying to fix things in your own strength. I've God's had to just shut me up and quiet me out and get me out of the way before he moves sometimes.

Because I'm a fixer man anybody fixers out there. I'm gonna fix this and God says no, you're gonna. I'm gonna humble you. I'm gonna take away all that you were trusting in and then see if you finally trust me.

It's not your battle. It's God's. But then he goes on to say and I just want to throw this out there. Worship demands a response. Worship demands a response. So Jehoshaphat. What do he do? He bowed his head.

He put his face to the ground. And the people and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem did the same. And what did they begin to do? They begin to worship the Lord. They cried out to God and I know worship is it it can get a little confusing and really worship is a lifestyle.

But it's also the posture of my heart. Usually in the Old Testament, they would fall down in the holy presence of God. They would say raise up holy hands to the Lord. There's a there's a reaching up to the father.

There's God. I need you. There's a desperation see desperate people do desperate things. Desperate people do desperate things. Could it be that we're not desperate enough to truly see God with all of our heart and with all of our strength.

Desperate people do desperate things and. So they begin to worship the Lord. The worst they responded to his call. Folks, did you know you can go and listen to a great worship set and great sermon and never change week after week month after month.

Because there has to be a response to the call. There has to be that that desire to want to seek God. So I'm gonna throw this out there in just a minute. I'm gonna give you the opportunity to be baptized tonight.

I'm gonna baptize you. I'd love to baptize you. We've got towels. It's not cold. The Jordan River where Jesus was baptized was very cold. It's not cold. So I'm gonna be right back there by the baptismal.

Worship as a Response to God's Call

I want to encourage you to make that response if you need to give your life to the Lord tonight fully surrender. Don't play games. Like I did don't play games like I did I Would I would worship and say I was a Christian on Sunday, but come Monday.

I live like hell. I Live like hell and it was it wasn't till God finally broke me and filled me with the spirit that I could come and testify of that and So here's the key. They begin worshiping the Lord.

They begin worshiping the Lord. What do they do? Worshiping the Lord. I love prayer. I love prayer. But there's something powerful when men and God of worship and they lift up his holy name. There's something powerful and profound that takes place when we empty ourselves of self and we cry out to God Almighty.

And you see you sit on the throne. You are our only hope God. We humble ourselves before you. He hears the desperate cries of his children. A humble and broken and contrite heart I will in no way cast away.

I hear the cries of my children and they begin to worship him. Now when they begin to sing and to praise The Lord what did God do? He fought their enemies. He set up ambushes and the enemy started to fight themselves Themselves.

Don't you love to see that we're watching in our nation our enemies start to fight themselves. God will confuse the whole situation. He'll watch out for his remnant bride. Oh, there's something about the remnant churches on fire for God.

I can't prove this but I guarantee the millions of Christians around the United States are the only Reason America has not been judged more serious severely than it has today. Because there's a remnant God says because there's 50 in the land there's not 50 there's 500 ,000.

I will spare that land because they cry out to me and they humble themselves before me. So the Lord set the ambushes against the enemies and when you set your heart upon him He will set his eyes upon you.

Never forget that you can tweet that out tonight. When you set your heart upon him He will set his eyes upon you and They look toward the multitude and there were all the dead bodies fallen on the earth.

No one had escaped from God. Because God went before them. Worship is powerful. Is it not? Let me just testify what it's done in my own life. Worship is a great sin killer. Worship is a fear quencher.

Worship is a power bringer. Worship is a victory giver. Worship is a holiness promoter. Worship is a lust eliminator. Worship is a obstacle remover. Worship is a demon slayer. Worship is a wisdom giver a peace promoter a depression lifter.

With worship is an anger suppressor a weakness remover a strength booster. And thank God worship is a revival Stimulator. God will revive his people. I'm just telling you it wasn't till I found my face on the floor before God weeping and crying out to him.

He said that's a young man. I can use a country boy from California who barely graduated high school. I Can't go and talk God. I'll watch what I will do with with with with those that I humble and break.

Because when God breaks you then he can use you. If you're going through the breaking process the best thing to do is submit. Submit God break me fill me humble me. I need you and watch what he will do with humility.

It's amazing. So I'm gonna actually have John and Richard come back up and they're gonna close with a few songs. But I want to read a verse that many of you have heard before. But it's so important right now.

True Worship in Spirit and Truth

I actually heard it earlier from one of you out in the audience. But the hour is coming and is now here now here. Jesus said this when true worshipers true what Jesus said true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and in truth you don't change truth both truth.

You don't change truth. Truth changes you and I'm absolutely convinced. We've got to get back to the authority and truth of God's Word. It is the gauge. It is it is what we it's the mark of a true ministry men and women.

Standing on the truth of God's Word. Truth is not flexible. Truth is not debated debatable. I don't care how a person feels. I want to know what the truth is and our nation is so caught up and not offending.

Did you know the truth offends? The truth offends. It offends our pride. That's a good one, too. I heard that somewhere Times change truth does not. That is the slogan of our ministry. You know, I just feel this is so important.

God is looking for those who are looking for him. Because Jesus goes on to say those who worship him in spirit and truth. The father is seeking some to worship him. The father is seeking some to worship him and You're waiting on God, but it could be that God is waiting on you.

You're waiting on God, but could it be that God is waiting on you? Let me tell you I'll never forget 23 years ago. Open my voice. I have to preach in Torrance LA Sunday, so I'm saving my voice here. But I was I was reading the Bible 23 years ago.

And it said the eyes of the Lord go to and fro throughout the whole earth to show himself Strong on behalf of those whose hearts are loyal to him. But then and that same day I read these words. The devil roars about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour and the thought came to me Who finds you?

Who finds you? The enemy goes about as a roaring lion and God goes about seeking those who are worshiping him. One of the other will find you. We've got to get fully surrendered and fully submitted to God.

Seeking the Lord and Returning to Christ

And so let me just tell you about a God who rescues and revives a God who restores and renews. Set your heart upon him tonight. Seek him while he may be found and you've got a well up inside of you like David who can say like David as a Deer that panted after the water broke all my soul pants for thee.

Oh God. I humble myself before you. I want to be like that that deer searching for that brook in that refreshing water that living water. I need that like never before and so do you turn completely over to Christ tonight?

And so this is a call to the broken and the battered it's a call to the lost and the lonely. It's a call to the fearful and to the weak. And so what I want to do is something a little bit different tonight is I want to have the prayer team.

They're gonna they're gonna make the way up here and I want you to get up and come forward if you're fully Surrendering your life to the Lord. You're repenting. You're getting back on track. The prodigal son's coming home.

You're done playing playing church. You want to make that confession of faith? Then I want you I want to ask you to come forward. Listen, if I knew what I knew back then if I knew now, I would have ran to this altar.

I would have not played games with God. The time is getting dark. And it's getting it's getting. The times are getting dark and of course evil is is prevailing so make that decision. But let's go ahead and all stand up and I want to ask those who need prayer if you need a Can you need to confess Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior come to one of the prayer team members?

If it's a prodigal son or the wayward daughter, you need to come home. You need to come back to God that finds your way up here as well. And then finally. Finally if you need prayer for any type of situation healing.

Deliverance. Breakthroughs. Anybody have strongholds of addiction and bondage and you just can't seem to get a breakthrough. They want to pray with you as well. They would love to pray with you and Then finally remember where am I?

Where am I gonna be? Back there doing baptisms. So if you want to get baptized, we're gonna baptize you in the name of the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit. I would love to pray with you and I would love to baptize you and just make your way back to the back or the prayer prayer team or do both come up and pray and then go and get baptized and Again, mom's dad's anybody contending for the prodigal son or their wayward daughter?

Come and let a prayer team member pray with you as well. You go and come forward as well and let them pray with you. Intercede intercede. Oh, I look for a man from among them who would stand in the gap and intercede.

God is looking for intercessors. So I either see you up front or back there.