Characteristics of Praise

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Obafemi Awolowo

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Praise-Worship is a relationship

Sope Ilori, an associate pastor and music minister with the Revival Assembly Church, Ogba Lagos, Nigeria (also known as the New Anointing), has been in the music ministry for over 10 years, seven of which he spent being in charge of the music arm of the church (Revival Assembly). Educated at Lagos State University, with a Mechanical Engineering degree, God's call upon his life took him into music and preaching of the Word. He lives and works in Lagos with his wife, Stella and two children.

In the Beginning

To understand the essence of Praise and Worship where God and man are concerned, we have to look back to the original intent of God having created made man and put him in Eden. Genesis 3:8 "They heard the voice of God walking in the midst of thegarden in the cool of the day and Adam and his wife hid themselves from The Presence of God."

From this scripture, we see that God was in the habit of coming down to fellowship with Adam and his wife at a particular time of the day, everyday. We can also guess that their fellowship with God was not about praying or making requests, supplications or petitions because everything was all right with them in Eden. In other words, they had no need(s). Their only need was the presence of the Lord God.

What then must have brought God out of the splendour and beauty of His throne (Ezek. 1:26) to Eden at the same time everyday? The book of Psalms Chapter 22:3 says "but you are holy who 'inhabit' the praises of Israel." He inhabits the praise of His people. He puts our praises on like cloak, robe or garment (Isaiah 61:30). We as praisers and worshipers of God have the immense privilege of spinning through our offerings of praise/worship the garments with which God adorns Himself. What a great privilege.

Original Intention

His original intention in the beginning is to make another spirit being in His image and likeness (Gen. 1:26) that would have relationship with Him through our praises and worship of Him. It is important to note that God put into our basic design a need for His presence everyday of our lives. This was Adam and Eve's only need but the minute they sinned, that need was replaced firstly by a need for clothes and shelter. Before that time, their focus was tending the garden and meeting God to fellowship with Him in His presence. Fellowship is a type of relationship that involves exchange.

I suppose that this is how it would have worked: Adam and Eve praised and worshipped the Lord God, He inhabited their praises and His glory rubbed off on them and surrounded them to the point where clothes or clothing was not a necessity. Their relationship with God was not based on what their bodies or lives lacked because as at that time, they did not lack anything. God made sure that everything they required was abundantly available. In the book of Revelation, John was shown several scenes of multitudes of angels and saints doing nothing but praising and worshipping God.

What is Praise? What is Worship?

Nowadays, we have relegated them to just singing songs and we think fast tempo songs or music is praise while slow tempo songs are worship. While praise and worship do involve singing, a lot of times in their real context, they are much more than just singing or playing music. I'll bring you more than a song for a song in itself is not what you have required. You search much deeper within to the way things have been; you're looking into my heart.

This really typifies what praise worship is. It's all about God and how we relate to Him from our heart. Would we say then that an individual that cannot carry a note or sing, as hard as it may seem for us who are so blessed to comprehend there are people like that, can not worship or praise God?

Today's musicians are skilful but no relationship

What we have today is real skilful singers and musicians without, most times, the relationship that real praise worship is. Music and singing are vehicles that enhance a form of relating to God in these ways:

* Praise expresses God might, deeds, awesomeness and magnificence. It shows gratitude for what He does, has done or will do.
* Worship is a step up because it's a lifestyle that we adapt because of Gods worth to us. Its total and unquestioned surrender and absolute captivation by His Love.
Worship was derived from the word: Worth(y) ship which talks about worth or value. We worship God for who He is or His worth to us. That is why worship has to come from the heart. Worship is about the Quality of God.

Worship is not just songs but also a posture

Lets look for a moment at worship in Mathew 9:18. A ruler came and worshiped Him saying. What exactly did He do? Did He start singing slow songs to Jesus? I don't think so. This also shows that true worship is a posture before God and only the humble of heart can worship. That's why in John 4, Jesus talks about TRUE worshippers.

Our focus today has shifted a lot to music and the songs. But we have to go back to the basics or back to the beginning and return to the real things. Its all about relationship or fellowship with our Lord.

It's a bit sad that in that John 4 Jesus says the father "is seeking" such to worship Him. This phrase is indicative of present continuous, that means even now more than before, the Father longs for relationship through worship and (by extension) praise.

John 4:23 But the hour is coming and now is when true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. When it's done in spirit (with depth and sincerity borne out of a spiritual relationship with our only real spiritual Father) praise and worship has great power.

This we see in Acts 16 with Paul and Silas and in II Chronicles 20:21 with Jehoshaphat.Singing and music are very important in relating to God in worship (Psalm 10:2) but of greater importance is God's original purpose for man, which is for our worship to be a total life experience based on our relationship with Him as His children and His relationship with us as our Father and Source.

Just like in the beginning "the Father is still seeking for those who would worship Him in spirit (because He is a spirit and His children are also like Him) and in truth (thy word is truth - John 17:17 that is within what we know of Him from His word).

Praise and Worship Lecture Series 1: ..by Pastor Kola Olulana . ...............Who is a gospel musician? Click Here
Praise and Worship Lecture Series 2: .by Pastor Kola Olulana .................Recording, packaging and marketing your gospel music Click Here
Praise and Worship Lecture Series 3: .by Dr. Myles Munroe ...................Characteristics of Praise Click Here
Praise and Worship Lecture Series 4: .by Pastor Sopeolu Ilori ................Praise and Worship Is a relationship Click Here
Praise and Worship Lecture Series 5: .by Pastor Kola Olulana ................Building your career in gospel music Click Here