"In, Facing, Through Worship"
Pastor Albert Almore
Let’s take a look at what Pau and Silas found themselves IN…Acts 16:22
“The crowd joined in the attack on Paul and Silas. Then the officials tore the clothes off the two men and ordered them to be beaten with a whip. After they had been badly beaten, they were put in jail, and the jailer was told to guard them carefully.”
Acts 16:22-23 CEV
“The jailer did as he was told. He put them deep inside the jail and chained their feet to heavy blocks of wood.”
Acts 16:24 CEV
“About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing praises to God, while the other prisoners listened.”
Acts 16:25 CEV
Let’s take a look at what Jehoshaphat found himself FACING.
“And he said, “Listen, all you of Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you, King Jehoshaphat! Thus says the Lord to you: ‘Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God’s.”
II Chronicles 20:15 NKJV
“Tomorrow go down against them. They will surely come up by the Ascent of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the brook before the Wilderness of Jeruel.”
II Chronicles 20:16 NKJV
“You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, who is with you, O Judah and Jerusalem!’ Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the Lord is with you.””
II Chronicles 20:17 NKJV
“And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem bowed before the Lord, WORSHIPING THE LORD.”
II Chronicles 20:18 NKJV
“Then the Levites of the children of the Kohathites and of the children of the Korahites STOOD UP TO PRAISE THE LORD God of Israel with voices loud and high.”
II Chronicles 20:19 NKJV
“So they rose early in the morning and went out into the Wilderness of Tekoa; and as they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Hear me, O Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem: Believe in the Lord your God, and you shall be established; believe His prophets, and you shall prosper.””
II Chronicles 20:20 NKJV
“And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who should sing to the Lord, and who should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army and were saying: “Praise the Lord, For His mercy endures forever.””
II Chronicles 20:21 NKJV
“Now when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were defeated.”
II Chronicles 20:22 NKJV
Let’s take a look at what Job found himself going THROUGH.
“Then Job arose, tore his robe, and shaved his head; and HE FELL TO THE GROUND AND WORSHIPPED.”
Job 1:20 NKJV
“And he said: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, And naked shall I return there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; BLESSED BE THE NAME OF THE LORD.””
Job 1:21 NKJV
None of these moments of worship took place in a church.
None of these times of worship were in the midst of favorable moments. Yet still, we find them worshiping. Why? Because they understood today’s message.
📝 • Worship shouldn’t be limited to a setlist on Sunday morning. Worship is a LIFESTYLE.
📝 “And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This truly the way to WORSHIP him.”
Romans 12:1 NLT
📝Worship is a LIFESTYLE that’s helps us handle LIFE.
📝 “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with THANKSGIVING, present your requests to God.”
Philippians 4:6 NIV
“And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 4:7 NIV
📝 Worship has to be 24/7, because life happens 24/7.
This is why I say to you today, our next fill in the blanks…
📝 • Regardless of what I’m IN, regardless of what I’m FACING, regardless of what I’m going THROUGH—I WILL WORSHIP.
“THEN DAVID GOT UP FROM THE GROUND, washed himself, put on lotions, and changed his clothes. He went to the Tabernacle AND WORSHIPED THE LORD...”
2 Samuel 12:20 NLT
📝 When life knocks you down to the ground GET BACK UP WORSHIPPING.
📝 • Worship is a KEY.
“Suddenly a strong earthquake shook the jail to its foundations. THE DOORS OPENED, and the chains fell from all the prisoners.”
Acts 16:26 CEV
📝 • Worship is a WEAPON.
“YOU WILL NOT NEED TO FIGHT IN THIS BATTLE. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, who is with you, O Judah and Jerusalem!’ Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the Lord is with you.””
II Chronicles 20:17 NKJV
“NOW WHEN THEY BEGAN TO SING AND TO PRAISE, the Lord set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were defeated.”
II Chronicles 20:22 NKJV
This is why you can’t afford to do what the children of Israel did and hang up your praise.
“By the rivers of Babylon, There we sat down, yea, we wept When we remembered Zion. 2) WE HUNG OUR HARPS Upon the willows in the midst of it.”
Psalms 137:1-2 NKJV
The harp, the string instrument that they used to praise God…THEY HUNG IT UP.
“For there those who carried us away captive asked of us a song, And those who plundered us requested mirth, Saying, “SING US ONE OF THE SONGS OF ZION!””
Psalms 137:3 NKJV
“HOW SHALL WE SING The LORD's song IN A STRANGE LAND?”
Psalm 137:4 KJV
The moment you find yourself in a Strange land, strange situation, strange predicament you’ve never been in before…THE FIRST THING THAT OFTEN GOES IS YOUR PRAISE.
“You will not need to fight in this battle. POSITION YOURSELVES, STAND STILL AND SEE THE SALVATION OF THE LORD, WHO IS WITH YOU, O Judah and Jerusalem!’ Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for THE LORD IS WITH YOU.””
II Chronicles 20:17 NKJV
📝 • Worship is a PLACEMENT.
Worship places God in His rightful place, and whatever I’m facing in its rightful place.
I can’t afford to misplace my worship. That’s exactly what’s going on, the enemy wants you to misplace your worship.
To misplace my worship, is to misplace God BELOW my situation. But as I begin to worship, it places God ABOVE my situation.
“You will not need to fight in this battle. POSITION YOURSELVES…”
II Chronicles 20:17 NKJV
GET BACK INTO POSITION!!!
• Worship is our RESPONSE.
“The crowd joined in the attack on Paul and Silas. Then the officials tore the clothes off the two men and ordered them to be beaten with a whip. After they had been badly beaten, they were put in jail, and the jailer was told to guard them carefully.”
Acts 16:22-23 CEV
“The jailer did as he was told. He put them deep inside the jail and chained their feet to heavy blocks of wood.”
Acts 16:24 CEV
“About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing praises to God, while the other prisoners listened.”
Acts 16:25 CEV
📝 This is the year, where your go to response will grow from WORRY to WORSHIP.
“Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, YET I WILL REJOICE IN THE LORD! I WILL BE JOYFUL in the God of my salvation!”
Habakkuk 3:17-18 NLT
I will to worship.
WHAT ARE YOU IN?
WHAT ARE YOU FACING?
WHAT ARE YOU GOING THROUGH?
I COMPEL YOU TO WORSHIP.
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