“I praise and thank the Lord every Sunday in our worship services at church,” somebody might say. “Why don’t I ever experience God’s power in my life like the missionary who was healed of smallpox did?”
It might be because you’re worshipping by rote instead of by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
All of us do that at times. We routinely sing songs we’ve sung a hundred times before or read words from a songbook (or a projector screen) without considering what they mean. Even when we speak out our own praises or worship in tongues, we often put our mouth on automatic pilot and just say the same thing over and over.
That kind of praise doesn’t minister to the Lord at all.
It doesn’t bless Him because it doesn’t come from our hearts. There’s no spiritual energy in it. There’s no power in it. Even if what we’re saying comes straight from the Bible, even if it’s the truth, worship that doesn’t come from our spirit will be as dry as dust and as empty as the clamoring of a broken record.
God isn’t looking for dusty broken records.
He is seeking those who worship Him in spirit and in truth. So reach down deep and praise the Lord with all that is within you. Worship Him not only with your lips but with your heart.
Scripture Reading: John 4:1 – 26
On the chilly March night in 1972 when Lynne Hammond took her first step into a life of Spirit-led prayer, she had no idea what was about to happen. All she knew was the hunger in her heart for God wouldn’t let her sleep. In the few short months she’d been born again, her desire to fellowship with Him had grown so strong she could hardly contain it. “Help me, God!” she cried. “I want to know you. I want to be able to talk to you. Please, teach me to pray!”
Suddenly, a heavenly presence flooded the room. Lynne sensed waves of spiritual fire sweeping over her and a beautiful language began to flow like a river from within her. Although she’d never heard of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, she knew instantly, without a doubt—this was God!
What began that night soon blossomed into a life of prayer that ultimately became a ministry of prayer when, in 1980, Lynne and her husband, Mac, founded Living Word Christian Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Under Lynne’s leadership, the prayer ministry at Living Word has become an internationally recognized model for developing effective pray-ers in the local church.
A teacher and an author, Lynne publishes a newsletter called Prayer Notes, has written numerous books, and currently serves as the national prayer director for Daughters for Zion. Her passion for inspiring and leading others into the life of Spirit-led prayer continues to take her around the world to minister to believers whose heart cry, like hers, is “Lord, teach me to pray!”