Introduction
Misunderstanding Prayer
Did you know that adoring God with worship is an essential part of prayer? This question comes to mind after realizing I have been approaching it incorrectly for many years.
Instead of adoring God as Lord, I would make requests and say thank you for a few blessings. Unfortunately, after expressing gratitude, I would continue my day without “ascribing God the glory due his name.”
My petitions indicated that I lacked the spiritual maturity to understand what communing with God in prayer means.
Do you find yourself lacking this same understanding? Do you long to seek God for more than your needs as you develop a stronger relationship with him?
This article will help you become accustomed to adoring God by revealing five ways to incorporate worship in your prayers. Before mentioning how to include worship in your prayers, let’s define adoration and explain its significance.
Adoration
Its Meaning and Significance
According to E. W Price Jr., adoration is “the glory we give to God for what he is in himself” (ACTS in Prayer, 1974, Broaman Press). Adoring God enables believers to prioritize his glorious nature before making requests.
This is important because petitioners should not simply ask the Lord to meet their needs. Praying in this manner makes the Lord seem like a genie whose reason for existing is to meet human needs.
This is selfish and heartbreaking to the creator who spoke creation into existence and formed humanity from dust. Doesn’t Eliohim, who intricately forms and knows everything about all humans, deserve their devotion?
Adoring God in Prayer
He’s Able
One way to show devotion to God through prayer is by acknowledging he’s able, according to Ephesians 3:20. Ephesians 3:20 says God is able do exceedingly, abundantly, above all we can ask or think, according to the power that works within us.
Acknowledging this is important because it shows God’s ability is greater than our circumstances. Approaching God with this truth in mind prevents our circumstances from becoming idols.
Furthermore, confessing that God is able helps us overcome doubt, which can keep our prayers from being heard. This freedom allows us to gain confidence in prayer as we receive mercy and grace to help us in times of need.
Follow the Examples Set by Daniel and Jesus
A prophet who received mercy and grace in his time of need in Daniel. Daniel devoted himself to prayer, making it his first resort during trials.
Evidence revealing Daniel’s dependence on prayer is Daniel 2:1-23. In this chapter, he’s tasked with interpreting the King’s dream to spare the wise men’s lives.
The daunting tasks compel Daniel to pray. After seeking God for revelation, Daniel 2:20-23 shows the prophet adoring God for his
- Mighty and wisdom.
- Power to change seasons.
- Willingness to give people knowledge.
- Authority to promote and demote kings.
- Ability to reveal secret things.
Daniel’s discovery teaches us that when God answers our prayers, we should adore him by acknowledging the abilities he displays when granting our request.
While Daniel teaches believers how to worship, once a request is granted, Jesus shows us how to honor God when starting our petition. Jesus begins the Lord’s Prayer by calling God our Father and declaring his name is Holy. He also submits to the notion that God’s will must be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Jesus’s approach shows we must begin prayer by affirming his identity and authority. Additionally, Jesus alludes to God’s holiness, which we must respect in light of our unrighteousness.
Making Worship Personal
Adoring God Through Your Needs
Following the examples set by Jesus and Daniel is not the only way to adore God in prayer. You can also honor him by acknowledging who he is amid your needs and cares.
1 Peter 5:7 instructs Christians to cast all our cares upon the Lord because he cares about us. This means God is concerned about our challenges and does not want us to bear them without his help.
This is good news as we can talk to him about any situation.
So let’s say you are worrying about an unbelieving relative who is battling a drug addiction. Before asking God to act, you can reverence him as a mighty deliverer.
This demonstrates faith that declares no drug or other stronghold is greater than his power and love. The Father’s love allowed him to send his son Jesus to die on the cross for all transgressions.
Christ’s death sets captives free from sin, guilt, shame, and death. Through this freedom, our God desires that believers serve others in love.
While appealing to the Father’s love, you can also acknowledge his will. His will is for no one to perish but for everyone to repent.
Knowing this, you can worship the Lord as the God who wants all to repent and receive salvation. He is the God who can transform Saul to Paul, offering new life to anyone willing to believe in Jesus Christ.
Practicing Your ABCs
Along with confessing God’s ability to grant new life and salvation, you can worship during prayer by practicing your ABCs. In this case, saying the ABCs involves declaring attributes that adore God’s character in alphabetical order.
My friend and ministry co-laborer, Kyana, taught me this exercise during our youth ministry prayer call.
Starting with the letter A, everyone present took turns mentioning a characteristic about God until we reached the letter Z. This was an enjoyable activity I still use every so often when looking for a way to start my quiet time with the Lord.
I spend this time adoring God by mentioning that he is
- Awesome
- Beautiful
- Compassionate
- Dynamic
- Everylasting
- Faithful
- Great
- Holy
- Intentional
- Just
- Kind
- Loving
- Marvelous
- Never-failing
- Omnipotent
- Patient
- Quentiessential
- Righteous
- Satisfying
- Trustworthy
- Unique
- Victorious
- Worthy
- Xenial
- Yahweh
- Zion’s King
Reciting God’s characteristics aloud brings me great joy as I enter his presence and give him my undivided attention. Additionally, this exercise is educational as all participants can learn new words describing our creator.
An example proving this comes from the first time I tried this practice alone. I was doing great, coming up with words describing God, until I reached the letter Q. Since I could not think of any descriptive words with this letter, I did some research.
After a quick Google search, I found the word quintessential. The term refers to the most typical or important part of something.
Therefore, God is quintessential to my life because without Him, I can do nothing.
Listening to Worship Music
A quintessential God deserves praise from his people. One way to praise the Lord during prayer is by listening to worship music.
Listening to worship music helps you stay filled with the Holy Spirit as you sing and think about who God is to you.
Music that glorifies God can also help you appreciate him through the writer’s or singer’s eyes. This is due to artist taking their personal experiences and expressing them in ways others can understand.
One example is the song “I Will Find A Way” by Fred Hammond. The verses reveal the trials, mistakes, brokenness, and losses he’s endured.
Despite these circumstances, the chorus contains determination as Fred will find a way to worship and love God. Fred’s attitude makes this song a must for me when dealing with grief and trials.
Along with a song for grief, several songs compel me to worship in good and mundane times. These hits include
- “Awesome Wonder” by J.J. Hairston and Youthful Praise.
- “God Almighty” by Maranda Curtis.
- “Great and Marvelous” by Troy Sneed.
- “Great is Thy Faithfulness” by Israel Houghton.
- “Lord, You’re Holy” by Helen Baylor.
These records exalt the Lord’s attributes. While music complements the worship experience, it should not substitute for personal adoration.
Otherwise, music can become an idol that prevents you from giving God the intimate worship he deserves.
Has adoring God become simpler after reading this article? Are there other ways you practice adoration in prayer? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Your comments are greatly appreciated!
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