Why can't I feel God during worship?

I think that is a HONEST common question amongst many Christians. Don't you feel sometimes during worship that you just SOMEHOW can't seem to FEEL God's presence?

Well don't worry, because it IS COMMON! There are 2 big things that we need to understand, before we can fix this problem.

1. WHAT IS TRUE WORSHIP
2. THE FLESH ( SOUL ) VS THE SPIRIT

If we can define these two things, we will understand ourselves more and the true condition of our problems.

1. What IS TRUE WORSHIP
"The heart of the matter is the matter of the heart"
The scripture that teaches us about what worship DEFINED by God really is.

ISAIAH 29: 13  is repeated in MATTHEW 15 : 8-9  and says:

The Lord says: "These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.  their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men. ( NIV )

MATTHEW 15: 8 - 9
‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth,
And honor Me with their lips,
But their heart is far from Me.
And in vain they worship Me,
Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ ”
( NKJV )

The NKJV says in Matthew 15 verse 9, that IN VAIN  they worship Me.
Scripture is CLEAR that it is POSSIBLE to worship God in VAIN.

Look around you today, can this text apply to what you see? Or maybe in your own life?
" These people draw near to me with their MOUTHS, and honor Me with their LIPS... BUT their HEARTS ARE FAR AWAY FROM ME"  Only then does it say " IN VAIN  they worship me"

So the problem here is that God doesn't define worship as a LIP SERVICE or a HAND RAISING activity. That is WHY you CANNOT FEEL the presence of GOD HONESTLY  when you " WORSHIP " in church.

SOLUTION?

CHECK your heart! IS it right before God? Is your heart NEAR GOD EVERYDAY, or is it FAR AWAY? Here is the truth:
WORSHIP IS A LIFESTYLE, and NOT a mere SESSION alone.

What IS worship? I always like to use this MICHAEL JACKSON analogy:

You know those crazy fans of MJ, they REALLY REALLY LOVE Michael Jackson, they are so into him till they literally WORSHIP him everyday! They can't stop THINKING about MJ, they cant stop TALKING about MJ, they cant stop trying to IMITATE MJ, they can't stop READING about MJ, They can't stop getting EXCITED about MJ, they can't stop DREAMING about MJ, they can'st stop cant stop cant stop loving MJ!!! Cant wait to MEET MJ and personally talk to him! He makes their world go round!

THAT my friend, is worship.
Now can you say the same thing about GOD I wonder?
Do you REALLY REALLY LOVE GOD, that you are so into HIM that you LITERALLY WORSHIP HIM everyday? ARE you in a situation where you: CANT STOP THINKING about JESUS? CANT STOP TALKING about JESUS? CANT STOP trying to IMITATE JESUS? CANT STOP READING about Jesus? Cant stop getting EXCITED about Jesus? Cant stop DREAMING about Jesus? Cant stop LOVING Jesus? Cant WAIT to MEET Jesus and personally talk to Him? Does God make YOUR world go round?

THAT is the QUESTION that you must ANSWER.
IF you can answer yes, to this analogy about Jesus in your life, then you WILL experience God's presence when you " worship " him, because your HEART IS SO IN LOVE WITH HIM, AND SOOOO CLOSE TO HIM, He is your TREASURE!!!!

MATTHEW 6 : 19 onwards says:

" Lay up for yourselves treasure in heaven, for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also"

GUYS. WHERE YOUR TREASURE IS, THERE YOUR HEART WILL BE ALSO
So is your treasure right now things in this world, or the things of God?

Colossians 3:2 says

" set your mind on things above, and not on things in this world"

ISAIAH 55: 9 says

" as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are MY ways higher than YOUR ways"

IS GOD your TREASURE? Or do you worship other IDOLS in your life? IF you do, that is probably WHY you CANT FEEL Love for God, or God's LOVE for you. Because this relationship with God is INTIMATE, its not meant to be SHARED with other idols in your life!

How do you like a 100 girls knowing all the secrets of your boyfriend??? That just doesn't WORK!

THE SECOND POINT WAS: THE SPIRIT VS THE SOUL

Galations 5: 17 ( NIV ) says

For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want.

There are MANY MANY verses that talks about these two, there is no space to bring them up. But I can summarize what it all says.
BASICALLY, the SPIRIT is the REAL YOU THAT IS PURE and DESIRES the things of GOD. THE SPIRIT CANNOT LIE. The SOUL however, lusts after all things and desires to fulfill it's void.

The SPIRIT wants to TRULY WORSHIP God, but the soul doesn't care about TRUE WORSHIP, it doesn't even like "Holy Music", it just likes NICE CATCHY MUSIC that gives it a good time.


JOHN 4: 24 says
God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth."

GOD IS A SPIRIT!!!!  ALL those that worship Him, MUST worship Him in SPIRIT and in TRUTH!!!!!!!!

NOT sing songs with SOUL, and with deceit!

 Bible tells us, be not deceived God is not mocked. For whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.

If you sow to the FLESH, you will reap corruption and death. But if you sow to the SPIRIT, you will reap EVERLASTING LIFE

GALATIONS 6 : 8




So there, I hope that helps us understand what TRUE worship is like! I know it is pretty deep, but the things of God are ALWAYS deep. That is why it provides us with a SOLID foundation, and CONFIDENCE to speak and share with AUTHORITY. Hope whoever reads this, that God will grant understanding and a  CHANGE of heart towards God and experience TRUE JOY in worshiping our TRULY AWESOME MIGHTY SAVIOR that we cant stop thinking about! :D

Remember again, the conclusion is this:

" WORSHIP IS A LIFESTYLE, not a session"

By Victor Peh.
♥