One thing that has helped me tremendously in my walk with Christ is asking Him lots of questions. Years ago I asked Him what it meant to worship God in spirit and in truth (John 4:23), and also that He would teach me how to worship Him this way. He loves answering that type of request!
Here are a few things I learned:
Effective prayer flows from a heart of worship.
In John 4, Jesus shares with the Samaritan woman the most critical aspect of prayer: worshiping God in spirit and in truth. Jesus allows a personal glimpse into the heart of the Father when He confides, “For such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers.” Knowing the Father seeks individuals who will worship Him in spirit and in truth should motivate us to be that kind of worshiper.
Worship takes prayer beyond fellowship and communication. Worship frames our praise, it evokes our thanksgiving, and is the basis for our supplications and requests. Worship enables us to intercede for others in faith. The sincere worshiper can't hide his sin, but in the process of divine adoration, he must honestly confess.
Worshiping God “in spirit” means that our prayers are not bound by location or time.
Because God is spirit, He's able to receive our worship anywhere at any time. We don't have to offer our worship at a temple site or a specific interval of time; kneeling, standing, or even facing a specific location. His Spirit helps us to know how to pray and even intercedes for us as we pray (Romans 8:26-27; 1 Corinthians 2:9-13).
Worshiping God “in truth” reminds us that our worship must be guided by the truth of His Word.
When the content of our supplications and praise is informed by Scripture, we know we're asking according to His will, which is one of the rich rewards of praying Scripture (John 15:7, 17:17). God delights in hearing His Word presented back to Him through our prayers.
Insights on worshiping God in spirit and in truth could fill a large book—these are just a few thoughts to get you started on this topic. Consider doing your own study on worship and prayer.
Will you ask Him to teach you this today?
