God is calling forth extravagant worshippers. He is raising up a fresh wave of those who long to spend hours and days in His presence, enjoying His word and ministering to His heart. Like Joshua, who lingered at the tent of meeting, there is a generation of hungry hearts who don’t want to leave. They want to sing a little longer, dance a little wilder and pray a little harder. The Holy Spirit is calling forth wild worshippers with the heart of David and Mary who “waste” their lives at the feet of Jesus.
Have you ever felt weird for your passion and zeal for the Lord? Have you encountered accusations—from yourself or from others—when you step in faith and obedience? Has your passionate praise and worship ever made people uncomfortable? Have you ever been asked to quiet down, chill out or back off? You are not alone.
Every expression of radical worship and extravagant devotion in the Bible experienced pushback from the enemy and affirmation from God. Whenever a passionate lover of God pours their heart out to the Lord in a display of adoration, they are confronted with two responses—accusation from the spirit of religion and celebration from the Spirit of the Lord.
One of the glaring examples of this truth is in Matthew 26:6-13. In Bethany, Jesus is approached by a woman with an alabaster flask of costly oil. She broke open her bottle and poured it over Jesus as an offering of her love and devotion. Immediately the religious spirit inside some of the disciples rose up with an accusation—”Why this waste?” Yet Jesus responds with his affirmation—”Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a beautiful thing to me.”
I believe God wants to encourage the radical ones—you are doing a beautiful thing. Extravagant worship is beautiful to God. The Bible makes this clear. He delights in it. He receives our devotion as an offering that pleases Him. So be encouraged and keep pouring your oil on the feet of Jesus!
I share two more biblical examples of the beauty of extravagant worship in Episode 68 of the Presence Pioneers podcast. {eoa}
Matthew Lilley is an author, worship leader, intercessor and Bible teacher with a passion for God’s presence, extravagant worship and prayer, and a desire to see cities transformed by Jesus. He has helped launch two houses of prayer in North Carolina and has also served in national leadership roles in worship and prayer movements such as Burn 24-7 and Awaken the Dawn. In 2004 he founded Presence Pioneers to help fulfill his calling to connect, equip and plant presence-centered Christian communities.
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