We conclude our mini-series on worship by talking about why worship is needful for the Christian.  What are the benefits of worship?  The results?

Psalm 22:3 (KJV) says:

But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.

In the New American Standard Bible (NASB) it reads:

Yet You are holy, O You who are enthroned upon the praises of Israel.

Worship brings the presence of God.  God dwells in, or is enthroned in, our praises.  And the presence of God carries healing, provision, deliverance; all we need.  

Because worship ushers us into the presence of God, it gives us fullness of joy (Psalm 16:11).  And according to Nehemiah 8:10, the joy of the Lord is our strength.  Therefore, we receive joy and strength through our worship.

Praise and worship prepares our hearts to receive the Word of God.  The name Judah means praise in Hebrew.  Hosea 10:11 (KJV) says that "Judah shall plow."  So, we could say "praise shall plow."  And our hearts are described as "ground" in the parable of the sower, so praise plows the ground of our hearts so the seed of the word can take root and grow.  That is why many churches have a time of worship before the Word is delivered.

Worship will defeat the enemy.  In II Chronicles chapter 20, King Jehoshaphat appointed singers to lead the army toward the enemy.

He said: “Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the Lord says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s.  Tomorrow march down against them. They will be climbing up by the Pass of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the gorge in the Desert of Jeruel.  You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you.’” Jehoshaphat bowed down with his face to the ground, and all the people of Judah and Jerusalem fell down in worship before the Lord. Then some Levites from the Kohathites and Korahites stood up and praised the Lord, the God of Israel, with a very loud voice. Early in the morning they left for the Desert of Tekoa. As they set out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Listen to me, Judah and people of Jerusalem! Have faith in the Lord your God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will be successful.”  After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the Lord and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying: “Give thanks to the Lord, for his love endures forever.”  As they began to sing and praise, the Lord set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated. The Ammonites and Moabites rose up against the men from Mount Seir to destroy and annihilate them. After they finished slaughtering the men from Seir, they helped to destroy one another. When the men of Judah came to the place that overlooks the desert and looked toward the vast army, they saw only dead bodies lying on the ground; no one had escaped.  So Jehoshaphat and his men went to carry off their plunder, and they found among them a great amount of equipment and clothing and also articles of value—more than they could take away. There was so much plunder that it took three days to collect it.    II Chronicles 20:15-25 (New International Version- NIV)

If you need to plunder the devil, then praise and worship God.  If you are believing God for a healing, then worship Him.  If you need peace, joy, strength, anointing, then worship Him.  What you need can be found in worship, because you will encounter the Giver of all good things when you worship.