You Already Have What God Has
There is something powerful about magnifying the name of the Lord in worship. It is not merely a means to fill time before the sermon, but rather a deliberate act of glorifying and praising God.
April 17, 2023
There is something powerful about magnifying the name of the Lord in worship. It is not merely a means to fill time before the sermon, but rather a deliberate act of glorifying and praising God. Worship has the ability to shift our focus away from our problems, circumstances, and situations, and direct our attention towards God. When we worship, we acknowledge and exalt Him, and this can be especially important when we are struggling with issues such as sickness or stress.
Despite hearing the message that God is seated far above every power, rule, and principality, it is easy to become distracted and overwhelmed by our circumstances. However, worship provides a perspective that helps us to see how great and powerful God truly is. Instead of panicking or becoming anxious, we can turn our attention to God and trust in His sovereignty. Therefore, let us approach worship with intentionality and a desire to magnify the name of the Lord.
Shifting your perspective from the size of your problem to the size of your God can make a huge difference. The truth is that God is always bigger than our problems. It’s not rocket science, but sometimes it’s hard to remember. Whatever is closest to us tends to feel the biggest, whether that’s our problems or God. So if we focus on our problems, they will seem bigger, but if we focus on God, He will seem bigger. Worship can help us shift our attention away from our problems and circumstances, and see how great God truly is. It changes our perspective from one of suffering to one of awe and wonder at God’s greatness.
This is why the Psalm urges us to magnify the Lord and bless His holy name. It’s not that His name needs to be magnified, as it is already far above all other names. By speaking His name and praising Him, we’re not physically raising His name higher, but we’re intentionally acknowledging His greatness. This intentional act of worship changes our perspective from focusing on the size of our problems to focusing on the greatness of God. We can face a giant like Goliath, who was 10 feet tall, without feeling anxious or stressed because we are aware of the bigger God who is standing with us.
The story of David facing Goliath is truly surprising when you think about it. David was only around five or six feet tall, an average height for a man, while Goliath was a giant standing at 10 feet tall. Goliath was also more skilled, powerful, strong, and well-armed than David. Yet, because David was aware of God’s greatness, he was able to fight boldly and even taunt Goliath by calling him an “uncircumcised Philistine.” This shows how worship can change our perspective and give us courage in the face of daunting challenges.
David was a worshiper even before he became a king, and this illustrates that worship is not just for musicians or those who enjoy music. Worship is for every child of God to magnify the name of Jesus. It doesn’t matter how well you sing or play an instrument, God loves to hear His children worship Him in any way they can. So don’t be discouraged if you don’t think you have a great singing voice, because the most important thing is to have a heart of worship.
Worship should be an integral part of our lifestyle, because it is not just about the music. It is about magnifying God’s name and making Him bigger in our lives. That’s why I don’t like songs that focus on our problems, like “the cup of suffering.” Such songs do not magnify God; they magnify our problems. We worship God not to magnify our problems, but to magnify His greatness and how great He is.
No matter how difficult or unexpected our circumstances may be, worship can change things. When we worship, we align our minds and hearts with the reality of heaven, where worship is the primary activity. So let’s make worship a regular part of our lives, not just in church but in our everyday routines. By doing so, we will experience a deeper sense of God’s presence and see our problems in a new perspective.
Worshiping God on earth is a unique privilege because we can worship Him even in the midst of our suffering. In heaven, there will be no suffering, and therefore, we won’t have the opportunity to worship God through our trials. That’s why it’s essential to make worship a lifestyle, to magnify His name in every situation we face.
You will learn that there is no suffering in heaven. There will be no tears, weeping, or gnashing of teeth. But on earth, when you face disappointments, betrayal, and discouragements, worshiping God brings a pleasing sound like a fragrant offering to the Lord. This is beautiful. No worship in heaven can match the children of God magnifying the name of Jesus through the suffering they are going through. They magnify God, not the suffering, and believe in God while giving thanks. It’s easy to be joyful when you have money in your account, when you’re young, or just starting out with nothing to risk. But kingdom joy is having nothing in your account and still being joyful.
Experiencing joy even when there’s no security is the joy of the Lord. Worshiping God through whatever you’re going through is a privilege that can change your perspective, mind, and experience of life. So try it out. You’ll be blessed.
You already have what God has
2 Peter 1:3 – His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to[a] his own glory and excellence.
This passage may seem complex because it contains many self-referential phrases. However, if I were to ask you what the authorization is for accessing what these words are talking about, the answer is His divine power. His divine power grants us eligibility to access all things that God has. The authorization is divine power. And when does it become accessible? The passage states that His divine power has already granted us access. It’s not something that will be done; it’s already been taken care of. So in summary, the authorization is divine power, and it has already been granted to us.
What do we get access to through His divine power? We get access to all things – everything that pertains to life and godliness. The word ‘all’ means all, not half, not some, but everything. In other words, Peter is telling the church that they already have everything that God has. There’s a meme on Instagram that shows a person who is overweight searching through an empty fridge. The caption reads, ‘everything you seek is already inside of you.’ Similarly, through His divine power, we already have access to everything we need for life and godliness.
This passage states that we have access to everything that God has – all things that pertain to life and godliness. This means we have access to everything Jesus has, everything the Father has, and everything the Holy Spirit has. So how do we access this? The passage tells us that we access it through the knowledge of God or the knowledge of Jesus. To put it simply, we access it through knowledge – knowledge of God, knowledge of Jesus.
What is the purpose of God giving us all things that pertain to life and godliness? Who called us to his own glory and excellence, and for what purpose? The answer is that God has authorized us through his divine power to have access to all things that pertain to life and godliness, and this is already done. We receive this authorization through the knowledge of God. The purpose of this authorization is for God’s glory and excellence.
To help illustrate this point, imagine a royal king who lives in a big palace with a room known as the treasury. This room is filled with all the treasures of the kingdom. The king has given you a card that grants you complete authorization to open that door and take whatever you want from the treasury. This is an incredible privilege, and it’s all for the king’s glory and excellence.
Imagine yourself holding the access card to the treasury room filled with all the treasures of the kingdom. As you approach the door, the guards verify your access card and grant you entry. You have the privilege to take whatever you want, all for the king’s glory and excellence. This access card is not something you earned or made yourself eligible for. It is God’s divine power that authorized and qualified you to receive this gift.
So, why do you need God’s divine power? Think of it like electric wiring in a house. If the wire’s quality is poor, passing high amounts of electricity through it will burn it out. Similarly if you rely solely on your own power and strength to achieve your goals, you will eventually burn out. To receive what God has in store for you, you must allow divine power to work within you.
Zechariah 4:6, “Not by power, not by strength, but by my Spirit,” says the Lord.
Receiving something from the Lord, such as a heavenly treasure, requires God’s divine power and ability because it is unlimited and of a superior quality. Receiving what God has for you truly requires His divine power. If you try to do it through your own strength, you will eventually burn out. God’s power is working within you so that you can receive all the blessings He has for you. If you don’t partner with God’s power and try to rely solely on your own strength, you will get burnt out.
It’s similar to when someone who doesn’t know how to swim gets into the water and starts to drown. They can’t be helped unless they surrender and allow the lifeguard to save them. Similarly, you must surrender and allow God’s power to work within you to receive all the blessings He has in store for you.
It is important to remember that if someone is struggling, you should not try to help them beyond your own strength. If you do, you may end up putting yourself in danger as well. Instead, it is best to wait until they become tired and can no longer fight. In the same way, sometimes when we are striving to achieve our goals, God may be waiting for us to let go of our own efforts and surrender to His will. We may become frustrated and wonder why things are not happening on our timeline, but it is only when we surrender and operate from a place of rest that we can receive God’s blessings. We must trust in His divine power and timing to receive all that He has in store for us.
After hearing a sermon, it is common to wonder what we need to do to experience healing, prosperity, or deliverance from demonic oppression. However, the problem may be that we are doing too much and not surrendering enough. Instead, we need to trust in God’s divine power to do what we cannot.
2 Corinthians 12:9, “His strength is perfected in your weakness.”
It is not our strength that attracts God’s strength, but our weakness. If we are strong in an area, we may not experience God’s strength because we are relying on our own abilities. We must be weak in that area to truly experience God’s strength. That is why Paul boasts about his weaknesses, so that God’s strength may be perfected in his life. We should also focus on our weaknesses and boast about them, all for the glory of God. So, instead of trying to do everything ourselves, let us surrender and trust in God’s strength to work in and through us.
It can be tempting to boast about our strengths and abilities, but Paul’s words remind us that boasting about our weaknesses is what attracts God’s strength into our lives. This concept may seem counterintuitive, but by humbling ourselves and acknowledging our weaknesses, we create space for God’s power to work within us. Just as a cup cannot hold more water when it is already full, we must empty ourselves to receive God’s powerfully. So, if you are feeling disappointed or discouraged, ask yourself if it is because you have been trying too hard or if you have truly surrendered to God’s power. Only by surrendering can we receive all that God has in store for us.
Jesus reminds us in Matthew 11:28-30 to come to Him when we are weary and burdened, and He will give us rest. We should take His yoke, which is light, and surrender our heavy burdens to Him. Similarly, in Ephesians 3:16, Paul prays for God to strengthen us with His power through His Spirit, but he does so for a specific purpose. He wants us to be rooted and grounded in love so that Christ may dwell in our hearts through faith. So, while it is important to pray for God’s power, we should remember to do so with the right intention – to grow in love and faith and to allow Christ to dwell in our hearts.
Paul is conveying that the power of God is not meant for healing, prosperity or deliverance. Instead, its purpose is to provide you with the strength to comprehend. The word “comprehend” here refers to the act of understanding. With the power of God, you will have the strength to understand and comprehend, along with all the saints, the breadth, length, height, and depth of God’s love. Furthermore, you will be able to know the love of Christ, which surpasses all knowledge. Paul’s prayer is for God’s power to fill you so that you can comprehend the magnitude of His love and be filled with the fullness of God.
As Christians, especially those who come from second or third-generation Christian families, we often hear messages about God’s love and become familiar with the idea of it. However, Paul points out that to experience the next dimension of God’s love, we need to be filled with His power. Without His power, the intensity of God’s love can burn us out from the inside. On the other hand, have you ever heard of God’s wrath? If you haven’t, it’s likely that you’ve never been to church. Surprisingly, God’s wrath is an expression of God’s love.
It’s important to understand that God is not bipolar, meaning He is not angry at one moment and super-loving at another. He is always full of love. However, for people who don’t have the capacity to receive God’s love, it can become God’s wrath. For those who have not surrendered to His divine power, His love can be so intense that it becomes torturous. This is why, when Moses asked to see God, God replied that he couldn’t because he didn’t have the power and strength to see Him. God is all-consuming, and the moment you see Him, everything in you will be consumed by His love and goodness. As Christians, we worship an all-consuming God who is full of love and goodness. However, we often think of God’s love as just being a gooey, cuddly love when in reality, it’s so much more than that.
We sometimes view God’s love as just a cuddly, comfortable feeling, but it’s actually all-consuming. His love has the power to consume every unrighteous and ungodly aspect of our being. However, it’s God’s grace that restrains His love towards us because He knows we don’t have the capacity to fully receive it. To understand and experience the magnitude of His love, we need His divine strength. It’s a common misconception to think that if things aren’t going well in our lives, it’s because God doesn’t love us. In reality, it’s the opposite. We may not have surrendered enough to His power to experience more of His love. He loves us so much that His love has the power to consume us.
God’s love has the power to consume every aspect of our selfishness, but that can be dangerous if that’s all we have. That’s why He transforms us from within, with His patience and grace, taking us from glory to glory. It’s a gradual process, not a straight promotion that could overwhelm us. To receive all that God has in store for us, we need His divine power. This is why we must understand the importance of His power and our need for it. The good news is that we already have it because it’s been given to us. All that’s left is for us to receive it.
The work has already been accomplished. When Jesus uttered the words, “It is finished,” it meant that the business deal between God and humanity was complete. From a time and space perspective, this occurred at that moment. “Tetelestai” is the Greek word used for “It is finished,” which means that the legal case has been resolved, and the contract is finished. So, whatever you may be struggling with, hoping for, or praying for, the good news is that it has already been taken care of. Healing, deliverance, promotion, and all your other needs were completed when Jesus declared, “It is finished.”
Yes, that’s correct. The finished work of Christ on the cross made it possible for us to receive God’s divine power and all that He has for us. It’s not something we can earn or deserve on our own, but it’s a gift that we need to receive by faith in Jesus. And as believers, we have obtained a faith of equal standing with the apostles and all those who have gone before us in the faith, because of the righteousness of God that is imputed to us through Christ. So we can have confidence and assurance that we have already received what God has for us, and we can walk in His divine power and authority to fulfill His purposes in our lives.
Christ has paid it all. He has paid for your debts – your sins, sickness, and oppression. It’s in the past tense, which means you don’t need to earn it, you simply need to receive it. Now, let’s move on to the next point. What do you have access to? You have access to all things that pertain to life and godliness. “All” means everything.
Zoe Life
Imagine with me for a moment that Jeff Bezos, the CEO of Amazon and one of the world’s wealthiest men, has mansions in every city in the world, along with cars and commercial properties. He gives you a MasterCard that gives you access to all of these resources. How excited would you be? You can travel anywhere using his private jet, stay in any of his mansions across the world, and drive any car you desire. It’s an incredible thought, isn’t it? But now, consider that when God says He has given you access to all things that pertain to life and godliness, He means it. The word “life” in this context comes from the Greek word “zoe,” which means the God kind of life, not the Jeff Bezos kind of life. God has given you access to everything you need to live a life that is pleasing to Him.
John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
Everlasting life is not simply an ending that happens after death. It’s about having a life that reflects the nature of God.
John 10:10, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”
This means that Jesus came to give us the God kind of life, abundant and fulfilling. God has blessed us with all things that pertain to life, including the God kind of life. The next thing the passage mentions is godliness, which refers to God’s nature. Jeff Bezos could give you a MasterCard that grants access to all his resources, but he cannot give you his nature.
Although Jeff Bezos could give you access to all his resources, you would not necessarily be able to use them as he does, since it takes a great deal of skill and knowledge to maintain his level of wealth. Similarly, when God gives you access to the God kind of life, He also gives you His nature so that you can live His life and use those resources as He would. This means that you have the ability to operate with God’s nature, just as if you were born of Him.
To operate with God’s nature, you must either be born of Him, have His DNA as His son or daughter, or learn from Him through nurture. The beauty of God’s provision is that He has given you both. You are born of God and can imitate Him. This is why access to all things pertaining to life and godliness comes through relational and intimate knowledge of God. God wants you to imitate Him so that you can live His life and acquire His nature.
Ephesians 5:1 says, “Therefore be imitators of God as dear children.”
He’s your father, so you can imitate him. But imitation requires a deep understanding of the relationship between you and him. Similarly, although God has blessed us with everything we need for a life of godliness, without a close and intimate relationship with Him, we may not know how to tap into those blessings. It’s like having a billion dollars in the bank but not knowing how to access it. You’re left frustrated, wondering why you can’t make use of your wealth. Unfortunately, many Christians are like a person who owns thousands of acres of land but only lives in one small corner because they don’t know how to access, possess, and live the abundant life that God has prepared for them.”
Intimate knowledge
God’s divine power has given you the authority to access His life and nature, but this power can only be activated through a deep and intimate relationship with Him. For example, when I married Betty, I used to be someone who preferred to stay at home and didn’t enjoy interacting with people. Talking to others would drain me. Betty, on the other hand, loved socializing, spending time with people, and enjoyed things like food, music, and relationships. But after six years of marriage, our personalities have changed. I have become more social, and I enjoy being around people, music, and sound. Betty’s personality has also shifted. This transformation happened because in a relationship, our personalities rub off on each other.
2 Corinthians 3:18 – And we all, with unveiled faces, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.
When you maintain a close relationship with God, His nature and personality begin to rub off on you, and you start to become more like Him. Paul describes this transformation, he says that as you behold God, you are transformed from one degree of glory to another. But how do you behold God? It can only happen through intimacy and a deep relationship with Him. Beholding someone for an extended period of time, especially a stranger, is awkward and uncomfortable. But as you behold God, and as you develop an intimate relationship with Him, you start to see Him more clearly. And the more you see Him, the more you become like Him, as what you see is what you become.
The more you focus on your problems, the more you become consumed by them. Your perspective shapes your reality, and if all you see is your problems, then you’ll become more problematic. For example, if you constantly check your bank balance and worry about money, you’ll start to feel poorer and more anxious. That’s why it’s essential to focus on something bigger and more majestic than your problems. The greatest privilege we have is to see God for who He is and to behold His glory. As we behold Him and see the face of Jesus, we start to become more like Him. This kind of beholding isn’t a quick glance or a temporary fix. It’s a deep and abiding relationship, where we dwell under the shadow of the Almighty. By dwelling in His presence, we can experience His peace and His power to overcome our problems.
“I find Psalm 91 very inspiring. It says that I will not just visit the shelter of the most high, but I will dwell there, making His presence my habitation. When we truly behold God, He transforms us and we become more like Him. This personality shift changes everything – no longer do our bank balances, people’s opinions, or clients’ demands matter as much. We see every problem as an opportunity and approach them with excitement. It’s amazing! Speaking of transformation, let’s revise the conversation we had earlier. What was the authorization you received and when did you get it? It’s already done. What exactly did you receive? You received all things pertaining to life and godliness, the God kind of life and nature.”
Calling of Glory & Excellence
How do you get it? Through relational, intimate knowledge of God. In this context, the word ‘knowledge’ is derived from the same word used in the Old Testament when it says that Adam knew Eve, meaning an intimate and relational knowledge. Adam didn’t just know Eve’s physical attributes such as her height, but he knew her intimately. However, one crucial element is missing, and that is purpose. Imagine these things I’m sharing with you as legs of a chair. If even one leg is missing, the chair will be unbalanced. All legs need to be of equal value, length, and weight-bearing capacity. The final leg is purpose – you must understand why God has blessed you with all things that pertain to His life and godliness.
One leg that we often miss in our lives is understanding theology, intimacy with the Father, and His power to work through us. We also need to understand surrender. However, the missing piece that hinders us from moving to the next level of glory that God has for us is purpose. His divine power has granted us everything we need for life and godliness, as well as the knowledge of Him who called us. There is a specific calling on each of our lives that we must discover and pursue.
The divine power working in you is not solely for the purpose of making you the next billionaire. There is a calling on your life, and even if that calling is to become a billionaire, it has a greater purpose beyond accumulating wealth and possessions. There is a divine purpose for your life, and when you align yourself with it, you will see provision flow. Provision follows God’s vision, and without knowing God’s vision for your life, you cannot experience His provision. It may be difficult to accept, but God will not unleash something on you that you are not ready for. God is a God of extravagance, and when we pursue His vision for our lives, we can expect to receive abundant blessings.
God is capable of feeding 20,000 people with just fried bread and two fish, but He is not a God who wastes. Even after everyone is fed, He instructs them to gather all the leftover loaves and fish, resulting in 12 baskets. God’s extravagance does not equate to wastefulness. If you do not know your purpose, God will not unleash resources that you are not equipped to use effectively. Without understanding your purpose, those resources will remain stagnant, and God does not waste His blessings.
The Bible says that God is calling you into His own glory and excellence, not the glory and excellence of a billionaire. Although rich people may dress and speak excellently, that is not the standard for which we are called. As children of God, we are called to demonstrate His glory and excellence. You may be feeling suffocated and frustrated because you have not yet glimpsed the fullness of that calling. John 13:3 gives us a glimpse of that calling. Jesus knew that the Father had given Him all things, and He knew where He had come from. He understood the fullness of His purpose, and we too must seek to understand our own divine purpose.
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