Don't Lose Your Voice

This week join us as associate Pastor Ryan Vinson lays out what it means to live a life of worship. We hope you enjoy this message straight from the heart. Worship on Sunday morning… does beyond a time filler or you sounding good… it’s deeper.   Define… Praise and worship   I want to present this idea to you that the verbal praise and worship that could come out of your mouth, has the power to change your perspective, your situation, your community, and even your life. (PRAY) (Breakdown Story) Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening. 26 Suddenly, there was a massive earthquake, and the prison was shaken to its foundations. All the doors immediately flew open, and the chains of every prisoner fell off! 27 The jailer woke up to see the prison doors wide open. He assumed the prisoners had escaped, so he drew his sword to kill himself. 28 But Paul shouted to him, “Stop! Don’t kill yourself! We are all here!”29 The jailer called for lights and ran to the dungeon and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 Then he brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” Acts 16:25-30 (NLT) (Breakdown Story) NO matter how dark their situation… no matter how bleak their circumstance… They were going to praise God.  They understood the potential that the praise coming out of them had to change their situation.  And miracles happened… ALL BECAUSE THEY DIDN’T LOSE THEIR VOICE. 3 reasons why you can’t lose your voice:    1.        Your Voice has Power   (Talkers vs. non-talkers… me and my wife) The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit. Proverbs 18:21 (NIV) What if we really believed Proverbs18:21?  What if “The power of life and death is in the tongue” was more than just a principal on how we should talk to people…but was actually a truth that had the power to transform our perspective on the things we are facing?! This is why we sing… this is why the first 20-30 min of our Sunday morning experience is music and signing… because we understand that if you can exercise your faith verbally DESPITE your circumstances that it will set you up to be transformed by God’s Truth for your life!  Worship is not about your ability to sing, personal preference, feeling, or what you are facing… We don’t praise Him because life is good… we praise Him because HE IS GOOD!  (Paul and Silas… not emotional, actually logical!) A bit in the mouth of a horse controls the whole horse. A small rudder on a huge ship in the hands of a skilled captain sets a course in the face of the strongest winds. A word out of your mouth may seem of no account, but it can accomplish nearly anything—or destroy it! James 3:3-5 (MSG) Your voice has power…to REALIGN you with the truth of who God is and that he is for you! 2.      Your Voice is a Problem   Piggybacking off of point number one… because of the power your voice holds, it can literally be a problem for your problem.    Simply put… YOUR PRAISE can be a problem for your circumstance, your sickness, your doubt, your marriage problems, your addiction, YOUR PRAISE CAN BE A PROBLEM… for YOUR PROBLEM.   (The devil expects you to be silent!!!)   (All through the Psalms…Giving attention BACK to God…  THIS IS WORSHIP) My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? Why are you so far away when I groan for help? 2 Every day I call to you, my God, but you do not answer. Every night you hear my voice, but I find no relief. 3 Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel. Psalm 22:1-3 (NLT) You see… I hope by now we have all realized that we live in a broken world filed with conflict, strife, hurt and pain… This is NOT our final destination.  But what the devil will try to do is get us SO FOCUSED on what we are going through that we forget who God really is!!  (PAUL AND SILAS)   Worship when we come together… “Lift your voice!”    “I’ve come to worship…”   3.      Your Voice can set People Free   (Our worst Rehearsals…it has nothing to do with music)   (Music IS powerful… even spiritual)  “Free Bird”  Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel. Psalm 22:3 (NLT) When we praise… His presence is manifested… that’s when lives change… Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening. 26 Suddenly, there was a massive earthquake, and the prison was shaken to its foundations. All the doors immediately flew open, and the chains of every prisoner fell off!           Acts 16:25-26 (NLT)   It’s not our job to understand… just praise him anyway.  It’s not your job to heal people, just talk about how He’s our healer.  It’s not your job to save your friends and family, just be a living response to who HE is and what HE has done.    IT’S NOT OUR JOB TO SAVE OUR CITY… JUST POINT PEOPLE TO HIM! (The chains of others)   We think praise and worship is limited to the 20-30 min on a Sunday morning… no, it’s a lifestyle.   “Have you heard?” And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” John 12:32 (NIV) What if your neighbor, co-worker, you kids, your parents, your friends… HEARD you talk about how good your God is… regardless of what you are facing.  How many “prisoners” might be set free because you pointed people to HIM. Praise the Lord! Praise God in his sanctuary; raise him in his mighty heavens! 2 Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his excellent greatness! 3 Praise him with trumpet sound; praise him with lute and harp! 4 Praise him with tambourine and dance; praise him with strings and pipe! 5 Praise him with sounding cymbals; praise him with loud clashing cymbals! 6 Let everything that has breath praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!                 Psalm 150:1-6 (ESV) How do develop a lifestyle of worship?  How do we make sure we don’t lose our voice? 1.        Understand how God wired you (you voice has power) 2.      Set aside time daily (God’s Word worship music… NOT waiting for a feeling) 3.      Resolve to Praise HIM anyway (HE IS GOD... ALWAYS) Challenge: This morning…maybe you’ve walked in for the first time.  Maybe this morning… you need your voice back.  Where ever you are…