As I was on the plane flying to California the other day I was inspired to write out some thoughts on keys to worshiping and experiencing Jesus every day. Obviously, these aren’t the only keys and core values in worship but just some that I highly value.

Dependence – Realizing that you actually need Jesus. Without Him, you are poor in spirit and completely barren and lacking. He is the source of all life. Without Him, nothing has existence. You were created to hunger and thirst for Jesus alone. As you come into agreement with this, you will allow Jesus to move more and more powerfully in your life. Dependence reveals what you really put worth and value in. As you trust Jesus, you will automatically be putting your worth in Him or worshiping Him.

Yield – Make room for God. Realize that His ways are higher than yours. What you suppose is not always His way. Your yielding in worship acknowledges that He is the Lord. The heart that yields to the Lord cries “Father, have your way!” Yielding allows Holy Spirit to freely do what He does best – reveal Jesus and draw us deeper into the heart of the Father. As you yield to Him, you acknowledge that He know what He’s doing!

Sacrifice - The Father wants all of you, every part. Open your heart to all of God and watch Him move more than you could of ever imagined. He desires a sacrifice of praise. True worship is a gift of love that actually costs you something - your whole life and nothing less. He died and shed His blood for every ounce of your being. Offer yourself to Him as a living sacrifice.

Desire – Desire is what you truly want and long for. Jesus doesn’t just want you to need Him, He wants for you to want Him. You pursue and focus on whatever you desire most! Don’t worry, you don’t even have to work up that desire because it’s already in you. Whether you know it or not, Jesus is the deepest desire of every heart and creation. He’s the desire of the nations! He intentionally created us to yearn for Him. Just simply realize it and then go deep in worship from that place.  Desire makes the heart burn and the Father wants us to burn for Him in worship! He uses desire to set us ablaze in the Spirit!

Expectation - Break out of your box of “this is the way it always goes” Don’t just go through the motions. Tradition isn’t inherently a bad thing but it is when it limits God and causes the move of God to be stagnant in your life. Be bold enough to expect God to things that only He can do. Expect the impossible to happen. Expect God to take you deeper into the goodness of His Presence every time you experience Him.

Maturing in Childlikeness - Jesus came to launch us into the glorious inheritance and identity of being a son/daughter of God. It’s okay to be a kid in His Presence. He loves it! He gave us His Spirit so that we could continuously approach and experience Him as “Abba, Father” or “Daddy”. Kids trust without hesitation or reservation. Kids have an acute sense of wonder and awe that always draws them into deeper waters and newness. Kids are innocent and pure in their worship and devotion. Kids realize that they aren’t the kings of the world and have a source that is bigger than them. Kids aren’t afraid to try new things and go new places.

Simplicity – Don’t strive and work to be so “super-spiritual” all the time. Stop trying so hard. You’re going to wear yourself out if you don’t relax, abide and just be natural. Sometimes the most powerful worship is the most simplistic. Sometimes the only word that will come out in worship is holy, because that encompasses so much. There are other times when you’ll come into His Presence and you don’t even have to say a word. He just wants you to be with Him. 

Unending Thanksgiving – Rejoicing in the Lord all the time. Every circumstance. Every situation. Thanksgiving positions us to receive and reap more blessing, favor and abounding grace. Thanksgiving defeats sorrow. Thanksgiving supersedes heaviness and yolks of bondage. Thanksgiving frees us from our disappointments and regrets. Thanksgiving overtakes despair, hopelessness and depression. Thanksgiving recognizes the active move of the Spirit and lifts high the testimonies of the Lord’s goodness, causing us to launch even deeper into all that He has in store. Thanksgiving prepares the way for more. Know that God doesn’t just bless you in worship but he wants you to pour out praise that will bless his heart, too! Praise, thanksgiving and worship are the greatest rewards that Jesus can receive for His sufferings and sacrifice on the Cross.

Awareness – Using the eyes to see and the ears to hear that He’s already given us as new creations. The more we see and experience Him, the more we are drawn to worship Him. Open your eyes to God all around you. He’s in everything. Awareness lets us actualize reality. Wherever you’re at and whatever doing, be intentional about continually turning your gaze and full focus on Jesus and just watch that lift you and boost you throughout your day!

Rightful Response – Everything God does demands a response. Praise is rightfully responding to what Jesus has done and is doing. Worship is not a one-way street. It’s impossible for us to grasp all that Jesus has done for us and not respond to Him by giving Him all we are in return. Jesus laid down his whole life for us and desires the reward of his suffering, which is us laying down all that we are for him. Focus in on what He’s done for you and let that move you to the point where His praise is continually on your lips!

Adoration – Take time to sit in that secret place with Jesus and just gaze upon His beauty and splendor. He wants to you behold Him in all of His goodness. Just be with Him. Adoration recognizes Jesus as the “Lover of your soul”. Adoration is the simple expression of the overflow of love. When you see Jesus in all of His wonder and beauty, it will be natural to adore Him because that’s what you were created for. 

Delight - God doesn't want you to ever worship him because "you have to" but because you actually want to. Worshiping and knowing Jesus is a delight not a duty. Religion says its a duty but relationship says its a pure delight. Psalm 16 declares that "In His Presence is the fullness of joy and at His right hand are pleasures forevermore." That is a perfect picture of a life filled with worship. Worshiping Jesus is not a burden! It's pure bliss, pleasure and joy! He himself is pleasure! Jesus came to restore us back to a place of Eden with HIm, which means pleasure in Hebrew! Scripture says that His love is better than wine! He desires for us to be unendingly overwhelmed by His goodness as we worship Him! He wants us to enjoy Him in all of His goodness! The core of delight in worship cries "oh taste and see that the Lord is good!"