WAIT CONFERENCE 2025|| UNDERSTANDING WORSHIP BEYOND MUSIC|| SESSION 5|| CHIMDI M. OHAHUNA

Previously, we explored worship as giving God pleasure, which involves presenting our bodies as a living sacrifice. This study emphasizes the importance of presenting our bodies as living sacrifices. We know that God is a spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth. Our spirit man is designed to worship the Lord.

Living on Earth, we interact through our human bodies, which legally permit us to carry out transactions here. If who we are in spirit does not reflect in our bodies, we cannot reveal our true identity to humanity. Our mission is to reveal our identity to humanity. We cannot live a dual life—being born-again Christians in spirit and something else in our bodies is not possible. We are either of God or not of God. Therefore, the focus is on our bodies, and every born-again child of God should be concerned about how they live their life in their body.

Apostle Paul teaches us to glorify God in our bodies. This should be our desire as children of God. 1 Corinthians 6:20 (ISV) says, “because you were bought with a price therefore glorify God with your bodies.” The Bible in Basic English (BBE) says, “for a payment has been made for you…Let God be honored in your body.”

Honoring God in our bodies means giving God permission to be honored. It implies that we can choose whether or not to honor God in our bodies. God will not force us; He desires us to honor Him willingly. Malachi 1:6 illustrates this: “If I am a father, where is the honor due me?” Worship is about choosing to honor God in our bodies.

The King James Version (KJV) states, “for ye are bought with a price, therefore glorify God in your body.” This is where we glorify God—people do not see spirits; they see human beings. We can only show how good God is through our physical expressions of His goodness. Every time we express God’s goodness, we are worshiping the Lord. Glorifying God in our bodies means showing His goodness through our lives.

Romans 12:1-2 discusses the sanctification of the body and the soul. When born again, our spirit is one with God and perfect, but our soul must be taught the things of the Spirit and our body presented as a living offering to God. The spirit continuously worships, and when the soul aligns with the spirit, we become an incense. Our worship is incomplete without our bodies involved. This aspect of worship has been neglected in the church, leading to singing without essence. Worship is more than a feeling; it is the presentation of God through our bodies.

In worship, our body is killed on the altar of God's presence while our spirit remains alive in deep communion with God. Apostle Paul said, “I mortify my members” in God’s presence, not in a party. Living in the consciousness of God's presence mortifies the flesh’s dictates.

Contrary to the belief that old habits die hard, all habits die in God's presence. Habits that are not of God die, while those of God come alive. This call to worship is for every born-again child of God to take deliberate measures to become true worshippers.

Continuous fellowship with God causes undesirable things to die naturally. Communion brings the spirit life alive in the body, and the body life dies. To stop undesirable behaviors, focus on fellowship with God—study the Word, pray, enjoy God's presence, and stay in communion. As we fellowship with the Lord, we become living sacrifices, thus worshiping Him fully.

Jesus is Lord.