Worship is the response to God’s Presence, His Anointing and Glory. Praise is declaring who He is, thanksgiving is declaring what He has, is or will do. There is a self-willed praise and thanksgiving that can get us into Presence consciousness and response—worship.

But.

There is a waiting on God.

There is emotional striving and “emotionalism” that occurs when we try to “drum up” worship. For worship leaders and musicians, it’s easy to respond to the soul and the emotions of a room, instead of waiting on God, His Anointing.

Waiting on God means letting go. Letting go of control and personal agenda. Letting go of our desire to even be heard and to be heard with a catchy hyped up song. True worship happens in the Spirit, not the soul and emotions. Feelings and emotions may be the response of Spirit to spirit worship but it is never the foundation of it.

Anointing of God, His Glory—is independent of emotion and feelings. It is founded in the Godhead. Man cannot create it. It is GIVEN by God. It is rested on us. He does the Anointing and covering, man does not.

Especially corporately, when we learn to wait on God, whether in stillness or silence, we give Him space to rest. There is a temptation for musicians and worship leaders to strive and perform but God seeks a different type of sacrifice. He seeks a humble and contrite heart. He seeks a waiting heart and spirit.

I have been in rooms filled with a 1,000 people and when the worship leader paused and allow a stillness fill the room, God’s Glory would manifest. The leader and musicians would stop and give space for Gods Spirit and Glory to brood in the room. It took waiting on God and letting go of control and forsaking musical and singing busyness.