What practical steps can we take to ensure our worship remains God-centered?

The warning from Revelation 13 : 4

“They worshiped the dragon who had given authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, ‘Who is like the beast, and who can wage war against it?’”

Those words expose how easily human hearts drift toward impressive substitutes. Scripture records this literal future event to caution every generation: worship can slide from God to whatever seems powerful, popular, or immediate.

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Practical steps that keep our worship God-centered

• Recognize every rival early

– Exodus 20 : 3 reminds, “You shall have no other gods before Me.”

– Regularly ask, “What or whom am I praising most passionately?” If anything outranks the Lord, repent immediately (1 John 1 : 9).

• Anchor gatherings in the Word, not feelings

– Colossians 3 : 16: “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly…”

– Plan songs, readings, and teaching that flow from clear Scripture texts. Let the congregation hear, read, and sing God’s own words more than human commentary.

• Exalt the incomparable character of God

– Psalm 115 : 1: “Not to us, LORD, not to us, but to Your name give glory…”

– Start services with attributes of God—His holiness, grace, sovereignty—so hearts lift upward before considering personal needs.

• Keep Christ crucified and risen at the center

– 1 Corinthians 2 : 2: “For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.”

– Celebrate the Lord’s Supper regularly; weave the gospel into every sermon and testimony.

• Worship in Spirit and truth

– John 4 : 24: “God is Spirit, and His worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.”

– Pray for the Spirit’s filling before, during, and after gatherings. Depend on His power instead of stagecraft or mood lighting.

• Guard lyrical content

– Evaluate songs: Do they declare Scripture, or merely echo culture? Do they spotlight God’s works more than human response?

– Remove pieces that distort doctrine or inflate self-esteem above God’s glory.

• Foster congregational participation

– Ephesians 5 : 19 calls us to “speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs.”

– Encourage audible singing, shared Scripture readings, and testimonies. When all voices rise, focus shifts from performers to the Lord.

• Cultivate reverence and awe

– Hebrews 12 : 28-29: “…let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.”

– Provide moments of quiet reflection. Let weighty silence remind everyone Whose presence we’ve entered.

• Aim for God’s glory in every detail

– 1 Corinthians 10 : 31: “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all to the glory of God.”

– From announcements to benediction, ask, “Does this elevate God or distract from Him?” Adjust accordingly.

By measuring worship against these clear, literal truths, we resist the pull of Revelation 13 : 4 and maintain gatherings where every heart can truly say, “Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor” (1 Chronicles 29 : 11).