The Greatest Secret of Worship: A Reaction to Revelation
By Gregory Toussaint | October 15th, 2025
In a world often characterized by superficiality and routine, the concept of worship can sometimes feel like another item on a checklist. We go through the motions, sing the songs, and perhaps even raise our hands, but do we truly worship? This profound question lies at the heart of a recent sermon that challenges conventional understandings of worship, redefining it not as an action, but as a reaction to the revelation of God's person, power, and promises. This blog post delves into the transformative insights shared in the sermon, exploring the four secrets to becoming a true worshipper.
Worship: More Than Just an Action, It's a Reaction
The sermon begins by dismantling a common misconception: that worship is primarily an action. While actions like singing, kneeling, or raising hands are often associated with worship. "True worship is not an action. It is a reaction." This distinction is crucial. An action can be performed out of habit or obligation, but a reaction is an involuntary, heartfelt response to an external stimulus. In the context of faith, this means worship flows from an internal encounter with God, rather than being a mere outward performance.
This redefinition elevates worship from a ritualistic exercise to a dynamic, personal engagement with the divine. It suggests that genuine worship cannot be manufactured; it must be provoked by a deeper understanding and experience of God. The sermon posits that this reaction is triggered by three primary revelations: the revelation of God's person, the revelation of God's power, and the revelation of God's promises.
Secret 1: The Revelation of God's Person – Reverence
The first secret to true worship is rooted in the revelation of God's person. The sermon draws a powerful illustration from the prophet Isaiah's encounter in Isaiah chapter 6. For five chapters, Isaiah prophesied without a direct revelation of God. But in chapter 6, everything changes: "In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple." This vision was not a physical sight but a spiritual one, seen "with the eyes of the heart, with the eyes of the mind."
Isaiah's vision of God's majesty provoked an immediate and profound reaction. He saw seraphim, celestial beings, covering their faces with two wings, their feet with two wings, and flying with two. Their cry, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!" highlights the utter reverence they held for God. This reverence, the sermon emphasizes, is a hallmark of true worship.
Just as one stands in a courtroom when a judge enters, or sits attentively during a job interview, our posture and attitude in God's presence should reflect profound respect. Chewing gum, browsing the internet, or dressing inappropriately in church are cited as indicators of a lack of reverence, suggesting that such individuals "haven't caught a glimpse of the glory of God." When one truly apprehends God's holiness, a natural response is to cover one's "nakedness" – both physical and spiritual – acknowledging His purity and our own unworthiness.
This revelation of God's person also leads to a deep awareness of one's own smallness and sinfulness. Isaiah's cry, "Woe is me! For I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts," is a classic example. When we see how high God is, we realize how lowly we are. When we see how holy He is, we recognize our sinfulness. This awareness naturally leads to bowing, kneeling, or even falling prostrate, not because someone commanded it, but because the majesty of God compels such a reaction. The first secret, therefore, is to seek a spiritual vision of God's person, allowing His holiness to provoke reverence and humility within us.
Secret 2: The Revelation of God's Power – Remembrance
The second secret to true worship stems from the revelation of God's power. The sermon illustrates this through the miraculous parting of the Red Sea for the Israelites. After 400 years of bondage in Egypt, they found themselves trapped between Pharaoh's army and the impassable sea. In this seemingly impossible situation, God commanded Moses to stretch out his hand, and the sea was divided, allowing the Israelites to walk on dry ground. Pharaoh and his army, in their foolish pursuit, were engulfed when the waters returned.
This dramatic display of divine power provoked an immediate reaction of worship. Exodus chapter 15 records Moses and the Israelites singing a song of praise: "I will sing to the Lord, for He has triumphed gloriously! The horse and its rider, He has thrown into the sea!" Their song was not a pre-planned action but a spontaneous reaction to witnessing God's undeniable might. This worship was a direct response to the demonstration of the power of God, the hand of God, the miracle of God.
Crucially, the sermon highlights that this experience of God's power wasn't a one-time event for the Israelites. They were encouraged to remember it. Psalm 136, with its recurring refrain "For His mercy endures forever," serves as an example of how they continually recalled God's past interventions, including the parting of the Red Sea and the overthrow of Pharaoh. This act of remembrance was a deliberate trigger for worship.
For us today, the second secret is to remember our own "Red Sea experiences" – those moments when God intervened miraculously in our lives. Whether it was escaping a near-fatal accident, overcoming a severe illness, or navigating an impossible financial situation, recalling God's past faithfulness ignites worship. When we don't feel like worshipping, the counsel is clear: "Remember that accident where you should have died but God came through... Remember that heart attack you were about to have, but God showed up." This act of remembering God's power in our personal histories transforms our hearts and provokes a reaction of gratitude and praise.
Secret 3: The Revelation of God's Promises – Reliance
The third secret to true worship is found in the revelation of God's promises. The sermon introduces the story of King Jehoshaphat, a young and inexperienced ruler facing a formidable coalition of three nations. Overwhelmed and afraid, Jehoshaphat called for a three-day fast, praying, "Lord, we are powerless before this great multitude that is coming against us, nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are on You." In response, the Spirit of the Lord came upon a man named Jahaziel, who prophesied, "Thus says the Lord to you: 'Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God's.'"
What happened next is pivotal: "When he received that prophetic word... Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground; and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem bowed before the Lord, worshiping Him." This worship occurred before the battle was fought, before God's power was visibly demonstrated, and before the enemy was defeated. Their worship was a reaction to the promise of God. Even when God's presence seemed distant and His power inactive, the promise served as a "lifeline" and a "lifeboat," inspiring worship based on faith in His word.
This leads to the third secret: when the presence of God feels far away and His power seems inactive, we must rely on His promises. The sermon acknowledges that every Christian will experience moments of spiritual dryness, feeling abandoned or unheard. In such times, the instruction is to "go to the word of God and start reading... until the word of God becomes the voice of God." It's about speaking God's promises over our situations, even when circumstances seem dire.
Examples given include declaring, "No weapon formed against me shall prosper," when facing opposition; proclaiming God's power over evil dreams; and affirming, "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want," when facing financial uncertainty. These declarations, rooted in God's unchanging word, trigger worship from within. The promise, even in the absence of immediate manifestation, provides a foundation for worship, transforming our fear into faith and our doubt into devotion.
Secret 4: The Greatest Secret – Thirst
The sermon culminates in what is described as the greatest secret of a worshipper: thirst. This isn't just a casual desire but a deep, unquenchable longing for God's presence, power, and promises. Psalm 42:1-2: "As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?"
This thirst is the catalyst that enables the other three revelations. When we are truly thirsty for God, He begins to reveal Himself – His person, His power, and His promises. The analogy of someone whose head is plunged underwater is used to powerfully illustrate this desperate longing: after a few seconds, nothing else matters but air. Similarly, a true worshipper reaches a point where their desire for God surpasses all other earthly desires – money, possessions, or even relationships.
King David, despite his wealth and power, exemplified this thirst, longing to be in God's temple and presence. This unquenchable desire is what God seeks in His worshippers. The sermon challenges listeners to move beyond routine and tradition, to refuse "superficial worship" and instead cultivate a deep, spiritual hunger for God. It's a call to pray for this thirst, acknowledging that our flesh naturally resists it, but through God's Spirit, we can develop an insatiable longing for Him.
Conclusion: A Call to True Worship
True worship, as illuminated by this sermon, is far from a passive activity or a mere set of actions. It is a dynamic, internal reaction born from a profound encounter with God. It is cultivated through reverence for His person, remembrance of His power, and reliance on His promises. Ultimately, the gateway to these revelations is a deep, unquenchable thirst for God Himself.
This understanding transforms our approach to worship, inviting us into a deeper, more authentic relationship with our Creator. It calls us to seek Him with all our hearts, to remember His faithfulness, and to stand firm on His word, allowing these encounters to provoke a genuine, heartfelt response of adoration and praise. May we all strive to be true worshippers whose lives are a continuous reaction to the glorious revelation of God.
Group Discussion Questions
The sermon defines true worship as a "reaction" rather than an "action." How does this distinction change your understanding of what it means to worship God? Can you recall a time when your worship was a genuine reaction to a revelation of God?
The sermon encourages remembering our experiences to provoke worship. Share a personal testimony of a time when God demonstrated His power in your life. How does recalling such moments impact your ability to worship, especially during difficult times?
The greatest secret of a worshipper is described as "thirst" for God. What does a deep, unquenchable thirst for God look like in practice? How can we cultivate and maintain such a thirst in a world filled with distractions and competing desires?
Worship Is Not an Action — It’s a Reaction
True worship is a deep, spiritual response to the revelation of the person of God, the power of God, and the promises of God. Through the story of the prophet Isaiah in chapter 6, we learn that genuine worship begins with a revelation — “In the year King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord.” When Isaiah caught a glimpse of God’s glory and holiness, reverence filled his heart, and spontaneous worship flowed from his spirit. No one had to tell him to bow, to kneel, or to cry out — the vision of God provoked it. This message challenges every believer to rise beyond routine worship and to become true worshippers whose bodies may be on earth, but whose spirits are before the throne of God. Worship that flows from revelation is reverent, humble, and alive — a reaction to who God is
Remembering the Power of God
When the children of Israel stood trapped between Pharaoh’s army and the Red Sea, God demonstrated His power — splitting the waters and delivering them from bondage. Their worship, expressed through the song of Moses in Exodus 15, was not a performance; it was a reaction to what God had done. Every believer has experienced their own Red Sea moment — a time when God made a way where there was no way. When you feel too weary to worship, remember those moments of deliverance. Remember the accident you survived, the sickness you overcame, the door that opened when all seemed lost. Worship is not an action — it is a reaction to the memory of God’s mighty power. Every time you recall His miracles, gratitude rises, and worship flows naturally from your spirit.
Holding On to the Promises of God
When King Jehoshaphat faced overwhelming odds, three nations rose against him, and fear gripped his heart. Yet in his weakness, he turned to God through fasting and prayer. The Spirit of the Lord came and declared, “The battle is not yours but God’s.” Before seeing victory, before witnessing any miracle, Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah bowed in worship — not because of what they saw, but because of what God had said. This message reminds every believer that when the presence feels distant and the power seems inactive, the promises of God remain faithful. When you can’t feel Him, go to His Word. When you don’t see a miracle, stand on His promises. Every time you remember His goodness — every Red Sea moment, every healing, every deliverance, every time He made a way — worship rises again from the depths of your soul. Worship that is a reaction, not a routine, is real, powerful, and transforming.
Thirst for God
Worship begins with revelation: the revelation of God’s person, power, and promises. Yet, revelation only comes to those who seek Him. Quoting Jeremiah 33:3 — “Call upon Me and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things” When you thirst after God, He reveals Himself to you; when you hunger for His presence, He draws near. Using Psalm 42 as a portrait of holy longing, the message invites us to become worshippers like David, who, though surrounded by comfort, longed more for God’s presence than for food, water, or success. True worshippers live with an inner cry that says, “Lord, I want You more than the air I breathe.” This teaching calls believers to move beyond routine worship and cultivate a deep spiritual thirst that transforms every song, every prayer, and every moment in God’s presence. Worship that flows from thirst is not performance — it’s passion; not duty — but desire.
