I hear the Lord saying: Some of you have wondered whether you are striving. Some of you have wondered if you are trying to work this stuff up. Some of you have beat yourself up on whether you are performing - and I say you are not performing. You are performing before Me, for your worship comes before Me, not before men. I have taken the worshipers of The Covenant Center through, what some of you would call "hell." And I say, I am just sanctifying and transforming you. I've taken you to the cross where you have laid down your works. You've laid down men's approval. You've laid down all this stuff before Me. And the incense of your prayers and worship has come before Me, and I see no performance! I see no striving. What I do see is a desire to please Me. What I do see is a desire to worship Me. And what you say is striving, I say it's faith! What you call "working it out, and we're not sure if we've heard from You or not" - I am calling - Worship by Faith!
For there is a battle. That's why I have called it the good fight of faith. There is a fight! And the battle starts by hearing, for faith comes by hearing. And you've wondered whether you're hearing the sound of heaven or not? And sometimes you tap into My perfect sound of heaven, and other times you don't hear anything. And I say the times you don't hear Me, in anything, is what I want to address today. For just because you hear nothing, doesn't mean that I am not speaking. Because I've spoken to you in My written word. And My people in the past have sung songs of worship and praise. So whether you hear Me or not, open My word and let it rip. Open My word and praise Me, for you've found favor and you've found My anointing, and you've found My Spirit in My written word. So when I speak not - let it rip. I give you permission without guilt - and it will not be striving. You will not be trying to unction something up. And you will not have to feel guilty for fear of performing, for I have taken the performance out of you!
Some of you are so performance oriented - you're scared. Scared that you are going to miss it. You are not going to miss it when you release My Spirit! Even through My rhema word or through My written word - My logos. They are both My Spirit. So be free. Have a freedom, whether you are on the worship team or whether you are on the "worship team." Have freedom to express My love.
