Leading Worshipers into the Throne Room

“Throne room worship” is defined as “joining the heavenly chorus in the throne room in praise, worship and adoration before our King.” Since we are seated with Christ in heavenly places (Eph. 2:6), we are already present in the throne room. As we look, we can see the worship taking place before the Lord. As worshippers on earth, we are joining with this multitude in the heavens and together we are worshipping before our King.  See an example of throne room worship here (start 12 minutes in).

Watch Mark speaking about throne room worship on YouTube

If a worship team and a congregation see themselves worshipping before the throne and beholding their King, worship takes on a whole new dimension. It is deepened. It is more heart felt. It is more passionate. It releases more of the presence and power of God.

Some folks, (about 5-25%, from polls I have taken), do this naturally. The remaining ones need to be taught or led into this experience. It is easy to lead a congregation into throne room worship. For starters the worship team themselves need to be opening their spiritual eyes and praying that the eyes of their hearts be enlightened (Eph. 1:17,18). Then they look to see what the Holy Spirit wants to show them. Those who are natural visionaries will see a lot more than those who are naturally analytical, however we all can see visions to some extent as God has poured His Spirit out upon us all.

Since we have not because we ask not, we choose to ask God to show us a vision of the worship taking place before His throne. Then we look, just as John did in Rev. 4:1 (“I looked, and…”). Then we allow the Holy Spirit to take over just as John did. In the following verse John says, “I was in the Spirit…” (Rev. 4:2).  So we are tuning to flowing images. “Flow” is the way the Holy Spirit guides our hearts (Jn. 7:38-39). We are allowing God to show us visions of the worship taking place in His very Presence.

We see the thrones and the Father and Son sitting on them, and the Holy Spirit swirling around throughout the entire scene. Before the thrones are vast multitudes, worshipping the King. They stand, kneel, bow, dance, clap and wave banners as they honor their Lord in their midst. We join with that heavenly host doing similar things as we worship our Lord.

We shouldn’t make this hard. It must be easy enough for children to do, for we are commanded to come before the Lord as little children (Matt. 18:3). So we ask, we look, we tune to flow, and we follow along in faith that the flowing pictures we are seeing are indeed visions presented to us by the indwelling Spirit (Jn. 7:37-39). Why wouldn’t they be? He has promised that when we ask for the Spirit we receive the Spirit (Lk. 11:13) and that if we ask anything according to His will He hears us and gives us the requests we have made of Him (1 Jn. 5:14,15). We know it is His will to give us visions (Acts 2:17). So we receive in faith, period! The accuser can take his doubt and unbelief and leave!

So now that the worship team is seeing in the Spirit, they can lead the congregation into doing the same.

I feel it is very helpful to begin the worship service with a simple short prayer and declaration, so that everyone gets on the same page and lifts up their eyes to the heavens to behold their King. In light of this, I am offering below some short prayers as possible models for worship leaders to use as they begin a worship service.

“Lord, we come to present ourselves before Your throne in heavenly worship. Open the eyes of our hearts so we may behold You, seated upon Your throne with lightening flashing from Your hand (Hab. 3:4). We allow that light to pierce us as we enter into your Presence. Anoint our eyes that we may behold You. Anoint our ears that we may hear You. We come before Your heavenly throne with praise, worship and adoration.”

Then follow this up with a visionary song that depicts us coming in praise before Almighty God and declaring His grandeur, His glory and His watchful care and provision over our lives. This brings us to dancing and celebrating before our King.

Of course there are lots of prayers that could be adapted from the Psalm. Passages from the prophets and the book of Revelation could be short introductions to successive worship services, and there are many visionary songs which would lead the people into joyful declaration of the wonder of the King they have come to praise and worship.

As the congregation sees the worship team lost in vision as they worship, this will encourage them to follow suit. When we are in the King’s presence, our features change and the expressions on our faces change. Our bodily posture also changes. The congregation will see this and follow the worship team into an encounter with God before His throne.

That’s really all there is to it.

The worship team stays in flow as they lead in worship. This means you may repeat a song as long as the indwelling flow (Jn. 7:38-39) of the Holy Spirit tells you to repeat the song, driving the core message of the song deep into our hearts, transforming us. Then they move on to the next song, or a prophetic word or a prophetic gesture or whatever the Lord is leading them to next.

Additional Sample Prayers for Use at the Beginning of a Worship Service

1.“Lord, we come to present ourselves before Your throne in heavenly worship. Open the eyes of our hearts so we may behold you. We join with every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth in saying, "To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever (Rev. 5:13)." Anoint our eyes that we may behold You. Anoint our ears that we may hear You. We come before Your heavenly throne with praise, worship and adoration.”

2.“Lord, we come to present ourselves before Your throne in heavenly worship. Open the eyes of our hearts so we may behold You. Your radiance is like the sunlight. Your power is released in the rays flashing from Your hand. Sickness flees. Mountains are cast down. Your ways are eternal (Hab. 3:5,6).  Anoint our eyes that we may behold You. Anoint our ears that we may hear You. We come before Your heavenly throne with praise, worship and adoration.”

3.“Lord, we come to present ourselves before Your throne in heavenly worship. Open the eyes of our hearts so we may behold You. In your presence there is no darkness. You light up my life, like an eternal sun. You are my Lord and your rule and reign is for all generations (Rev. 22:5). Anoint our eyes that we may behold You. Anoint our ears that we may hear You. We come before Your heavenly throne with praise, worship and adoration.”

4.“Lord, we come to present ourselves before Your throne in heavenly worship. Open the eyes of our hearts so we may behold You. We see the river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb. It brings life to all it touches. It touches us and we are alive because of Your river within our hearts. You allow our lives to bring healing to those we touch. You remove the curse. We choose to serve You (Rev. 22:1,2). Anoint our eyes that we may behold You. Anoint our ears that we may hear You. We come before Your heavenly throne with praise, worship and adoration.”

5.“Lord, we come to present ourselves before Your throne in heavenly worship. Open the eyes of our hearts so we may behold You. We see the twenty-four elders falling down and worshipping God who sits on the throne. We hear the sound of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, saying, "Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns (Rev 19:7,8). We will rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and You have given us fine linen, bright and clean to clothe ourselves with so that we are ready for the marriage. Anoint our eyes that we may behold You. Anoint our ears that we may hear You. We come before Your heavenly throne with praise, worship and adoration.”

6.“Lord, we come to present ourselves before Your throne in heavenly worship. Open the eyes of our hearts so we may behold You. From the end of the earth I call to You when my heart is faint; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For You have been a refuge for me, A tower of strength against the enemy. Let me dwell in Your tent forever; Let me take refuge in the shelter of Your wings (Ps. 61:2-4). Anoint our eyes that we may behold You. Anoint our ears that we may hear You. We come before Your heavenly throne with praise, worship and adoration.”

7.“Lord, we come to present ourselves before Your throne in heavenly worship. Open the eyes of our hearts so we may behold You. You have given me an inheritance. You have prolonged my life. My years will be as many generations. I will abide in Your presence forever. Appoint lovingkindness and truth that they may preserve me. I will sing praise to Your name forever (Ps. 61:5-8). Anoint our eyes that we may behold You. Anoint our ears that we may hear You. We come before Your heavenly throne with praise, worship and adoration.”

Additional Resources

• Kari Jobe - Throne Room (Live worship)

• The Blessing with Kari Jobe & Cody Carnes | Live From Elevation Ballantyne | Elevation Worship

• Touch of Heaven - David Funk | Worship Night

• Many of the Psalms could be good visionary prayers to pray at the beginning of a worship service, as could passages from Isaiah.
• When Heaven Touches Earth book and eBook
• Check out this blog: You Can See Visions! They Are a Pathway to God
• Final Thought: We need to fix our eyes somewhere during worship. It can be on the back of people's necks, or on the screen with the words to the song on it, or on the worship taking place before God's throne. Which do you think is the better place to fix your eyes?
• Concluding Prayer Declaration: I choose to go to Mount Zion, to see it, to experience it, to invite the Holy Spirit to bring the scene alive and let me enter into that vision and have an encounter with God before His throne! Holy Spirit, lead me into these encounters. Thank You, Lord. Amen!
• Song: "As I Stand Before Your Throne"  free sheet music for downloading
• Christian Leadership University offers a distance learning degree program with a concentration in Spirit-anointed Worship Ministry

Testimony

I decided to check into throne room worship and you had a link to Terry MacAlmon which is a worship session I listened to a long time ago and actually have the CD but until you said I'm seated together with him in heavenly places and I could picture being there and then listened to it I hadn't really put myself in heaven while worshipping.

I was sort of here on earth while looking on to the worshipers in heaven---separated. After making that one connection that I could join with them that I'm actually seated there (which I knew but had not practically applied in worship, only to prayer) it made a lot of difference! I was there! A participator with heaven not an onlooker. I'm already there!!! Kate Price

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