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How to Live a Life of True Worship

Giving Our Entire Life as a Living Sacrifice

"Dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him."
Romans 12:1 (NLT)
Rev. Casimir Bilong
Harvest Intercontinental Church - Olney
November 16, 2025

The Question Every Believer Must Answer

"Now that I'm saved, what does the Lord expect of me?"
  • God saved us and transformed our lives completely
  • We cannot just live our lives as we see fit
  • We must be serious about our Christian walk
  • The answer is found in Romans 12

The Foundation of True Worship

"Dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect."
Romans 12:1-2 (NLT)

Living a Life of True Worship

  • Living Sacrifice: Give your entire life—body, soul, and spirit
  • Holy Sacrifice: Made holy by the Holy Spirit dwelling in us
  • On the Altar: Not at the altar or by the altar—ON the altar permanently
  • Totally Dedicated: A life completely consecrated to God
  • Acceptable to God: The kind of sacrifice He finds pleasing

Six Key Principles

For Living a Life of True Worship

Principle 1: Beware of the World

"Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world."
Romans 12:2a
  • The world's systems are broken, wicked, and dangerous
  • Don't trust political, economic, or social systems
  • You have direct access to the Creator of the Universe
  • Don't make major life decisions based on worldly standards

Principle 2: Submit to Transformation

"Let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think."
Romans 12:2b
  • Transformation happens through daily meditation on God's Word
  • Meditation is the most important key to spiritual growth
  • This is not a microwave process—it takes patience
  • As you meditate, you become more like Christ

Principle 3: Understand Your Role

"Don't think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves... We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other."
Romans 12:3-4
  • You're important, but not more important than your neighbor
  • No gift is superior to other gifts
  • God has given each person unique gifts for the body
  • Know your place and embrace your role

Principle 4: Assume Your Responsibility

  • If you can prophesy, speak out with faith
  • If your gift is serving, serve well
  • If you are a teacher, teach well
  • If your gift is encouraging, be encouraging
  • If your gift is giving, give generously
  • If you have leadership ability, take it seriously
  • If you show kindness, do it gladly
When you sit on your gift, you hurt yourself and the body

Principle 5: Build Genuine Relationships

"Don't just pretend to love others. Really love them."
Romans 12:9
  • No plastic smiles—be genuine in your love
  • Hate what is wrong, hold tightly to what is good
  • Love each other with genuine affection
  • Be ready to help when God's people are in need
  • Always be eager to practice hospitality
  • When you ask "How are you?" mean it genuinely

Principle 6: Reflect Christ to the World

  • Bless those who persecute you—don't curse them
  • Be happy with those who are happy, weep with those who weep
  • Remember: unbelievers can't help their behavior
  • Live in harmony with each other
  • Don't be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people
  • Always be ready to learn from anyone
  • We are Christ's ambassadors to the world

Prayer Points

Living a Life of True Worship

Prayer for Total Consecration

Father, we come before You acknowledging that we have been saved by Your grace and mercy. We ask for the grace to live our entire lives on Your altar, not just visiting it occasionally. Help us to truly give You our bodies, souls, and spirits as living and holy sacrifices. May our lives be totally dedicated and totally consecrated to You. Give us the courage to pray daily: "Father, here I am. I am Your sacrifice. I am totally surrendered to You. Have Your way and do what You want to do with my life."
Romans 12:1

Prayer for Protection from Worldly Systems

Heavenly Father, we recognize that the world's systems are broken, wicked, dangerous, and selfish. We pray for discernment to see through the deceptions of political, economic, and social systems. Protect us from making major life decisions based on worldly standards. Keep us from placing our trust in the failing structures of this world. Remind us constantly that we have direct access to You, the Creator of the Universe. May we seek Your wisdom first in all things.
Romans 12:2a

Prayer for Transformation Through Meditation

Lord, we submit ourselves to Your process of spiritual transformation. We confess that we often want instant results, but we acknowledge that true transformation requires patience and sustained meditation on Your Word. Holy Spirit, teach us how to meditate on Scripture day and night. Help us to focus our minds on God's Word in a sustained manner until it transforms the way we think, believe, and behave. As we behold Your Word and meditate on it, make us more and more like Christ.
Romans 12:2b

Prayer for Humility and Understanding

Father, we come before You asking for the gift of humility. Help us not to think more highly of ourselves than we ought. Give us honest evaluation of ourselves. Remind us that while we are important, we are not more important than our neighbors. Help us to understand that we are many parts of one body and that we all belong to each other. Remove any pride, competition, or sense of superiority from our hearts. May we recognize that no gift is superior to other gifts.
Romans 12:3-4

Prayer for Faithfulness in Using Our Gifts

Lord, thank You for the gifts, talents, and abilities You have given to each of us. We acknowledge that these gifts do not belong to us but to the body of Christ. Forgive us for sitting on our gifts, for being lazy, or for using our gifts only for personal gain. Stir up the gifts within us. Help us serve well, teach well, encourage faithfully, give generously, lead seriously, and show kindness gladly. Convict us that when we refuse to serve, we hurt ourselves and damage the body.
Romans 12:6-8

Prayer for Genuine Love and Fellowship

Heavenly Father, we repent of plastic smiles and pretend love. Teach us to genuinely love our brothers and sisters in Christ. Help us to hate what is wrong and hold tightly to what is good. Increase our genuine affection for each other. Remove all selfish mindsets from our hearts. When we ask our brothers and sisters "How are you?" let it be a genuine intention to know. When they share their needs, give us grace to help without waiting to be asked.
Romans 12:9-13

Prayer for Becoming Effective Ambassadors

Lord Jesus, we are Your ambassadors in this world. Help us to represent You well in our workplaces, neighborhoods, and daily interactions. Give us grace to bless those who persecute us. Help us empathize with those who don't know You—to be happy with those who are happy and weep with those who weep. Help us remember that unbelievers cannot help their behavior. Remove thoughts of revenge from our hearts. May our Christ-like responses draw many to You.
Romans 12:14-18

Prayer for Seriousness in Our Walk

Father, we thank You for saving us and transforming our lives. Forgive us for times when we have been casual about our Christian life. We repent of treating Your sacrifice lightly. Help us to be extremely serious about our walk with You. Remove any complacency from our hearts. Give us grace to live every day with intentionality, purpose, and dedication to Your kingdom. May our lives reflect the gratitude appropriate for those rescued from darkness.
Romans 12:1

Prayer for Victory and Vision

Lord, we recognize that living a life of true worship is not just about our personal holiness but about Your mission to seek and save the lost. As we refuse to follow the patterns of this world, meditate on Your Word, use our gifts faithfully, build genuine relationships, and reflect Your love to the world, we pray that multiple lost souls would be won to Christ. Align our hearts with the vision: "a world where no one lives or dies without Christ."
Romans 12:2

The Call to True Worship

Is Your Life Totally Surrendered to God?

  • Close your eyes and imagine yourself lying on God's altar
  • Your entire being—body, soul, and spirit—offered to Him
  • Pray: "Father, here I am. I am Your sacrifice."
  • Live a life totally dedicated and consecrated to God
  • This is living a life of true worship
"A life that is totally dedicated and totally consecrated to God—that is a life of true worship."