Tom Lennie reviews ‘Worship In The Storm: How to worship in adversity and warfare in his presence’ by Ali Loaker (2019)
With personal knowledge that life brings its share (and sometimes more than its share) of challenges to believers, and facing what he terms
“one of the biggest and fiercest storms” of his own life, seasoned UK worship leader Ali Loaker felt inspired to help encourage fellow Christians on how to live victorious lives of gratitude in the midst of ‘the storm’.
True worship
Well aware that the Bible is replete with accounts of how great men and women of God prevailed in the face of terrible adversity, ‘Worship In The Storm’ purposefully relies on scriptural stories and teaching. Even in times of despair, depression and brokenness, Ali is sure that our loving Father can fill our broken hearts with a new song and mould us into something beautiful to light up the world for His glory.
“When we lift up the Name of Jesus He is enthroned upon our praises and the devil is dethroned and defeated. When we worship Him even in the midst of adversity, great power is released and our worship becomes like a sword in our hand.” (Psalm 149:6).
Loaker describes worship as “intentionally coming towards him to kiss him” in “an intimate expression of our love, adoration and reverence for him.”
Changing atmospheres
Ali has seen how praise and worship can radically change the spiritual atmosphere and bring about victory over seemingly hopeless situations and impossible odds. The author makes it clear that we will not overcome the storm in our own strength. Rather, we know that ultimately the battle belongs to the Lord – the One who is in covenant relationship with us.
... he had to make a decision that He is worthy of praise no matter what his feelings were saying – making a ‘sacrifice’ of praise.
The author calls us to lift high the Name of Jesus irrespective of our feelings, reminding the reader that many times when he has led worship gatherings, he has not ‘felt’ like praising God. Rather, he had to make a decision that He is worthy of praise no matter what his feelings were saying – making a ‘sacrifice’ of praise.
Warfare praise
Loaker provides helpful chapters on more lively, energetic characteristics of praise – including ‘the art of shouting’, ‘divine violence’ (bringing the worshipper into ‘a new dimension’ where anything is possible), ‘the force of joy’ and dancing before the Lord.
Each of these chapters Ali supports with an abundance of scriptural references, revealing how ‘warfare praise’ is indeed thoroughly biblical. Each is backed up, too, with insightful personal testimonies – all the more significant given that the author says he is by nature an introvert who loves silence and intimacy and who regularly battles with depression, sometimes for weeks at a time.
The Secret Place
My favourite chapter was chapter 4- The Secret Place - the place where we go to be alone with God. The author is clear that everything else must come a very distant second place to spending time in His presence, reading His word, worshipping Him (with or without music), sharing every part of our lives with Him and listening to His still sweet voice.
Everybody was affected … some teenage ‘delinquents’ became Christians that night … that little church would never be the same...
Ali suggests there is a difference between knowing by faith that His presence continually dwells in us and experiencing His manifest presence. He shares a testimony of being at a small tent-mission event in Essex some years ago. There weren’t many in attendance, and Ali had little expectation that it was going to prove an eventful evening. “Suddenly, from seemingly out of nowhere, there was a moment. A moment when it felt like God walked into the room in power and everything changed ... Everybody was affected … some teenage ‘delinquents’ became Christians that night … that little church would never be the same.”
Going deeper
Loaker writes in an engaging conversational style, sharing his many years’ wisdom in an easily accessible way. In no way is this a dry theoretical manual but rather, a lively discussion of what it really means to be a worshipper of the living triune God.
It is clear that the author’s overall intention is to help encourage believers into pursuing a deeper walk with God. Ultimately, Ali claims, with characteristic positivity, “we are in covenant relationship with the One who has power over the wind and waves. We are not at the mercy of the storm, the storm is subject to our Father in Heaven!”
Worship In The Storm (104 pp) is independently published and is available from
Amazon for £9.99 (£5.18 for kindle version).
Tom Lennie, 06/06/2025