“From now on, worshiping the Father will not be a matter of the right place but with a right heart. For God is a Spirit, and he longs to have sincere worshipers who adore him in the realm of the Spirit and in truth.” John 4:24 TPT
We must glorify God (in public, family, private, and all of life) in accordance with God's own nature and truth.
When we worship without the Holy Spirit, its dirty rags, it’s not authentic, it’s counterfeit and soulish.
“But the Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My name [in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you all things. And He will cause you to recall (will remind you of, bring to your remembrance) everything I have told you.” John 16:13-15
Romans 8 teaches us that the Holy Spirit's constant presence in our lives empowers us to live free from the power of sin.
"He continually reveals the truth to us and guides us in the ways of Jesus Christ"
(John 14:15–20,25–26).
Worshipping Him in Spirit and in truth, we are released in spirit, soul and body.
It gives the Holy Spirit the freedom to lead. It opens the heavens and releases the sound of heaven that pierces the darkness bringing light.
When we worship in Spirit and in truth, nothing is impossible, we put the enemy to flight, we increase unity which brings commanded blessings.
“How wonderful, how beautiful, when brothers and sisters get along!
It’s like costly anointing oil flowing down head and beard,
Flowing down Aaron’s beard, flowing down the collar of his priestly robes.
It’s like the dew on Mount Hermon flowing down the slopes of Zion.
Yes, that’s where God commands the blessing, ordains eternal life”.
Psalm 133:1-3MSG
The power of the blood can prevail, and all the elements of our gatherings come together.
Worship changes atmospheres, meets the deepest needs.
When our eyes are off ourselves and firmly fixed on Jesus, the Holy Spirit is released to flow through us in ways we can’t even imagine.
The gifts of the Spirit can flow, prophecy, words of knowledge, gifts of healing, working of miracles, miracle working faith. The body functioning as a complete body.
I remember in 1986 being in a conference where Benny Hinn was one of the speakers; as we worshipped, we entered a dimension of God’s presence and the Holy Spirit’s power that saw hundreds slain in the spirit, getting up healed and delivered, some so drunk in the Spirit that they didn’t realise they had been healed. People walking out of wheelchairs deaf ears and blind eyes open, healings from past hurts taking place, deliverance from demons, others having visions, speaking in tongues for the first time. The atmosphere was electric and not a word had been spoken, no preaching, no notices, no offering, just a deep desire to worship Jesus in Spirit and in truth!
It was during that time that I was ruined for anything less than the presence of the Holy Spirit, I had never felt so alive, so on fire, every one of my senses had been heightened. My preaching was more anointed, prophecy flowed out of me, words of knowledge and when I touched people they fell to the ground under the power of the Holy Spirit. In the anointing I felt invincible
That was the pattern in the late 80’s and early 90’s in Birmingham.
Then the outpouring in Toronto that went to the nations, the UK was mightily impacted, it was reported that 100,000 churches in the UK were revolutionised during that time.
In that outpouring people had hours of what was known as carpet time, hours of lying on the floor under the power of the Holy Spirit, being set free, healed, spiritual and physical.
Thousands of people from all over the world in those meetings having encounters with God, some crying, some laughing hysterically, others lying still, some shacking uncontrollably, all this going on at the same time as someone was trying to preach, or during worship or from receiving prayer and lying in His presence for hours and I mean hours. Some of the speakers, couldn’t speak, no words would come out of their mouths as they too were overawed by His glorious presence. Others roared with laughter as they fell to the floor.
I spent many hours on that carpet totally oblivious to what was happening around me. I sobbed, I laughed, I shook uncontrollably and on one occasion standing in worship when my heart was longing and I was praying to be used in healing, I felt the Holy Spirit come on me in such power that I flew up and backwards around 10 feet in the air. I felt His breath on me and the next second I was gone! Nothing and I mean nothing compares to His presence and experiencing his power flowing through your body!
Sadly, church leaders began taking their foot off the gas, because the more people stayed in the presence of God, their heart issues would rise to the surface and leaders didn't know how to handle it. At that time there was little taught or ministries to go to for inner healing. Thank God that has changed. However, hours of carpet time or soaking in His presence will still heal us today.
“Appreciate your pastoral leaders who gave you the Word of God. Take a good look at the way they live, and let their faithfulness instruct you, as well as their truthfulness. There should be a consistency that runs through us all. For Jesus doesn’t change—yesterday, today, tomorrow, he’s always totally himself.” Hebrews 13:8 MSG
“ In this way we are like the various parts of a human body. Each part gets its meaning from the body as a whole, not the other way around. The body we’re talking about is Christ’s body of chosen people. Each of us finds our meaning and function as a part of his body. But as a chopped-off finger or cut-off toe we wouldn’t amount to much, would we? So since we find ourselves fashioned into all these excellently formed and marvellously functioning parts in Christ’s body, let’s just go ahead and be what we were made to be, without enviously or pridefully comparing ourselves with each other, or trying to be something we aren’t.
If you preach, just preach God’s Message, nothing else; if you help, just help, don’t take over; if you teach, stick to your teaching; if you give encouraging guidance, be careful that you don’t get bossy; if you’re put in charge, don’t manipulate; if you’re called to give aid to people in distress, keep your eyes open and be quick to respond; if you work with the disadvantaged, don’t let yourself get irritated with them or depressed by them. Keep a smile on your face. Romans 12:4-8 MSG
We are his ambassadors on this earth, we are a living epistle.
“[No] you yourselves are our letter of recommendation (our credentials), written in [a]your hearts, to be known (perceived, recognized) and read by everybody.
You show and make obvious that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, not written with ink but with [the] Spirit of [the] living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.” 2 Cor 3:2-3 AMPC
We are the only bible some people will ever read!
“For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are.” Romans 8:19
“All around us we observe a pregnant creation. The difficult times of pain throughout the world are simply birth pangs. But it’s not only around us; it’s within us. The Spirit of God is arousing us within. We’re also feeling the birth pangs. These sterile and barren bodies of ours are yearning for full deliverance. That is why waiting does not diminish us, any more than waiting diminishes a pregnant mother. We are enlarged in the waiting. We, of course, don’t see what is enlarging us. But the longer we wait, the larger we become, and the more joyful our expectancy.” Romans 8:22-25 MSG
Think about this truth for a moment, our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit!
When we lay down our bodies on the altar in surrender and dedicate our lives to Him, the anointing that abides within in, changes us into another man/woman.
“The Spirit of the Lord will come powerfully upon you, and you will prophesy with them; and you will be changed into a different person.” 1 Samuel 10:6 NIV
“But you have been anointed by [you hold a sacred appointment from, you have been given an unction from] the Holy One, and you all know [the Truth] or you know all things.
But as for you, the anointing (the sacred appointment, the unction) which you received from Him abides (permanently] in you; [so] then you have no need that anyone should instruct you. But just as His anointing teaches you concerning everything and is true and is no falsehood, so you must abide in (live in, never depart from) Him [being rooted in Him, knit to Him], just as [His anointing] has taught you [to do]. 1John 2:20,27
An amazing thing happened when Solomon dedicated the temple to the Lord!
“When Solomon finished praying, a bolt of lightning out of heaven struck the Whole-Burnt-Offering and sacrifices and the Glory of God filled The Temple. The Glory was so dense that the priests couldn’t get in—God so filled The Temple that there was no room for the priests! When all Israel saw the fire fall from heaven and the Glory of God fill The Temple, they fell on their knees, bowed their heads, and worshiped, thanking God:” 2 Chronicles 7:1-3 MSG
Imagine what happens to our temple (our body) when we dedicate it to God!
I have been a God chaser for decades, I’ve had many valley experiences in that time, but the one thing I asked Him for was a fixed heart. That whatever I went through my heart would still pant after Him!
I thank God that He taught me to chase after the Holy Spirit especially in worship. It’s the anointing that destroys our yokes of bondage, bondage to fear, to poverty, to sickness, to addiction, to self-hatred, all those things that destroy us from the very core of our being.
“Then Jesus turned to the Jews who had claimed to believe in him. “If you stick with this, living out what I tell you, you are my disciples for sure. Then you will experience for yourselves the truth, and the truth will free you.”
John 8:32 MSG
Freedom is a person called Jesus!
The world may scoff, use His name as a swear word, yet the world looks for a person or thing to worship; to give meaning and purpose to their lives! A football team, a career, a band, a celebrity, sex, drugs and rock an roll!
Even Christians worship others more than Jesus! We worship a leader, a preacher, a particular worship leader or a style we try to emulate to get success and growth; and when they fall, we are devastated, and it rocks our faith and for some they walk away!
There is only one worthy of our worship!
God has given us some incredible people to lead us into His presence, but never be led by a person be led by the Holy Spirit.
Be a God chaser today and if life has caused you to get off the altar ask the Holy Spirit to help you climb back on and rededicate your life today and watch what He does!
A prophet who became a friend spoke and released this over me many years ago, “Extravagant worship” when I was in a pit that I couldn’t find my way out of. Those were the only words that I remember her saying!
Circumstances had blinded me to past experiences with the Holy Spirit, but that day a seed was planted that began to wake me up and help me re focus on the truth that would set me free. I began to worship again, through the pain and the tears, and the louder that I sang the more my temple (body) was filled with His glorious presence. It was a process, a journey that started with a choice to overcome and ignore my feelings!
“Arise [from the depression and prostration in which circumstances have kept you—rise to a new life]! Shine (be radiant with the glory of the Lord), for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you!” Isaiah 60 AMPC
“Right at the crest, where Mount Olives begins its descent, the whole crowd of disciples burst into enthusiastic praise over all the mighty works they had witnessed:
Blessed is he who comes, the king in God’s name!
All’s well in heaven! Glory in the high places!
Some Pharisees from the crowd told him, “Teacher, get your disciples under control!”
But he said, “If they kept quiet, the stones would do it for them, shouting praise.”
When the city came into view, he wept over it. “If you had only recognized this day, and everything that was good for you! But now it’s too late. In the days ahead your enemies are going to bring up their heavy artillery and surround you, pressing in from every side. They’ll smash you and your babies on the pavement. Not one stone will be left intact. All this because you didn’t recognize and welcome God’s personal visit.” Luke 19: 37-42 MSG
Worship must become a lifestyle, not just something we do midweek or on Sundays!
So, why not take five, choose a song or playlist, turn off your phone or TV and begin to worship and ask the Holy Spirit to rise up on the inside of you and worship through you and with you. Let me know how it goes!
The only true worship is extreme worship, and only extreme worship brings extreme results – transformation. Bill Johnson
Don’t miss YOUR DAY OF VISITATION!
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