"The worshiper" being filled with the intoxicating presence of the Spirit

"The worshiper"
     Many of us pride ourselves on certain things that seem to have gotten us through life without to many blunders or mishaps. I would say one of my biggest areas would be that I have been pretty healthy throughout my life with only one major surgery and that being a hernia that was non-evasive out the same day. Being in my sixties now, yes I've come to the conclusion I need to grow up and admit it, I am getting older, senior citizen and recently being faced with another more serious health issue that has left me a bit emotional and concerned. I find in these times a place that I have learn to count on, to carry me though life's storm's. I have found in my Rock, my place of refuge has always been the inner courts, that place of worship that overshadows lives issues. There are times like these(the heath issues) that the Father will use to speak to us, get through to us where we wouldn't or couldn't listen before. I can always tell when I am in His presence. I melt, my whole being becomes surrendered to the Spirit. As I linger, allowing the Spirit to move in me, I become filled and intoxicated. Worshiping is not just a Sunday go to meeting event. A time of orchestrated music that the body can sing along to. I must be honest here, there are times that I depend on the worship leader and team to get me there. The leader can't get me there, I must press in to Him, no matter what songs or how they are being sung. Getting to that place that I enjoy the most doesn't always happen at church, in a corporate setting. But when it does it is very powerful. I am reminded of Lydia in Acts16:14. It says that she

was a worshiper of God and as she listen to Paul her heart was opened. Lydia was a worshiper before she was converted and I believe that just intensified as she followed Christ. When we come into His presence with an opened heart we are changed. The Spirit begins to move in and upon us and we get lost in His presence and the word enters our heart and brings change. That is when we are worshiping in Spirit and truth! There is an intensity from the Spirit, a calling to come away from the issues and madness of this life, and get intoxicated in the Spirit. then the chains of this life will be broken and the church will lead the lost into an atmosphere of triumphal worship that will change them. There are many Lydia's beyond the four walls of the church, that have a heart to worship, they just need the Spirit to open their hearts that they can respond to the word.

Paul and Silas in Acts 16:25 sang songs and worshiped in the late hours being bond up in chains and behind prison doors. I know many times we as believers feel bond up and the chains of this life begin to suppress, depress and paralyze us. But we have a key that will unlock those chains and prison doors! It is called worship. I believe the Spirit is calling the church to such depth of worship that can shake the foundations of the kingdom of darkness and bring heaven to this lost and dying world. Are we willing to put format aside in a corporate setting and allow the Spirit to orchestrate the worship. Are we willing to trust the Spirit to order our steps. Phill. 3:3 says that we are the true circumcision who worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh.

        In true worship an atmosphere of glory descends upon the worshipers and the eyes and ears are opened to what the Spirit is saying. Our High Priest is calling us into the Holy of holies by His blood that has made the way that we can stand in full assurance of faith having our conscience washed with pure water (Hebrews 10:19-22). This atmosphere releases the gifts and callings in the church that will remove obstacles that are hindering the fainthearted and bond up from receiving. There is a place of surrender of presenting our bodies as a holy sacrifice which pleases the Lord. This offering up of ourselves releases a sweet smelling aroma which touches the Fathers heart and many times can bring His shekinah glory. Worship is so important for the believer and in this atmosphere the heart is changed from hardness to a soft teachable one. Where you would say no to His request in true worship you will melt and say yes to His voice. This Shekinah glory is; He causes to dwell to bring a visitation of His presence to earth. Our Father wants His children to be close to Him. Delighting in His presence, learning of His love and glory. To be filled with the Spirit is our coat of many colors. We can wear this coat anywhere and be in the throne room worshiping whatever we are putting our hands to in service of worship. Worship breaks up the stoning ground and releases the rivers of living waters that brings life (John 4:23-24; 7:38). Madness and chaos can encircle us but being wrapped in the coat of the Spirit is our defense and peace. In His presence there is fullness of joy (Psalms 16:11). From His right hand He releases treasures that will strengthen and equip you to   stand against the storms of this life. A life of worship will overcome the valley of death and cause us to see that it is only a shadow. In this life shadows move in Christ there is no variation or shadow of turning (Ps.23;James1:17). In the atmosphere of worship the Spirit illuminates the shadows to see what is really true and what false. You my find yourself surrounded by enemies, but remember He is preparing a table for you. So let us drink deep the wine of the Spirit, shake off the dust of this life and put on the coat of worship.

'Loose your mind'

                                         
Loosing your mind can be a frightful experience but in many ways life changing. For those in the world they go to great lengths trying to keep their sanity and in this world full of chaos with stress fueling the fire it is a challenge. Jesus said in John 17:15-16 that we are in this world but not of this world. We belong to a different government. It is a heavenly government, a kingdom without end. A change needs to take place with the bride that will transform their minds into the mind of Christ. That change happens when we surrender our will and come under the Lordship of Christ.  Rom.12:2 says not to be conformed to this world, but transformed by the renewing of our minds. Simply said we must loose our minds in order to live with the mind of Christ. The natural man as mentioned in 1 Corinth.2:14 doesn't understand the things of the Spirit because they are spiritually appraised. We many times operate with the wisdom of the world because that is what surrounds us, but the christian can't trust in that kind of wisdom. It is the wisdom of God through the mind of Christ that we must trust in. Matt. 16:23 Jesus rebukes Peter because he was operating with his mind and not understanding Gods interest. It is time to loose your mind and walk in the mind of Christ which is ours because of the redemptive work of the cross. Now we can't physically take out our mind and replace it with Christ. But we are to conform to the kingdom thinking that our minds would be transformed to desiring His thoughts and His will. There is so much bombarding our minds that for us to do the Lords work operating with our minds we would end up destroying ourselves and others without the mind of Christ. We need His revelation the Spirit of wisdom to accomplish the work that He has set before us. We need a Christ mind which is a kingdom mind, thinking the way of the Spirit. His kingdom is about rule and realm. His kingdom is not a democracy, He is Boss He is in charge the government is upon His shoulders. The call today is that we the church must have the mind of Christ if we our to survive these last days. We must dethrone our mind and enthrone His. There is no duel thrones in Gods kingdom. Jesus said in Matt. 16:24 that if anyone wishes to follow Me he must deny himself pick up his cross and follow Him. There is a death that is required in order to live in the mind of Christ. Phillip. 2:5-8 We must have the attitude of Christ. To be emptied of self, humbling ourselves and allowing Christ to form us into His likeness. Dying is never easy especially to those close to you who don't want to dye. Your relationship to Christ is not about what others think or do but it is about you obedience To Him and walking with His mindset. Colossians 3:2 we are instructed to set our minds on the things above. It is kingdom thinking that will give us His revelation to what His good and acceptable and perfect will is. Psalms 51:17 A broken and contrite heart O God You will not despise. This is the victory for the bride of Christ even in these last days as He is making up His treasured possession. The ragged clothes of unfruitfulness are being exchanged for robs of praise.

"Emotions(Feelings)"
         Knowing that God created these feelings that we have, expressing themselves in different ways according to what we are going through, there seems to be a place that goes beyond what is godly or healthy, to a place of distress, anxiety, depression etc, that can spiral deep into a darkness that is very hard to get out of. There are feelings such as Acts 2:43 where the disciples had this sense of awe, or a fear (godly fear) of what was taking place through the apostles. But then there are those thoughts, speculations that need to be held captive under the lordship or obedience of Christ(2 Corinth.10:5). Finding myself in the mist of these emotions allowing them to be apart of the journey of healing I am going through. Also finding a need to place these feelings whether good or bad under the guidance of the Spirit to make sure these are held in the mind of Christ. A season of healing brings a season of mixed emotions. By the grace of My Father I go!

Mary, did you know!

And Mary the mother of Jesus (Acts1:14)

     The scripture says that they were all of one mind continually devoting themselves to prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus. I think sometimes as we read the scriptures we glance over parts that seem meaningless, until we read the same scripture again and the Holy Spirit brings revelation. This is one of those times. I've read this scripture many times but this time the Spirit has brought illumination in a different way. Many times as I read the account about the disciples gathered praying in the upper room, my attention goes to the twelve and even the 120 but I don't always see the women or Mary. I think it is mostly because the way the scriptures are written they seem to use the masculine verb more often but really not excluding or preferring. It was on that day, the day of Pentecost that not only the men but the scriptures say all were filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking with other tongues. Mary now perhaps in her mid to late fifties gathering with the rest of the women and men along with the apostles. A mother to at lest six children including Jesus, now waiting for the promise from the Father which her Son would send. Insignificant? not to those women and Mary and her daughters. Some worship Mary as the Virgin Mary. This is true only in regards to the birth of Jesus, she was a virgin betrothed to Joseph but it was the Holy Spirit that came upon her and the power of the Most High that overshadowed her.  The scriptures tell us that Mary also had four other sons and daughters ( Matt.13:55-56 ). This was a significant time in the life of these 120 brothers and sisters, but also for the future church. Mary along with the other disciples were the forerunners of the Holy Spirit. For in Christ we the church have become that virgin bride betrothed to our Bridegroom ( 2 Corinth. 11:2 ). The scripture says in Joel 2:28-29 upon your sons and daughters I will pour forth of My Spirit and they shall prophesy. Mary was a daughter of Israel and a daughter of the King. In the upper room the sound of many different tongues and prophesying could be heard. What was taking place? Was it not the Holy Spirit praying to the Father through these saints. And when Mary began to prophesy was she not by the Spirit speaking over the church then and even for now! Mary along with the other women were being drenched with warm oil, the anointing of the Spirit filling them with words from heaven pertaining to the last days. The beginning of the early church in the upper room is the DNA of the last days church. The church today needs a drenching of the Spirit, to be filled with power to be witnesses to the remotest parts of the earth. The Mary's of this day need to turn their hearts to the next generation and mother the church. Malicah 4:6 speaks of the fathers turning their hearts to the children. I believe that same spirit is linked to the mothers to the younger generation. It is that spirit of Mary being drenched in the Spirit and turning their hearts as mothers to nurture the children in the Lord among them. Even those without children will not be desolate for she will receive numerous sons and daughters in the faith ( Isaiah 54 ). For you Mary's in the faith you mothers with children or without, come under the flooding waters of the Spirit and be drenched. For you will go forth as forerunners passing on the DNA of the early church and be a part of the last days outpouring.

"A wave of anointing"

                "A wave of unprecedented power and anointing is coming" 


 The anointing during an outpouring is  strong and very aromatic. It doesn't depend on ones talent or gift although it will be the power that will energize the gifts and callings to do an impossible mission.There is an anointing that the church needs to accomplish what the Spirit is doing in these last days(Joel 2:28-29;Act 2:17-21). This anointing comes from the Father through the power of the Spirit. Another wave is about to hit the church with such magnitude causing  everything that is not anchored in Christ to be shaken loose and swept away. Even those in Christ will be refined and purified. Precursors of this can be seen in the transition that is taking place in the church now. Many churches are closing with others trying to survive still ministering in the old wine. But it is the Spirit that is doing a work to build the last days church in the Spirit. Refining, purifying, cleansing from all of man's wisdom, charisma and kingdom building to be the church that can hold the new wine of Gods anointing.There are waves of the Spirit coming into many various places now removing the old wineskin's, the old cloth and replacing with new wineskin's that are full of the Spirit and anointing(Matt.9:15-17).These new wineskin's have been through the fire their lamps have been reignited by Christ Himself. Many leaders have been removed from service and benched for a season because they were not willing to surrender their kingdom and agendas.They ran out of oil and didn't refill their lamps with fresh oil that they could lead with fresh vision and revelation. Many churches are struggling with imbalance because they look to and depend on one leader(Pastor) for guidance.This next wave will bring a restoration of the early church leadership which will bring biblical balance and a healthier church. The water pots of purification(John 2:6) are being emptied and fresh water poured into them, that the water be changed into wine, the best wine and poured out upon the wedding guests of life bringing consummation of bride and Bridegroom. Many are experience a change in ministry, employment, living situations, health issues. The earthen vessels are being emptied out even broken up, remade in order to be filled and changed into the best wine(2 Corinth.4:7). This is the work of the Spirit, no prodding or production of man can produce this anointing of the Spirit. When the anointing is present there will be no need for leadership to make something happen. This will be the new super norm. With this next wave the body of Christ will be desiring greater intimacy with the Spirit, hungry for authenticity and flowing in the anointing writher than the mega church production. As the church lets go of the old skins (the old styes and formats) that they have grown accustom to and dependent on, they will be built into a true house in the Spirit full of power and anointing which will rain down like a heavenly aroma( 2 Corinth.2:14). The Spirit is the churches new wineskin and the new wine is the anointing! 

"Believing will bring greater revelation"

John 20:9-10; For as yet they did not understand the scripture, that He must rise again from the dead. I believe relying on feelings only can produce reservations and reservations can breed doubt. We many times rely on feelings to dictate our belief in Christ and what He did on the cross. Peter and John didn't run to the tomb with total abandonment to their feelings, believing that Jesus rose from the dead, if they did they would not have returned to their own homes? I believe that the other disciple  entered in, saw and believed. John got past his feelings but still didn't understand the scriptures. Believing the scriptures will give one revelation to continue pursuing Christ. Mary Magdalene loved and believed beyond feelings. She received sight to see two angeles inside the tomb and turning around saw the risen Christ. Our feelings can prevent us from receiving greater revelation and hearing what the Spirit is saying. We may wake up on Easter morning not feeling like we are christ like but the scripture says that the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead dwells in our mortal bodies( Rom. 8:11 ) and therefore if anyone is in Christ he is a new creature; the old things have passed away behold new things have come (2 Corinth 5:17). Lingering around the tomb can bring revelation but we are being changed from glory to glory (2 Corinth. 3:18). We cannot live at the tomb (past glories) but must press forward announcing with belief in the scriptures that truly Christ has risen. Spending time in the scriptures will give us that assurance and rivers of living water will flow out from our inner most being (John 7:42). "Beholding the risen Christ"