Preparing Our Hearts for His Glorious Holy Spirit
Jeanne Stewart, Oklahoma
God is shaking the church in America. There is a genuine hunger stirring among His Bride as a highway connects the past with the future and is woven with the design of heaven. Its fabric is holiness and it covers the Bride of Christ the Beloved as gold refined. As man’s heart beats out the song sung by his purpose, he worships his God and is changed from glory to glory. The appetite for power and recognition changes, as sin continues to be the problem and repentance its cure. “In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.” (Acts 17:30) “But do not forget this one thing, dear friends. With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:8, 9) And the voice of our Lord speaks “...those whom I love I rebuke and discipline so be earnest, and repent.” (Revelation 3:19)
Father speaks -
I Am the God of yesterday...
Of the now...
And all eternity.
I move My foot in heaven
My Glory falls to the earth and glistens as true Light.
Everywhere My Glory touches… changes.
My Glory is coming with My power to do a work.
I Am the God, who never changes,
But I change you…
Let us consider the visual presence of God in His glory in 2 Chronicles, chapter 5. The temple of the Lord was completed and Solomon was bringing in the ark, which represents the presence of God, into the Most Holy Place. Verse 11 declares, “...all the priests who were there had consecrated themselves, regardless of their divisions.” The scene here was one of total worship with humility and brokenness that comes from true repentance. There were 120 priests sounding trumpets, and singers singing as one voice giving praise and honor to the Lord. Then in verse 14, “...the temple of the Lord was filled with a cloud and the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the temple of God.” Chapter 7, verse 1 goes on: “...when Solomon finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the Lord filled the temple.”
Regardless of the position of the priest that was ministering, even under the law we see the power of God’s glory weaving and designing the day of Pentecost in Acts, chapter 2. His power was poured out upon the 120 that lingered in an upper room with nothing on their heart but the rhythm of Jesus’ promise beating in one accord. Those that waited with an expectant heart felt the wind of the Spirit fill the whole house where they were sitting, as the fire came from heaven to consume the hearts that had been sacrificed to their God (verse 2).
In both Chronicles and Acts, the Word shows us the visual sign of God’s acceptance of the temple. Whether it is made of fabric, wood and stone under the law or made of flesh under grace, the yesterdays of scripture speak of His glory filling the acceptable vessel. It is the message of repentance that prepares the way to God’s glory, the knee of repentance that humbles the proud. Inner brokenness and the application of Christ’s blood purify us to be fit to receive His glory into our midst. It is the humbled heart that will serve with His glory upon them to go forth.
Let us allow ‘the bottom to fall out of heaven’ and the gold of His glory to rain down into our midst so we can be that place He has chosen to do a suddenly work in this end-time move of His Spirit. As 1 Corinthians chapter 6 verse 19 ask us the question, “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?” Let us allow His fire of heaven to rest upon each of our heads as He reveals to us His acceptance as the purified vessel of honor and power of His Glorious Holy Spirit.
