DELIBERATELY PURSUING GOD
PART FOUR
THE KEY THAT WILL “UNLOCK” THE CHURCH

As most Christians will agree, a person receiving Christ as their Lord and Savior is the most important miracle that can happen. Everything we are called to do for God should be a “link” in the chain of proclaiming the gospel resulting in salvation. Included in this supernatural package of life changing gifts from heaven are – being filled with the Holy Ghost, being healed physically and emotionally and delivered from the bondages of sin. We know that faith plays an important part of our invitation to experience the abundant life that was provided at the cross and this all begins with the hearing and understanding of God’s word. What does all this have to do with worship? Everything! If we believe that worship invites God to come into our midst as we reach out to Him, and this exchange prepares our heart to receive His Holy Word – then we are now ready to discover the revelation of what can increase the anointing and power in this expression of intimate love. (Yes there are levels of God’s presence; the tabernacle of Moses was an example of a progression of maturity that becomes more intense the more near one comes to the Holy Of Holies). So what is this big mystery? It is fervent PRAYER! Oh Billy, everyone knows that! Oh really? Maybe sometimes we forget the connection of our basic foundations about how prayer fuels the “engine”. It is beautiful the way God has designed the Church with Divine order (not legalism). Let’s start with how the worship team receives these prayers (along with their own) to help increase their anointing and turn “songs” into a musical, spiritual, surgical procedure – this anointing rolls out the red carpet for the seed and gives more control to God to inspire the “spontaneous” and generates a stronger presence of God so the messenger can bring the “due season” word with more authority and power – As this “living” word becomes a quickened revelation to the heart and spirit, it generates faith that releases God’s super-natural miracles – YES! Praise God!

So if a lost person is in the sanctuary or someone is in need of a miracle and we have not prayed, we are not focused, we are bogged down with apathy, burned out and tired, do not have a direction or discernment, even entangled in sin and are distracted and satisfied with having a “safe” service of singing some songs and giving a dry lecture then going out to eat – then we have failed our mission. If we are not led by God’s Holy Spirit, and if we are not worshipping in spirit and truth and if the word is just a boring history lesson then we are going to be held responsible for being lukewarm. God has not called us to organize Him out of His own Church which is why He does not give us the control to do all the planning. He hates a religious ceremony (where He is not invited) – it offends Him when we try to control it all on our own because He knows it can become our own “idol” where we worship our own accomplishments and abilities and of course this does not glorify His Kingdom or bring true spiritual change to anyone. How can souls be saved without the convicting power of the Holy Spirit? How can there be changed minds without the anointing that “flips the switch” in the brain and causes the heart to see truth? How can there be miracles if God (who has all the power in infinity) is not welcome to come into our services and walk among us? This is the disease that plagues the church world and has lulled many to sleep who claim to be followers of Christ, as it is true that lukewarm people are satisfied with lukewarm church.

When we meet in the prayer room before service it is an important time to focus. When I lead I ask forgiveness not just for me but for all those who might not have “released” their sin. Leading the entire congregation in a simple proclamation to repent can change the atmosphere of the room and tear down the walls of sin that can bring freedom to all of us. Many times the spirit of heaviness “comes in” and hindering spirits need to be addressed as a type of confrontation takes place. Again to be “prayed up” is being able to sense what is happening and is a covering of armor for the battle. It is time we take the act of praying “specifically” more seriously (souls saved, growth, raising up leaders, revival, more outreach, more enthusiasm, etc…). A strong, healthy spirit filled church does not just fall off a tree but is birthed and matures through “white hot” prayer! The level of spiritual power and purity in a church depends on the people’s personal relationship with God that is developed in the prayer closet of spiritual intimacy with Him. Let us who are hungry and thirsty for righteousness remember; the stronger God comes into our lives the more fire He brings and that means more responsibilities that requires our flesh to spend more time on His Holy alter (is there any wonder why most churches choose to stay in ankle deep water?). When we sing all the songs that cry out for His fire and discipline – do we really mean it? For us to have more of Him there must become less of us. We all hold a key but how many of us will use it…?