IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH
"Jesus said to her, "Believe me, woman, the time will come when people will not worship the Father either on this mountain or in Jerusalem.......... But the time is coming and is already here, when by the power of God's Spirit people will worship the Father as he really is, offering him the worship that He wants. God is Spirit, and only by the power of His Spirit can people worship Him as He really is." (John 4:21, 23)
"And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit......." (Luke 4:1)
"And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:7)
"Pray without ceasing........ Quench not the Spirit." (I Thessalonians 5:17,19)
"David, wearing only a linen cloth around his waist, danced with all his might to honour the LORD. And so he and all the Israelites took the Covenant Box up to Jerusalem with shouts of joy and the sound of trumpets......... Afterward, when David went home to greet his family, Michal came out to meet him. "The king of Israel made a big name for himself today!" she said. "He exposed himself like a fool in the sight of the servant girls of his officials!" David answered, "I was dancing to honour the LORD, who chose me instead of your father and his family to make me the leader of His people Israel. And I will go on dancing to honour the LORD, I will disgrace myself even more. You may think I am nothing, but those girls will think highly of me!" Michal, Saul's daughter, never had any children." (I Samuel 6:14,20-23)
"(Samarian woman to Jesus) Our fathers worshiped in this mountain; you say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship. Jesus said to her, Woman, believe me, the hour comes, when you shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.........But the hour comes, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeks such to worship Him. God is a Spirit; and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth." (John 4:20-21, 23-24).
Worshiping God or communion with the Father does not entail being at a specific religious location on a particular day. In as much as the scriptures referred to us as the temple of the LORD, we can be in communion with Him anywhere, anytime, any day. For a spiritual person, everyday is Sabbath day. Why? Even though you are busy doing one thing or the other in the flesh, your spirit is in communion with God at all times. In that way you can be in communion with God without ceasing. You can be at work, school, on the street, in the kitchen, or engage in activities in different areas of human endeavour and constant praise and worship is going on in your spirit. It becomes even more of a reality as God's Spirit (Holy Spirit) inhabits our spirit. The Holy Spirit could inhabit our spirit as a tenant or as the landlord. As a tenant, He is a resident quite alright but only as a figurehead whose influence may not be overwhelming. But as the landlord, he not only reside in our spirit, He possesses it. He leads and inspires in an overwhelming manner. The feeling of newness and peace that passes all understanding becomes a regular experience. Communion with the Father not only becomes an integral part of spiritual life, it becomes an integral part of existence. Communion is no longer done out of sheer obligation rather because it has become a way of life; communion with the Father at this stage is not burdensome, it breeds joy and gladness of heart.
No one is downplaying ecstatic praise-worship. After all believers like David worshiped God ecstatically to His glory and admiration. Just that we ought not to forget that true worship is carried out in the spirit. Worship becomes even more effectual as the activity and ministry of the Holy Spirit becomes intensified in our lives.
God bless.
Yours
'Kunle O Majek'
H I A F E M
Of impact, quality and excellence
That's the Spirit!
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