Eph. 2:22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.
Jesus intended for His church to be supernatural. If you look at the way it started it was entirely that way, God was unmistakably in their midst. There was tongues of fire on their heads, healings beyond number, deliverances, supernatural offerings, people raised from the dead, even ordinary men and women being used powerfully in the gifts of the Spirit. The supernatural was not uncommon, it was constant. The supernatural characteristic of the church continued on for several centuries. Today, the supernatural in church has fallen out of favor. Ministers and churches that flow in the power are rare and precious. The supernatural has somehow fallen into the ‘irrelevant’ category. Instead, we have the ‘natural’ man or the ‘worldly man’ trying to do church. Here is how Andrew Murray describes it.
“What else do we really need? What else is He trying to make us understand? The religion of the Bible is wholly supernatural. The one resource of faith has always been the living God, and Him alone. The children of Israel were utterly dependent upon Jehovah as they marched through the wilderness. The one reason their foes feared them and hastened to submit themselves was that they recognized among them the shout of a King and the presence of One compared with whom all their strength was vain.
Wherein, asked Moses, shall it be known here that thy people have found grace in thy sight? Is it not in that thou goest with us? (Exodus 33:16). A church relying on human wisdom, wealth or resources ceases to be the body of Christ and becomes an earthly society. When we dare to depend entirely upon God and do not doubt, the humblest and feeblest agencies will become mighty through God, to the pulling down of strongholds (2 Corinthians 10:4).”
“An earthly society”, that’s a scary thought. That’s just another way of saying a country club. Church without the glory is not even church. This weekend we had meetings at our church with Freddie Hayler. He is a precious brother with a heart for worship. The focus on all of the services was the manifest presence. For some people, that is just too weird. If you think about it that sentiment is quite revealing. If emphasizing the Glory is perceived as fanatical we have really drifted far from our moorings. The purpose of the church is His glory. That is the place that brings freedom. What kind of freedom? Not a freedom to sin but a freedom from the bondage of sin. It is the anointing that breaks the yoke of sin off of our lives. So if you are under condemnation because of compromise creeping back into your life, find a real church. Find a place where His presence flows like a river and you will find yourself stepping into His incredible freedom.
