The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me… Luke 4:18 NKJV

The Church of Jesus Christ crackles with the presence of God. God indwells His people, and wherever two or three are gathered together in His name, there He is in the presence of them. When the Spirit of God is moving amongst a group of people, all the ‘gaps’ in peoples lives start to get filled. Someone has a need…that is a ‘gap’…it gets filled. God has given man authority upon the earth. When born again ones learn how to bring the presence of God into their services, in the fullness that God intends, every need in every believer in that service will get met. When that happens, the word will get out, and very soon that meeting place will be filled with hungry people…

But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; Acts 1:8 NKJV

To understand the presence of God, you must understand two great aspects: the promised presence, and the manifest presence. God is everywhere present. Where the worst satanic activities are being carried out, God is even there, because God is everywhere. That reality is the promised presence. The manifest presence is where God begins to demonstrate His presence. His manifest presence is shown in released abundances of faith, hope, love, signs, miracles and wonders – life in all of its abundance. These are among the fruit that occur wherever and whenever God manifests His presence.

So then faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. Rom 10:17 NKJV

Every time you leave the presence of another believer or believers, where you have gathered together in His name, your faith should be built up. If the Spirit of God is in manifest presence, as He said He would be, then everyone there who believes will be lifted, edified and strengthened. If you and I can learn to speak and move by the Spirit of God, we can bring the manifest presence of God wherever we go.

If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. 1 Peter 4:11 NKJV

One time, a man of God asked me what I thought of another pastor. I replied, “I have never heard him speak by the Spirit of God.” The man of God nodded his head sadly.

Now, therefore, we are all present before God, to hear all the things commanded you by God.” Acts 10:33 NKJV

Another time, I was invited to attend a pastors conference of a major Pentecostal denomination in the USA. I watch and listen very closely whenever I attend any service because I seek to discern what God is saying and doing. The main speaker got up to speak, and he ‘nailed it.’ Every word out of his mouth, from word one, sizzled with the Spirit of God. For over an hour, I felt like I was living in the book of Acts, hearing Peter or Paul speak. When he finished preaching by the Spirit of God, which is a form of prophecy, a spirit of prayer fell on the ministers, and everyone sought God.

But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an uninformed person comes in, he is convinced by all, he is convicted by all. 25 And thus the secrets of his heart are revealed; and so, falling down on his face, he will worship God and report that God is truly among you.

1 Cor 14:24-25 NKJV

When I come to church, I want God! I don’t want comedy…I don’t want ‘wholesome entertainment’…I want God, in all of His fullness! The reason we have dry, dead, lifeless churches, where nobody really gets their needs met, is because we have no Spirit of God in manifestation. Now, you and I can help change that reality. Whether we are preaching, or whether we are just participating, we can bring the fullness of the genuine, pure manifest presence of God into that service, if we learn to cooperate with Him.

SPEAK BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD

But whatever is given you in that hour, speak that; for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. Mark 13:11 NKJV

Whenever you preach or teach, there are two anointings: one is the anointing of knowing what to say – the message. The other is the anointing of being able to bring the message in all the fullness of the purpose and power of God. They are two very different anointings. Many times it seems people get the first but fail to get the second. Ephesians says, speak the truth in love. That is actually two anointings. The first is to know the right word to speak at the right time – “the truth.” “In love” is the anointing of actually how to speak and communicate that truth with the greatest possible impact. Do you see it?

Many times preachers seem to lack urgency. If it’s not urgent…if it’s not important…why even speak it at all? The military teaches its officers to do everything with a sense of urgency. I have learned to set my heart to preach like it is the only chance I will ever get to communicate to those dear ones the will of God, which is true! I learned this truth by playing football years ago. When the game is over, you will never get another chance to play that game. You cannot change the outcome, you cannot change the effort you gave…because it’s over. When you sense the urgency of God, the passion of Jesus Christ, you will reach down into the depths of your heart to bring out the very best you have at that moment. You will speak by the Spirit of God, and your words will have power, because you can do no less. Lay your heart out for all to see, pour yourself out, because when it’s over…it’s over.

POWER FILLED PREPARATION

He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself… 1 Cor 14:4 NKJV

On one trip, I had spent two weeks in East Africa, and there was one more week in Nairobi where I would teach a Holy Spirit Seminar and preach in a church. I knew I needed to be powerfully prepared. So I set myself on Saturday to pray and seek God. I began praying in tongues and reading the Word at about 630am. I prayed on through the morning, stopping briefly for breakfast and lunch. Finally, about 330pm, the Lord spoke and said, “You are ready.” When He released me, saying I was ready, I quit praying and enjoyed the rest of the evening, because I knew I was ready. The next day and the following week was marked with miracles I still talk about.

‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord of hosts. Zech 4:6 NKJV

I have never known anyone who prayed in tongues for hours and regretted it. The key to receiving the anointing is to stay in His presence until He releases you. Just sit, pray in tongues and enjoy the presence of God. The art of giving is the ability to receive. You must receive before you can give. You open your Bible, and you open your heart, saying, Lord, fill me with Your presence, and you stay in that place of humble love until He releases you. You will know in your spirit when you are ready. If you will wait, if you can bring your soul into submission and wait, you will go with the anointing to accomplish the will of God.

You can, either as a preacher or a participant, bring the power of God into any Church service anywhere, if you are willing to cooperate with Him and prepare yourself, bless God forever!

Remember dear ones, we must be about our Father’s business…