Seeing the problems in the world today, I want to look at what happened in those famous verses, so often linked with revival, when Solomon had finished building the Temple. 2 Chronicles 5.13-14 tells us, when the musicians were as one, praising and thanking the Lord, and saying, “He is good and His mercy endures forever,” – the House was filled with a cloud, so that the priests could not stand to minister, for the Glory of the Lord had filled the House!
The Power and Glory of your inheritance
Enter into the Power and the Glory of God! Because we are in Christ, seated in the Heavenly Places in Christ, ALL THAT POWER AND GLORY – that Paul describes to us here in Ephesians Chapter 1 – is ours! It’s in the Church! You are His Hands, His Feet, His Eyes, His Mouth – YOU are the only manifestation of Jesus that the people on earth can ever see! And they HAVE to see that Glory in YOU! The Inheritance, the Glory – is in Christ, in Heaven.
Whatever you ask in Jesus Name
Whatever you ask in prayer, believe you have received it, and it will be yours! Jesus is teaching us that IF WE BELIEVE in Him, once He has gone back to be with His Father, we then on earth HAVE to carry on the work that He did – we HAVE to do what He did! So many people seem to read John 14 without seemingly being able to believe it. Jesus has commissioned us to do the greater works!
We need a revelation of the Power of God!
What we need now is a revelation and demonstration of who God is! When I was in prison for Bible smuggling so many people wrote to me, telling me God would look after me, that I would be released at the end of my sentence… No! I have SEEN THE POWER OF GOD! So, I challenged the Lord, “If You could work a powerful miracle 2000 years ago and break open the prison doors and get Paul and Silas out, I want to SEE YOUR POWER NOW!
Show me Your Glory
When is God’s Power revealed the most? – When everything is going wrong! David was not a young man when he wrote Psalm 63. He was facing enormous opposition, adversity, such a struggle, such a battle, and so often alone. So he’s saying, “O God, when I’m in the dry place, when I’m thirsty, when everything around me is barren, when the enemy is raging against me, when everything is difficult – I want to see Your Power in my extremity – as I once saw it in the Sanctuary!” When we’re threatened and suffering, THEN God reveal’s His Glory through our deliverance!
For the Glory of God
I only live for one thing; I only live to see the Glory of God. I’m not going to die, nor will I grow old and weak, because I live in the Glory of God. I live in the Power of God. I learnt many years ago not to live in my own strength, but to live in the strength and Power of God. My hearts cry is the same as Moses, ‘Lord, show me Your Glory’ (Exodus 33:18). I desire to see His Power and Glory (Psalm 63).
God identifies with you
God identifies with you. The Scripture speaks about taking up your cross and following Jesus - the cross is not just us identifying with Him, but Jesus identifying with us. When I was in prison for Bible smuggling, I felt so abandoned by God. In the Lord’s Prayer it says, ‘Who is in heaven…’, I argued, “You are in heaven, but I am in a stinking filthy cell, don’t You understand?” Then God reminded me of the truth: He sent His Son to die a criminal’s death. Jesus understood my pain - He identified with my suffering.
Glory of heaven on earth
God desires to reveal His glory here on earth. It doesn’t matter whether you are in a prison cell or in a hospital ward, as you begin to worship the Lord His glory will fill the room as He inhabits your praises. “And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be His people, and God Himself will be with them as their God” (Revelation 21:3).