4 A Convinced Overcomer Series

Have you ever been a part of something too wonderful to comprehend? A couple years ago our family went to Cedar Point and my youngest was still getting used to roller coasters –a love for which my wife and I had developed since our youth and enjoyed two days as a part of our honeymoon. Nate wanted to ride the Rugaroo, so we boarded and sat next to each other. It didn’t take long and I was yelling, whooping, and telling my youngest, “Put your arms up,” and out of the corner of my eye I saw his arm DRIFT upward and back down. I looked over and the young guy was totally passed out!

So, have you ever been a part of something too wonderful for you? I get the impression from JOHN what he SAW and HEARD was too wonderful for him! In Revelation 1, John writes that it was on a Sunday, he was in the SPIRIT –and wouldn’t it be great if TODAY which is a SUNDAY that we can be in the SPIRIT too!

John states, I HEARD behind me a loud trumpeting voice…John then says, I TURNED to SEE

REV 1:12-16

And how did John respond? Like my youngest on a roller coaster!

REV 1:17-18 - When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. 18 I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.

In these few verses is the KEY to experiencing the presence of GOD in OUR worship service.

Author and speaker, JOHN BEVERE, shared about being at a conference in Brazil he was to speak. The worship team was leading the music and singing, but he did not feel the presence of God. Can you relate? Several of the speakers that day were reputable and known to be spirit-filled men and women. People were in the back walking in and out, getting food and drinks, in the crowd were those who were thumbing their phones, some in the back were laughing and having conversations on their phones, with one another, as if they were still waiting for a show to begin. This was all happening while the worship music was playing. Nothing changed when one of the leaders read from the Scripture just before John was to speak.

As John was introduced, the Holy Spirit spoke to him, “I want you to directly confront this.” So when John got to the pulpit with his translator, and he said nothing for a full minute. He just stood there and stared at the people. By the end of that time, the hum of confusion was silenced, all heads were turned toward the pulpit, and a respectful silence was rendered.

JOHN opened with these questions: How would you like it if you were meeting with a friend, sitting at a table, and all they did was ignore you, stared at the ceiling, or talked to the person next to them the whole time? He answered the question himself, “You wouldn’t like it would you?”

He asked another question, “What if every time you went to your neighbor’s house, you were greeted with the most unfriendly, uninviting face that either ignored you, or said, “Oh, it’s only you.” Would you continue to go to their house?” John answered for them, NO WAY!

Then he said, “Do you think the KING OF THE UNIVERSE is going to manifest HIS presence or speak in a place where HE is not honored or revered? But if some sports figure you like, or musician you enjoy, or public figure you respected stood up in front of you, you would be on the edge of your seat listening to every word. YET while God’s word was being read a moment ago, you paid no attention to it whatsoever.

John then preached for 90 minutes on the fear of the Lord. When he was finished he asked for those to stand who knew they had lost a fear and reverence for the Lord and wanted it back. 75% of those in attendance stood to their feet for prayer. But God didn’t wait for the prayer to move among those people.

What if God wanted to manifest HIS PRESENCE HERE to us this morning? Would you want that? Like a felt breeze, powerful but invisible, a presence was felt here that caused you to revere and respect the holiness growing in this place, like an unleashing of the Spirit from church camps gone by, fresh, freeing, and close.

John said there was a move of God before he prayed over those people. There was a move of God after he prayed over those people. And when he sat down the Spirit of God spoke to his heart and said, I am about to manifest myself one time in this place.”