The power of the congregation
There is so much talk among self appointed prophets that the day of the gathering Church is over. I can’t sit back and let these words go un-challenged. God is into unity and its impossible to have unity sitting at home by ourselves or cutting ourselves off from the congregation of the Lord! The Lord wants us to be in training for the day when we all stand as one before the throne and proclaim with one voice the glories of the Lord!
Our great pattern is the people of Israel. Even though they have been scattered. He is as he said He would, is gathering them together again.
You see scattered, the odd one who came to know Yeshua in recent times could do little harm. But gathered together we are seeing thousands beginning to turn again to the one whom was pierced. Satan hates a gathering together of people who can talk about the true and living God. Because together we inspire one another. And what’s more as we talk it brings great joy to the Lord.
Look at this verse which I think is one of my favorites
Malachi 3:16 Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name.
Isnt it exciting? There is power in unity and agreement!
Lets look at the following message which is declared to be a message to the nations.
Jeremiah 31:10-14
10 “Listen to this message from the LORD, you nations of the world; proclaim it in distant coastlands: The LORD, who scattered his people, will gather them together and watch over them as a shepherd does his flock. 11 For the LORD has redeemed Israel from those too strong for them. 12 They will come home and sing songs of joy on the heights of Jerusalem. They will be radiant because of the many gifts the LORD has given them—the good crops of wheat, wine, and oil, and the healthy flocks and herds. Their life will be like a watered garden, and all their sorrows will be gone. 13 The young women will dance for joy, and the men—old and young—will join in the celebration. I will turn their mourning into joy. I will comfort them and exchange their sorrow for rejoicing. 14 I will supply the priests with an abundance of offerings. I will satisfy my people with my bounty. I, the LORD, have spoken!”
If we want wheat, wine & oil we must learn not only how to flow, but how to flow together.
Why because the Lord is wanting us not to be just a congregation but “The congregation of the Lord”
That’s why we should do things together.
Stand together
Lift our voices together
Raise our hands together
Dance together
At first it is mechanical but as we are obedient to the Holy Spirit we will begin to move with Him and be one with Him
We may begin worshiping as many voices but soon we will be as one voice.
(play CD) of world prayer centre spontaneous worship!
As we begin to lay aside our agenda in Church and begin to find His agenda.
We will begin to flow together into Wheat wine & Oil.
Wheat...Bread, food, word of God & Revelation
Wine... Joy of the Lord, exuberance, Party in the house.
Oil... Gifts of the Spirit, Glory.. Power..
Someone said to us the other day that when they moved to South Auckland they saw a mist covering the whole area. When they asked the Lord what it was the Lord said.. My people are sleeping.. It is a spiritual slumber covering the South.
To break the slumber we must arise and work together as a congregation
Put aside your pre-conceived ideas and learn to flow in what God is doing!
This is not the day of the individual... look at me... look at me... look at me!
But indeed it is the day of Gods glory in the midst of His congregation!
If you look at the instance’s when the glory of God was revealed in the Word it was usually when Gods people were together and in unity.
We need to remember we are all on the same team!
Prayer meetings where He turned up!
A few years ago we came very close to seeing a major breakthrough in Tuakau.
Some of us got together in one place from different church backgrounds to seek the face of God. They were all night affairs... the one good thing about all night prayer meetings is that the ones who want to pray al the time soon run out of things to pray and then the Spirit can begin to flow. The thing that would happen would be after some time of silence together One would begin to received something from God then the flow would go to another then another until the river was flowing in the midst of all. Many things were achieved in those meetings. Why? Because there was unity.. and the Wheat and the Wine and the Oil were released.
So what broke it?
Simple others came in with a different agenda and wanted the Holy Spirit to go their way.. pretty soon the Holy Spirit moved on and the move was stifled.
God isn’t as worried about issues as we are. He sees the whole picture not just one piece, He doesn’t get hung up about little issues of difference and neither should we. Lay aside your difference for the sake of eternity and flow together.
After all Psalm 133 says that where there is unity “There the Lord Commands a
blessing”!
lets read that
Psalm 133:1-3
1 A Song of degrees of David.
1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! 2 It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments; 3 As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.
Three reasons for unity:
1) its good
2) Its pleasant
3) God commands a blessing.
I was in the meeting in Pukekohe last year when God commanded a blessing, as 14 Pastors stood together in unity.
Oil literally and supernaturally ran down the walls of the hall. The evidence is there to this day. You can see the streaks running down the wall. God loves unity!
In India I saw a young woman so full of demons that she had become mad. She was an attractive and once very bright university graduate. But grief had overcome her and allowed many friends to join. They clung together in unity and controlled the young woman. When she was brought to me at a Pastors conference the demons cried out. we dont care if you bring a hundred Pastors we will not leave. This caused the group of Pastors to begin to reach out in Godly unity and as I commanded the demons to name themselves which they did and one by one they left. Unity bought the victory. The young woman was restored to her right mind and reconciled to her family.
Why? Because brothers agreed together in unity.
So friends if we want to see the Glory of God we must put aside our own agendas of what church should be like and learn to flow with the Holy Spirit together.
Not just one here and one there but together.
I tell you the truth that if we dare to agree that we will never agree on certain issues and instead put them aside and seek His glory we will never be disappointed!
God will command a blessing!
