Hosting the Holy One

Church is not just a time and place for the Body to be blessed, but for the Head to be honored. Our purpose is not to hoard to ourselves blessings, wherewith we “pad and cushion” our lives. It is a time to hold up our hands in undiluted praise to our Lord, honoring Him as the Head of the Body. A Head-less church cannot minister to a hurting world. With what shall we help them? A Head-less Body leaves a hopeless world in a helpless state. In fact, a Head-less, Christ-less church, is not a church at all, but rather a religious gathering of the passionless and powerless.

What are we thinking? Without the Head we are Spiritually dead. I wonder…could this also be a clue as to why services vary in Spirit and power level?

This issue is the joint annoyance of many who are hungry for God, and who are dissatisfied with the status quo of regular and routine religious rituals. There exists a breed of hungry-hearted believers who are extremely discontent with the mundane practices of a Spirit-less, powerless, passionless gathering of the “saints”.

While many churchgoers seem to have pledged themselves to be lifelong members of the First Church of the Refrigerated, where people are spiritually chilled instead of Holy Ghost filled, there remains a remnant of those who crave Christ, and who are saying, “Give us Bread. Give us the Word. Not just the written Word. Not just the spoken Word. We want the Living Word! We want the Holy one Himself!”

Some might call such people radical. But the first century Church would call such individuals normal. That was their desire, and it must be ours. For we who are hungry, church for the sake of church just isn’t satisfying. Our hearts hunger for more. There has to be something else besides coming and going, without ever changing and growing. There must be more to the church experience than sitting on a pew; we want to sit in His Presence!

The hungry hearted must have more than religion; there must be a revolution. We must have more than just another church service; we want saturation! And that outpouring must be present in more than just one meeting. Why can’t we continually increase in Spiritual Power from service to service? Doesn’t the Bible teach that we are supposed to be growing from faith to faith and from glory to glory? Yes it does. And that means we’re to be progressing in both areas, not digressing. We are to be going forward in our faith and growing in glory. That’s the kind of church I long to see, that I want to attend, and that I seek to pastor. More importantly, that’s the type of Church that God desires to create. He said so in His Word!

I believe that such a move is beginning, and such a transition is now arising. The hunger has always existed, but now it has grown desperate. We cry with those of old, who said, “We would see Jesus!” We want Him. We want His Presence. We want a church-wide revolution. We want to see His glory, His power, and His anointing in unsurpassed and unparalleled levels.

Yet many times we go to church and it doesn’t happen. Why? Why this variation in the congregation? Why this change in the atmosphere between services? Is it the pastor’s fault? Is it the fault of the choir or praise team? Is it the people, or the devil? Is it “just the age we live in,” as some propose? Is it a sin issue?

Well, all of those things may factor in somewhat to the answer at times and in different situations. But I want to talk about another part of that equation, which I believe, can give us a large part of the answer. That’s what this book is about.

Here’s the issue I want to deal with, that I have come to believe holds a great key in this whole matter:

We do not know how to host the Holy Spirit.

Now, if you’re thinking, “What in the world is he talking about?” then that’s only helping to make my point. If we don’t know what that means, then chances are we’re not doing it.

We do not know how to host the Holy Spirit.

If you want to learn what that means, and how to do it - if you want to know how you and your church or ministry can experience God’s Power and Presence in every service, and how it can increase and not diminish - then read on. It will truly be an exhilarating journey.

But beware: These truths are not for the faint of heart. These truths are not easily implemented in your life, or in the church. However, the effect they will have, if and when implemented, is worth every effort.

It’s time for every local church to learn how to host the Holy Spirit, and how to welcome the Divine One into our midst.

The question is not whether He desires to come or not. The Bible is clear on that. The question is are we ready for Him to come? How good are we at hosting the Holy Spirit? How much better can we be at it? What happens when we do it right?

Keep on reading and let’s begin finding out.