Even though every time the church comes together in worship it is impactful and important there are always some services that are simply greater. That was the case this last Sunday Evening as God moved in a mighty way. Without my Pastor even needing to preach a word, lives were changed, people received the Holy Ghost, some were baptized, and chains were broken. All because God entered the room and began to do the work that only He is able to. We truly were in the presence of the King of Kings. Experiencing the power of God that few truly ever get to experience.
It was the kind of church service that we as Apostolics love and long for. One where you leave knowing assuredly that you were in the presence of God. Knowing without any doubt God is still alive and active in our world. That He is still pouring out blessings on His people. That the events we read about in the book of Acts were not just for a certain time or generation. But that they were for every generation to follow. As long as they put their trust in the word of God. It was the kind of service that no one can leave and not see that signs, miracles, and wonders are still for today.
Acts 2:16–21 (ESV)
16 But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel:
17 “ ‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares,
that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh,
and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
and your young men shall see visions,
and your old men shall dream dreams;
18 even on my male servants and female servants
in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.
19 And I will show wonders in the heavens above
and signs on the earth below,
blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke;
20 the sun shall be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood,
before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day.
21 And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’
Acts 2:39 (ESV)
39 For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.”
Mark 16:17–18 (ESV)
17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
It is an amazing feeling to reflect and realize that you were just in the presence of the King of Kings. To know that you were witnessing the power of God before your very eyes. In fact, it was through reflecting on this past Sunday’s events on this Tuesday morning that inspiration for this article came. To first declare the greatness of our God before all people. While also announcing to those who may not believe as we do in the Apostolic church that God is still working in mighty ways all throughout the world.
Psalm 96:3 (ESV)
3 Declare his glory among the nations,
his marvelous works among all the peoples!
But I also feel the need to remind us that as Holy Ghost-filled believers we are always in the presence of the King. As God is with us in every circumstance all the time. A fact that we know well but often overlook throughout our daily lives. Especially after a service like I was blessed enough to be a part of recently. You see we often find ourselves in the Apostolic church praying to be in such services. Seeking God to move and make Himself known in our midst. We long to have those experiences where we leave knowing God was in the room. At least I know that I do.
Reflecting on last Sunday’s service I was in awe all over again. Overjoyed with the knowledge that I had been in the presence of the Lord as He moved throughout the church touching lives. It caused praise and thanksgiving to well up inside my heart all over again. For a brief second, I longed to be back in that place. Back in the presence of the King of Kings. But that’s when I realized that being in His presence is not something we are only blessed with on rare occasions. We may not always feel or realize it but as spirit-filled believers, we live in the prescience of the King. We are the temple of God and where we are God is also.
1 Corinthians 3:16 (ESV)
16 Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?
1 Corinthians 3:19 (ESV)
19 For the wisdom of this world is folly with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their craftiness,”
Not only that but scripture tells us that where two or more are gathered together in His name God is also there. Meaning that every time we come together as a body of believers to worship, He is there. Not one service goes by in which at least a few believers have their hearts set on God that God does not fill the room. Even when the service is average and great signs do not visibly take place we can leave knowing we were in the presence of God. Because that is what He promises in His word. There is a song that simply says even when I can’t feel it your working. A simple statement that contains an immense amount of truth.
Matthew 18:20 (ESV)
20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”
Nothing in this life is able to compare to being in a great church service. One in which the hand of God is apparent. It is a great blessing to be able to visibly see God working in your midst. But may we never forget this one thing, as Apostolic Spirit-filled believers are always in the presence of the King of King. We always have a reason to enter His courts with thanksgiving just as the Psalmist wrote. In fact, we have all the more reason to enter the church with a praise on our lips because we know that God’s spirit will always be present there. We are living in an even greater day than David did, giving us even more reason to be thankful.
Psalm 100:4 (ESV)
4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
and his courts with praise!
Give thanks to him; bless his name!
So let us keep praying for great moves of God because that’s what our world needs more than ever. Let us continue to seek after great services in which God makes Himself known. Because such services strengthen the faith of the church and open the eyes of the lost to God’s power. But let us as the church of God never think that only in those times we are in the presence of God.
Instead, let us live every second of every day knowing that we are in the King’s presence. A great blessing that empowers us to praise in every situation, pray without ceasing, and face any attack of the enemy without fear. All because we know that wherever life takes us we are in the presence of the King of Kings. And there is no better place we can be.
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