Gospel Encounter 32
PRAY ‘IN THE SPIRIT’ AND THEN ‘IN THE UNDERSTANDING’
What do the scriptures tell us ? A matter of ‘order’ and especially of ‘faith’.
1 Cor 14: (14) For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful. (15) What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.
Firstly let us lay the foundation that ‘a spirit expresses thought’. FATHER is Word, Spirit and therefore Thought (origin of all life); JESUS is the Word made flesh . . . the Thought expressed — expressing fully the will of the Father. The HOLY SPIRIT is the BREATH (Greek meaning of ‘spirit’) that turns thoughts into word and completes the communication and achieves the intent of the Originator. Thoughts are stored in a mind (along with pictures and music). God’s thoughts are thus in the mind of Christ which each believer has had released in them.
The Holy Spirit will draw from and express the mind of Christ which we have. For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ (I Cor. 2:16).
When one is ‘baptized in the spirit’, there comes forth a release from the ‘mind of Christ’ that was quickened in you when you were converted or ‘born from above’. The varying ‘tongues’ come from the mind of Christ within (spiritual words make spiritual languages). . . certainly not from one’s own mind — its just not capable!
My ‘spirit’ prays . . . let us look at the aspect of praying in tongues. The Holy Spirit is within my spirit (like the Hand in the glove) according to Romans 8:16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
Now, having laid that foundation, let us examine our life in the spirit.
WORSHIP TIMES . . . even called sometimes, ‘A WORSHIP SERVICE’.
Most ‘spirit-filled’ fellowships will have worship times in which we sing in the understanding and then (maybe) sing in the spirit also. Is that not correct?
We desire to be led of the Spirit, don’t we? (Romans 8:14) For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
The ones who are thus led by the Spirit are marked as the sons of God . . . those who have, by the grace of God, matured from having to be told what to do by a leader, when to do it and so on!
Our initial text at the top declares the exact opposite to what we have got accustomed to.
Pray FIRST in the Spirit . . . and THEN in the understanding ALSO. . . . afterwards!
The GIFT of speaking in tongues . . . is the GREATEST gift, for out from its correct usage comes all the other gifts (for they operate by FAITH and speaking in tongues builds one up in one’s most holy faith (Jude 20).
Praying according to His will. His will is in His mind in us (note the corporateness here!).
As we move corporately — it being God’s emphasis in this hour — let us PRAY out of His mind, His will BY PRAYING IN THE SPIRIT . . . . . . . IN FAITH believing that He will add the UNDERSTANDING ALSO of the desire and purpose of God.
This will then develop into THRONE AUTHORITY — praying, declaring and seeing His plan and purpose come to pass. Remember that the sons of God are led by the Spirit . . . yes, in their praying especially. This of course carries with it a tremendous responsibility which must not be taken lightly.
This is not a “name it and claim it” scenario which (for the most part) comes from man’s ability to quote the scriptures. This is a higher walk and talk and will enable us to walk in Christ with His perspective. This is the hour in which the sons have risen to the throne perspective and are beginning to rule and reign by His declared word.
Launch out and believe what God has decreed in His word. Pray in the Spirit and believe to KNOW what you have prayed and then declare it in the English (understanding). God bless and lead you for He cannot fail. Let us examine the purpose of worship . . .
RELATIONSHIP and WORSHIP . . .Which is the most important?
Most Christians place a tremendous emphasis on WORSHIP. They have regular ‘worship services’ or they have ‘worship’ at the beginning of a service. ‘Praise and Worship’ is a standard part of each meeting and usually comes first.
In the Old Testament there is a good example of this pictured in 2 Chronicles 20 when the ‘praisers’ went before the ‘sword’ (word). Let us not overlook that it is good to sing unto the Lord together . . . to honour Him and to ‘sing in the spirit and to sing in the understanding also’.
After the last supper, it is recorded that they sang a hymn (Gk.= psalm) and went out. There are very many psalms that were sung on specific occasions and David is held up as a great example of singing unto the Lord and the Lord answering him also.
TRUE WORSHIP IS A WAY OF LIFE
John 4 relates the dialogue between Jesus and the woman of Samaria. We are told that the Father is seeking TRUE WORSHIPPERS who will worship HIM in spirit and in truth.
Have you ever checked on the words of many hymns, songs and choruses that are sung? Some will focus on the devil and what he is doing, some will emphasize what the Lord has done or will do for His people and some will be so traditional as to make one have to believe in ‘Comic-Strip-Christianity’! Some actually will centre one’s attention on the Lord Jesus Christ while others mostly will sing about themselves and what God has done for them.
Let us allow our imagination to run ‘wild’ for a moment! . . . . . . . . . . .You are welcome to come to the big ‘Revival’ meeting to be held in the valley just outside of Bethany. The advertising has been well done with posters all through the area. The programs announce that arrangements have been made as follows:-
Seating Arrangements: Judas (not Iscariot);
Ushers: Under the guidance of Thomas.
Sound System: Andrew assisted by Peter who can use his big voice if something breaks down.
Song Sheets and Order of Service: Prepared and made available by Matthew.
Pre-service prayer times led by John;
Worship & Song Leader: Mark with his guitar.
Guest Soloist: Mary Magdeline.
Testimony: The woman from Samaria . . .
The local Band called ‘The Seducees” who have practised the worship time.
Offering: Organized by Judas - the Treasurer, with his assistant, Philip who will look after the official tax receipts. A special announcement to be made as to the total expense incurred in putting on this revival.
The main speaker: Jesus of Nazareth followed by Prayer for Healing and Deliverance.
Counselling of converts: Bartholomew and his team.
First Aid attendant: Dr. Luke (in case someone being slain in the spirit hits their head on the piano!).
Do you think that the modern organization in most ‘Churches’ has gone far away from the simplicity that was at the beginning? Most Churches have a lot of noise, but very few have true worship! Be still and know that I am God. Worship is to bring people into an intimacy with our Lord . . . in the spirit, NOT in the emotions. However ‘noise’ will affect the emotions but it will not be the means to attaining a closer relationship. What happens in the spirit should be lasting, while what happens via the emotions will only be temporary.
A GENUINE RELATIONSHIP IS WORSHIP OF THE HIGHEST QUALITY
A question: “When did Jesus worship?” The question that follows on, “How did He do it?”
Jesus was so one with His Father . . . He was in the Father and the Father was in Him . . . that their continuous ‘walk’ was one of relationship and in that relationship was always an attitude of worship and honouring of Him who is the Source of all life. Jesus Christ was simply the Expression of Father’s life and will.
It is hard to imagine (in our natural scene) constantly worshipping someone with whom one has a relationship. Worship can create a separation by maintaining the ‘distance’ between the One worshipped and the worshipper.
Now contrast this with our true position as the scriptures declare it to be. We look to the true pattern, the Lord Jesus. While He walked the earth, He was one with His Father. Like He was ‘the suit of clothes that Father went around in’! Because of the full provision of Calvary, God’s grace extends to us and provides for us to have the same relationship position whereby we can also testify, ‘I and my Father are one’.
Our worship style and content will change as our relationship with the Lord increases. It will not be the same time after time. The Spirit of Truth . . . the Spirit and Truth will be the expression of the worship that is in us.
The relationship between God and Adam in the garden of Eden, did not need worship times to see it maintained. Only when there was a breach of this relationship did God introduce worship as a means of restoring that relationship and regaining what was lost. 100% relationship with our Father is the fullness of worship.
Worship brings the worshipper into a relationship with the Spirit of God and a further experiencing of the union that one already has with the Truth. . . His name is Jesus Christ.
This writing is not advocating the doing away with worship. The challenge is to the content, style and purpose of the worship that we partake in. Where the Spirit is Lord, there is liberty. Varying worship will meet varying needs . . . but vain repetition becomes like a rut. Allow the Lord to lead you with His controlled spontaneous worship and you will become true worshippers that guarantees an experiential oneness with Father . . . this relationship is more important as a target — while worship will help the believers attain the relationship that they hunger for.
Worship’s target is to bring us into more and more reality regarding the relationship that we have with our Father. The worship that will accomplish this will be focused entirely upon Christ Jesus and His finished work.
‘TALKING TO YOURSELF . . . EH?
So what’s wrong with that ? God did it ! In Genesis chapter 1 . . . “God said . . .”
Who was He talking to ? There was no-one and no-thing there! Actually it is not too hard to understand . . . try this . . . Adam (male) was formed in the image and likeness of God Himself. Eve (female) was taken out of him . . . yet God said that they were one — before and after!
So we could conclude that the ‘male’ part of God (We’ll refer to Him as ELOHIM) spoke to the ‘female’ part of God (We’ll call Him {EL} SHADDAI which means the ‘many-breasted One’). God spoke to Himself (remember that there is only ONE God) and we do too!
Let’s check this out. David of old spoke to himself. Psalm 123:1 shows David speaking to his soul and telling him to bless the Lord. God’s desire was for David’s ‘him’ and ‘her’ to become one God-life. . . a single expression of Himself. Like Adam, the pattern, Christ at the Cross had His ‘other half’ taken out of His side . . . and God calls ‘Him’ and ‘Her’ one.
We , following the pattern, speak to ourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs (etc.) - Ephesians 5:19. . . this is done in a singular and corporate way. When done in a real way, it produces a change in us. We, who are born of the Spirit, are the body of Christ who is the visible expression of the invisible God. We need to talk to ourselves. I Corinthians 14:4 says ‘he that speaks in an unknown tongue edifies himself’. This is on the individual realm.
There is Christ the Bridegroom (male) and there is Christ the true Church, His Bride (female). The pattern word declares they are one. Out of this one expression of Himself, we find Him speaking to Himself! The Bridegroom in us speaks to the Bride in us so that she (like David’s soul) may bless the Lord and be changed by Him from glory to glory into what He is (II Corinthians 3:18). Ever since (maybe before) you were baptized in the Holy Spirit, He has been speaking to the changeable you so that you will really be changed. It is the work of the Holy Spirit in you . . . so the release of the Spirit is essential for steady progress.
Take the corporate scene: in an anointed, life-giving meeting, the one anointed to give forth the word of life is the voice of Christ (m.) and He places the seed of life from that word into the Bride (f.) who is edified and changed thereby. The next week, one of those who moved in the Bride aspect of Christ, can now move with the anointing of Christ (m) and deliver the seed of life to the others on that occasion. So being one body/expression of God (we are all the body of Christ), we observe that He still talks to himself. . . for He (Elohim) is still creating or unveiling Himself in us.
This is pictured for us in the last book of the Bible . . . The Revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ in all His corporate completeness. The beginning of the book reveals Christ, the Bridegroom while the end of the book reveals the Bride who has become fully Like Him and thus truly experientially expression that oneness that God said all along that we had. This Lord Jesus will come forth and be seen in all the earth.
Colossians 3:4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
N.B. Appear relates to the ‘seen realm’ . . . earthly scene! Glory is a state of being in the fullness of God (it is not a location) which must come to reality for ‘Christ in you is the sure hope that it will’ (Colossians 1:27).
1 John 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it does not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as he is.
We shall see Him AS HE IS . . . not as He was!!! “For as He is, so are WE in this world” ( I John 4:17).§