Ephesians 3:9-10 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the assembly the manifold wisdom of God,
I want to talk to you about a mystery. The dictionary states a mystery as a ‘puzzling event or situation’ and to the unsaved or those that are not walking in the Spirit this mystery can be puzzling. To the spiritual, a mystery is known by divine revelation.
I like a good mystery but even more than that I like a 'revealed mystery'
Colossians 1:26-27 the mystery which [has been] hidden from ages and from generations, but has now been made manifest to his saints; to whom God would make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the nations, which is Christ in you the hope of glory:
Paul proclaimed this Christ as being in them. For the design of the Gospel is to put men possessed of the Spirit and walking in the power of Christ, to make them partakers of the Divine nature, and so prepare them for an eternal union with himself.
Now before you say "I know that Christ is in me" and stop reading - I am not talking about a 'symbolic Jesus is in my heart' type thing - I am talking that the creator of the universe is actually living in you.
If we get a revelation of this (not just a head knowledge) it will transform you life.
This is what the Lord wanted right from when He created Adam - to Live with man, to have deep fellowship with him, to walk and talk with him.
Because of Adams sin, God departed. Then God chose to live among men via the tabernacle, His presence was seen by all, He was worshiped there, people ‘came’ to worship, people ‘came’ to hear from God.
In the New Testament, under the new covenant instituted by Christ,
God no longer dwells in a physical temple.
Acts 7:47-50 But Solomon built him an house. Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet, Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest? Hath not my hand made all these things?
Again Paul said in
Acts 17:24 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;
A building is not the habitation of God anymore.
I want to talk about:-
• Christianity not churchianity - Churchianty is about church – Christianity is about Christ
• The body not a business
• Organism not an organization
• Relationship not religiosity – religiosity is about doing or seen to be doing – relationship is about being.
• His Presence not our performance – performance is about me and about me doing – presence is about Him and about Him doing. Performance is about my involvement – presence is about His involvement. My works are as filthy rags – His works in and through me are as gold. He must increase – I must decrease. I must realize that the less of me equals the more of Him. I need a revelation of Christ in me the hope of glory. The Apostle Paul put it this way – “its no longer I that lives but Christ that lives in me”.
• A spiritual building not an earthly building
1 Peter 2:4-5 And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice [chosen, elect] and precious in the sight of God, you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices.
You are God's 'spiritual house' - He no longer 'dwells' in buildings made by man, He doesnt live in churches, He dwells in you.
All sources agree that ‘ekklesia’ denotes not a physical structure but a living, eternal spiritual dwelling place. But many sources misstranslate this to the word church. A living spiritual house - not a system, an organization or a place but a living 'body' Being assembled and fit together by the Lord for His dwelling.
Paul said: (Ephesians 2:20-22).
"So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints [holy ones] and are of God's household, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple [sanctuary] in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit"
The true assembly of believers of God is not of this world but is a spiritual dwelling place for God.
So the church building is no longer inhabited by God – it is not the house of God anymore, it is not sacred, it is not holy, it is not sanctified.
But the body of Christ is now being built up as a dwelling place of God, the body of Christ is now the temple, and individuals are of the household of God.
His house will be (is) within His believers. We of the Body of Christ are His dwelling place forever.
Hebrews 3:6 but Christ, as Son over his house, whose house are we, if indeed we hold fast the boldness and the boast of hope firm to the end.
1 Corinthians 3:16-17 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.
2 Corinthians 5:1 For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
We so need a revelation of ‘Christ in Us’
We have got to get off the focus of meetings, going to see miracles in a meeting, going to worship God somewhere, going to a meeting to get healed, going to a meeting to get……
We have got to turn meetings into ministry.
Got to get off the focus of meetings and onto personal ministry.
Do you realize that Christ is in you, all the power, authority and ability of Christ is in you. Healing is in you. Miracles are in you. All you have to do is learn to let Jesus Christ minister through you.
God is taking the emphasis off superstars and onto the saints.
You see God wants to use you to perform miracles, He wants you to worship Him from your relationship with Him, every day, rather than a religious meeting where your heart isn’t. He wants to use you to heal others out in the market place, in your everyday life.
1 John 4:4 ………. greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
When you have the revelation that God lives in you you partake of the divine nature and you don’t sin, and secondly you realize that the power of Christ to do what He says is IN YOU. The power to heal is in you, the power to do miracles is in you.
When you have the revelation that God is in you you worship differently because He is with you, walking with you every second of every day – that’s why I can fellowship with Him anytime, anywhere.
I want to talk to you about a mystery. The dictionary states a mystery as a ‘puzzling event or situation’ and to the unsaved or those that are not walking in the Spirit this mystery can be puzzling. To the spiritual, a mystery is known by divine revelation.
I like a good mystery but even more than that I like a 'revealed mystery'
Colossians 1:26-27 the mystery which [has been] hidden from ages and from generations, but has now been made manifest to his saints; to whom God would make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the nations, which is Christ in you the hope of glory:
Paul proclaimed this Christ as being in them. For the design of the Gospel is to put men possessed of the Spirit and walking in the power of Christ, to make them partakers of the Divine nature, and so prepare them for an eternal union with himself.
Now before you say "I know that Christ is in me" and stop reading - I am not talking about a 'symbolic Jesus is in my heart' type thing - I am talking that the creator of the universe is actually living in you.
If we get a revelation of this (not just a head knowledge) it will transform you life.
This is what the Lord wanted right from when He created Adam - to Live with man, to have deep fellowship with him, to walk and talk with him.
Because of Adams sin, God departed. Then God chose to live among men via the tabernacle, His presence was seen by all, He was worshiped there, people ‘came’ to worship, people ‘came’ to hear from God.
In the New Testament, under the new covenant instituted by Christ,
God no longer dwells in a physical temple.
Acts 7:47-50 But Solomon built him an house. Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet, Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest? Hath not my hand made all these things?
Again Paul said in
Acts 17:24 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;
A building is not the habitation of God anymore.
I want to talk about:-
• Christianity not churchianity - Churchianty is about church – Christianity is about Christ
• The body not a business
• Organism not an organization
• Relationship not religiosity – religiosity is about doing or seen to be doing – relationship is about being.
• His Presence not our performance – performance is about me and about me doing – presence is about Him and about Him doing. Performance is about my involvement – presence is about His involvement. My works are as filthy rags – His works in and through me are as gold. He must increase – I must decrease. I must realize that the less of me equals the more of Him. I need a revelation of Christ in me the hope of glory. The Apostle Paul put it this way – “its no longer I that lives but Christ that lives in me”.
• A spiritual building not an earthly building
1 Peter 2:4-5 And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice [chosen, elect] and precious in the sight of God, you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices.
You are God's 'spiritual house' - He no longer 'dwells' in buildings made by man, He doesnt live in churches, He dwells in you.
All sources agree that ‘ekklesia’ denotes not a physical structure but a living, eternal spiritual dwelling place. But many sources misstranslate this to the word church. A living spiritual house - not a system, an organization or a place but a living 'body' Being assembled and fit together by the Lord for His dwelling.
Paul said: (Ephesians 2:20-22).
"So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints [holy ones] and are of God's household, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple [sanctuary] in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit"
The true assembly of believers of God is not of this world but is a spiritual dwelling place for God.
So the church building is no longer inhabited by God – it is not the house of God anymore, it is not sacred, it is not holy, it is not sanctified.
But the body of Christ is now being built up as a dwelling place of God, the body of Christ is now the temple, and individuals are of the household of God.
His house will be (is) within His believers. We of the Body of Christ are His dwelling place forever.
Hebrews 3:6 but Christ, as Son over his house, whose house are we, if indeed we hold fast the boldness and the boast of hope firm to the end.
1 Corinthians 3:16-17 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.
2 Corinthians 5:1 For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
We so need a revelation of ‘Christ in Us’
We have got to get off the focus of meetings, going to see miracles in a meeting, going to worship God somewhere, going to a meeting to get healed, going to a meeting to get……
We have got to turn meetings into ministry.
Got to get off the focus of meetings and onto personal ministry.
Do you realize that Christ is in you, all the power, authority and ability of Christ is in you. Healing is in you. Miracles are in you. All you have to do is learn to let Jesus Christ minister through you.
God is taking the emphasis off superstars and onto the saints.
You see God wants to use you to perform miracles, He wants you to worship Him from your relationship with Him, every day, rather than a religious meeting where your heart isn’t. He wants to use you to heal others out in the market place, in your everyday life.
1 John 4:4 ………. greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
When you have the revelation that God lives in you you partake of the divine nature and you don’t sin, and secondly you realize that the power of Christ to do what He says is IN YOU. The power to heal is in you, the power to do miracles is in you.
When you have the revelation that God is in you you worship differently because He is with you, walking with you every second of every day – that’s why I can fellowship with Him anytime, anywhere.
Newsletter
Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest teaching articles "An idol called the church" & news
Latest Comments
- This is good stuff brother and the heart of the good news. Christ in you is what this is about. Peter said you are the Christ the son of the living Go... More...
- I really liked your article Ian. But it seems your statment about comments being appercated is subject to approvel. Oh well some things never change n... More...
- This thing about what church is and is not could be carried through about all that we learned while in those places. Much of what we call the gospel o... More...
- Thank you for sharing your opinion here. I really value it. More...
- I was blessed. More...
Comments
RSS feed for comments to this post.