John 17:21 [Jesus:] that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.

Colossians 1:27 To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

Colossians 2:9 NLT For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body. 10 So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority.

Perhaps the greatest mystery of the Christian faith is the miracle of our union with Christ. It’s such a mystery that many Believers don’t even know what it actually means. Our union with Christ means that every Believer already has within them absolutely everything they need to live a full and abundant life!

If we are “complete in Christ,” it means that all the resources to be found through our relationship with Him have already been delivered to the doorstep of our spirit. The mystery we pursue in life is to fully apprehend the resources and power to live fully from the resurrection of Christ. The power hidden within the resurrection has already been freely given to us!

The “Oneness” with the Godhead that Jesus prayed for in John 17:21, isn’t something that hasn’t happened yet, it is something we cultivate continuously through our abiding in Christ! Our faith grows in the soil of intimacy. Allowing the Spirit of Christ to lead us into the depths of knowing the love of God unlocks mysteries and opens doors of understanding for us into the mysteries of His kingdom.

All mysteries become clear in the light of Christ, Who is the Light of the World. Our pursuit of Mystery and the unseen realm is really an exploration into the realms of our inheritance through Jesus Christ. If we abide in Christ we will experience His life - at every level and in every way.

This great mystery is revealed when we share His body and blood in Holy Communion. This sharing results in a Oneness whose mystery we simply must explore. We cannot ignore that God has invited us into an incredible, cosmic participation into the wonder of His Person.

There are several keys that unlock mystery for every Believer. Some we have shared about in past devotionals. Below are listed five ways that we partner with Christ to participate in the unseen realm. As you consider these truths, I encourage you to implement them into your regular practice as a devoted follower of Christ. They will open your heart to deeper encounters with God and revelation into the mysteries of Christ.

Humility to come as a child.
Intimacy that comes to everyone who abides in Him.
Faith in the things we cannot see.
Hope for what is now impossible.
Love that causes us to see the face of God in Jesus Christ.

Romans 8:11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

John 1:4  In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.

1 John 1:5 NLT This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all. 6 So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth. 7 But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.

John 6:56 He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. 57 As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me. 58 This is the bread which came down from heaven—not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever.”

John 15:5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.

Luke 10:21-22 TPT Then Jesus, overflowing with the Holy Spirit’s joy, exclaimed, “Father, thank you, for you are Lord Supreme over heaven and earth! You have hidden the great revelation of this authority from those who are proud, those wise in their own eyes, and you have shared it with these who humbled themselves. Yes, Father. This is what pleases your heart: to give these things to those who are like trusting children. [22] “Father, you have entrusted me with all that you have. No one fully knows the Son except the Father. And no one fully knows the Father except the Son. But the Son is able to reveal the Father to anyone he chooses.”

Mark 10:13 Then they brought little children to Him, that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked those who brought them. 14 But when Jesus saw it, He was greatly displeased and said to them, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God. 15 Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.”

1 Corinthians 12:12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. 13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

Romans 4:18 NLT Even when there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping—believing that he would become the father of many nations. For God had said to him, “That’s how many descendants you will have!”

MEDITATION

• From the five keys listed above, pick one that you feel could be strengthened in your life and strategize ways to improve in that area.

• How does being complete in Christ make a difference to your pursuit of the mystery of the unseen realm?

• Describe what your union with Christ looks like to other people.

Hebrews 11:1 NLT Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see.

Romans 4:16-18 TPT The promise depends on faith so that it can be experienced as a grace-gift, and now it extends to all the descendants of Abraham. This promise is not only meant for those who obey the law, but also to those who enter into the faith of Abraham, the father of us all. [17] That’s what the Scripture means when it says: “I have made you the father of many nations.” He is our example and father, for in God’s presence he believed that God can raise the dead and call into being things that don’t even exist yet. [18] Against all odds, when it looked hopeless, Abraham believed the promise and expected God to fulfill it. He took God at his word, and as a result he became the father of many nations. God’s declaration over him came to pass: “Your descendants will be so many that they will be impossible to count!”

How can we, as humans, interact with the invisible realm? We do it through faith.

Faith is the ability to hold things, as yet unseen and unknowable, in our heart as if they were already visible for all to see. Our faith is the substance of all the things we still hope to see (Hebrews 11:1 NKJV). Faith is the evidence of what is real but still invisible.

Faith is the incredible gift given to us by God that allows us to “see” into the invisible realm. Not only that, it allows us to interact with things our eyes cannot see and achieve divine exploits based solely on our faith in God. Hebrews 11 lists several of these heroes of faith who accomplished incredible feats all because they believed God for impossible outcomes.

Mystery is not only about what is in the invisible realm, it is also about what might be inside of each of us if we were to fully believe the Word of God. Who would I become if I stepped out of the boat more often? How often have we surprised ourselves when we have done small acts of faith only to see incredible results to our obedience? The Lord is always willing to partner with us. When we take action in the visible realm, He will move in the invisible realm.

Why do we pray for the sick if we don’t expect to see the hand of God move in healing? How incredible to see someone set free from demonic oppression and strongholds because of our simple obedience to truth and faith that God is with us! When we partner or co-labor with the Lord, we must act in faith, believing that He is present and working, even though we mostly don’t see Him, just the results of His handiwork.

The resurrection of Jesus Christ broke death and established a doorway to supernatural activity and a transformed life. Through our inheritance as sons of God we are invited to participate in His Kingdom, which, you guessed it, is mostly invisible. We have permission to access realities that cannot be accessed any other way than through faith. We must believe God to gain admission to the realm of awe and wonder.

Hebrews 11:32 And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets: 33 who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. 35 Women received their dead raised to life again.

Mark 11:22 So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. 23 For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, “Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. 24 Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.

2 Corinthians 4:13 And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, “I believed and therefore I spoke,” we also believe and therefore speak, 14 knowing that He who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus, and will present us with you. 15 For all things are for your sakes, that grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God.

Romans 8:12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.

MEDITATION

• Review your personal faith journey. Think about the times you saw God moving in your life. Rate the strength and conviction of your faith.

• Faith is a spiritual commodity that can be great or small. It can also shrink or grow. What are you doing to grow your faith? Reflect on this quote by Bishop Joseph Garlington: “Faith is the currency of heaven. When you have it, you can go places and when you get there you can do things.”

Romans 10:17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

• Like money, faith grows when you invest it. Invest what faith you have in the kingdom of God. Using your faith in this way will cause it to grow. You will see spiritual increase. Faith only shrinks when you don’t use it.

Proverbs 25:2 It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, But the glory of kings is to search out a matter. 

What do we think Heaven will be like? A continual worship service where we are all singing our hearts out with hands raised? Or maybe we have a picture of eternal cloud-sitting and harp playing? Some people think it will be a big reunion with all our friends and loved ones reunited in one big celebration. Whatever it is really like, it is currently a mystery to us. For some mysteries, we just have to wait for the big reveal. But, some mysteries can be searched out if we follow the clues.

Solving mysteries is a lot of fun. Whenever we watch a mystery, Kim inevitably asks why something just happened. She just can’t wait for the mystery to be solved! She wants to know now what hasn’t yet been revealed by the unfolding plot. If we can’t keep following the story without understanding absolutely every element of the plot, we won’t be there at the end. We follow the clues until we can add them all up and hopefully solve the mystery before it is revealed in the story. God hides mysteries like that. There are always clues to follow. But we suspend our joy at solving it until enough clues are put together to work it out.

Mystery weeds out the uninterested, the unmotivated and the casual seeker. God wants motivated seekers searching out His mysteries. The unknown is not there to frustrate us. It is there to draw us closer to God. Mystery, and it’s pursuit, increases our understanding, our wisdom and our overall capacity to receive from the Lord.

The only way for the unknown to become known is to explore it. Exploration is a combination of humility, hunger, asking, honoring and holding in our heart what we come to understand.

I think it is awesome that those who seek to understand unknown things are considered “kings” by the Lord. It is a royal pursuit. If we are only concerned with our own life, we are living everyman’s life. But, if we are concerned with divine strategies and unknown mysteries that influence events in the nations, then we are living as royal sons and daughters.

If we wait until we are about to die to become interested in unseen and unknown things, we are missing the incredible opportunity to search out understanding of divine matters in this life. Salvation is the threshold to the abundant life. It is the beginning of eternal life and that life is happening now. Let’s not miss out on how we could be living, simply because we weren’t curious enough to pursue the mystery of God.

James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. 

John 17:1 Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, 2 as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. 3 And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. 

Colossians 1:26 NLT This message was kept secret for centuries and generations past, but now it has been revealed to God’s people. 27 For God wanted them to know that the riches and glory of Christ are for you Gentiles, too. And this is the secret: Christ lives in you. This gives you assurance of sharing his glory. 

Romans 11:33 Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out! 

Ephesians 3:8 To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ. 

Colossians 2:2 that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 

Psalm 103:7 He made known His ways to Moses, 
His acts to the children of Israel. 

MEDITATION

• What is the focus of your pursuit of God? Is it mostly personal development? Is it mostly about meeting the needs of your family? How much time do you spend just to know Him and understand His ways?

• Think about how you can elevate your pursuit of God. Write down a few strategies you can implement that would increase your understanding of God’s ways, not just His answers to prayer. What motivates God’s heart?

• Understanding mystery is considered as wisdom. When we pursue understanding, our overall spiritual capacity goes up. When God shows you something about Himself consider it as treasure. We guard treasure and protect it, so as not to lose it. How much treasure have you accumulated in life?

Ephesians 2:4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

The Heavenly places are definitely another dimension, or realm in God. The Third Heaven, visited by Paul in 2 Corinthians 12, is considered the highest heaven. A simple way to remember the distinctions between these three realms is that the first heaven is weather, the second is warfare and the third is worship. The first is the natural realm, then the realm where angelic and demonic activity take place and the third, where God dwells and worship takes place.

We have the capacity to operate in all three realms. We naturally function in the first realm. We supernaturally function in the second realm. We participate in the third realm through worship, our abiding in Christ and our oneness with the Trinity as described in John 17.

Notice, that our ability to function in these higher realms is a result of our passing from death to life. Being full of life includes salvation, receiving His Spirit and functioning from our inheritance as a son of God. When we worship in this way, we are being elevated. When we carry out our assignment from our position in Christ, our authority rises exponentially. This is because the highest heaven always trumps the lower heavens. Our greatest authority flows from Heaven’s realm.

Often in scripture distinctions are made from the highest heaven to the lowest depths. These realms of experience are real not metaphorical. Human language is insufficient to describe the scope of the unseen realm. This is the reason descriptions of heavenly encounters often sound strange or impossibly fantastic.

However, our participation in these mysteries is important. What do we think will happen when we get to Heaven and have an eternity to explore the realms and dimensions of Creation? We have been given permission to explore greater realities now, while we keep one foot on the earth, so to speak. The familiar helps us to understand the unfamiliar. We are destined for Heaven someday. God is preparing us for that future now.

What do we call training for participation in unseen realms? We call it learning to love. Love prepares us for every exploration into heavenly territory. Because God is love, learning to love is learning about God. Love will help us navigate the mysteries God has prepared for us. Our ability to love is the most practical key we have to unlock new things. The Keys of the Kingdom represent the authority granted to us by Christ. We truly have been given access to everything in His kingdom. Greater and greater love in our lives is evidence that we are ready for more.

Colossians 3:1 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.

1 John 3:13 Do not marvel, my brethren, if the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death. 15 Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.

Matthew 16:16 Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar- Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. 18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. 19 And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be. bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

1 John 4:12 No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us. 13 By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world. 15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in. God. 16 And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.

Ephesians 6:10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of. this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in. the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints— 19 and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

John 17:21 that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. 22 And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: 23 I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.

Romans 1:20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse.

MEDITATION

• As you read the scriptures listed above, spend time meditating on each passage. Allow yourself to be caught up in the reality spoken of by Jesus and the apostles. Imagine yourself enfolded in Christ, in the Father and at the same time imagine how He also is in you, at the same time as you are in Him!

• Think about the reality of Principalities, Powers and Dominions. Think about the Lordship of Jesus Christ. To be pre-eminent means to be first and before all things. Jesus is the first and the last. He is the first word and the final word. Think about yourself announcing His jurisdiction in all lands and in all circumstances.

• Meditate on the connection between love and life. Life is the evidence of love. If there is no love, we have not left the realm of death. But, when there is love present, abundant life is poured out and access to heavenly realms is available to us.

Psalms 103:11 NIV For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his love for those who fear him;
12 as far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

Ephesians 3:17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— 19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

God has always desired to reveal Himself to us in multiple dimensions. The first dimension is a line (1D). The second dimension is a plane, like a rectangle (2D). The third dimension is adding depth to a rectangle, creating space for us to live in (3D). The fourth dimension is Time (4D). Physicists have long theorized about other dimensions using mathematics. All this with the goal of defining reality and the context of our existence.

God has created humans with the capacity to live within the context of these known dimensions (or realms). But, we know that many humans have experienced more of reality than this. There are many incidents recorded in the Bible that involve people experiencing a reality that doesn’t fit in the known dimensions. These are spiritual dimensions.

Humans are made to live on the Earth. This is our domain. But we started out in a Garden. I believe our original assignment from God was to take the beauty of the Garden planted by the Lord Himself, and cultivate the rest of the planet to the same level of beauty. What a huge assignment! It’s similar to Adam’s assignment to name all the animals (and then remember all the names and who they belonged to!)

Adam was an impressive creation of immense capacity. He and Eve together actually walked with God in the Garden! How amazing is that? Were they somehow elevated from normal life to be able to walk together with the Lord of the Universe? When they sinned, where did they hide? They were immediately removed from the Presence. God did not “see” them because they were not where they were supposed to be. When they fell, maybe it was more than in a metaphorical sense. They “fell” out of the Presence and hid from God somewhere out in the weeds. Ultimately they were expelled from the Garden to keep them from the Tree of Life.

We lost so much in the Fall. Capacities were curtailed. Purpose was lost. Death reigned. Even so, Adam still lived to almost a thousand years even after the Fall. In Genesis 6, human lifespan was limited to 120 years, and today most of us don’t live even that long. We have, as humans, been greatly diminished from our original design. But, I believe that many of our original capacities are being restored through Jesus Christ. Beginning with salvation. We have been given forgiveness for our sin, we get eternal life, we have a resurrection in our future and we are now adopted into His family. Not to mention, an inheritance in heaven!

What is our true capacity as Believers? What is our body actually capable of experiencing in this life?

Where did Elijah and Moses come from to be on the Mount of Transfiguration? Heaven? The past? Did they travel through time or did they come down from heaven? Was it just a vision or were they really there, “in person”? Peter, James and John saw them, too. So, I tend to believe they made a personal appearance. This all happened in the Glory. What else could happen in the Glory? We call it the Mount of Transfiguration, but it could just as easily be called, “The Mount of Unveiling”. Because hidden reality about Jesus was revealed to the Disciples there.

These are mysteries that we may have to wait until we get to heaven to understand. But, maybe not. What if these experiences are not anomalies, but glimpses of capacity that is available to us, but unused. Perhaps traveling like Phillip is an option. Perhaps walking on water is a thing. I think God described experiencing His love as dimensional in Ephesians 3:18 because He is not just Someone to know, He is Someone to be explored like an unknown country.

So, I suggest we go exploring.

Genesis 3:8 And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.

2 Kings 2:11 Then it happened, as they continued on and talked, that suddenly a chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire, and separated the two of them; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.

Matthew 17:1 Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves; 2 and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light. 3 And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him.

Acts 8:38 So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him. 39 Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing.

2 Kings 6:14 Therefore he (The king of Syria) sent horses and chariots and a great army there, and they came by night and surrounded the city. 15 And when. The servant of the man of God arose early and went out, there was an army, surrounding the city with horses and chariots. And his servant said to him, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?” 16 So he answered, “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” 17 And Elisha prayed, and said, “LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” Then the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

Hebrews 11:15 And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.

MEDITATION

• Spend some time in a quiet place. Practice using your breath to quiet your heart. Relax and rest in His Presence. Play some quiet worship music. Use your imagination to feel yourself coming more aware of Him. Picture a door in Heaven (Jesus) and imagine walking through it. Record what you experience.

• Meditate on Psalm 103. Take time to reflect on the meaning of each section and how you personally can experience it. Picture yourself in the midst of all t he dimensions that God fills with His Presence and imagine yourself visiting these places.

Psalm 103:22 Bless the LORD, all His works,
In all places of His dominion.
Bless the LORD, O my soul!

Ephesians 2:4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

You don’t have to wait until you get to heaven to participate in Heavenly matters. Jesus has invited us on up to sit with Him in the Heavenly places right now. Wherever you are at this moment, you are also sitting with Christ on His throne, tucked in there right alongside Him. This is something we can’t see. But we believe to be true.

It may be difficult to accept the idea that as you read this, you are also sitting in Heaven with Christ. But, it is absolutely true. Do you remember Job? As he was living His life on earth, the Divine Council was convening in Heaven. Satan showed up and was permitted to test the righteousness of Job at unprecedented levels. The point I make is that there was two things happening simultaneously. In heaven decisions were being made and action was being taken. Meanwhile on earth, Job was going through a Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad day.

If we fail to realize that Heaven and Earth are connected by the victory of Christ, we will miss most of the things we are now responsible for because of our denial and neglect. Spiritual responsibility and authority are ours because we have been seated in Heaven and from Heaven we can influence the earth.

You can participate in the invisible realm because Jesus has invited you to join Him on His throne in Heaven. You are here and you are there. Here is temporary there is eternal. What is decided there impacts what happens here. Don’t miss this! Jesus could have invited you to sit at His feet, that would be appropriate. Instead, He invited you to sit at His side. THERE IS A REASON FOR THIS! He wants you to exercise authority with Him. That is how we co-labor with Him.

We are His servants and we are His sons. As servants, we do whatever He tells us to do. As His sons, we partner with Him to accomplish His will on the Earth.

The invisible realm is more real than the visible realm. What is decided there, WILL happen on Earth. We are invited to participate with Christ in these Heavenly matters. It is a great honor. Don’t mess it up!

Romans 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.

Acts 12:5 Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church. 6 And when Herod was about to bring him out, that night Peter was sleeping, bound with two chains between two soldiers; and the guards before the door were keeping the prison. 7 Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, “Arise quickly!” And his chains fell off his hands. 8 Then the angel said to him, “Gird yourself and tie on your sandals”; and so he did. And he said to him, “Put on your garment and follow me.” 9 So he went out and followed him, and did not know that what was done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. 10 When they were past the first and the second guard posts, they came to the iron gate that leads to the city, which opened to them of its own accord; and they went out and went down one street, and immediately the angel departed from him.

Acts 12:11 And when Peter had come to himself, he said, “Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent His angel, and has delivered me from the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the Jewish people.”

Acts 12:12 So, when he had considered this, he came to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose surname was Mark, where many were gathered together praying. 13 And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a girl named Rhoda came to answer. 14 When she recognized Peter’s voice, because of her gladness she did not open the gate, but ran in and announced that Peter stood before the gate. 15 But they said to her, “You are beside yourself!” Yet she kept insisting that it was so. So they said, “It is his angel.”

Acts 12:16 Now Peter continued knocking; and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished. 17 But motioning to them with his hand to keep silent, he declared to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, “Go, tell these things to James and to the brethren.” And he departed and went to another place.

MEDITATION

• Imagine yourself seated with Christ right now. This is the greater reality. Look down toward the earth. This is perspective with which you should look at all your challenges as you pray.

• Instead of getting upset about things that seem to be going wrong, imagine where you are with Christ and speak with the authority of Christ to those circumstances. This is the posture for all intercession. Pray with God, not just to God.

• Throughout the day, practice becoming aware of where you actually are in the greater invisible reality. The Book of Hebrews describes the reality of the Tabernacle and its various contents and then calls the Tabernacle on Earth the shadow of these greater realities. I think that’s why the Bible calls us to walk in the Light as He is in the Light.

Hebrews 8:5 [PRIESTS] who serve the copy and shadow of the heavenly things, as Moses was divinely instructed when he was about to make the tabernacle. For He said, “See that you make all things according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.”

1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

2 Corinthians 4:16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. 17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, 18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal. 

Distinguishing between the visible and the invisible realms, and the reality of both realms, is a pivotal belief for all Christians. It is essential to our faith to believe that things we cannot see or touch are just as real, if not more real, than the things we can see.

The visible light spectrum is 0.0035% of the entire electro-magnetic spectrum. That means that humans are capable of seeing less than one hundredth of one percent of all the light there is to see in creation with our physical eyes. What we can see with our eyes of all God has created is such a small number that it would be incredibly presumptuous to claim that, “if we can’t see it we don’t believe it.” How small our world would become if we truly believed that!

The invisible realm consists of spiritual realities that affect our present and future circumstances. Paul is aware that though he may suffer affliction to such a degree that his outward man “perishes,” in a greater way his “inward man” is being renewed every day. The very real weight of affliction in no way compares with the great eternal weight of glory. This is the great hope of Believers everywhere. We live according to the realities of a different world and in that realm eternal priorities rule.

Paul says that the things we can see are temporary. That is, they are passing away. The things we cannot see are eternal. That means they will never pass away. Accordingly, why would we ever build our life on things we can see but that will never last? Any sane person would build their life according to eternal priorities. We may not see these things with our eyes, but because they are eternal, it doesn’t matter. They are established forever.

How we live matters. The person who must see everything he puts his trust in with his own eyes, will be satisfied in the short term. But, if we live according to invisible realities we will have our riches forever.

Hebrews 11:23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king’s command. 24 By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25 choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, 26 esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward. 27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible.

Colossians 1:15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.

Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Hebrews 11:3 By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.

Colossians 3:1 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.

MEDITATION

• Heaven is a distinct realm and Earth is a distinct realm. Believers live in the overlap. Picture the reality of yourself sitting in heaven when you are in particularly trying circumstances. How does that make a difference for you?

• Glory has a weight (Kabod) and our world has a lighter weight. Try to sense the weight of heaven when you are under the seeming heavy burden of your own problems. How does the eternal weight of glory shifting aside the weight of your circumstances?

• Meditating on Ephesians 2:6-7, try to feel yourself rising to heaven to be seated with Christ. Try to see the things on earth from this heavenly perspective. Because Jesus sits on a throne, that is where you are sitting. Try to sense His heart and command events to shift according to His will.

WEEK THREE - Mystery (Sunday to Saturday)

Philippians 3:7 But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. 8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; 10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, 11 if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. 

The knowledge that Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior is fundamental to our relationship with God. Before there can be any explorations of the deeper things of the Spirit, we are confronted by the righteousness of God and our own sinfulness.Our response to revealed truth is always the criteria used by God for future revelation to us.

This is what I know: Jesus is the Son of God. He is fully God and fully man. He died on a cross to pay for my sins. He rose from the dead to declare His victory over sin and death. He ascended into Heaven and will one day return from heaven to judge both the living and the dead. He established His kingdom on Earth and is now building His Church. His Holy Spirit is now present in every Believer, advancing God’s purpose and plan throughout all the ages. I am now saved from my sin through my faith in Jesus Christ and His extraordinary grace extended to me in response to my repentance.

What I don’t know is all the rest. There is so much about the Christian experience that is designed to be discovered through exploration and pursuit. Just because we don’t know something right now, is no reason to expect that we won’t understand it someday. Many of the answers we seek are already in the scriptures. We just need to search them out, meditate on their meaning and then implement the revealed truth as our understanding grows.

Some unknown things are hidden by the Spirit of God. They are knowable, but they are only revealed to us through revelation. They are completely beyond us unless the Holy Spirit considers us ready to receive them. These are not necessarily dangerous truths or mysteries. They are hidden for us, not from us.

It honors the Lord when we seek to know or understand mysteries. Growing is always an exercise in understanding more than we did yesterday. Sometimes our lessons are painful. Sometimes they are incredibly liberating. They are always illuminating. Be a follower of Christ who searches the scriptures to understand a matter. Be willing to press toward mystery by asking the Holy Spirit for revelation. Wait in His presence for wisdom because knowledge without wisdom is a dangerous thing.

Finally, there are things about God we will never know because God is infinite and we are finite. Think about using a thimble to drink an ocean. We just don’t have the capacity for it. But, just because we are incapable of fully knowing all of God, it doesn’t mean we shouldn’t strive to know Him better than we do today. It’s totally worth it. I encourage you to press into the mystery that is God.

Philippians 3:12 Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. 13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 3:8 To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9 and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ; 10 to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, 11 according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him.

John 8:58 Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.”

Genesis 5:24 And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.

2 Kings 2:11 Then it happened, as they continued on and talked, that suddenly a chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire, and separated the two of them; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.

MEDITATION

• Read the Bible. There are several ways we should be reading the Bible. First, we should read it to know what it says, to become familiar with the stories and truths written there. Then, we should read to study it. Examine the original languages, the historical context and cultural background of what we read. That way we can hear the stories the way the characters in the Bible heard them. Next, we should meditate on portions of scripture or specific verses to gain deeper understanding. Biblical meditation does not mean we empty our mind. Rather, it is to focus our attention and open our heart to things the Lord wants to show us. The Word of God is living (Hebrews 4:12). That means it will always be able to speak into our current life circumstances. Take time to listen to what the Lord would reveal to you.

• Make a list of questions you have for the Holy Spirit about your faith and your Christian experience. Some of these questions will be answered plainly in the pages of the Bible. Keep reading. Some of these questions can be answered by a mature Christian friend or spiritual leader. Ask them. A few of these questions are mysteries. Ask the Lord about them and keep on asking. When you are ready, He will show you the answer.

• Put your list in a safe place. In one year’s time, review it and check to see how many of your mysteries have been solved. Give thanks to God.

Revelation 4:1 After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, “Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this.”

Open doors in heaven are invitations to more revelation. Haven’t seen many open doors? Here’s a clue. Jesus is our door. Any invitation to come closer to Him is an invitation to learn more about God and experience more of Heaven.

Why doesn’t God just lay out everything we can experience of Him on day one of our being a Christian? I think our head would blow up.

When I was first saved, my explorations were mostly confined to leaving sin behind completely and discovering what it means to be a Christian. Everything I read was a call to a more pure lifestyle. It was about devotion and sacrifice. That has never left me, but many areas of interest have been added to my pursuit of God through the years.

When I was baptized in the Holy Spirit, the incredible reality of Christ in me become a crystal clear focus for me. Then I discovered that not only was He in me, but that I was in Him! I now live in His Presence. Wow. Then I discovered the Gifts, and miracles and all the supernatural were new mysteries for me to explore. Then I discovered the miracle of the Resurrection in a deeper way and my mind has been reeling from it ever since. Today, I realize there is more to God than ever occurred to me on day one. God never changes, so I recognized that my shift in understanding is a result of continuously exploring the life-long mystery and revelation of knowing God in my Christian experience.

The one requirement to knowing more of God is to seek Him - to ask Him to reveal Himself to us and explain His mysteries to us. Many feel that, “if God wanted me to know something He would tell me.” Don’t worry, He can and will do that. But there are still areas that the Lord invites, and even welcomes, our curiosity. Mysteries are not areas that are off-limits. They are reserved areas for levels of maturity and hunger that we haven’t reached yet. They are there waiting for us.

If we are committed to our spiritual growth and maturity we will move through life accumulating wisdom and knowledge of God. The nature of maturity is to know what to do with all that wisdom. All that wisdom is preparing us for deeper places in God. He is waiting for us to ask about them. He is waiting for us to pursue revelation and mystery.

Remember the joy you experienced as you watched your children open a present and be overcome with surprise and wonder at the amazing gift? Our wonderful Father in heaven has gifts prepared and wrapped just waiting for us to open them so we both can experience the joy of discovery together.

Never settle in at a level of experience in God. Always ask for more. Because, yes, there is always more to experience.

Revelation 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. 21 To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.

John 10:7 Then Jesus said to them again, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers,  but the sheep did not hear them. 9 I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

Matthew 7:7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.

Proverbs 25:2 It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, But the glory of kings is to search out a matter.

Daniel 9:1 In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the lineage of the Medes, who was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans— 2 in the first year of his reign I, Daniel, understood by the books the number of the years specified by the word of the LORD through Jeremiah the prophet, that He would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem. 3 Then I set my face toward the Lord God to make request by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes. 4 And I prayed to the LORD my God, and made confession, and said…

MEDITATION

• When was the last time you asked God about something that didn’t concern you or your loved ones, but was directed to Him personally. To know something about Him and His ways. Moses said, “Show me Your Glory.” Have you ever asked the Lord anything like that?

• If you have asked that, what did you learn about God through that question?

• If you have never asked that, make room in your brain and heart. Sit quietly in the place of worship and ask Him to show you something about Himself. Listen and then write down what He says to you.

• Every Believer has a letter from God (The Bible) that is filled with stories and truths about who He is. Just as we would never step into a dark, strange place without a flashlight, we should never go exploring without the Word of God by our side. His Word and His Spirit together lead us into all truth in times of prayer, reflection and asking.

DAY 12 - January 16 - In the Spirit

Revelation 1:10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet, 11 saying, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last”

To be, “in the Spirit,” is a particular way to describe a particular experience. Every Believer is given access to be in the Presence of God. So, in this sense we could often be in the Spirit. However, What John describes in Revelations is another level of awareness and interaction with the unseen realm.

To be, “In the Spirit”, in this way does not happen accidentally or as a casual encounter. We can be in a place (I can be in Kansas or not in Kansas anymore). We can be in a set of circumstances (I am in trouble). We can be in a state or condition (I was in a coma). We can be in any number of places, conditions or circumstances, but in every case there is one common factor. In every case, we are having a particular experience. To be “In” something means something is happening to us, around us or in us.

John was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day. It was not a continuous condition for him, or why bring attention to it? But it was something that he experienced regularly. Usually, on the Lord’s day, but probably at other times as well. John was in exile, so he had a lot of time on his hands to pray.

Would we like to be “In the Spirit,” too? We can be. But, in the same way we prepare for a trip, we need to get ready for an encounter in the Spirit. The Lord is always expecting us for a visit. All we have to do is close our eyes, quiet our breathing, invite His presence to fill our awareness and then open our heart. Sometimes we read scripture and dwell on what we read. Sometimes we sing or speak in tongues, But always there is an atmosphere of anticipation.

If you are able to maintain this attitude of receptivity and quiet without falling fully asleep you will most like experience His Presence in a deeply personal and meaningful way. He may speak to you. He may give you inspiration or wisdom. You will receive something from Him. Even if you fall asleep in this state, you are likely to have a significant dream. Your ability to host His Presence does not end when you fall asleep.

In this special place you may receive a vision, you may be taken somewhere in the Spirit, or you may have a visitation. Don’t be afraid, it’s part of your inheritance. You are invited. How many times in scripture are you encouraged to seek His face? Make a regular practice of pressing the boundaries of your present experience in God. There is one thing I am sure about; there is always more of God to know about.

Psalms 27:8 When You said, “Seek My face,”
My heart said to You, “Your face, LORD, I will seek.”

Psalms 34:4 I sought the LORD, and He heard me,
And delivered me from all my fears.

Proverbs 8:17 I love those who love me,
And those who seek me diligently will find me.

Isaiah 26:9 With my soul I have desired You in the night,
Yes, by my spirit within me I will seek You early;
For when Your judgments are in the earth,
The inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.

Jeremiah 29:13 And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.

Matthew 7:7-8 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.

Matthew 13:45-6 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, 46 who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.

Luke 12:29-31 “And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind. 30 For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things. 31 But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you.

2 Corinthians 12:1-4 It is doubtless not profitable for me to boast. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord: 2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a one was caught up to the third heaven. 3 And I know such a man—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows— 4 how he was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.

MEDITATION

• Practice getting, “In the Spirit”

• Write or draw a picture about what happens.

• Do it again.

DAY 11 - January 15 - Welcome Holy Spirit

2 Corinthians 3:17 Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

In the Old Testament, the name for God is YHWH. The Tetragrammaton (Greek for "four letters") refers to the unspeakable name of God. It is so holy the Jews would not utter it, using instead the four letters “YHWH” to represent “The Name”. Whenever you see the LORD in all caps in the Old Testament, it refers to YAHWEH or “The Name”. In the New Testament, the greek word, Kyrios, is understood to refer to YAHWEH, The LORD GOD.

When Paul declares that the LORD is the Spirit. He is making a blockbuster statement that confirms the reality of the Trinity and at the same time elevates the presence of the Spirit of Christ inside every Believer to the level of incredible holiness and immeasurable grace. It’s a profound truth and deserves a “selah” pause to reflect on what it means.

Wherever the Spirit is, there is freedom. That’s not debatable. That reality is not conditional or intermittent. When God shows up, so does freedom. We cannot have true freedom without God being present. When He is present, all things are possible.

Freedom, in this sense, is the ability to become all that we are meant to become in Christ without hindrance. It does not mean we get to do whatever we want to do. It means we are free to fully express the Spirit of Christ through our life and relationships as we were designed to do.

Coming to Him with an unveiled face refers to the practice of Moses, who hid his face from the Israelites to cover the Glory radiating from him. He retained the veil even after the Glory began to fade. We come to God as we are, without pretense, to be transformed to His likeness in ever-increasing measure, from one degree of glory to another.

Looking in a mirror usually shows us our own reflection. But in this case, when we look in the mirror, we see the Glory of the Lord working in us a transformation that is continuously bringing forth His likeness in us.

Corinthian mirrors were widely popular. They were made from polished bronze. These mirrors were high quality, but were known to present a somewhat distorted image, like looking into water to see your reflection. It is a clear image, but not an exact image. When we look at the Glory in the mirror we are also seeing our own face. It is a little fuzzy, so we might get confused as to what we are looking at -His glory or our own face. That’s just what He wants. He has claimed us so completely that He is able to display His glory reflected in our face. This Glory will not fade with time but only grow brighter and brighter.

Ephesians 5:18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, 20 giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 submitting to one another in the fear of God.

Acts 1:8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

2 Corinthians 4:6 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.

MEDITATION

• Look at your face in the mirror. Spend a few minutes and really examine what you are seeing. Accept your face. Now imagine there is Glory in the mirror shining forth from your face. What does glory look like when it radiates out of your familiar face?

• Think about the LORD GOD, the Spirit of Christ coming to abide with you and in you. What an incredible reality.

• Think about the relationship between Spirit, Freedom, Glory and Transformation. How do these truths interact in your life and work together?

DAY 10 - January 14 - What Do We See?

Ephesians 1:15-23 Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, 16 do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, 18 the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power 20 which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. 22 And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

Paul understood something that every Believer needs to know; anything is possible for us when the eyes of our understanding see God clearly. He is talking about our spiritual capacity to see and understand spiritual realities. The New International Version describes this as, “The eyes of our heart”. Our spiritual heart is different than our physical heart. Both are absolutely necessary for life to flow through us.

Spiritual vision allows us to understand what is happening around us in a way that may or may not be visible to our physical eyes. The reason Paul feels this kind of vision is important to us is that it will release hope in us. Most of what matters to our spiritual health and life is invisible to our physical eyes. That’s why we need a heart that sees these invisible realities. Paul is very specific: we need to see the hope of His calling, the riches of the glory of His inheritance and the exceeding greatness of His power toward us (that is working in our behalf). Seeing all this is incredibly motivating!

When we see what the Lord is freely giving to us as His children, we begin to see the scope of what He has actually accomplished. He has big plans for us. He is calling you right now to share an incredible future with Him.You are His heir! There is a glorious inheritance just waiting for you to receive it. You are incredibly, unimaginably rich! He is directing His power to work in your behalf. That’s not only great, it is EXCEEDINGLY great! The resources available to you are shockingly vast. They are over-the-top extravagant. They are way more than you might have believed possible. YOU NEED TO SEE THIS!

Without seeing these incredible realities, we might struggle to embrace the responsibility we have as the Church to create an atmosphere where miracles will happen. An atmosphere is a space where the people of God, through the combination of faith, expectancy, community and worship have cultivated a place for the Spirit of God to dwell.

All miracles begin with the Presence of God. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is our earth-shattering victory. All the powers we cannot see, but that so many are subject to, MUST bow before His Name. He is LORD. There is no other. The Church is the lens through which this incredible victory shines. To focus the light of His Glory on Earth for all to see. It is an amazing display. It is the Lord in the Church doing wonders. Can’t you see it?

Acts 7:55-56 But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, 56 and said, “Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!”

Romans 8:16-17 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 NLT That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. 17 For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! 18 So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.

Ephesians 2:19-22 Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, 22 in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

Ephesians 3:8-11 NLT Though I am the least deserving of all God’s people, he graciously gave me the privilege of telling the Gentiles about the endless treasures available  to them in Christ. 9 I was chosen to explain to everyone this mysterious plan that God, the Creator of all things, had kept secret from the beginning. 10 God’s purpose in all this was to use the church to display his wisdom in its rich variety to all the unseen rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. 11 This was his eternal plan, which he carried out through Christ Jesus our Lord.

MEDITATION
• Read about the martyrdom of Stephen in Acts 7. What was happening in the physical was not what was happening in the spiritual realm. Instead of focusing on the rocks flying at him and battering his body, he focused on Jesus. He saw something that encouraged him and gave him hope for the future. Instead of sitting, Jesus was standing to welcome him into Heaven.

• Reflect on some hard things you have gone through. What would it have been like to be able to see what was actually happening in the spiritual realm? Can you imagine that now? Ask the Lord to open the eyes of your heart. Try it out. It might be fuzzy at first, but I’m sure it will clear up with use.

• As your spiritual vision improves, consciously decide to accept your responsibility to prepare a place for God to Dwell in our church. Then, let’s see what happens.

DAY 9 - January 13 - Navigating Worship

Psalms 16:11 You will show me the path of life;
In Your presence is fullness of joy;
At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Navigating worship is a skill we can all develop.

I always imagine a worship experience as a journey. As if I am going somewhere new in God. If we were traveling somewhere, we would get in our car - or a train or plane - to get there. To go somewhere in worship we have to get “in the Spirit”. That’s what the apostle John did and look where he ended up!

I imagine God as an ocean. He is vast and unfathomable. Swimming is an option, but not if you want to get anywhere far. We need a better mode of transportation. If we had a boat, that would be better. But without navigation or communication, the chances of getting hopelessly lost are high. Amazingly, the Holy Spirit is a great navigator!

Imagine the Holy Spirit is an ocean vessel named, “My Union With Christ”. We will always worship best from within our Union with Christ - He in me and me in Him.

Worship is an inside and outside experience. To navigate the ocean of His presence we must give ourselves fully to the leadership of His Spirit in our life. Holy Spirit is the one who elevates worship from a simple and predictable song service to an unexplainable encounter with the presence of God.

Our goal as a Christian should be to come to every opportunity we have to worship as “Travel ready” as we can be. Submit your heart to the Lord and invite Holy Spirit to guide you through the vast ocean of God’s presence. He will transport you securely from shore to shore, safely enfolded in Christ. That is how we grow in our experiential knowledge of Him. Study teaches us the principles. Worship teaches us the Person.

In order to be “Heart Ready” for more of God we must become worshippers!

Psalms 84:1-4 How lovely is your dwelling place, 
O LORD of Heaven’s Armies. 
2 I long, yes, I faint with longing 
to enter the courts of the LORD. 
With my whole being, body and soul, 
I will shout joyfully to the living God. 
3 Even the sparrow finds a home, 
and the swallow builds her nest and raises her young 
at a place near your altar, 
O LORD of Heaven’s Armies, my King and my God! 
4 What joy for those who can live in your house, 
always singing your praises.

MEDITATION

• Practice using your imagination in worship. You could begin by simply envisioning yourself before the Throne of God, surrounded by other worshipping believers from all around the world and through all the ages. That is a very powerful image that happens to be perfectly true in that it will one day be a reality.

• Submission is a powerful way we should always come to worship. When we yield to His leadership, Holy Spirit will surround us with Christ. Remember the great mystery is that, just as much as He is in us we are as completely in Him.

• When we travel, we enjoy seeing and experiencing new things. Imagine paying for a European vacation, going on the trip and then sleeping the whole time? That would be crazy! It’s just the same as when we come to worship and don’t fully engage with all the Lord has for us. There are new experiences awaiting us ahead! There are things that we’ve never seen before just around the corner! Engage! Pay attention! Receive everything coming your way from the Presence of the Lord.

DAY 8 - January 12 - Honoring Miracles

Mark 6:1-3 Then He went out from there and came to His own country, and His. disciples followed Him. 2 And when the Sabbath had come, He began to teach in the synagogue. And many hearing Him were astonished, saying, “Where did this Man get these things? And what wisdom is this which is given to Him, that such mighty works are performed by His hands! 3 Is this not the carpenter, the Son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? And are not His sisters here with us?” So they were offended at Him.

Mark 6:4-6 But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house.” 5 Now He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. 6 And He marveled because of their unbelief. Then He went about the villages in a circuit, teaching.

Do we struggle to believe God for a miracle? There are some clearly defined things that will get in the way of experiencing a supernatural event. For those from Jesus home town, it was a combination of three things. Unbelief, dishonor and offense.

These things are still causing trouble for people today. Unbelief will always get in. the way of a miracle. Sometimes, we don’t realize that our hesitation or over-questioning is actually rooted in unbelief. One cannot “try” to believe more.  Unbelief is actually a sin and must be addressed with repentance. A change in our thinking is needed to reverse the effects of unbelief in our life.

Dishonor comes from a lack of respect or regard for others. It’s an unwillingness to acknowledge greatness. Jesus was the Messiah, yet the people in His home town could not accept that someone they considered their peer was actually superior to them. “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country,  among his own relatives, and in his own house.”

Honor is an attitude of respect anyone can develop. When we give honor to someone we are receptive to what they say and do. We approve of them and. celebrate them. Honor is a powerful way to prepare our hearts for miracles. We. honor God. We honor our leaders. We honor one another. Living in a culture like this. elevates everyone and creates an atmosphere where miracles happen.

Finally, offense is the result of critical judgement. When we are unwilling to give honor or refuse to believe someone’s word, it is usually because we have passed judgement on them in our heart. We have decided they are deficient in some way. They don’t meet our standards. They offend us. We will never be open to receive anything from someone with whom we are offended.

Most of us would never think of dishonoring God. We would never consider. doubting His Word or simply not believing Him. However, If we do not honor one another, or we carry unforgiveness toward another, even when it’s not directed against God. It will definitely affect our ability to receive miracles.

Honoring miracles requires that we celebrate and honor one another. It requires that we forgive others. To honor miracles requires that we believe the prayers of the Saints offered in faith. The Holy Spirit is moving among us. When He sees dishonor, unbelief and offense in a church, He moves on by to another place that is prepared for supernatural activity.

Let’s make sure we are ready for supernatural events. We need to honor. We need to forgive. We need to believe. Let’s make sure our heart is ready for miracles!

Mark 11:25-26 “And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. 26 But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.”

Luke 7:36-47 Then one of the Pharisees asked Him to eat with him. And He went to the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to eat. 37 And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil, 38 and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil. 39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he spoke to himself, saying, “This Man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner.” 40 And Jesus answered and said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” So he said, “Teacher, say it.” 41 “There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?” 43 Simon answered and said, “I suppose the one whom he forgave more.” And He said to him, “You have rightly judged.” 44 Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head. 45 You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in. 46 You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil. 47 Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.”

MEDITATION
• Practice giving honor to others. It begins with simple compliments. Recognize their achievements and their gifting. Say it out loud. This communicates value. If we make it a habit it will shift the atmosphere around us.

• DO you have difficult relationships? Check your heart to see if the problem is with you. Is the other person so deficient or so evil that your offense is justified? Have you judged another? Rather than holding an offense, practice forgiveness. Forgiveness does not require the presence of the offender, because it begins in our own heart.

• Declarations are a powerful tool to help us raise the level of our faith. When we say out loud what we want to see happen, it bolsters our own faith. Unbelief is lazy. It is unwilling to do the hard work of strengthening our heart. Faith can grow or shrink in us. So, mind your heart.

Matthew 8:26 But He said to them, “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.

Matthew 15:28 Then Jesus answered and said to her, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour.

WEEK 2 - Awe and Wonder (Sunday to Saturday)

DAY 7 - JANUARY 11 – Wonder

Mark 10:13-15 Then they brought little children to Him, that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked those who brought them. 14 But when Jesus saw it, He was greatly displeased and said to them, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God. 15 Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.”

Children are born with a beautiful sense of wonder. They have a unique capacity to see things they don’t understand and still be captivated by how incredible they are. They don’t have to understand everything. They simply enjoy and marvel at what they see. Children believe. The faith of a child is pure. It hasn’t been tainted by disappointment or cynicism. Children see wondrous things and believe anything is possible.

Jesus did signs and wonders often so that He could demonstrate what the Father was like and how wonderful was His kingdom. How much easier it was for children to come and be embraced and blessed by Jesus than for adults to receive Him! Children didn’t question His motives or theology. They didn’t need to argue or dispute with Him. For them, miracles didn’t need to follow rules. Children received miracles and healings without concern about whether they were done on the Sabbath or not. They simply opened themselves up to the love Jesus showered upon them.

Can you imagine the joy of Jesus when He spoke to children? They were completely open to His love. They were instinctively drawn to His goodness and strength. His power never scared them! They delighted in His miracles of healing.

Oh, how we need to find our lost Wonder! We were born with it, but somewhere along the way, growing up, we lost it. It’s a tragedy that needs a remedy! It is a condition that should never be left unresolved! We are missing out on so much. Signs and Wonders are on display everywhere, but many eyes are stuck on what hasn’t happened yet!

Gratitude is a powerful practice that changes us inside. Being grateful for the little things can help us re-discover the awe and wonder of God. How long can a child look at a butterfly? When did a child not want to splash in the puddles after a rain? There is delight all around us but we have outgrown it. We have left it behind.

Stop. Breathe. Really look at something beautiful. These simple acts of regard and appreciation for God’s Creation are the start. Open yourself to the unseen hand of the Father in your life. Do you need a miracle? Do you need to be healed? Take a moment to ask for it. Don’t second-guess about whether you’re worthy enough, or pleasing enough, or important enough. A child expects to be cared for and loved. And we have the best Dad ever.

Open yourself to wonder again. It’s good for you.

John 11:43-44 Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth!” 44 And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with grave clothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Loose him, and let him go.”

Luke 7:11-17 Now it happened, the day after, that He went into a city called Nain; and many of His disciples went with Him, and a large crowd. 12 And when He came near the gate of the city, behold, a dead man was being carried out, the only son of his mother; and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the city was with her. 13 When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.” 14 Then He came and touched the open coffin, and those who carried him stood still. And He said, “Young man, I say to you, arise.” 15 So he who was dead sat up and began to speak. And He presented him to his mother. 16 Then fear came upon all, and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has risen up among us”; and, “God has visited His people.” 17 And this report about Him went throughout all Judea and all the surrounding region.

John 9:10-12 Therefore they said to him, “How were your eyes opened?” 11 He answered and said, “A Man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and said to me, ‘Go to the pool of Siloam and wash.’ So I went and washed, and I received sight.” 12 Then they said to him, “Where is He?” He said, “I do not know.”

John 9:13-19 They brought him who formerly was blind to the Pharisees. 14 Now it was a Sabbath when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes. 15 Then the Pharisees also asked him again how he had received his sight. He said to them, “He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and I see.” 16 Therefore some of the Pharisees said, “This Man is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath.” Others said, “How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?” And there was a division among them. 17 They said to the blind man again, “What do you say about Him because He opened your eyes?” He said, “He is a prophet.” 18 But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind and received his sight, until they called the parents of him who had received his sight. 19 And they asked them, saying, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?”

John 9:20-34 His parents answered them and said, “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; 21 but by what means he now sees we do not know, or who opened his eyes we do not know. He is of age; ask him. He will speak for himself.” 22 His parents said these things because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had agreed already that if anyone confessed that He was Christ, he would be put out of the synagogue. 23 Therefore his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.” 24 So they again called the man who was blind, and said to him, “Give God the glory! We know that this Man is a sinner.” 25 He answered and said, “Whether He is a sinner or not I do not know. One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see.” 26 Then they said to him again, “What did He do to you? How did He open your eyes?” 27 He answered them, “I told you already, and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become His disciples?” 28 Then they reviled him and said, “You are His disciple, but we are Moses’ disciples. 29 We know that God spoke to Moses; as for this fellow, we do not know where He is from.” 30 The man answered and said to them, “Why, this is a marvelous thing, that you do not know where He is from; yet He has opened my eyes! 31 Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him. 32 Since the world began it has been unheard of that anyone opened the eyes of one who was born blind. 33 If this Man were not from God, He could do nothing.” 34 They answered and said to him, “You were completely born in sins, and are you teaching us?” And they cast him out.

MEDITATION

• Take a walk somewhere beautiful. Breathe the air. Feel the breeze. Stop and look at something in His creation. Think about how good it is. Express your gratitude to Him.

• Think about the incredible things you’ve seen in your life. Have you ever witnessed a miracle? Were you believing or were you doubting? Ask yourself why. Be honest with yourself

• Ask God to restore your sense of wonder. Ask Him to show you something you can do today to help you get it back. Then go do it.

DAY 6 - JANUARY 10 - The Awe of God

Job 42:1 NLT Then Job replied to the LORD:
2 “I know that you can do anything,
and no one can stop you.
3 You asked, ‘Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorance?’
It is I—and I was talking about things I knew nothing about,
things far too wonderful for me.
4 You said, ‘Listen and I will speak!
I have some questions for you,
and you must answer them.’
5 I had only heard about you before,
but now I have seen you with my own eyes.
6 I take back everything I said,
and I sit in dust and ashes to show my repentance.”

Job was tested in ways that most people would not be able to come through without a crisis of faith. His crisis exposed the condition of his heart. Though he was a righteous man who experienced many blessings from God, he really did not understand who God was. When God spoke to Job, Job was left speechless. He was in awe of Creator God as He had been revealed to him. God is holy and at the same time He is humble. It is easy to miss His perfection and His power when he is willing to communicate and take time for creatures within His creation. God is so far above us, it is breathtaking to consider the cost of the humility He demonstrates when communicating with us. God is holy and at the same time He is humble. It is easy to miss His perfection and His power when he is willing to communicate and take time for creatures within His creation. God is so far above us, it is breathtaking to consider the cost of the humility He demonstrates when communicating with us.

God is holy and at the same time He is humble. It is easy to miss His perfection and His power when he is willing to communicate and take time for creatures within His creation. God is so far above us, it is breathtaking to consider the cost of the humility He demonstrates when communicating with us.

Christ became a man and humbled Himself to the point of death on a cross. His sacrifice opens the way to salvation for all mankind. Jesus is our friend, but He is also the Lord God Almighty. He is the Captain of Heaven’s angel armies. He is the Alpha and Omega - ALL THINGS are under His feet!

Intimate communion with the Lord of Heaven is a wonderful privilege. It is staggering that we are actually invited to such a deep level of fellowship with Him. Yet, even when we feel closest to Him, we should always be in awe of Him. We should revere Him. Respect and admiration for His person should never leave us.

The gift we have all received beyond salvation is the gift of the Spirit of Christ living inside us. God is as close as our next breath. Be aware of Him. Worship Him. Humble yourself before Him. Be in awe of Him.

1 John 1:1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life— 2 the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us— 3 that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. 4 And these things we write to you that your joy may be full.

Philippians 2:5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. 9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

John 17:20 “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; 21 that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. 22 And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: 23 I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me."

Ephesians 3:14 For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named.

2 Corinthians 9:15 Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!

MEDITATION

• Think about the person of God and how well you know Him. How could you
improve this relationship? How respectful of Him are you? Do you express gratitude that He is willing to interact with you?

• What are some ways you could express your respect and admiration to God?

• How would a higher level of awe and respect before the Lord change how you interact with Him?

DAY 5 - January 9, 2026 - Knowledge of the Holy

Proverbs 9:10 “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding."

Because God is infinite, there is always more about Him to know. The most important thing to remember as we explore who God is, is that He is holy. This is so important that Solomon considered fear of Him (reverence) to be the beginning of all wisdom.

You can’t really know anything or understand anything about worshipping God until you understand what it is to be holy.

God is Holy. He is really holy. He is perfect. He is righteous. He is good. He is fully light. There is absolutely no darkness in Him. When we think of holiness, as it pertains to us we think of consecration. Setting ourselves apart. We can honor His holiness by emulating Him. We can never be perfect, but we can allow the Holy Spirit to lead us in a life of sanctification. Our decision to become like Christ will lead us toward holiness.

Holiness doesn’t come into our life because we do or don’t do something. It grows in us the more we associate with the Holy One. Holiness is about proximity. When we come to worship, we can choose to come up close, basking in the radiance of His Presence or we can stand afar off, not getting too involved.

I invite you to get involved with the Holy One. It will change your life. While you will never be perfect, you can grow toward maturity. The Holy Spirit inside every Believer LOVES to develop holiness in us. How do you know if you’re getting more holy? Here’s a clue: The more you start acting like Jesus, the holier you are becoming. It’s a gradual work. It’s so gradual, that sometimes you might believe you are actually going backward! But, just trust Him to know what you need in your life to get you there and you will get there.

Along the way, you will begin to know God more. Wisdom and understanding will grow in you. You will be in awe of what God can do in a person who really wants to know Him. You will become holy.

1 Peter 1:13 NLT So prepare your minds for action and exercise self-control. Put all your hope in the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world. 14 So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. 15 But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. 16 For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.”

Romans 8:12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.

1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10 who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.

2 Corinthians 7:1 Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.

MEDITATION

• Try to recall how much you have changed toward holiness since you began your relationship with God. What has made the biggest difference for your spiritual devotion to God?

• Do you equate holiness with habits and behavior more than with the gradual transformation happening in you as your values and desires change?

• One of the words translated as perfection, or holiness in the Bible, is also translated as completeness. Completeness means we have everything we need. This is a beautiful picture of maturity and wholeness. How have you become more mature since becoming a Christian? How could you grow towards holiness even more?

DAY 4 - JANUARY 8 - Worship: The Excellence of His Glory

Exodus 33:18 And he said, “Please, show me Your glory.”

Exodus 33:19 Then He said, “I will make all My goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before you. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.” 20 But He said, “You cannot see My face; for no man shall see Me, and live.” 21 And the LORD said, “Here is a place by Me, and you shall stand on the rock. 22 So it shall be, while My glory passes by, that I will put you in the cleft of the rock, and will cover you with My hand while I pass by. 23 Then I will take away My hand, and you shall see My back; but My face shall not be seen.”

Moses lived as one who experienced ever-increasing levels of Glory. It began with the burning bush, it continued through the miracles of Egypt, the parting of the Red Sea, the incredible encounter on Mt Sinai (Mt. Horeb) that resulted in the 10 Commandments and the First Covenant. At this point, Moses now asks for an even greater glimpse of the Glory of the Lord.

The Hebrew word for glory is “Kabod”. It means weightiness, majesty, fame and even reputation. It is the essence and force of a person’s presence. The overwhelming weight of the Glorious Presence is an unsurvivable event. No one can see His face and live. However, the Lord placed Moses in the cleft of a rock and His glory passed by Moses. He allowed Moses to see the afterglow of His glory. That was enough to irradiate Moses’ face so that he needed to wear a veil to not unsettle the Israelites with God’s reflected glory.

Exodus 34:5 Now the LORD descended in the cloud and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the LORD. 6 And the LORD passed before him and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, 7 keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children’s children to the third and the fourth generation.” 8 So Moses made haste and bowed his head toward the earth, and worshiped.

I love that when God revealed His Glory to Moses He declared His name and His character. His Glory is who He is! We can see the fullness of the Glory of God as Moses never could through our Lord, Jesus Christ. The excellence of His Glory is now ours to experience in the face of Jesus.

To host Glory is a responsibility we must recognize by honoring the leadership of the Spirit of Christ in and among us. This treasure is entrusted to us individually and corporately. Worshippers must learn to steward Glory. Our worship honors His Presence and is an ongoing appeal for ever-increasing displays of His Glory.

2 Corinthians 3:7 But if the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance, which glory was passing away, 8 how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious?

2 Corinthians 4:6 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.

Hebrews 1:1 God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, 2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; 3 who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.

Isaiah 35:2 [the desert] shall blossom abundantly and rejoice,
Even with joy and singing.
The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it,
The excellence of Carmel and Sharon.
They shall see the glory of the LORD,
The excellency of our God.

MEDITATION

• Have you ever experienced the Glory of His Presence in a way that profoundly impacted you? Write about the experience and how it changed you.

• How did you preserve that experience in the way you now worship?

• What could you do to honor the Presence of God in everyday life in a greater way?

DAY 3  - The Joy of God

Psalm 149:1-9 TPT Hallelujah! Praise the Lord! It’s time to sing to God a brand-new song so that all His holy people will hear how wonderful He is!  May Israel be enthused with joy because of Him, and may the sons of Zion pour out their joyful praises to their King.  Break forth with dancing! Make music and sing God’s praises with the rhythm of drums!  For He enjoys his faithful lovers. He adorns the humble with His beauty, and He loves to give them victory.  His godly lovers triumph in the glory of God, and their joyful praises will rise even while others sleep.  God’s high and holy praises fill their mouths, for their shouted praises are their weapons of war!  These warring weapons will bring vengeance on the nations and every resistant power— to bind kings with chains and rulers with iron shackles.  Praise-filled warriors will enforce the judgment decreed against their enemies. This is the honor He gives to all his godly lovers. Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!

The joy of our praise and celebration will unlock more of God’s awesome victory in every circumstance of our life. Your praise and worship are powerful weapons. They open up realms and expand territory for the advancement of Christ’s Kingdom in and through you. Praise is powerful. Exuberant praise creates breakthrough. Not only because it is loud and energetic, but because it is in sync with the victorious momentum of Heaven.

Jesus invites us to enter praise with JOY! “Come celebrate with me!” He says. It doesn’t matter if what we celebrate is yet to arrive. We know it is coming. We have the privilege of starting the party early!

Never minimize the power of your words to shift the reality of whatever you face. Your joyful praise insists that your circumstances line up with the outcomes that will glorify God. He goes before you. He goes behind you. He surrounds you. Declare His victory in your praise because God is always worthy!

Isaiah 58:8 Then your light shall break forth like the morning,
Your healing shall spring forth speedily,
And your righteousness shall go before you;
The glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard.

Psalm 32:7 You are my hiding place;
You shall preserve me from trouble;
You shall surround me with songs of deliverance.

Isaiah 54:1-4 TPT “Rejoice with singing, you barren one! You who have never given birth, burst into a song of joy and shout, you who have never been in labor! For the deserted wife will have more children than the married one,” says YAHWEH.  “Increase is coming, so enlarge your tent and add extensions to your dwelling. Hold nothing back! Make the tent ropes longer and the pegs stronger.  You will increase and spread out in every direction. Your sons and daughters will conquer nations and revitalize desolate cities.  Do not fear, for your shame is no more. Do not be embarrassed, for you will not be disgraced…”

2 Chronicles 20:20-21 So they rose early in the morning and went out into the Wilderness of Tekoa; and as they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Hear me, O Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem: Believe in the LORD your God, and you shall be established; believe His prophets, and you shall prosper.” And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who should sing to the LORD, and who should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army and were saying: “Praise the LORD, For His mercy endures forever.”

2 Chronicles 20:22 Now when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were defeated.

Acts 16:25-26 But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.  Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed.

Luke 15:8-10 TPT Jesus gave them another parable: “There once was a woman who had ten valuable silver coins. When she lost one of them, she swept her entire house, diligently searching every nook and cranny for that one lost coin.  When she finally found it, she gathered all her friends and neighbors for a celebration, telling them, ‘Come and celebrate with me! I had lost my precious silver coin, but now I’ve found it.’  That’s the way God responds every time one lost sinner repents and turns to him. He says to all his angels, ‘Let’s have a joyous celebration, for the one who was lost, I have found!’”

Luke 15:31-32 “And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours. It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.’”

MEDITATION

• Imagine your praise is creating breakthrough. The power in your words shatters all opposition. What you imagine is actually happening in the Spirit. Welcome the supernatural dimension to your praise and worship.

• Practice JOY. When you least feel like practicing, is when you need to practice most.

• Learn to recognize if your emotions and mental state are in sync with heaven. Pray this: “All hopelessness is banished from me. All fear and sorrow are cast out from me. My mind and thoughts are governed by the Spirit of Christ and my songs of praise and adoration are attracting to me the supernatural power of heaven’s angel armies.” Now sing praises!

DAY 2  - Devoted to the One True God

Exodus 3:1-4  Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian. And he led the flock to the back of the desert, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. And the Angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush. So he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, but the bush was not consumed. Then Moses said, “I will now turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush does not burn.” So when the LORD saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.”

Exodus 3:5-6  Then He said, “Do not draw near this place. Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground.” Moreover He said, “I am the God of your father—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look upon God.

Moses turned aside in his journey to see a wonder - a bush that burned with fire, but was not consumed. God draws us to Himself in many ways. He reveals himself to us in response to our curiosity. We should note that He didn’t speak to Moses until after Moses had turned aside to see the bush. When He did speak, Moses answered.

We should never be too busy, too worried or too important to pass by a wondrous sight to not stop and look. It could lead to something. For Moses it led to his calling and life-long assignment being revealed to him. God revealed Himself, Moses responded and the Lord elevated him, in a moment of time.

There was prophetic significance at the birth of Moses. He was abandoned by his mother in order to save his life. He was raised in Pharaoh’s home as a prince. When he learned of his heritage and tried to intervene in a dispute, he committed murder. Then, he fled from Egypt to the desert. There, he married a Midianite woman and became a shepherd. He was eighty years when he met God face to face.

God had chosen Moses to be his devoted servant and the Deliverer of Israel. Moses had lived his entire life up to that time without God in his life. In one encounter, he became devoted to the One True God, was sanctified for service and then empowered to act in the name of YAHWEH - the great “I AM”.

This life-changing encounter was sealed with an act of worship. Moses stood on holy ground and removed his shoes. There would be nothing separating this man from his God. The Presence infused Moses from the top of his head to the bottoms of his feet.

Grounding is the phenomenon of the electro-magnetic field of the earth affecting human physiology by “grounding” us. By absorbing electrons from the earth through our bare feet, proponents claim that we can reduce inflammation, stress, and pain in our bodies. Can you imagine what was transferred into the body of Moses from the ground that hosted the very Presence of God? While Moses honored God, God infused Moses with the capacity to complete his assignment. Way beyond health benefits, God gave Moses his first deposit of glory. Devotion can release greatness.

Luke 20:37  [Jesus said] But even Moses showed in the burning bush passage that the dead are raised, when he called the Lord “the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’

2 Corinthians 3:12-18  Therefore, since we have such hope, we use great boldness of speech—unlike Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the end of what was passing away.  But their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains un-lifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ.  But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.  Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.  But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

Colossians 1:24-27  I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church,  of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God which was given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God, the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints.  To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

MEDITATION

• When did you know, without reservation, that you would follow the path God had for you in life?

• Are you curious to know more of God? Why or why not?

• Are you walking barefoot, regularly, in His Presence? Write about what that looks like for you.

PRAYER & FASTING - HEART READY IN 2026 for More of God

WEEK ONE - Worship (Monday to Saturday)

DAY 1 - January 5th - There is Only One God

Deuteronomy 4:39 Therefore know this day, and consider it in your heart, that the LORD Himself is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there is no other.

When we live with the knowledge that there is only One God, it gives us the focus and wisdom for daily living and a life of worship that we need. The constant struggle for the Israelites was to keep their covenant to worship only one God in the midst of the many gods available to worship among the nations.

All other spiritual entities, however influential or capable they might be, are not THE ONE TRUE GOD. They are not worthy of worship. They have created nothing. They are not perfect or holy or good. They do not love any of us. They will never be for us. Anyone who chooses to worship another “god” has believed a lie, because false gods lie.

It is incredibly important that each of us establish our own personal covenant with God to worship only Him. It seems so obvious, but we continually allow other things to fill our thoughts, take our time and receive our devotion. Have we stood up clearly and decisively to honor God and worship Him alone?

The preparation of my heart to receive greater revelation begins with my commitment to worship only one God. I long for an increased capacity to know Him and to understand even more of His ways. These dimensions in God are only available to those who, through Christ, worship God alone.

Psalm 27:4  One thing I have desired of the LORD,
That will I seek:
That I may dwell in the house of the LORD
All the days of my life,
To behold the beauty of the LORD,
And to inquire in His temple.

Philippians 3:10-14  that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, 11 if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. 12 Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. 13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Psalm 63:1-8  O God, You are my God;
Early will I seek You;
My soul thirsts for You;
My flesh longs for You
In a dry and thirsty land
Where there is no water.
2 So I have looked for You in the sanctuary,
To see Your power and Your glory.
3 Because Your lovingkindness is better than life,
My lips shall praise You.
4 Thus I will bless You while I live;
I will lift up my hands in Your name.
5 My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness,
And my mouth shall praise You with joyful lips.
6 When I remember You on my bed,
I meditate on You in the night watches.
7 Because You have been my help,
Therefore, in the shadow of Your wings I will rejoice.
8 My soul follows close behind You;
Your right hand upholds me.

Isaiah 44:8  Do not fear, nor be afraid;
Have I not told you from that time, and declared it?
You are My witnesses.
Is there a God besides Me?
Indeed, there is no other Rock*;
I know not one.’”

* The Rock that brought forth water when Moses struck it is a type of Christ (Ex 17:6; Ex. 33:21; Deut. 32:4; Deut. 32:18; 1 Cor. 10:4).

MEDITATION

• What is your One Thing?

• How do you prioritize worship in daily life?

• List three ways your worship of God alone could be clearer to yourself and to others.

Psalm 24:7-10
Lift up your heads, O you gates!
And be lifted up, you everlasting doors!
And the King of glory shall come in.
8 Who is this King of glory?
The LORD strong and mighty,
The LORD mighty in battle.
9 Lift up your heads, O you gates!
Lift up, you everlasting doors!
And the King of glory shall come in.
10 Who is this King of glory?
The LORD of hosts,
He is the King of glory.
Selah

We must actively invite His glory into our lives. The last time I checked, gates do not have heads, people do. With very few exceptions, the decisions we make are determined by our ability to think. What we choose opens or closes a gate. Change always begins with a decision. If we open the gate of our lives and our minds, the KING OF GLORY will come in. Who is this King? The LORD of Hosts He is the King of Glory.

He is YAWEH, the LORD of Hosts. Glory is about Who God IS. Glory is the revelation of His Person. Glory is the demonstration of, “I AM that I AM”. The Lord is not interested in what we think about Him. All that matters is what He reveals about Himself and our response to it. He is not apologetic about Who He is, He is on display. Our only response to His Majesty should be to worship Him.

When Moses asked God to show him His Glory, The LORD passed before him and declared HIS NAME.

Ex. 34:6-7   
The LORD passed in front of Moses, calling out,
“Yahweh! The LORD!
The God of compassion and mercy!
I am slow to anger
and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness.
7  I lavish unfailing love to a thousand generations.
I forgive iniquity, rebellion, and sin.
But I do not excuse the guilty.
I lay the sins of the parents upon their children and grandchildren;
the entire family is affected—
even children in the third and fourth generations.”

HIS GLORY IS WHO HE IS AND WHO HE IS, IS GLORIOUS. Moses bowed down and worshipped him. His Glory is His Presence, His Character and His Power. To be exposed to the display of His Glory means to be radiated by the enormity of His fullness.

We will be forever changed - transformed by our encounters with His Presence. In His Presence is “fullness of joy and pleasure forevermore”. In His Presence we find the weightiness of His Splendor. In His Presence we can know the riches of His Wisdom, the fellowship of His suffering and the light of His Glory.

It’s totally worth it. He is the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End, the Alpha and the Omega. He is the First Word and the Last Word. He is the Great “I AM THAT I AM.”

Romans 11:36   For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.

READ

Psalm 16:11; Isaiah 60:19; Isaiah 66:18; Exodus 24:16-17; Exodus 40:34-35; 2 Chronicles 7:1-3; Philippians 3:7-11; Romans 11:33;  Ephesians 3:8; Colossians 1:27; Revelation 1:8, 11; John 1:1-4

ACTIVATION

The Hebrew word, “Kabod,” is translated as “Glory,” in English. It also means “weightiness”, “majesty” and “prestige”. You could also make a case for “fame.”
 
Everyone adjusts their behavior around royalty. We understand how to respect and show courtesy to those we honor. When in the presence of someone famous, we understand we are in a special moment and act accordingly (willing to embarrass ourselves for an opportunity to get that selfie). We know instinctively how to give value and demonstrate “worth-ship”

How will I make room for His Glory in my life? How will I respond to the Self-revelation of the Person of God to me? How does the weightiness of God affect me? How does His Radiance (His Shekinah) melt the resistance inside me to His Word and His Will. Make a decision about what you will do when you are in His Presence. Become a worshipper.

Choose to lift up your head, o you gate! Choose to let the King of Glory come in. Who is this King of Glory? He is THE LORD of HOSTS. This is the King of Glory.

Habakkuk 2:14 
For the earth will be filled
With the knowledge of the glory of the LORD,
As the waters cover the sea.

How will the knowledge of the Glory of God increase in the earth? It will come through a combination of mighty and miraculous exploits, incredible wonders of Self-revelation from the God of Heaven and one more thing. The undeniable transformation of Believers saturated with Holy Spirit Life who demonstrate the loving heart of God to the world. You were made for Glory. How will everyone know? It will emanate from you in the most natural way - through righteous deeds of compassion, brilliant examples of wisdom and the irrefutable proclamation of Truth.

Why have we set aside time to fast at the beginning of 2025? Because we want to see His Glory in 2025. But, not just so we can see it from afar. We want to see in our own lives and in everything we undertake to help make a difference in the world. Glory does change things. If I want to see change happen around me, I must press in for more of His Glory now.

Isaiah 58:6-12
“Is this not the fast that I have chosen:
To loose the bonds of wickedness,
To undo the heavy burdens,
To let the oppressed go free,
And that you break every yoke?
7 Is it not to share your bread with the hungry,
And that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out;
When you see the naked, that you cover him,
And not hide yourself from your own flesh?
8 Then your light shall break forth like the morning,
Your healing shall spring forth speedily,
And your righteousness shall go before you;
The glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard.
9 Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer;
You shall cry, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’
‘If you take away the yoke from your midst,
The pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness,
10 If you extend your soul to the hungry
And satisfy the afflicted soul,
Then your light shall dawn in the darkness,
And your darkness shall be as the noonday.
11 The LORD will guide you continually,
And satisfy your soul in drought,
And strengthen your bones;
You shall be like a watered garden,
And like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.
12 Those from among you
Shall build the old waste places;
You shall raise up the foundations of many generations;
And you shall be called the Repairer of the Breach,
The Restorer of Streets to Dwell In.

Did you know that the greatest results of a fast are often seen after the fast is over? In the days ahead, expect to see the increase of His Presence in your life. Expect to experience upgrades to your spiritual life. Not because you denied yourself food, but because you pressed in to pursue His Glory and that pursuit pleases Him. When we align our priorities, the desires of our heart and our actions with His holy and righteous purpose among men, we will see accelerated activity from Heaven.

Unity is not the result of pursuing Glory. Glory is actually the foundation for all unity. Unity is given to us by what Jesus did through His death and resurrection. His prayer in John 17 is based upon His impending victory through sacrifice and the Glory He would receive because of it. The invitation to share His glory has been made. But, like the wedding guest who was taken away after receiving a legitimate invitation to the wedding (Matt. 22:11-14), it is up to us to maintain spiritual unity through the development of our maturity.

Ephesians 4:1-6  I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, 2 with all lowliness and gentleness, with long-suffering, bearing with one another in love, 3 endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

Maturity is developed through a process of experience, reflection and adjustment. As we humbly yoke our life to His, we will be led into opportunities that stretch our faith, expand our heart and increase our capacity to receive Glory. It is the people who have great capacity to carry His Presence who will change the world and release the knowledge of His Glory in the world.

Ephesians 4:13-16 ...till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

READ

Romans 3:23 (All have sinned and missed the target. But, we must remember that our target was always Glory. We were created to pursue His Glory and we failed to do that. Jesus has given us another chance by hitting the target for us);  John 17; Ephesians 4:20-24; Galatians 4:6-7;  Hebrews 10:19-24

ACTIVATION

Take some time to think about how you have (or have not) made room in your life for the pursuit of Glory. Think about the idea that you were made for Glory. We were created to worship Him and Know Him (“The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy him forever”, according to the Westminster Shorter Catechism). He is the source of Life. What are some practical ways we can set new priorities in our daily routine that make room for our “target practice” (Rom 3:23). In these devotionals we have talked about a new mindset, new habits and the willingness to experience change. It’s important to act on what we know and believe. Let’s move the Truths we believe from the theoretical to the experiential. That’s where dynamic change happens.Set your face for something new in 2025.

Revelation 1:12-18   Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. 14 His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; 15 His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters; 16 He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength. 17 And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, “Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. 18 I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.

John the Apostle walked with Jesus during His earthly ministry. He witnessed miracles of healing, demonic deliverance and the raising of the dead through the ministry of Jesus Christ. He was present on the Mount of Transfiguration when Jesus revealed His Glory. He was the only male disciple that didn’t run away when Jesus was arrested. He stood there and witnessed the crucifixion of the Lord of Life on that Friday. He was one of the first, along with Peter, to enter the empty tomb on Sunday and later that same day he, along with the other disciples, were visited by the Risen Christ in the room where they were hidden away.

Of all men, he could claim to have seen it all. Yet, that day on the Isle of Patmos, he fell down as though dead when he witnessed the manifest Glory of the “Alpha and the Omega”. He was not prepared for such a revelation of Glory. He learned what we must all learn. No matter the degree of Glory we have experienced in the past, The God of All Glory has MORE to reveal to us in the days to come.

Haggai 2:7 ...and I will shake all nations, and they shall come to the Desire of All Nations, and I will fill this temple with glory,’ says the LORD of hosts.

Revelation 5:13   And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying:
“Blessing and honor and glory and power
Be to Him who sits on the throne,
And to the Lamb, forever and ever!”

He is the God of All Glory. There is no one to compare to Him. There is no one and nothing to compete with the supremacy of His place. There is no other name, no other power, no other authority to stand in the way of His overwhelming and irresistible Lordship over all Creation.

READ

2 Corinthians 3:9; 2 Corinthians 4:17; Hebrews 3:3

ACTIVATION

Are you willing to re-evaluate the “High water mark” of your experience in the Glory? What would more Glory look like in your life? Are you willing to go after more? Greater pursuit always begins with desire. What would measurable increase look like for you? A more effective prayer life? A greater sense of His Presence in your life? Knowing beyond all doubt that He accepts you and loves you?

Revelations 3:20-21  Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. 21 To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.

Open the door. Jesus is knocking.

Isaiah 60:1-2 
Arise, shine; 
For your light has come! 
And the glory of the LORD is risen upon you. 
2 For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, 
And deep darkness the people; 
But the LORD will arise over you, 
And His glory will be seen upon you. 

We have a mandate and an obligation to get up and shine with Glory. It isn’t about recognition and it isn’t even about retribution against evil. It’s about the revelation of Who God is to the entire world. There is no One Higher. There is no One more holy, more powerful, more worthy or more glorious. “I AM That I AM”  is revealing Himself through the Church to the entire power structure of demonic darkness. He is declaring His Glory to all Nations!

Isaiah 66:19 … They will proclaim my glory among the nations.

Habakuk 2:14 For the earth will be filled
With the knowledge of the glory of the LORD,
As the waters cover the sea.

Our role as sons of God is to reveal the Glory of God to the World. This is the essence of Romans 8:

Romans 8:18   For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

Glory is not only light, it is power. All of creation will rejoice because of the arrival of the glorious liberty of the sons of God. There is a fascinating link between the restoration of Glory to the Church and the healing that is coming to all creation. We, as the Church, have always been meant to displace the Powers, the Principalities and the regional Dominions that oppress the people of the nations. We are to do that by revealing the glorious victory of Jesus Christ through His resurrection.

Ephesians 3:8   To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9 and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ; 10 to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, 11 according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him.

READ

Exodus 6:8; 2 Chronicles 7:14; Ephesians 1:19-23 (NLT); Acts 14:3

ACTIVATION

We are commanded to shine. Christians often struggle with the idea of shining. We think that only God should shine. But, in reality, when we shine He is shining through us. To me, it is actually false humility to think that we should not put ourselves forward. One of the most prominent qualities of Christians in the Book of Acts is their boldness. Spirituality is not defined by piety alone. It is defined by our bold proclamation of the power at work in us. That is how Glory emanates and expands from our life to around the world.

Acts 4:29-31  Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, 30 by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.” 31   And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.

What can you do to boldly step into opportunities to shine with Glory? Speak truth? Pray for sick? Demonstrate compassion? Why not practice the Gifts of the Spirit which are present within you? (I love Bill Johnson’s saying - “The Holy Spirit is locked inside every Believer - and He wants out!”)