Presence anyone? God’s Presence and power flow in inner spiritual rivers.

–Where is the power in 21st Century Christianity to set captives free from cravings and compulsions; hurts and fears; unbelief and anger? The Bible teaches that we should turn away from powerless Christianity: “Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.”
–Jesus taught: “But you shall receive power, after the Holy Spirit has come upon you: and you shall be witnesses unto Me.” When we trust in our religious forms and programs, rather than in the active, real Presence of the Holy Spirit; we wind up powerless and unable to influence society — and our culture crumble in front of our eyes.
–Perhaps it is time to turn away from our religious “forms of godliness” and to humbly surrender church meetings to the direct, active control of the Holy Spirit!

Power is not static. Power freely flows from God; it’s not programmed or scheduled by people. The Greek word in the New Testament that is translated into the English word power is dunamis — which also gives us the English words dynamo and dynamite. A dynamo produces a flow of power. Jesus said: “You shall receive power (dunamis —an inner flowing) when the Holy Spirit comes on you.”

The 21st Century church desperately needs to release the inner flow that is in individual Christ-followers and to allow that power to manifest itself in church meetings. That inner flow is only released if we “quench not the Spirit.” Referring to the Holy Spirit, Jesus said: “Out of your innermost being shall flow rivers of living water.” Rather than shutting down the Spirit’s flow with a form of godliness, we need to release the flow by allowing everyday people to obey the promptings, nudgings, and witness of the Spirit in church meetings.

As people freely flow in obedience to the Spirit, God’s power fills the room with a sense of awe. People are touched at a deep level, comforted, healed, set free, and transformed.

(Experience God’s flow every Sunday morning at The Salvation Army Berry Street, 225 Berry St., Nashville, TN at 10:45.)