WORSHIP, THE TRUE TEST OF A CHURCH IN TRANSITION

 Defining the priestly order of the third temple.

By Isaiah-Phillips Akintola

 

DEFINING WORSHIP BEYOND THE ACT

We have tried to look at both the conventional definition to worship and worship as a condition of lifestyle. As we further examine and try to broaden our understanding of worship as the offering of our entire life upon the altar of obedience and sacrifice to honor, magnify and glorify the father, we will be invited into another reality of the divine life.

To the degree we understand the life and depth of the worth of worship is to the degree we will ascend unto the mountain of the divine representation.  The priesthood the father is building in this new day is ultimately preparing us for perfected service on the altar of the ongoing restored temple call the tabernacle of David. We have said it time and over again that this temple is not some physical structure or place as some are already claiming.

 The process of the journey of heavens redemptive objective has been shifting drastically from what can be touched, seen or felt, to a dimensional reality of that which is purely spiritual and holy in lifestyle worship. In other words, depending on ceremonial tradition in trying to experience the presence of the Father in our worship has to come to an end. All that we have surrounded our lives to in developing a sense of worshiping before the father has to now come to and end. shift to a condition of reality deep within our spirit man that can please God.

For God is a Spirit. And those who must worship him must do via the vehicle of the Spirit. The very ignition and essence of spiritual expression as to be a life sourced through the very seed of the Lord within us; rather than borrowing fleshy pattern to stir us into the realm of what we call worship. Worship has to exist the realm of just an act or form we experience at a given time or occasion.

Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and the seventy elders of Israel went up 10and saw the God of Israel. Under his feet was something like a pavement made of lapis lazuli, as bright blue as the sky. 11But God did not raise his hand against these leaders of the Israelites; they saw God, and they ate and drank. Exodus 24:9

The quality and intensity of our worship has always been measured by both the intent and content of our obedience to connect with the heart of the father, and this pattern as not changed. However, we have to move beyond this reality to truth to a higher dimension of sacrifice and obedience in the advancement of the kingdom, if we must come to that place where mortal men eat with God on his mountain.  Everything about our live in this movement must be synchronize with the demand of the Spirit for this new day. We cannot afford to have a fractured or divided ideology of the things of the lord. Our priesthood must be whole and holistic in its declaration and representation.

PRESSING INTO THE NEW DAY

 The redemptive initiative of the father for man and creation has entered a critical moment that requires we constantly update and sync the values, concepts and principle of our priestly mandate both to the church and the father respectively. Indeed, we are deep into the day of the restoration of all things into Christ. This restoration however, must first complete its circle of reforming and transforming the truth back to its rightful place within the altar of our hearts as members of the body of Christ, which then allows us to be able to perfect the act of representing Christ in the Spirit of truth.

THE MINISTRY OF TRUTH IN WORSHIP

 Most of the worship taking place within the various communities of the body of Christ, I must say are not done on the right footing of the Spirit of truth and obedience. We cannot access the heart of the father in worship when our priesthood is stained or polluted by the world system.

The ministry of truth begins with the passion to vigorously shift from an earthly priestly order to a heavenly ministry; whose spiritual [structure] wineskin agrees with the eternal demand of God for such a person and its assigned mandate. Earthly system of worship is a system that seeks praise and approval from the highly powerful religious and humanistic system of the day.

Christ centered priestly ministry, though operates on the earth, its life source and priesthood is however pattern after the heavenly temple making its grand appearance within moral men. It is the desire of the kind of priesthood to merge the heavenly pattern with earthly reality. This is the prayer our Lord taught his disciple to pray. The kingdom and the rulership of the Father must be done here on earth as it is already established in heaven. This is the ultimate of the last day priestly ministry of the church as we move from the Church Age into the kingdom Age.

The coming of the lord through the sacrificial smoke of our [lifestyle] worship is the central theme of the new restored priestly company the lord is establishing in the earth. This priestly dimension of worship seeks to build into the atmosphere of the community of the saints, a strong heavenly governmental culture of existence that is precisely reflected through the spirit of humility, purity, love, faith, mutual respect, dignity and honor for both Christ and his entire body.

This priestly order respects the spiritual identity of each member of the Body of Christ. They are able to identity where each brethren is in the narrative of their journey towards the mountain of the Lord. They will encourage, motive and build others who are yet to come to the knowledge of where they have been brought through the knowledge and grace of the Spirit of Christ. They have arrived at the point of seeing worship beyond an act of performance to the act of precisely expressing and representing ways and nature of the Spirit of truth.

CHANGING THE EMPHASIS OF WORSHIP

As we can now see that worship is established on the quality of the spiritual life of a person. A believer’s spiritual depth of life defines the quality and demand of his worship. You will notice in John chapter 4 that the father is not seeking worship but worshippers. In other words, the configuration or value standard of the person offering worship is actually what the father is seeking for.

Everything that flows out of a pure vessel is automatically pure. It is the issue of a good tree producing good fruits. A bad tree cannot produce good fruits. This theory debunks the idea that we can be something else at home while in the church or among other believers we suddenly become holy. Our message is as powerful to the degree of our purity. Who we are on the inside sanctifies or pollutes our service and activity.

Furthermore, the effect and impact of a true kingdom centered message is derived from the altar of a heavenly prescribed priestly order of worship. Our message is not what produces the change or transformation we are often seek for, but the Spirit [life] of an ascended pure worship that infuses kingdom culture and authority of the father into the message.

The life of true worship encompasses all that we think, say and do. Yet, the spiritual components that allows us to effectively worship as approved saints must be in consistent with the precise prophetic utterance and demand of the Father for the season. Though the primary function of a priest is that of an intercessor; one who goes on behalf of. However, the ministry and function of an intercessor who is also known as a watchman and a priest, is not limited to the mere function of praying, even though the ministry of prayer throughout the Age is seen as one of the most noble and highest function within the rankings and framework of the entire ascended apostolic gifts.

THE PRIESTHOOD DEFINE THE INTENT OF THE WORSHIP

 The priesthood is the overall definition of the grace, function and capacity of the ascended ministry which of cause represent heaven on earth, and earth before heaven. Both the old and the New Testament confirms and affirms this highly prophetic governmental dimension of the functional life and calling of the Saints. The priest is wired to hear and know the voice of the Lord. Within this ability he is able to clearly decode the sound of a new season via his interaction with the Father.

 A true priestly ministry comprises of the entire order of heavens government and its need for the next generation. Meaning that within the priesthood, one finds and connect with the sights and sound, and the present apostolic culture of the movement of the Spirit about how the church is designed to function, governed within the religious Babylonian system of the day.

We cannot effectively worship if the priestly system of the house still shows a rejected Levitical order. In other words, the priest cannot effectively function if the Levitical order designed to help him has been captured, perverted and dysfunctional. This in effect proves that accuracy and precision must be the footing and hallmark of this priestly order.  A priesthood whose Levitical order has been polluted exposes the people and the entire order and pattern of the movement of the saints to a wrong spirit even if the name of the lord is being mentioned and magnified. My focus however in this article is seeking to deal with the inconsistency of our worship and proclamation, especially among those who are presently proclaiming and embracing the apostolic reformation message.

THE OBJECTIVE OF WORSHIP

The words, lyrics and focus of our worship captures the level of our journey in the present emphasis of divine transition. In my two decade plus experience of the present reformation emphasis, I realized that it has become so easy for many to parrot the present reformation language without having a footing, a foundation or experience of the past dealings and movements of the father. They certainly have not been taught that what they now see or term as new is certainly old to some who have had the privilege of starting the journey earlier.

These folks are yet to realize that the movement of God right from the beginning has a track that is traceable within the spirit of the gatekeepers and portal of the Lord for each season and generation. The scripture records the history of the journeys of the children of Israel right from the very first step they took out of the land of Egypt up until the time they entered the territory of their Promised Land.

The record of the movements or transitions of the Israelite are designed to help us trace and track the values and principles embedded within their journeys. This is a standard kingdom principle, everyone summoned to the mountain of divine appearance must apply to their lives. We don’t just happen; our life and ministry must carry the rich history of the wilderness dealing, process and pruning. Our past, like my, is enriched with experiences that has developed and matured my spiritual wine. Our representation of the Lord and his ministry should precisely reflect the various seasons of our refinement and transformation. This is what makes our priesthood rich and mature before the father and the saints.

The principle we learn with regards to the journey of the children of Israel should always speak to us today, especially those who are representing the current speakings of the Lord. The up coming generation should be able to track, connect and relate to what we are saying today. Our movement in the things of the Spirit as we press ahead should never give the impression that we just dropped down from heaven. The movement of the Father like we said, is a joining of two streams if you will.

If the present understanding of your walk with the Lord is defined and based on what you were taught yesterday and you’ve decided to run with such message out of zeal, you will son find yourself in a compromising difficult position. Proclamation is not the core reason for revelation. Revelation, which is a learnt act, can is designed to change you in out; it is designed to build within you the very character nature of Christ.

If a truth you have had has not successfully formed Christ in you, you certainly have no busy opening your mouth in preaching or teaching such message. while you may have been truly called by God, your life however, is yet to be seasoned through the process of life that makes a person heaven’s mouthpiece in the earth. If you’ve decided to run ahead of God without the due process of maturity and release both by God and the Body, you are not better than a Pharisee. What you need is to find someone who has track record of the dealings and speakings of the Lord, and seat under the tutorship of such a person or group until heaven find you feet and ready to speak on its behalf.

The songs and message we teach or sing should carry the richness of the dealings and process of the father within our lives. Whatever we claim has been assigned to us as kingdom service should be seen in the context of worship. From the message we preach and teach to how we arrange the service of our fellowship and interaction with the world around us must show that sense of ministering unto the Lord. Our messages which is both a declaration and a lifestyle must minister life. A New Testament believer is designed to be a minister of life. It is easy to learn the lingual of the current apostolic reformation without having to have the message, it is however not easy to have the message without the Spirit and life of the message. It is the Spirit that quickens, our (words) rhetoric’s profits nothing.

WORSHIP EXPOSES THE SPIRIT OF THE HOUSE

There’s nothing that so easily expose a person’s true spiritual ideology and template mold in the present transition than the lyrics and sound we express in our worship devotion. You see, worship, beyond just given glory, praise, honor and adoration to the Father also exposes the spirit behind our words. Meaning that in the place of worship, all manner of things takes place that cannot be controlled or stage-managed. What we say and sing in worship is a true reflection of the condition of our heart and the state of our house. In effect, if we claim to be pressing into the current demand of the Lord in our spiritual life, our worship time will certainly prove it if we are truthful or not. Why? Worship reveals the very intent of the hearts of men without their knowledge in most cases.

WORSHIP AND YOUR IDENTITY

True worship reveals who we are, what we are, and ultimately, the agenda behind our so-called devotion. It is a known fact that we can invest in the most advanced sound and music instrument in the house with highly talented instrumentalist and singers and still not be worshiping the most high. As the power of a high level prophetic (music) sound is use to compel and expel evil spirit from a person or region, so is music that is handled and expressed with a wrong spiritual emphasis and church tradition.

The sound and emphasis of our worship can literally open the heavens before us or can deceptively drift us away from the frequency the Lord is seeking to speak from. In a country like South Africa where people are naturally gifted and talented to sing, and are seen to be unfortunately drawing their values from the American concept of a hybrid professional music industry, it is so easy for the church community and its worship system to strongly assume or presume that perfected worship is having wonderful vocalist and instrumentalist in the house.

HOW WE KNOW IF WE ARE TRULY PRECISE

 Worship requires the expression of a sanctified emotional faculty or else the worship is not complete. The Father demands worship from the total man and not just from a single aspect. While worship is a spiritual act, yet, the true expression of the life of worship can only be carried out through the faculties of the regenerated soul. Therefore, if our soul still remain under the control and influence of a non-sanctified culture and traditional strongholds of the day, which could either be a powerful religious system or a customary traditional beliefs, we are certainly not worshipping according to the divine pattern.

The truth is, if our worship, prayer or intercession for that matter still reflects the past days of ignorance in the standard of the Lord, we are definitely not where God is in his eternal purpose which are often capture and expressed in the spirit and life of worship. True worship is not based on the key we sing on as much as that may help; it is not how slow or fast the rhythm of our song is expressed. A song can be as old as the ancients of days himself but still carries the very life, emphasis and demand of the Spirit of Jehovah for the present day.

MY PROPHETIC FOUNDATION

 As a young minister of the gospel in the late 80s, my prophetic ministry back then was established on two main footings which I was grateful for when I consider what many today term as the prophetic. One is the spirit of intercession while the other was built on the psalmist grace. I believe these two footings are some of the most effective components in the development of the prophetic spirit within a person. These two powerful ministry of helped to nurture and propel me into realms in God I could never have imagined. I was so hungry for the presence of the Lord that I will cry for hours just seeking and desiring the love and the life of God. I wanted the Fathers presence more than anything in this world. it was like, if I can’t have him, I don’t want to live any more. And I can confidently tell you that my thirst and hunger for righteousness was filled.

I could remember back, people visit our fellowship just to hear this strange way of singing but highly captivating and transforming. The atmosphere back then commanded respect and honor for the things of the Spirit. Strange things were happening in our worship that people could not just understand but yet felt so wonderful.

The Lord will literally give men new songs right there at the altar. People remained in fellowship for hours just enjoying the wonderful presence of the Lord. It was in this move the Lord began to introduce us to what many today now call the present apostolic reformation. Back then, we had no name for it except that heaven used to come and we use to ascend up. We actually lived in what could be called a rapturous moments. The worship of our house was completely different to the experience of other houses. And I still do believe that worship must be unique because we all have unique spirits.  Coming back to the issue of the song of a new day.

SINGING THE SONG OF A NEW DAY

Singing new songs does not only mean songs you just composed few days ago, or limited to singing in an unknown tongues as powerful and effective that is. New songs are the sounds of a new marching order; this songs are the sound of a new elevated position, articulated through the voice of the Lamb seated on the throne of our hearts. the songs are ancient prophetic agendas being unfolded for the deliverance of the nations and creation from bondage.

This is the songs the creäture are singing before the throne of God. They are the song of Moses, Songs of Debra, songs of the bow, song of Hannah, Songs of David, songs of Elizabeth and the song of the Lamb. The sound of these songs are impregnated within the hearts and soul of those who have been weaned from the milk of earthly temple religious service, and have been summoned to the mountain of the Lord to share life and communion with the father. These songs remind us of who we are and what we left, but furthermore, what we are ascending into. These songs remind us of our priestly ministry to the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit.

THE SOUND OF A NEW DAY

 The sounds of these songs gives us new vision, courage, boldness and the heart of blind obedience to submit and follow the ancient path the patriarchs followed. Through these songs we have clearer In-depth knowledge of our personal and corporate grace and identity. The sound of these songs gives us direction, and helps the first-born church in keeping with the holy tradition of apostolic fellowship and corporate communion.

Worship, beyond just giving due glory and honor to God in all things is also telling the story of our reformation and transformational development unto that perfect day in Christ. The ideology of what we call praise or worship exposes the true cultural identity of the (church) house we belong which defines the outflow of our entire worship devotion. What is offered on the table we eat and drink from will ultimately benchmark the depth and life of our spiritual image and identity especially in the journey towards divine discovery and experience. Selah!

The reality of your worship, thanksgiving, praise and even prayer points should define where you’ve been, where you are now, and where you are ultimately aiming to meet in the mountain of divine confluence. The streams of the current speaking and demand of the Spirit are all converging with full force into the river of the human spirit. This convergence seeks to first destroy what humanist religion has falsely construct in the name of God, and then seeks to set up the proper spiritual footing and foundation for the house of the lord within our hearts without distortion. These are some highly important truth we must consider in this present reconstruction of what is known as the tabernacle of David.