Manifesting Presence of the Holy Spirit

In the First Church, whole cities were healed. Even as the Saints walked past the sick, Scripture says that all the sick were healed as the Saints would minister (Acts 5:16, James 5:13-16). In the days of the First Church, there was no sickness that was exempt from complete eradication. While it is true that today, there are occasional healings and rare manifestations of Revival, we know historically that by 325-400AD, these Church-wide manifestations of the Holy Spirit had all but disappeared. From those days until today, this powerless condition of God’s Church remains. Why?

If today we reside in a Church different than what Jesus outlined through the Apostle Paul, or if we reside in a different dispensation from the First Church, then it might be understood why the supernatural of God has disappeared. But Scripture says that God is neither a liar (Numbers 23:19) nor does He ever change (Malachi 3:6). When God makes a promise, He keeps it! Also refer to (Mathew 12:15, Luke 4:40, Luke 6:19 and compare these scriptures to John 14:12-14). Such notions therefore, are quickly debunked.

Could it mean that Jesus blood sacrifice was suddenly insufficient? Could it mean that the power of Jesus blood sacrifice waned over time (Read Hebrews 10:1-18)? Or, could it mean that God simply withdrew His healing power from the Church for some unknown reason (Hebrews 13:8). All of which are ridiculous and elementarily false theological notions. In a word, such arguments are absurd. Volumes of Scripture refute such notions.

So we can rule out that the loss of power in today’s Church is by God’s surprise intent.

This must mean that WE are the problem. Therefore, one of two conditions must exist in today’s Church. Either all of today’s current day Saints lack in sufficient faith (Mathew 13:58), or today’s Western Church is out of alignment with the Holy Spirit.

As it is impossible for ALL of today’s believers to be walking in an insufficient level of faith, (as such a lack of faith must be the case if no one is seeing 100% healing in this day), that leaves only one remaining problem. The Western Church, as it exists today, is severely out of alignment with the Holy Spirit.

We must now, in totally honesty and with an open heart, realize how far off we are from God’s design for Church. If we compare what happened in the First Church of Paul’s day to today’s Western Church, there is precious little resemblance. Either in leadership, the way of worship, or in the way we release ministry, today’s Western Church looks nothing like the First Church. Why is this so? (Consider 2 John 1:4-11) I’m stirred by the author’s exhortation, “Watch yourselves, so that you may not lose what we have worked for…” And… “If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him…” What was “this” teaching? Everything brought by the Apostles to the First Church, to include the Gospel message and the ways and means to bring it!

We have departed from the teachings of Paul as received through the Holy Spirit from Christ Himself. We have departed from God’s outline for Church. And we have burned in that error generation by generation, handing down error upon error. That departure is, today, so severe as to result in but little to no manifest power of the Holy Spirit in our meetings.

Some might argue that “salvations are happening and joy is in the house! Is that not the Holy Spirit amongst us?” And my answer, by direct experience, is a resounding NO! Indeed, the Holy Spirit is there in small measure. All who are saved have the Holy Spirit within. But such manifestations are nothing like they would be when the Church is aligned to the leadership of the Holy Spirit.

I am convinced that the establishment of “One Man Rule” by the Roman Emperor Constantine within the “Holy” Roman Empire in the era of 313-325AD, which manifested at the very same time that the power of the Holy Spirit began to depart the First Church, is the reason for the departure of the Holy Spirit. And this very same “One Man Rule” leadership style remains in the vast majority of today’s Church.

The First Church was not lead, it was facilitated. No man or woman was the authoritarian of the meetings, the Holy Spirit was! Everyone had a ministry to release within the meetings, as Paul directed, “do everything in order”. (Read very carefully 1 Corinthians 14:26-32, 36-40)

Bread was broken. Praise began until worship fell upon them, and worship continued until the Holy Spirit fell upon them. Only then did they resided in the Presence, doing whatever and only what the Spirit lead them to do. No one prepared a message or entered the meeting with a preset agenda. They continued in the Spirit by the unction of the Spirit until the Spirit lifted. Then they went home. Meetings started on time, but never had a set ending. And the Spirit moved amongst them in power. It was out of meetings like this that the Church grew in power across modern day Europe. That is, until there arose the edicts of Constantine; “do what we demand or die”.

“One Man Rule” was enforced upon the Church by the Roman Emperor Constantine. When “One Man Rule” began, everyone else was forced to sit down and be quiet. What was a group ministry to all became a “One Man” ministry from the “top down.” What had been supernatural manifestations by the many turned into powerless theatrical shows of natural ability by the most capable and talented few.

Suddenly there was no place for the many to release the Holy Spirit within and upon them. Suddenly, what was an unlimited release of the Spirit to do whatever HE wanted in all and through all, the “One Man” stepped up and did whatever the he saw fit to do mostly apart from the Spirit’s leadership. The Holy Spirit was, at best, given second spot through only one person while he did what was presumed to be right.

I am convinced, and by direct experience and testimony within the Chinese Church to whom I directly ministered, that when a “leader” so refuses to take control of a meeting from the leadership of the Holy Spirit, becomes a facilitator for the Holy Spirit to do whatever the Holy Spirit choses to do in the meetings, allowing anyone in the meeting to release what the Holy Spirit might bring, trusting fully that the Holy Spirit is the One who “tests and approves”; we WILL quickly return to the manifestations of the First Church. In that day, when the Holy Spirit is given all our reins of control, we will see all in a city healed and thousands of souls saved in one day.

I have heard “Reformation” and “Renewal” shouted from many pulpits in the last 20 years. I have heard it sung time and again, “The Spirit is here!” And… “Lord we seek your Presence!” Yet, no such thing has yet to happen in my witness save for but very rare places of Revival. In short, we’ve seen nothing yet. But it IS short at hand. However, only so when today’s Church leadership choses to give up the reins of control into the hands of the Holy Spirit, walk in faith for Him, and trust! THIS is what Yeshua died for. THIS is why He went to the Father with His blood sacrifice. THIS is why the Holy Spirit was given. THIS is what today’s Church is supposed to look like.

Thus, our prayer is this:

Now we pray to God that you will not do anything wrong—not so that people will see that we have stood the test but so that you will do what is right even though we may seem to have failed. For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth. We are glad whenever we are weak but you are strong; and our prayer is that you may be fully restored… Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.2 Corinthians 13:7-11

T. Scott Morton