Anyone who is part of the Body of Christ has been to a church service at some time and heard someone saying, "God, manifest your Glory here! Shows us your Glory! Come Holy Spirit come!" I can even think of a few songs by Bethel worship, Hillsong, and Jesus Culture that has Lyrics about wanting to see the Glory of God. There is nothing wrong with this. The purpose of this article is to let you know that there are other ways that the Glory of God manifests, and you may be surprised to know how we can do it every single day.
Let's start with identifying what a manifestation of Glory is. Commonly we think of the manifestations of the Glory of God as a manifestation of his spirit. Is that only thing that his Glory is? No, it is not. That is just a part of the whole picture. Let's take a look at Ezekiel 10:4, "Then the glory of the Lord rose from above the cherubim and moved to the threshold of the temple. The cloud filled the temple, and the court was full of the radiance of the glory of the Lord." I read that verse a few times and never really thought about it a second time until I read this, "The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven."
How amazing! The Glory of the Lord filled the temple in Ezekiel 10, and then Paul reveals to us in Hebrews that Jesus is that very same Glory. When we see manifestations of the Glory of God, we are actually seeing manifestations of Jesus Christ. 1 John 3:8 tells us that the reason that Jesus was made manifest was to destroy the work of the devil. The word for manifestations used in John 3:8 is the same word that is used to describe the manifestations of the spirit in 1 Corinthians 12:7.
If Glory is the manifestation of Jesus, then we know that Glory manifests for the same reason that Jesus did. It manifests in order to destroy the work of the devil. The same word that is translated as manifest in 1 John 3:8 is also used in 1 Corinthians 12:7 when it speaks of the manifestations of the spirit.
The manifestations of the spirit have the same purpose as the manifestation of God. Since the Holy Spirit, Jesus, and God are all three one and the same then anything that applies to Jesus applies to the Holy Spirit and God. Therefore, if the manifestations of the spirit are Holy spirit manifesting himself through others, then by that same logic has the same purpose for manifesting (to destroy the works of the enemy), and it also manifestations of Jesus (God's glory).
The church today seems to get caught up in thinking and believing that we need to see gold dust form, feathers appear, gems manifest, or oil appear from nowhere and that's manifesting God's Glory. It surely is. That is a manifestation of the glory of God. But that is also the manifestation of Jesus. It is also a manifestation of the Holy Spirit. That is not where it stops.
We need to stop begging for random manifestations of God and start manifesting Jesus here and now! Every time we speak in tongues, we are manifesting Jesus. Every time we give a word of wisdom, a word of knowledge, or heal the sick, prophesy we are manifesting the spirit of God. We are manifesting the Glory of God!
I am not trying to bash anyone's ministry that has manifestations of gold, or feathers or the latter. I am trying to inspire people who are desperate to see the glory realm, to start walking out the gospel and doing the things that God said to do. If we just get out of this place of complacency and of stagnancy and started laying hands on the sick, casting out devils and speaking in tongues daily we would see the Glory of God manifest in our lives and in our world daily.
I have been to services where the guest speaker will not preach until they feel like the spirit of God is there. That always strikes a sore note with me. Of course, the spirit of God is there, of course, the Glory is there, of course, Jesus is there (assuming you're a spirit-filled believer) because he is living inside of you. Where there are two or more people gathered in the name of Jesus where Jesus is in the middle of them. Now if you really want to see him manifest start speaking the word, start prophesying, start letting God that is in you, out of you!
Let's take a little side trail for a second and talk about what it means to have Jesus in the middle of two or three of us. I have just always been taught that this represents the power of agreement and shows us that Jesus like being with us in the gathering, but there is so much more to it than that. The Greek word for in the middle is mesos.
This word in and of itself means in the middle, but it's the word of the word that gives us the clear meaning of what Jesus in the middle represents.
The word of the word mesos is meta. If you are familiar with the comic Flash you already know what this means. Meta indicates that something is about to change, or is being changed as the result of encountering something. Therefore, when we gather in his name, he is literally changing us as the result of encountering. You cannot go to church, or a prayer meeting, or whatever you are doing (so long as Jesus is the center of why you are gathered) and leave unchanged in some way. This is where the word metamorphosis gets its root (meta- to change; Morphoo- to be reshaped, molded, formed).
Let's get deep now. Let's unravel some truth. Do not forsake the assembly. With the knowledge that I just shared with you, this verse is going to make so much more sense. "Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching." Hebrews 10: 23-25. Paul Clearly instructs us to meet with each other, to stir up love and good works and exhort one another. The purpose of this is to cause the hearts of the believers to be transformed by Jesus.
Previously in Hebrews 3, you see Paul again telling us to gather together, but in a more subtle way. "See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. " In order to exhort someone in the time of Paul (well before e-mail but not before knee mail) you had to meet face to face. You had to gather.
Paul understood that gathering and praying for one another was part of the transformative process of Jesus Christ. Not only do you meet with each other, but you also meet with Jesus in the process. This part of why Satan does not want people to have fellowship with other believers. This part of the reason why he doesn't want people to go to church. You're buying into the trap of the enemy that is designed to prevent you from being transformed and renewed every day.
I want to see the body of Christ renewed and transformed. I want to see Jesus manifested here on earth every day. If you want the same thing then follow these bullet points below and you will see the Glory of God, the Radiance of his Glory, and the exact expression of the nature of God appear in your life:
Be baptized in the Holy Spirit.
Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.
Do not neglect to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.
Equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ.
Work together with one another, and pray with one another.
"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” -Matthew 28: 19-20.
But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness.
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.
Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith.
Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.
Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.
And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions.
We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.
Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him.
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