[Listen to post here.]
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“God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”
John 4:24 NKJV
Our spirit is the innermost part of who we are. It is the part of us that is of similar “substance” to God for “God is Spirit.” It is the part of us that is made for intimate union and communion with Him. Our spirit alone can truly know God as He is, for it takes spirit to experientially know Spirit. It is in our spirit that God dwells and becomes one with us. “But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him.” (1 Corinthians 6:17 NKJV) This is the “Holy of Holies” within us, and this is the place we are to worship God “in” and out from.
There were four essential, spiritual characteristics associated with the Holy of Holies within the tabernacle and temple in the Old Testament. When the High Priest entered into the innermost sanctuary of those structures once a year, on the Day of Atonement, he encountered these four elements in reality and also in symbolic representation: the Light of God, the Life of God, the Love of God, and the Lordship of God.
The Light of God was directly encountered and seen in the shekinah glory that filled the Holy of Holies. The Life of God was directly encountered in God’s presence and also represented by two of the items that were inside the Ark of the Covenant: Aaron’s rod that had budded (representing resurrection life) and the pot of manna (representing the “bread of life” John 6:31-35, 48-51.) The Love of God was directly encountered in God’s presence and also represented by the Mercy Seat and the Ark of the Covenant. The Lordship of God was directly encountered in the manifest glory of God as it dwelt upon the Mercy Seat, God’s throne on earth, and also represented by the stone tablets of the Law within the Ark which are His sovereign commandments that issue from His throne.
When it comes to the Holy of Holies within us, within our spirit, these four essential, divine attributes are, likewise, directly encountered when we spiritually enter in beyond the rent veil to worship God there. These four attributes constitute the essential elements of our encounter with God and our worship of Him. The Light of God gives us a true revelation and seeing of God as He actually is. The Life of God quickens us so that we can respond to Him in a living, vital way. The Love of God draws us ever deeper into union and communion with Himself. The Lordship of God humbles us and brings our entire being under His sovereign governance. Our engagement with these divine virtues forms the true essence of worship “in spirit.”
As we enter into God’s presence within our spirit to worship Him, may these four elements of Light, Life, Love, and Lordship mark our encounter and engagement with Him there. The Father is seeking those who will dwell with Him in the “secret place of the Most High” in loving adoration and intimate communion.
To close out this meditation, I’d like to share the lyrics of an original song, which was given to me in two parts. The first part was inspired about three years ago and the second while singing the first part a short while after writing this post! 🙂
In the Secret Place/Abide
In the secret place
Of the Most High
In the hidden place
Far from human eye
In the most holy place
Just beyond the veil
Of my fallenness
Where Your glory dwells
That’s where I long to meet with You
To seek Your face in spirit and truth
That’s where I long with You to abide
In the secret place of the Most High
In the secret place deep inside
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In Your light
In Your life
In Your love
I will abide
Under Your shadow
Beneath Your wings
Before Your Mercy Seat I sing
In Your light
In Your life
In Your love
I will abide
Under Your shadow
Beneath Your wings
Before Your Holy Throne I sing
You are Light
You are my light
You are Life
You are my life
You are Love
You are my love
You are Lord
You are my Lord
©2021 Music and lyrics by David Bolton. All rights reserved.
Next in collection (#worship):
…In Truth (#worship)
Previous in collection:
What Is the Father Seeking? (#worship)
Neither Here Nor There (#worship)
Christ-Centered Christianity 
WONDERFUL! AMEN AND AMEN! Is the song music attached somewhere?
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Thank you, Richard!! As for the song, I have yet to record it but hope to shortly. Will add an mp3 player here when I do and let you know!
Blessings!
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I am writing a piece on Christian Music right now – may take a while – and want your feedback on it when finished. I touch on “worship in spirit and truth”…….interesting timing….!
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:)!
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What a nugget, David, expressed so clearly that it becomes easier to retain the essence of our relationship to God and our worship of him. And the song lyrics just add the final touch. Many thanks.
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Thank you, Erroll!!
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Thanks, David, you said, “It is in our spirit that God dwells and becomes one with us. “But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him.” (1 Corinthians 6:17 NKJV) This is the “Holy of Holies” within us, and this is the place we are to worship God “in” and out from.”
That reminds me of Paul’s words in Romans: “For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son…” (Rom 1:9). The word “serve” in the Greek is used of priestly service or worship. Worship from any other source than our spirit will be “in the flesh,” and unacceptable to God.
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Allan, thanks for bringing in that Scripture and your explanation! Spot on and so fitting!
All blessings!
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What you shared also quickened to me what Paul said in Phil. 3:3 which uses the same Greek word as in Romans 1:9 (translated there “serve”, as you mentioned, and here variously “serve” or “worship” depending on the translation): “For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. (KJV) Amen!
Thanks again, brother!
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You know what, right now I recall someone preaching Phil. 3:3 some 50 years ago and presenting that text as a definition of what it means to be a Christian. Thanks, David.
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It’s a very, very rich text and really does touch on three primary strands of our life in Christ all in one verse!
Thanks for weighing in!
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That’s excellent David. The Spirit has been pressing on me the importance of worshipping in spirit and truth for a long while now.
Beautiful lyrics! Would love to hear it sung!
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Thank you, brother! And, yes, that is a pressing burden of the Spirit in this hour! All else flows from that!
As for the song, I’ll post on this thread when I’m able to record it and add it to the post. (You can keep connected with comment notifications if you wish.)
Grace and peace!
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This “ worship” that His Spirit has given you to present to His Body is the original intention for all of us who are His people. Some thing else called worship has replaced the Original reality and now God is bringing back Worship as He intended…. Thank you dear brother
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Thank you, Tony. May God bring us back to “the Original reality” as you said! Amen!!
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