Must worship God "in spirit" and in truth.

Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet

There is a form of godliness which is not spiritual and is only form without substance.

It will benefit nothing.

Jesus explained:

John 4:24    God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth.

*****

If you worship in a visual way, seeing a painting or carving, you are not worshipping God "in spirit."

You are worshipping in your flesh ... having an emotional feeling over singing is often worship in flesh, in emotion, not in spirit.

Several years ago, a man who was in our church group at that time kept talking about a great meeting he attended.  

Finally I asked, "What was great about it?"

He replied, "They had three large crosses covered with flowers."

This man was eventually swept away from us by his own flesh.  He worshipped in his flesh, not in the Spirit.

*****

There are no visual effects in spirit ... a spirit cannot be seen ...

Sometimes I have even said to God, "You know You are a spirit and I am spirit and flesh.  It can be hard for my flesh to see YOU."  (but my spirit can recognize God)

When I think, however, of being born again ... it was all spirit, no flesh.  And I was changed immediately by that which God called to my mind.

Later I was transported into heaven in the night while I slept.  It, too, was all spirit, although I knew at the time I was with God, with Christ, with the Holy Spirit ... and I was merged into the body of Jesus, made one with the Word of God, though I saw no fleshly images.  It was an experience in the spirit.  (Twice this happened to me.)

Five years after I was born again, in the night as I slept, a very loud trumpet-like voice spoke three words to me, awaking me ... Hartford, Seattle, KWJS ... and by this God put me on radio ... all "in the spirit."  (January 10, 1980)


Through the years, many times, God has spoken to me by HIS Spirit, in the form of thoughts brought to my mind to show me what to do, guiding me to all truth, all in the spirit.

When I think of all these things done "in the spirit", I know they were God.

*****

Pam Padgett, in our little church group, was raised Catholic.

When she was in High School, one of her classmates was killed on motorcycle.  This is first time she realized she could die.  

She cried out to God for help.

After this, she knew there was something "of God" in her but she didn't know what it was.

Then she heard about the Holy Spirit and realized that was the thing of God that had been put into her.

*****

All who belong to God have been given the Holy Spirit to live in them and teach them and guide them.  (Ephesians 1)

John 14:26    But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, HE shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

John 16:32  Howbeit when HE, the Spirit of truth, is come, HE will guide you into all truth: for HE shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever HE shall hear (from God), that shall HE speak: and HE will shew you things to come.

I Corinthians 26-13    Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:

But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:

Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

But God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.

For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.

Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

*****

I John 2:27      But the anointing which ye have received of Him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in Him. 

The anointing given us by God is the Spirit of God which God puts into each believer whom HE has called.

Ephesians 1    

4-5  According as HE hath chosen us in HIM before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before HIM in love:

Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,

11-13    In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of Him who worketh all things after the counsel of His own will:

That we should be to the praise of His glory, who first trusted in Christ.

In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

*****

We who believe have God, we have Jesus, we have the Holy Spirit.

Romans 8

9   But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of HIS.

11   But if the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, HE that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken (make alive) your mortal bodies by His Spirit that dwelleth in you.

(We are continually brought to life by the Holy Spirit of God as HE brings to our mind various ideas, concepts, thoughts, scriptures.)

13    For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

(If we choose to follow our own flesh we die.  But the Spirit brings us ideas from God and if we choose to follow those ideas given us by the Spirit of God, then we deny the ideas of our flesh and live by those ideas given us by HIS Spirit.)

14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

*****