No Constraints

Acts 10:44

 

While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word.

 

The people who 'heard' and 'received' the Word of God while Peter was preaching had not yet been baptized by water. But God released the Holy Spirit to descend upon them. How so? God can do anything. And His purpose was to show those who were circumcised that they could not put constraints on God and who He will give His spirit to. And how He should orchestrate a service. For those who question whether the Holy Spirit can descend while one is preaching, the Word gives proof. The Word says it is a sin to deny the Holy Spirit. But as a body of Christ, the Holy Spirit is denied each time we limit what we are willing to give God. He is denied each time we make doing something else more important then giving God His praise and the Word He desires for us to receive.

 

This morning, God was showing me all the times that there were no constraints on the preached word and how the Holy Spirit worked throughout the service. We call my Pastor at City of Restoration Christian Center (CRCC) "superman" because when the Holy Spirit gets hold of him during his preaching he leaps not just in the Spirit but physically as well like superman "he leaps in a single bound."  I remember when we fellowshipped with another church because he was asked to preach at their men's day. That church wasn't used to seeing freedom in the Holy Spirit. And when my pastor jumped from behind the pulpit, the congregation was astonished, yet it was normal for us. We started out breaking up the ground with worship and praise. We went in as a body of Christ with no constraints and the Lord had His way in that place. The motto at CRCC is "the order of service is subject to change by the Holy Spirit." 

 

When the ladies of God's Chosen Vessels (GCV) went to Action Chapel Virginia we saw there were no constraints on God. And therefore the Holy Spirit fell upon the people during the preached word. They started out breaking up the ground and ushering in the Spirit through the music ministry. The Holy Spirit was so in that place that when we looked up and the service was over, it was about the midnight hour. The same happened on our recent Tea & Talk with Minister Tanya Matthews. There were no constraints. And when we were done, it was the 23rd hour.

 

When I had my first visit to a Kenyan church years ago when Samuel Yego was asked to preach, I was in for a new experience. At that time, Samuel was the deacon assigned to me by the church we were members of at that time.  I had heard Samuel preach before and even that sermon before. But myself, the young lady present and his wife, Hellen, noticed that something was different. See, the church broke up the ground and they had no constraints on them with their worship and praises to the Lord. And that day, I saw no constraints on Samuel and the preached word was received. When we looked up, it was later in the day.

 

Putting constraints on what you will give to God or how you think God should operate during a worship service puts constraints on the receiving end too. Maybe not for everyone but certainly for you.