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The Display of His Splendor

2 OctNov2016 KWHarticle// Kenneth W. Hagin

IF WE EVER NEEDED a greater measure of God's glory, it is today. The Bible has predicted that certain things will happen in the last days, and we are seeing some of those unfortunate events unfolding in our time. The Scriptures also say that the spiritual condition of some people will wax worse and worse. Second Timothy 3:1–4 even lists characteristics of those walking in darkness in the end times. These verses say, "People will be lovers of themselves . . . without love, unforgiving, slanderous . . . lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God" (NIV).

But time and again in God's Word, we also see references to increased manifestations of His glory. Throughout history, God's people were designed and created to display His mighty power and glory. And we who are alive today on the earth are no less destined to display His glory—His awesome splendor and majesty.

It is important that we learn how to position ourselves to experience God's greater glory. But it is just as important to discover why God's blessings and glory are not being manifested as they should. We can learn much about this from the experiences of the children of Israel.

In the Book of Haggai, the Lord spelled out why the Israelites were not enjoying His blessings. When they were released from captivity, God told them to rebuild His house, His temple. And they intended to do that, but they wanted to do it when it was convenient for them, not when God wanted it done. They had neglected spiritual things and were instead caught up in natural, material things. As a result, they were not reaping God's blessings.

In Haggai 1:9, God referred to the temple that Solomon had built—the one that was destroyed when the Babylonians invaded Jerusalem. The Israelites had planted crops, but they had reaped almost no harvest. God told them, "You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little. . . . Why? . . . Because of my house, which remains a ruin, while each of you is busy with your own house" (NIV).

But when we read further, we find that God encouraged the people by promising them future glory and blessings if they obeyed Him and rebuilt His house. So in the midst of correcting them, He also gave them hope.

HAGGAI 2:9 (NIV)

9 " 'The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house,' says the Lord Almighty. 'And in this place I will grant peace,' declares the Lord Almighty."

Isn't that just like God! We need to realize that He desires to pour out His Spirit and manifest His glory more than we want Him to!

The first part of this verse says, "The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house." In the "former house," the people saw and experienced the glory of God. Well, what about us today? Where is that greater glory that the prophet Haggai spoke of?

We sometimes refer to the glory of God as a manifestation of His power or presence. In the Old Testament, God's glory appeared only in certain places at particular times. And it was usually upon only the prophets, priests, or kings. But according to First Corinthians, every born-again child of God is a temple of the Holy Spirit.

1 CORINTHIANS 3:16 (NKJV)

16 Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?

According to this verse, individual Christians—members of the Body of Christ—are God's temple. Paul wrote to the Church at Corinth, "You are God's temple." And since they were God's temple, we in the Church today are God's temple!

In your local church building, you may find cement, steel, wood, bricks, stone, mortar, and so forth. However, although that building is dedicated to the propagation of the Gospel, the power and glory of God do not reside in that or any other building! The glory of God is in you and me, and when we walk into church, the glory of God comes in with us.

Therefore, if we want the power of God to show up in our midst, we're going to have to do something—both individually and collectively. We must do certain things for God to move in our local church bodies and in the Body of Christ at large.

Well, what must we do?

• We must cultivate and keep a greater hunger for the things of God and for a move of His Spirit.

• We must continually worship God in spirit and in truth.

• We must hold fast to His Word and to the truth we know without compromise.

• We must preach and teach the Word with ever greater fervency!

We must show reverence for the Presence of God in our midst.

This will come at a price—the price of our time and our earnest desire to seek His face and know Him! It's the price of our obedience to move when He says move and sit still when He says to sit still. Will you pay the price?

God wants His house—that's you and me—to be filled with His glory. He wants the glory of this present-day house to be even greater than that of Solomon's temple in its heyday. We are the temple in which God dwells. He desires to manifest His greater glory in us as we worship Him, live in integrity according to His Word, and hold the treasures of Heaven as weightier than natural, material things.

So let us consecrate ourselves anew and ask the Lord for fresh oil (Ps. 92:10), that His anointing may flow and be evident to many. Let us seek God as we never have before so that we can experience His power and glory in our midst as never before. As we seek Him, we will reveal His greater glory in these last days.