Our Body and Spiritual Worship

Have you ever wondered how Jesus could speak to 5000 people without a mic? He must have been a very strong man. We are all weaklings compared to him. You know, there is a great place for discipline in the Christian life.

Many people have many experiences, but because there is no discipline in their life, they never become spiritual. The Apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 9 Verse 24 Don't you know that those who run in a race, everybody runs, only one receives the prize? So run, that you may win. So who is going to win? Is it only going to be one person? In the church in Corinth, he is writing too, one person wins the prize.

Because he says only one receives the prize. But he is telling all the Christians in Corinth, run, that you can win. But he is telling all the Christians in Corinth, run, that you can win.

So everyone in the Christian church can come first. If you run in the right way, along with all the others, you can come first. Everybody can come first.

In the Christian race, there are only two places. There is no second and third. There is no second and third position in the race.

First and last. If you are not first, you will be last. Jesus said, many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.

But the wonderful thing is, we are not competing against each other. Then we decide, you are going to be first or me, I am going to be first. We are not to compete against each other.

We are fighting against the devil. And we have to overcome him, and we can come first. We have to overcome the devil and come first.

One of the ways he says is this. In the earthly games, everybody who runs exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable prize.

But what they get is a wailing cry. I am not an undetermined runner. I don't run like I run in the sky.

This is what Paulus says about the discipline in his life. I buffet my body and make it my slave. In the living Bible, that is paraphrased in a very beautiful way.

All of you who read English, I would encourage you to read the living Bible. Because sometimes it brings light on some passages. So what it says there is, I make my body to do what it should do, not what it wants to do.

I don't make my body to do what it wants to do. I make my body to do what it wants to do. I make my body to do what it wants to do.

That is discipline. Our body wants to do so many things. But we are going to make it do what it should do.

But we make our body to do what it wants to do. The next chapter is about the Israelites. Chapter 10.

They were all saved from Egypt. But it says here, verse 6, they craved for evil things. What is it? That means they were not happy with the manna which God gave them everyday.

Just think of that. They had, everyday they had manna. It looked exactly the same everyday.

It tasted the same. It tasted like wafers with honey. It tasted like wafers with honey.

That was one meal a day. And they would split it up into three meals a day. They would split that up to have three meals a day.

But they got it once in the morning. But they got it once in the morning. Everyday, the same food.

The same taste. And they should be thankful that in the desert at least they get something to eat. Instead of that, they began to complain.

They said we want meat. And God gave them meat. A lot of birds came and fell there and they could kill and eat.

Hundreds of thousands of birds. And it says when the Lord saw that, He killed, verse 8, 23,000 people in one day. 23,000, verse 8. Because, they didn't discipline their body.

They did not discipline their body. God gave them food, they were not happy with that food. They wanted something more and craved for something more.

So, again and again, they became evil. In the 9th and 25th verse, Paul uses this to connect his own body to being disciplined. There are many parts of our body that need to be disciplined.

It is very easy for us to discipline our stomach. We read this in Philippians 3. In the 19th verse, we read that their stomach is their God. That means food is very important for them.

And they will complain if they don't get the right type of food. Or they don't get enough for the right taste or whatever it is. Any of you like that, please remember the Israelites in the wilderness.

Please remember the Israelites in the wilderness. They complained that they need more food. God was angry with them.

Why are the people of God reading this? Any person who complains about food, we can say that his stomach is his God. Don't misunderstand me. If you want more salt in your food, you can say that you don't want that much salt to your wife.

Or you don't want sugar in your coffee. There is nothing wrong in saying I don't want that. I am not saying things like that.

But the spirit of complaining about food. Why is it like this and why is it like that? Why can't you make this and why can't you make that? Such a man, his stomach is his God. He is no different from the non-Christian who bows down to some idol.

So, if food is so important for you, that is your idol. If food is so important for you, that is your idol. You may not know it, but the Bible says that the stomach is your God.

Not only that, we read in verse 18 that you are the enemies of the cross. That's why Jesus told us to fast and pray. How many of you young people have the habit of fasting? It's a very good habit.

And even older people. Of course if you get much older, you need to eat. I am not talking about people who are much older.

But if you are a young man, young woman, it's very good to learn to fast. I won't tell you how many times I have fasted, the Bible says we shouldn't talk about it. But I will tell you from my experience.

It was a tremendous help to me when I had the habit of skipping three meals in a week. To fast one day a week and to spend that time in seeking God, reading the word or studying something or listening to a message. Or praying.

It did two things for me. It freed me from worshipping food. That helped me tremendously in my life.

Because when I travel to so many countries now, they eat all types of different food which sometimes I don't even like. But it's helped me because I have been freed from worshipping food. I want to ask you whether you are free from worshipping food in your life.

Remember, the first temptation in the Bible that came to Eve was food. The first temptation that came to Jesus was food. And where Eve fell, Jesus conquered.

So one fasting freed me from attachment to food and loving food. And secondly, it helped me to understand how poor homeless people feel when they are hungry. Have you ever known what it is to be hungry for one day? There are so many hungry people in the world and I began to understand how they feel when I skipped a meal for one day.

And then also, when we had to seek God in the early days of the church, then the other brother who was leading with me, we used to fast for three days. And seek God. And very often when there is a holiday, we would call the whole church for half a day of fasting and prayer.

And those were all very blessed times. So I want to encourage all of you young people to develop this habit. It's one way of disciplining your body.

Paul says, I discipline my body. And if I don't do that, we read in 1 Corinthians 9, that I can be disqualified in the final day. So, if you can't fast one day, start with one meal a week.

Then you go on to two meals a week. And three meals a week. And drink liquids or water or something.

And spend that time with God's word. And you tell me next year, your life will be completely changed. All of you who will do this for the next one year, you will come and thank me for giving you this advice.

This is not a law. There is no commandment. It's not a commandment.

Jesus never said, you must fast. He said, if you fast. But you know once when the disciples could not cast out a demon, He said, why? Lord, you gave us the authority to cast out demons, but we could not cast out this demon.

And Jesus said, this is a tough one. You should have fasted and prayed before you came here. Sometimes the devil gets a foothold in your home or in your church or in one of your children in some way.

Not demon possessed. But an oppression and a binding from outside. You need to fight the devil and cast him out from that situation.

See, I believe the devil has no place, not even one inch in my house. Not even one inch in any of my children. Not even one inch in my church.

And it's very important that we have authority over Satan. But it's not only our stomach. Another part of our body we must control is our tongue.

We need to have some discipline on our tongue. In James it says, chapter 3, verse 7 and 8. Every species of beasts and birds and reptiles have been tamed, but no one can tame the tongue. No, we'd be scared of a lion or a tiger in a zoo.

Even though it's inside a cage. And then you see in these circuses, the chap with the whip says sit down and the tiger sits down. Jump over that, it jumps.

And James says, it's more difficult to control the tongue than to do that. But it can be done by the power of the Holy Spirit. Most of us, we say so many things which we regret later on.

There is a saying in English, that you are master of the unspoken, but slave of the spoken. There is a saying in English, that you are master of the unspoken, but slave of the spoken. You are a slave of what you have spoken.

Because those words will come back to you, people will quote you and say you said this, you said this. Because those words will come back to you, people will quote you and say you said this, you said that. But if you had some thoughts in your mind but you never spoke it, you are a master of that.

Nobody can question you because you never said it. Now we all know that. And yet so often we speak so many things that we should not speak.

Things which give us no profit. In all work with the hands there is some profit. Things which give us no profit.

In all work with the hands there is some profit. But there is no profit for the tongue. In Proverbs it says, a tongue can be like a tree of life.

Or a tree of death. So here is one way we can be disciples of Jesus. If I say Lord I want you to help me control my tongue.

I was a slave to anger like all human beings are. But it became much less after I was born again. But still it was there now and then.

I said Lord I want to get rid of it. Ephesians 4.31 says put away all anger. And I decided I want to obey that word.

But I needed the power of the Holy Spirit. So when I began to seek God for the power of the Holy Spirit. It was not to speak in other tongues but to control my mother tongue.

It is much more important to control your mother tongue than to speak in other tongues. Many of you who are seeking for the gift of other tongues, why don't you seek for the ability to control your mother tongue. And those of you who do speak in other tongues ask yourself can you control your mother tongue.

There are many Pentecostals who say on the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit fell they all spoke in other tongues. There are many Pentecostals who say on the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit fell they all spoke in other tongues. But I say wait.

Read. In verse 3 it says before they spoke in tongues there was a tongue of fire on top of their heads. And I said that is what I was seeking before speaking in tongues.

So Acts 2 verse 3 is the tongue of fire. Acts 2 verse 4 is the other tongues. So I say when I am filled with the Holy Spirit I want a tongue of fire.

So I say when I am filled with the Holy Spirit I want a tongue of fire. Fire throughout the world is a symbol of purity. It destroys germs and destroys bacteria and alloys makes gold pure and everything pure.

So other tongues is second importance for me. Tongue of fire is most important. That means this tongue to be on the fire of the Holy Spirit.

That means words of gossip are burnt up. Useless words burnt up. Angry words burnt up.

Dirty jokes burnt up. And everything that dishonors Christ burnt up. At the same time a tongue that is on fire to speak God's word.

I want to encourage all of you to claim Jeremiah 15 and verse 19. See as I told you in the Old Testament it is only the prophets who could have the Holy Spirit. And only the prophets who could prophesy.

But in the new covenant we can all prophesy. And so this promise which was given to Jeremiah can be available to all of us. I have claimed it myself for many many years.

And I believe all of you who are born again Christians can ask God for this. The Lord tells Jeremiah you will stand before me. Whenever we speak we must recognize Jesus is there.

We stand before him and speak. And he says here you will become like my mouth or my spokesman. Imagine becoming the mouth of God.

It's an unbelievable honor. I say Lord can I really be your mouth? The Lord says yes you will be like my mouth. But there is a condition.

You must remove all the worthless things from your conversation and keep only the precious. If you take out the precious from the worthless and only speak that. When we come to speak so many things come in my mind.

Now you must say this. You must say that. And you must say this, say this, say this, say this.

It's a big pile of things. And from that I take out the precious. And I speak only that.

The gold. The silver. And leave aside all the straw and rubbish.

If you do this consistently God says you will be my mouth. Think of that you young people and older people. I sought God for this on the basis of this verse 50 years ago.

I said Lord I want to be your mouth. The Lord said then be careful with your speech. And it didn't happen in one day.

I had to fight a battle for many years. Cleansing out the rubbish. I said Lord I only want to speak which is profitable.

And I really experienced sometimes how God makes me his mouth. And I want that for every one of you. You don't have to be a preacher.

You know many of you speak on a phone to other people. You speak to people when they come to your house. Or you visit somebody.

You meet your friends in school, college. Isn't it a wonderful thing if you become God's mouth to all of them? I am not talking about preaching to them. Being God's mouth doesn't mean we keep on preaching the gospel to them.

Being God's mouth doesn't mean we keep on preaching the gospel to them. Sometimes it may be just a nice word of encouragement without saying anything about Jesus Christ. Or just an inquiry.

Why are you looking so sad? You know I will give you an example in the Bible of so many wonderful things that happened because one man asked that one question. You only asked one question. Why are you looking so sad? Do you know who said it? All of you Bible scholars.

Yes, Joseph. When he was in prison, punished unjustly, Genesis 39. He was put in jail.

Hated by his brothers. Falsely accused by a bad woman. He could have sat in that temple feeling sorry for himself and complaining against all these people.

But he decided to be happy in the Lord. So one day in the prison, Genesis 40. He saw Pharaoh's cup bearer and baker.

And he saw them looking very sad. Verse 6. And he went to them and said, why are your faces so sad? He didn't preach about the God of Abraham and Isaac or any such thing. He just said, why are you looking so sad? If he had not asked that question, if he had said, oh these fellows are looking sad, it's none of my business, I am happy.

If they are looking sad, that is their business. I am happy. If he had said like that, he may have never become the ruler in Egypt.

But because he asked this simple question, they explained the dream they had. And he explained the dream to them. And that is how later on one of them told Pharaoh, hey there is a guy in the prison who can explain dreams.

And Pharaoh said, bring him here. And he became the ruler in Egypt. But what is the first step in that? Just asking somebody, why are you looking so sad? So when we become God's mouth, we are not always going around preaching the gospel.

You just speak kindly to people if you see them in need. Can I help you in some way? You know it's a great testimony, Christians just speak nicely to people around. It's a great testimony that Christians speak kindly to people around them.

And to control our tongue. Another part of the body that we must control, we are talking about discipline in our body. In our stomach, our tongue, which is the next important part of our body, to control the eyes.

Particularly for men. And to a lesser extent for girls also. But it's a big temptation to look and to lust with our eyes for something God has not given us.

The lust of the eyes. I see something and I want it. Maybe you see a girl and you want her and God has not given her to you.

You have to be careful. You have to be careful. Or it could be you see something in somebody's house and you want it.

We have to discipline our eyes. We say Lord, let me not keep looking at things that you don't want me to look at. Let me not keep looking at things that you don't want me to look at.

God, help me. See there are so many movies that come on television nowadays. I don't have television in my home, but I think that's what I've heard.

There are a lot of movies over television. And in most of these movies, these cinemas there are some scenes which are not good for Christians to see and the way to find out is this. Jesus is sitting next to you watching this television.

Will he be happy to see what you're seeing right now? If then it's okay. I mean if you're watching a cricket game or something, the Lord has no objection to that. Or some children's story or some innocent thing like that.

But when there are scenes that provoke you sexually, which destroys your purity of thoughts, it comes through your eyes, into your mind. That's where you've got to discipline your eyes. The Lord says, turn off that TV.

Turn it off. And if there are other people in your family who want to watch it, then just excuse yourself and go to another room. God will see that.

And he will honor you in an amazing way. Because you are doing that to honor God. That you turned off that program or you walked away from that room.

And the Bible says, those who honor me, I will honor. That's a wonderful promise that you must all know. 1 Samuel 2.30. Easy to remember.

1 2 3 0. 1 2 3 0. 1 Samuel 2.30. Those who honor me, I will honor. I have given that promise to so many people, God says, if you honor him, he'll honor you. Do you want God to honor you? Honor him in the way you discipline your eyes.

You're looking at the pages of a magazine and you come across a picture which is not good. Turn the page quickly. These are little, little things.

You honor God, he will honor you. If you don't do that, you're not going to get leprosy or cancer. But God will not commit himself to you.

And you'll find at the end of the race, you may be disqualified. You know, there are many races where somebody runs and runs and runs and comes first. And then the referee says, no, you crossed the lane at one place, so you're disqualified.

At the end, the referee says, you crossed the lane at one place, so you're disqualified. It's happened even in the Olympic Games, where somebody crossed into another track just for a few seconds when they are going around a curve. And the video camera picked up, it crossed into that lane.

Now they didn't know that, they thought nobody saw it. And they come first. Everybody claps and says, hey, she came first.

And then a little later, they discover they are disqualified. So Paul says in 1 Corinthians 9, if I don't discipline my body, verse 27, after preaching to others, I can be disqualified. So these are three very important areas of our body that we must discipline.

That we present to God as a sacrifice. Lord, here is my tongue. Here is my stomach.

Here are my eyes. I offer them to you as a sacrifice. To you, they are yours.

I don't want to use them the way I want. Then you will be a worshipper. Turn to Romans chapter 12 and verse 1. In Romans 12 and verse 1, we are told, in view of all that God has done for us, what shall we give God in return? What shall I render to the Lord for all His benefits He has given me? In the Old Testament, the Psalmist asked that question in Psalm 116.

So what shall I render to the Lord for all that He has done for me? And many of us also ask that question, God has done so much for me, what shall I give in return? You know today what most preachers are saying? Give 10% of your income. That's not mentioned anywhere in the New Testament. Nowhere in the Bible does it say that you can show your gratitude to God by giving Him 10% of your income.

Nowhere in the New Testament. In the Old Testament, yes. If you are a farmer, God has blessed your crops, show your gratitude by giving 10%.

If you are a shepherd, give 10% of your sheep. To whom to give it? To the Levites who are doing God's work in the temple. See, 10% was like income tax.

Those of you who pay income tax know that a certain percentage of your income you have to pay to the income tax department. What do they do with that money? That is the money by which they pay the salary of all the government workers. Because we are working under the government of India.

In Israel, they were working under the government of God. And they had some workers called the Levites who were not allowed to have farms or sheep or anything. They were not allowed to own houses or lands.

They were to devote themselves to the work of God in the temple. So the other 11 tribes of Israel had to take 10% of their grain and their cattle and give it to the Levites. So the Levites would have grain and cattle.

And they would get as much as the others. Because you do the mathematics, 11 tribes give 10% each, that's more than 100%. That was God's plan.

But now, God is not our master. He is our father. Do any of you pay income tax to your father? I pay income tax but never to my father.

So if God is not your father, then you better pay your income tax, sure. But if God is your father, there is no such thing as paying a tithe. No tithe is required.

This is very important to understand. That is why in the New Testament it says God is your father. If you want to give him a gift, give cheerfully whatever you want.

If you want to give him a gift, give cheerfully whatever you want. Children sometimes go and give a birthday gift to their father, okay. It's not income tax.

It's not a demand, the father is saying you better give me the money. The trouble is so many believers do not know God is their father. The trouble is so many believers do not know God is their father.

That is why some income tax commissioners in the Pentecostal pastor acts like an income tax commissioner and says pay your tax. That is why some income tax commissioners in the Pentecostal pastor acts like an income tax commissioner and says pay your tax. Why do believers listen to him? I have a saying.

If you do not read the Bible, If you do not read the Bible, you deserve to be deceived by these people. you deserve to be deceived by these people. But if you read the Bible you won't be deceived.

But if you read the Bible you won't be deceived. So what shall we give to God for all that he has done for us? So what shall we give to God for all that he has done for us? Money? No. Because he is a rich father.

Because he is a rich father. So don't feel that God is waiting for your money. So don't feel that God is waiting for your money.

He is not a beggar. He is not a beggar. If you don't give money to God, he will punish you.

If you don't give money to God, he will punish you. Is he your father or some police officer? Is he your father or some police officer? He is a loving father. He is a loving father.

Many people like to come to our church because we don't take an offering. Many people like to come to our church because we don't take an offering. And a lot of parents of girls like to be in our church because we are against dowry.

But many parents of boys hate me for that same reason. You know how many parents of boys have cursed me for refusing to encourage dowry? This is such an evil system practiced by non-Christians. And Christians, born again or not born again, all practice it.

Every denomination. So you may ask me, how do you know every denomination practices it? My son was studying in a college in America. And a Christian college.

So he told me one day, Dad, I saw a book in the library here written by a missionary to India. About Christianity in India. A thick book describing all the things about Christian churches in India.

You see, that person had done a lot of research all over India and wrote this book. And he sent, he photocopied one page of that, Christian churches and dowry. One page.

And it was written there, every church of every denomination in India encourages dowry. Every denomination in India encourages dowry. There is only one man, Zak Bonin, who stands against it.

In that book, I still have that photocopy. That's how I know it's true. Because this guy did research all over the country.

But I said, what a shameful thing that Jesus Christ is so dishonored by this. So money is a big danger in the Christian life. So, what shall we give to the Lord? Romans 12.1. Not money.

Not just coming to the church. Not just coming to the meetings. But presenting your body, verse 1, a living and holy sacrifice.

So, you want to show your gratitude to God for all that He did for you? He doesn't want your money. He has told you exactly how to show your gratitude. In view of all these mercies of God that I have described in the previous 11 chapters.

There is one thing the Holy Spirit says you must do. Present your body. You know, in the Old Testament, when they presented an ox as a burnt offering.

They couldn't put the ox and burn it up. They had to cut it into pieces. Why cut it into pieces if it's going to be burnt up in any case? There is a principle there.

Cut the ox into many many pieces and then put it there and then the fire will come and burn it up. So, the meaning is, now when you present your body. Don't just say here is my body.

Cut it up. Lord, here is my stomach. Here is my tongue.

I never want to speak again anything that will dishonor you. There are my eyes. I never want to see or read anything that will dishonor you.

Here are my hands. I have done so much of sin with these hands. But now they are yours.

I don't want to ever sin again with these hands. Here are my legs. They have taken me to all types of places I should never have gone.

Now my legs are yours. So, I cut up my body and presented it. And the fire of God would come upon that burnt offering and consume it.

That is how we receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit. And that is called here your spiritual worship. See, worship in the New Testament is very different from worship in the Old Testament.

Here it is called worship in the spirit. When I present my body like this and the fire of God comes, that is my spiritual worship. This is spiritual worship, worship in the soul, spiritual worship.

Now I want you to turn to John chapter 4. In John chapter 4, Jesus speaks about worshipping in the spirit. See, John chapter 3 and John chapter 4 is a very interesting chapter. John chapter 3 and chapter 4 are very interesting chapters.

In chapter 3, he is speaking to a bishop. In chapter 4, he is speaking to a sinful woman who was divorced five times. And now sleeping with a man.

Absolute sinner. There are two subjects in these chapters. One is being born again.

One is worshipping in the spirit. Now if you were there, here is a bishop and here is a very sinful woman. To whom would you preach about being born again and to whom would you preach about worshipping in the spirit? What do you think? You are all clever people.

To the sinful woman you will talk about being born again. But Jesus is not like us. God says, my ways are not your ways.

My thoughts are not your thoughts. He tells the bishop, you must be born again. Chapter 3. And this sinful woman, he teaches about worshipping in the spirit.

Because he looks at the heart. And he saw a needy person in that bishop. Not born again yet.

But the sinful woman, he saw a hungry heart longing after God. Now it's very important to see here. Because, I believe we should really study this.

The woman was asking Jesus about worship. What is the right way to worship? Where shall we worship? Verse 20. Jesus said, it's not in this mountain or somewhere else that you worship.

Verse 23. Verse 23 and 24 are the most important verses if you want to understand what worship is. Why do I say this? A lot of Pentecostals come to our churches and say, in CFC you don't worship.

I say, shall I show you what worship is from the New Testament? I said, I will show you we have more worship than you people have over there in your Pentecostal church. You have an old covenant worship. We believe in a new covenant worship.

So, you must understand this. Jesus said, an hour is coming, verse 23, and now is when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth. Because the Father is seeking for such worshippers.

God is a spirit. Those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth. You know, when God made man, God is a trinity.

So, God made man in three parts. 1 Thessalonians 5.23 says, 1 Thessalonians 5.23 says, Man is spirit, soul and body. Spirit, soul and body.

1 Thessalonians 5.23 Read it carefully. Not body, soul and spirit, but spirit, soul and body. Atmavu, pranam, deham.

Deham, pranam, atmavu enna la. Spirit comes first. And this is how the Old Testament tabernacle was a picture of this.

If you have seen a picture of the Old Testament tabernacle, It was a big compound. Inside that compound was a tent. That tent was divided into two with a thick curtain between.

So, there were three parts. The outer compound and this cover tent which had two parts. So, the outer tent is a picture of our body which everybody can see.

Inside the body is this soul and spirit which nobody can see. So, what is the right word there for soul? Here it is written pranam. So, between the two compartments is this thick veil.

Showing the Old Testament people, nobody can come inside there. God is there. So, which is teaching that our spirit, God could not come into our spirit.

Because there was a thick veil there. Blocking the entrance of God into man's spirit. That's where God wanted to dwell.

Shown by the fire on top of the most holy place. But this thick veil showed that God cannot come in there because there is something hindering. So, when Jesus died, that veil was torn.

Showing now God can enter into man's spirit. Now, the Holy Spirit can come inside and not just upon. In the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit could only be upon.

See, this is man's heart or spirit. Here is the veil blocking it. Now, if I pour water on this, it will flow, it's falling upon, upon, upon.

And it can flow and bless millions of people. But, it will not go inside. That is how the Holy Spirit came upon people in the Old Testament.

He came upon Samson and blessed so many people. But inside his heart was full of adultery. The Holy Spirit could not clean up that.

Because this veil was there. The Holy Spirit came upon David. He killed Goliath and did so many wonderful things.

Inside his heart was adultery against Bathsheba and all that. So, all Old Testament people, Gideon, the Holy Spirit came upon him. But inside, he finally ended up worshipping idols.

But, Jesus told his disciples. On the day of Pentecost, John 14 and verse 17. Now, the Holy Spirit is with you.

In that day, he will be in you. Verse 17, John 14 verse 17, the last part. The last part, he abides with you and then he will be in you.

See, now he is not in you. He is with you. See, you got to read the scripture carefully.

We read legal documents carefully, we don't read scripture carefully. He is with you. But that day he will be in you.

On the day of Pentecost. Because the veil was rent. The way into the man's heart or spirit was open.

For the first time, the Holy Spirit could go inside man. And then, from the innermost being, the rivers will flow out in many directions. So, there is a lot of difference between the rivers flowing from on top.

And flowing from inside out. Jesus said in John 7. Jesus said in John 7. He who believes in me, verse 38, from his innermost being, the rivers of living water will flow. The important thing is not the rivers.

There were rivers even in Moses' ministry. Two million people were blessed. But the water flowed from over, on top.

The spirit was upon Moses. But now it says, the spirit will come in. And as the spirit flows from the innermost being, those rivers will flow.

And listen to this verse 39. The spirit was not yet given in this way, because Jesus was not yet glorified. In this way.

Now turn to John 4. Now turn to John 4. Verse 23. John 4.23. An hour is coming. That's the day of Pentecost.

And now is. When the true worshippers will worship the Father from the spirit. Not possible right now, because the veil is still there.

But he told the woman it's coming. What did he mean by now is? Because there was one man on earth, in whose heart there was no veil. That was Jesus.

From him innermost being rivers were flowing. So, Jesus said now it is there in me. But an hour is coming when it will be for all people.

When the true worshippers will worship in spirit. So, in the old testament. So, that says till that time nobody could worship in the spirit.

So, what is the old testament worship that you read in the Psalms? Worship in the body and the soul. Where the emphasis is on the body. Worship in the body.

Clap. Raise your hands. Shout.

It's all the body. Scream and yell. And in the soul.

Use your mind and your emotions. Get excited. And use your mind to invent wonderful songs and sing.

This is good. It is first class old covenant worship. I see it in every Pentecostal church.

But Jesus said now the time has come when the true worshippers must worship in the spirit. As John 4.23 the father is seeking for such worshippers now. In the old covenant he looked for worshippers in the body and soul.

This is not against that. But the highest form. God is a spirit.

Verse 24. Those who worship him must worship in spirit. Have you ever heard anybody explain this to you so clearly? So, what does it mean for us today? I worship in spirit, soul and body.

I clap. I raise my hands. I raise my voice.

But most important is worship in the spirit. So, what is worship in the spirit? We just read that in Romans 12.1. Do you remember what we read? Present your body to God. That is your worship in the spirit.

So, how do I worship God in the spirit? I present my body, every part of it, to God. And I want to use it for God's glory. My hands, my eyes, my tongue.

Every part of my body. So, what is the worship that is acceptable to God on a Sunday morning? Is it making a lot of noise? I want to know which worship is God listening to in all the churches on Sunday morning. Which is the worship God is listening? In the Jacobite church they swing the incense and worship God.

In the Jacobite church they swing the incense and worship God. In the Brethren church they sit like in a funeral and worship God. In the Brethren church they sit like in a funeral and worship God.

In the Pentecostal church they yell and scream and disturb all their neighbors and worship God. In the Pentecostal church they yell and scream and disturb all their neighbors and worship God. I am not against it.

But which worship is God listening to? If you have lived six days a week, controlling your tongue, controlling your eyes, controlling your hands, controlling your stomach, offering it as an offering to God every day, and then you come here on Sunday morning, even if you sing softly and out of tune, God in heaven is delighted. Much more than other people who don't live in holiness six days a week. By the morning at home, I come and shout on Sunday morning.

You will discover in eternity that God never accepted that worship. So I say we are worshipping God in spirit. I say we are worshipping God in spirit.

Once a man came to our church in Bangalore. He came to me after the service and said, you don't have the Holy Spirit here. I said, how do you know? Do you live with me at home to see whether the Holy Spirit is controlling my tongue and my eyes? Do you see how I handle my finances? How do you know whether the Holy Spirit is controlling you or not? Whether I am living a holy life or not.

No, he said, you don't have enough noise here. I said, oh, that is the difference. Your trinity is father, son and noisy spirit.

My trinity is father, son and holy spirit. Your spirit makes you make noise, my spirit makes me holy. Your spirit makes you make noise, my spirit makes me holy.

I said, evil spirits make people evil. Unclean spirits make people unclean. So, holy spirit, what should he do? Make noise or make people holy? Does the holy spirit make people unclean or make people holy? Today, there is a lot of deception in the Christian world.

You don't need the holy spirit to make noise. Many years ago, I was invited to speak in a charismatic meeting in Bombay. So, they made me sit on the platform like the other speakers.

So, from there I could see all the people in the congregation. And they were singing and praising and shouting and raising their voice. And I saw one man about the 8th row, really happy and shouting and raising his hand and voice.

I said, this guy really seems to be a happy, spirit filled man. So, afterwards I went to see him. Within a short distance, I could smell the alcohol coming out of his mouth.

That's what made him clap and shout and scream. That was 40 years ago. I learnt that day that there are many spirits that can help you to make a lot of noise.

And I said, Lord, I want the holy spirit. I want to encourage all of you. Seek to be filled with the holy spirit.

Go home today and see whether you have presented every part of your body to God. There was a man who heard a message on Romans 12.1. And the preacher said, God is a trinity. Who wants to present your body means who wants your body.

Romans 12.1 says present your body. Is it the father? No, he is in heaven. Is it the son? No, he has already got a body.

Then who wants your body? The holy spirit because he is the one person on earth now. Do you know that the holy spirit is on earth today exactly like the second person of the trinity was on earth for 33 years? You know, supposing you were living in India 2000 years ago. At that time, in Israel, the second person of the trinity was walking around there.

And if you had known it, wouldn't you go there? Oh, the second person of the trinity has come to Israel. In exactly the same way, the third person of the trinity is on earth today. He is not in Israel, he is everywhere.

He is here in Kottayam. And you can meet him. If you present your body to him.

So that man after hearing the message, he went home and he laid down on the floor. He said, Lord, from the crown of my head to the sole of my feet, I give my body to you. It has been my body till now.

I have used it as I liked. My eyes, my tongue, everything I used as I liked. But right now, I am doing something I have never done.

I gave my heart to you many years ago and I was born again. But now I am giving my body. Left to foot.

Just like I would sign off a sale deed for a house and give the house to a new owner. I give the body to you. No, he can do what he likes with that house because it is sold to him.

He can paint it black. He can destroy it. He can build another room in it.

He can do what he likes. Because it is his. I cannot question him.

In the same way, I give this body to you. You do what you like with it. You take this body and send it to Africa or anywhere as a missionary.

Or take me here. You can blind my eyes if you want. That man can destroy that house if he wants.

Because it is his. I give this to you. You can do anything you like with this body because I have signed and handed it over to you.

Fill me with the Holy Spirit. He got up filled with the Holy Spirit. He was a doctor.

And from that day, such tremendous blessing in his life, so many people were converted through his ministry. My whole ministry began with the baptism of the Holy Spirit. That was a great preacher in America called D.L. Moody.

He was preaching even before he was baptized in the Holy Spirit. One day, he saw two old ladies sitting there in the front row, praying. He saw two old ladies sitting there in the front row, praying.

He saw two old ladies sitting there in the front row, praying. He went to them and said, Well, I am happy that you are praying for all these people to be saved. They said, Mr. Moody, we are not praying for them.

They said, Mr. Moody, we are not praying for them. We are praying for you to be filled with the Holy Spirit. We are praying for you to be filled with the Holy Spirit.

He was surprised. But he went back and searched the scriptures. And he saw that the apostles were transformed when they were baptized in the Holy Spirit.

Jesus said, if anyone thirsts, let him come to me. Jesus said, if anyone thirsts, let him come to me. So he would pray day and night for many, many weeks.

So he would pray day and night for many, many weeks. And one day, when he was walking on the streets of New York City, And one day, when he was walking on the streets of New York City, suddenly the Spirit of God fell upon him. suddenly the Spirit of God fell upon him.

And he didn't know what to do. He ran into the house of a friend nearby. He didn't know what to do.

He ran into the house of a friend nearby. He said, please give me a room. I want to lock myself up.

He said, please give me a room. I want to lock myself up. And he stayed in that room and prayed to God.

And he stayed in that room and prayed to God. And he says, he went forth And he says, he went forth and preached the same sermons and preached the same sermons in hundreds and in hundreds and attending the attending the So whenever he pried to people So whenever he pried to people He said, I wish you would see the importance He said, I wish you would see the importance of being filled with the Holy Spirit. of being filled with the Holy Spirit.

I read that story when I was a young man of 23 years old When I was 23, I read that story When I was 23, I read that story of Charles Finney. He was a lawyer who wasn't much interested in God. One day he got convicted and went into the forest and got converted, gave his life to Christ.

He earnestly cried out to God and prayed. He came back to his room. As he sat on his chair, the spirit of God fell upon him.

Thousands were brought to Christ through his ministry. These testimonies challenged my young heart when I was 23 years old. I said, Lord, this Bible knowledge alone is not enough.

I need this mighty baptism in the Holy Spirit. And God met with me. There If you present your body, every part of it, tonight, and you've got a thirst and a hunger in your heart, to be filled with the Holy Spirit, not that you might be a great preacher, but that you might be a holy boy or a holy girl, a holy young man, to glorify God, one who will have boldness to be a witness for Christ in your school, college, office, anywhere.

If you're ready, then tonight may be the day when God wants to meet you. Remember, there is no partiality with God. I remember one brother, he heard me speak.

He didn't know much about baptism in the Holy Spirit. He was from a Hindu family, converted. But he went home and he prayed, Lord, I want to be filled with the Holy Spirit.

I don't know what it is. Prayed and prayed and prayed, nothing happened. And he lay down on his bed.

And God filled him with the Spirit right there. This is not a once for all experience. We need to be filled with the Holy Spirit again and again and again.

But there's something significant when it happens the first time. We don't have to go to the extremes that Pentecostal people go. My pattern is the day of Pentecost.

They waited there on the Lord and God met with them. And many people God met with their houses. Paul was praying in a house.

Cornelius in a house. Me in a house. Many people in a house can be in your room.

Seek God. Say, Lord, like David, like Jacob said, I will not let you go until you bless me. If you ask God like that and you say, Lord, I'm willing to pay any price.

My body is yours. God will meet with you. May the Lord help you.

Let's pray. So while our heads are bowed in prayer, allow the Holy Spirit to search your heart. First of all, is there any sin that you have to confess to God? Is there anything that you have done which you have not confessed and asked God to forgive you? Confess it now.

The blood of Jesus will cleanse you right now. Secondly, is there anybody you have not forgiven? Anyone. While you are sitting in your chair, say, Lord, I forgive that person.

And that other person. And the other person. I forgive all of them right now.

I may never meet them anytime in my life. Some of them are troublemakers and I don't want to meet them. But I have forgiven them.

Completely. If there's anything in my heart that's not confessed, Lord, show it to me. If there's anything I have to set right, ask forgiveness from somebody.

I will do it at the first opportunity. I've taken anything wrongfully, I'll return it at the first opportunity. I want my life to be right with God and right with man.

And Lord Jesus, I want you to fill me with the Holy Spirit. Please hear my prayer and grant it. Give me an assurance that you have or you will answer my prayer.

Thank you for hearing me. In Jesus' name. Amen.

I'm not saying that something can happen right here. Because very often we got to be alone with God. It's very difficult to be alone.

It says, Jacob was alone with God when he became Israel. And one of the best places to be alone is when you're lying on your bed and everybody around you is asleep. And you don't have to make a noise.

God can hear your prayer and your thoughts. Say, Lord, I want you to meet with me. Change me completely before I go away from this conference.

I'm going to go away from here a different person than the one who came here. I believe that. And I want to say, I believe that for you.

I believe that for you. May God bless you.