(Confession)

There is one thing for sure, the Word of God is True and what He has said in His word will stand. I don't know why so many of us doubt the Word. God cannot lie. His very nature is that of truth what He has said will happen. We must obey His word in all areas of our lives. Apply the Word to our circumstances. I hope this study will be of utmost encouragement to each of you. It is not enough to feel the anointing in the services, we must obey what has been given us. So many people refrain from making a vow to God and therefore they leave themselves wide open for the attacks of the devil. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct thy paths. (Proverbs 3:6) Confession is very important in spiritual warfare, I'm not just talking about confessing our sins, I am talking about verbal thanksgiving, praise and worship. Confession releases the innermost thoughts and feelings of the heart. If there's anything that saddens my heart, it is seeing people who do not verbally praise God in the congregation. I hope that eyes will be opened to this important truth and that you will be set free from silent praise.

In Solomon's dedication of the temple we find included in his prayer a request that if confession was made toward the name of the Lord and a turning away from sin, that God would grant healing and deliverance from the enemy. At the end of the prayer God sent fire down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the Lord filled the house; ( 2 Chronicles 6 and 7). 2 Chronicles 7:14 God speaks and promises to hear and heal those who repent from their sins. Many have held on to secret sins and thought to hide them, but we must come before God in true repentance and be washed from all iniquity. Scripture references to confession are: 1 John 1:9 1 John 4:15 Psalms 32:5 Ezra 10:1 Nehemiah 9

What the church needs is the manifest presence of God His abiding fire that burns in our hearts and causes us to desire Him and praise Him with zeal. Three are actually three steps of Approach to entering the presence of God. So many times we ask God to come into our midst and that He has promised to do as we are gathered in His name. But He calls us to a higher place of worship, as we ascend upward through true worship we are blessed by His glorious presence that floods our hearts and brings us into an awe stricken state to where we cry, there is none like You, O Lord.

The Tabernacle of Moses had three parts: the Outer Court, the Holy Place, and the Holy of Holies, we as humans are made three-fold body, soul, and spirit. (1 Thessalonians 5:23). In order to be completely whole we must acknowledge God and submit to Him in all three areas of our lives. All people recognize they have a body and most know they have a soul, but few acknowledge they are spirit. The body is just the outward shell, the spirit is the real you. You are a spirit, which has a soul that lives in a body. Your body has five senses and enable you to experience the world around you. Your soul consists of intelligence, will power, and emotion, it is otherwise know as the mind. You are aware of yourself as a creation of God through your soul. With the soul. we are self-conscious. When you use your mind and will to bless the Lord the best you know how, the emotions do at times flow outward. In a human being all three parts of us are connected or ought to be in such a way that what effects one effects the others.

The Three Steps of Approach.

The Outer Court represents Thanksgiving.

The Holy Place represents praise.

The Holy of Holies represents worship.

The three parts of humanity relate directly to the tabernacle. The body is the Outer Court, where thanksgiving is offered because we have received salvation from sin. The mind or soul is the Holy Place, where we praise the Lord because we feel His love, and respond in service, here is where we keep the candle of our hearts burning with desire for God and His presence. Our spirit is the Holy of Holies, where we experience the joy of a close encounter with the Lord God Almighty. With the mind, we choose to worship God, but we do not actually and fully worship with the mind alone---worship is reserved for the spirit. John 4:24. Because God dwells in the spirit realm, we must learn to pass from the Outer Court (the body), to the Holy Place (the soul), into the Holy of Holies (the spirit).

It would be good to study the Tabernacle and its furnishings in Exodus around chapter 25 and many chapters after that. The tabernacle was to be a place where God appeared to His people. The Ark of the covenant represented the very presence of God and contained the Ten Commandments. The Bible says we are the temple of the Lord. Solomon built a Temple that was dedicated for the purpose of worshipping the Lord. A great amount of animals were slain as a sacrifice unto God, we must slay our own selfish desires, offer ourselves to God for His Holy purpose alone and watch God come and invade our lives with such an awesome presence, He will answer and baptize us with fire. Doesn't this make your heart yearn for Him? It does mine. Any way back to our teaching. First, we will to praise God, then sanctify our minds through the power of the Spirit. When we come to the final act of worship, the Lord Himself, by divine invitation, draws us within the veil. (The manifest presence of God).

Start with Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is thanking God for what He has done in the past.

Psalms 69:30 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Psalms 107:1-2,22 Philippians 4:6

Psalms 50:5,14-15,23 Jonah 2:9-10 Psalms 100 Psalms 30

Thanksgiving gets the wheels of faith moving in our spirit. It helps us to focus not on the problem, but on the answer; it reminds us that we are really victors when we are exalting God. The children of Israel murmured and complained accusing God of neglect and unfaithfulness. When we commit our way unto Him, he gives help and guidance. We should give thanks to God for what we have and not complain for what we don't have. The world is unthankful and so many times the church is too. It is an act of obedience to thank God for His provision. This is the first step of entering in His divine presence.

(Verbal Expression)

The Three Steps of Approach.

2. Move into Praise

Praise is very different from thanksgiving. Praise relates to Gods character and reflects who God is: He is omnipresent, (all) powerful omnipotent. When you praise the Lord God Almighty because He is powerful, you have moved from thanksgiving into praise.

Psalms 107:8 Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!

Let everything that hath breath praise ye the Lord (Psalms 150:6)

You can praise God for His love.

You can praise God for His grace, loving kindness and mercy.

You can praise God for His longsuffering.

You can praise God because He never changes.

Because He is faithful.

Because He keeps His word.

Romans 5 tells us we have access through the blood of Jesus Christ into this grace where we stand and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Praise rejoices in God our Savior.