The Anatomy of a Cry

Mark 10:46-52 (KJV)
⁴⁶ And they came to Jericho: and as he went out of Jericho with his disciples and a great number of people, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the highway side begging.
⁴⁷ And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me.
⁴⁸ And many charged him that he should hold his peace: but he cried the more a great deal, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me.
⁴⁹ And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called. And they call the blind man, saying unto him, Be of good comfort, rise; he calleth thee.
⁵⁰ And he, casting away his garment, rose, and came to Jesus.
⁵¹ And Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight.
⁵² And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way.

Oswald Smith wrote a song about blind Bartimaeus many years ago:

 One sat alone beside the highway begging,
His eyes were blind, the light he could not see.
He clutched his rags and shivered in the shadows
Then Jesus came and bade his darkness flee.

Chorus
When Jesus comes, the tempter’s power is broken;
When Jesus comes, the tears are wiped away,
He takes the gloom and fills the life with glory,
For all is changed when Jesus comes to stay.

It is a beautiful, moving story.  “Jesus heals blind man.”  We rejoice!  Every story about the miracles of Jesus inspires us, not only to praise God for his power over sickness and disease, but because we believe He can do the same thing today.  

But there is always a story behind the story.  We know about the chain of events between the cry and the healing, but I submit to you this morning that there was another story between the condition and the cry.  How did Bartimaeus find the motivation, how did he find his way out of his darkness to utter his life-changing cry?  If you say it was simple, you don’t understand the complicated nature of the cry for help.  

I know what happens, for example, between a person’s decision to step out from their pew into the aisle and come to an altar of repentance.  I know that story.  But I don’t always know how that same person got from their situation in life to the pew in the church.  What motivates a person to finally cry for help?  The greatest struggle is before the cry, not after. 

The cry for help takes many forms.  For example: 

Jogger jumps off Calif. cliff to flee attacker  (AP) – 1 day ago

MALIBU, Calif. — Authorities say a man tried to assault a Southern California jogger who escaped by jumping off a cliff and sliding about 100 feet down a steep hillside.

Los Angeles County sheriff’s Sgt. Derek Sabatini says the woman was taken to a hospital Friday with cuts and bruises from the fall in Malibu.

She told deputies she had finished a run at about noon at Point Dume State Beach and was standing at the edge of a cliff when she was grabbed from behind. She says she and the man struggled for several minutes before she was able to break away. That’s when the woman ran and jumped off the cliff.

Deputies say the suspect then escaped in the woman’s Toyota Land Cruiser.

A search for the suspect is under way.

Talk of suicide is often a cry for help:

I don’t know his name, but someone tried to talk him out of taking his life.  Here is his answer: 

“Yes, I have talked to a psychiatrist already. And if I’m here asking for ways to die, how well do you think that worked out in the end? I’m 21. Sure, I got my whole life ahead of me. My life isn’t bad, at all. But you know what? Everything I’ve worked for and obtained has done NOTHING to inspire any passion in me or care. I cared about having it, but once I had it, it actually helped NOTHING. A crippling depression sucks the life out of you, especially after having it for years. I’ve accepted I’m a lost cause.

Sure, I could go on to live a long life of stuff, and feel absolutely nothing about it.

There may not be completely painless methods, but there are at least drugs you can take that will put you to sleep and you’ll never wake up. Probably go with a lot of Xanax and some cheap whiskey, but don’t know if that will just knock me out for a long time or actually do the trick. I’ve got one shot at this, and if I don’t want to fail.

As for the people? I’ve already broken up with my girlfriend. She doesn’t completely understand what’s going on, I think I made her cry, but she’s got a long life ahead of her and she’ll deal with this just fine in the end. My other friends don’t know what’s going on, but they rarely have time for me anyway, I doubt they’ll care beyond the simple things like, “Oh hey, I guess he’s gone, what a bummer.” 

What is a cry made out of?  What would really motivate a person to escape the suffocating, suppressing sightlessness of his existence and scream out to God? 

For every effect, there is a cause.  For every object set in motion, something had to first set it in motion.  There must be an action before there is a reaction.  

His condition.  Bartimaeus was a beggar.  (Blind, penniless, without credibility, powerless.)

I preach a gospel that knows no boundaries.  Gender, race, skin color, background, social or economic status, education—none of that is an issue for the gospel.  

His opportunity.  He cried out for mercy from Jesus, calling Him the Son of David.  You do not ask mercy from a peer or a subordinate.  Mercy must be asked from a person in authority who has the power to determine your fate. 

His adversity.  The crowd told him to be quiet.  The blind man was a disturbance.  They had no sympathy for him.  The represented a barrier between the blind man and his healing. 

I am asking you to do some introspection with me into Bartimaeus’ soul.

This was much more complicated than just a blind man crying out for sight.

Neither his condition nor his opportunity were, in themselves, enough to elicit a cry from his soul to Jesus.

The pressure for him to remain silent was far greater than we might imagine.  He had to overcome the voices from inside his head that tried to silence him. 

First, there was the doubt that he could be healed.  People educated in this modern system have had many doubts sown into their hearts about the power of Jesus to heal.       

        I want to assure you today that the problem is not with God’s power but with our faith!  We have witness after witness of the miraculous works of God in the lives of real people—people who are in this sanctuary this morning. 

Second, there was the fear that he would not be heard.

You have no right. 

You have no standing. 

You have no worthiness.

You have no purpose. 

You have no divine plan for your life. 

You do not count. 

Romans 8:1-2 (KJV)
¹ There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
² For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. 

1 Peter 2:9 (KJV)
⁹ But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: 

Third, there was the possibility that he would not be received. 

        Rejection is one of the worst emotions a human being can experience.  Jesus knows the trauma of rejection. 

John 1:11-14 (KJV)
¹¹ He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
¹² But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
¹³ Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
¹⁴ And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

John 6:34-37 (KJV)
³⁴ Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread.
³⁵ And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.
³⁶ But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not.
³⁷ All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.

Once Bartimaeus conquered the enemies within, he had the strength and courage to fight the enemies without! 

His determination.  He cried out louder still.  Your healing does not depend on the power of God but on your reaction to the barriers that stand in the way. 

His divine impact.  Jesus stood still and called for Bartimaeus. 

His changing environment.  The crowd turned in his favor.

His miracle.  He received his sight and followed Jesus. 

What I am suggesting to you today is that your journey to Christ is much more complicated than we may understand—or even that you understand. 

        Who knows what voices you hear from your past?

        Who knows what images you have of yourself?

        Who know the depth of your self-doubts, insecurities and fears?

        We may all think we know what’s bothering you, but we may not have a clue.       

Could there have been another blind man somewhere?  Could there have been someone that lacked the courage to cry out to the Master? 

Could another blind man have heard the approaching crowd and fleetingly entertained the possibility that he could receive his miracle?  

When his opportunity arrived, did he gather his robes around him and shuffle off into the dark night, convincing himself that things could never be any different for him?

Living With Your Choices

Galatians 6:1-8 (KJV)
¹ Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. ² Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. ³ For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself. ⁴ But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.  ⁵ For every man shall bear his own burden. ⁶ Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things.
⁷ Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.  ⁸ For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

Galatians 6:7-8 (NLT)
⁷ Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant.  ⁸ Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit.

The Right to Choose

The Apostle Paul places this warning in strong language, designed to make sure the point gets across without mistake.  It would be the height of foolishness to think that you are a match for the wits of God.  You cannot trifle with God. 

Whatever you sow, you will also reap.  If you sow to the flesh, you will of the reap corruption.  If you sow to the Spirit, you will reap everlasting life. 

There is a caveat to the decisions of life and the choices you make.  Every choice has a consequence and every consequence is preceded by a choice.  This society has made a huge deal out of the idea of “pro-choice,” as though there were nothing else to consider except the sacred act of making your own choices.  If you have to defy tradition, go ahead and choose.  If people call you rebellious, go ahead and choose.  If you make people angry, hurt, disappointed or sad, you can’t help it.  Go ahead and make your choice.  

It comes down to this, you can choose your choice, but you cannot choose your consequences.  When you make your choice, you—of necessity—choose the consequences that go along with the choice.  

You cannot plant one kind of crop and expect to reap another kind of crop.  If you plant corn, you will reap corn.  If you plant potatoes, you will reap potatoes.  Furthermore, if you plant a low grade of corn, you will not reap a high grade of corn.  Well, you say, I would have planted a high grade, but the seed was too expensive.  I’m sorry.  The consequences of the choice are part and parcel of the choice. 

You may think that these points are too elementary to enumerate.  Yet, people make these strange assumptions all the time in the way they live their lives.  Look for a moment at the parable of the prodigal son. 

The Prodigal Son 

  Luke 15:11-14 (KJV)
11 And he said, A certain man had two sons: 12 And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living. 13 And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.  14 And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.

Translation:  If you take all the money you have and you blow it all on stupid stuff, you are going to be in a lot of trouble.  (It is interesting that the Greek word translated as riotous living is asotia, or asozo.  Sozo means saved.  Asozo means unsaved.  Many of us have a savings account.  The prodigal son put all his money in an unsavings account!) 

People think they can live the life of an addict, an alcoholic, a prostitute, a criminal, an adulterer or adulteress, a fornicator, a liar or any other kind of transgression and it should make no difference in the outcome.  In fact, they often say, “Don’t judge me for doing something you don’t agree with.  You don’t have the right to tell me what to do!” 

The fact is that nobody has to tell you what the consequences are for your behavior.  When you choose to do certain things, you have already chosen the consequences. 

Isaiah 5:11-14 (KJV)
¹¹ Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; that continue until night, till wine inflame them! ¹² And the harp, and the viol, the tabret, and pipe, and wine, are in their feasts: but they regard not the work of the LORD, neither consider the operation of his hands. ¹³ Therefore my people are gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge: and their honourable men are famished, and their multitude dried up with thirst. ¹⁴ Therefore hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure: and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth, shall descend into it.

You are accountable for your choices.  

To further complicate things, many people hold on to their right to choose, but they still want to blame others for forcing them into their choices.  

I have all the sympathy in the world for those who have come out of horrific childhoods. 

I feel sorry for those who are the product of abusive situations. 

But regardless of the reasons why people make the choices they do, each of us must still bear the penalties for wrong choices. 

This is where God can make the greatest difference in the lives of people who need to be saved and changed.  God can give you the ability to forgive.  God can fill in the blanks of your childhood.  

You can’t spell h-a-p-p-i-n-e-s-s if you don’t have all the letters.  God is able to supply the missing letters, the missing relationships, and the missing ingredients of your life. 

 God can take your dysfunctional past and create something beautiful out of it.

He can do it if you repent and surrender to His will.

He cannot do it if you continue to blame others for all your problems and continue to make wrong choices. 

2 Corinthians 5:17-19 (KJV)
17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

1 Corinthians 6:9-11 (KJV)
9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.  

If you want to make your own choices, and you want the right consequences for your choices, be sure to make the right choices.  Paul was sure that the Galatians would make the right choices. 

Galatians 6:9-10 (KJV)
⁹ And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
¹⁰ As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

The Consequences of Right Choices 

Now, I want to take this message of choices in a different direction.  The eternal consequences of right choices are positive and glorious.  We are going to live in the New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven.  Gates of pearl, streets of gold, walls of jasper, worshipping Jesus for all of eternity—all of this is in our future. 

1 Corinthians 2:9 (KJV)
⁹ 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, there are consequences on earth to the choices we make to serve Jesus.

 1 Peter 4:12-14 (KJV)
¹² Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
¹³ But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
¹⁴ If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.

The Apostle Paul made the choice to live his life for the Lord Jesus Christ.  This choice was not without consequences.

2 Corinthians 6:4-10 (KJV)
⁴ But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses,
⁵ In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings;
⁶ By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned,
⁷ By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,
⁸ By honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true;
⁹ As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed;
¹⁰ As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.

These were the consequences of the choices he made.

Yet, he was not complaining.  He was not bitter against God for making his suffer for doing the right things.  Here is what an old preacher said in his sermon: 

These wounds of the soldier are also his medals. Old soldiers used to pin their medals on their suit coats on Memorial Day and on the Fourth of July. The wounds of Christ are His medals, and He wears them proudly, as old soldiers used to do. Every soldier will tell you the wounds he received in battle were not considered a disgrace or disfigurement. Those wounds are the soldier’s honor. I remember an old soldier from World War I who would often show us boys the scars where shrapnel went into his arms and legs. He was proud of those scars that he received while fighting for America. Old soldiers will tell you that the wounds they received while fighting in the valiant cause of America are honorable wounds. 

PAUL WORE THE CONSEQUENSES OF HIS CHOICES AS A BADGE OF HONOR! 

Galatians 6:14-18 (KJV)
¹⁴ But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.
¹⁵ For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.
¹⁶ And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.
¹⁷ From henceforth let no man trouble me: for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.
¹⁸ Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.

“I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus Christ.”

When people ask you why you look different from the world, tell them that you bear in your body the marks of the Lord Jesus Christ.

When people ask you about your dress, your hair, your speech, your habits, the places you go (and the places you refuse to go), tell them you bear in your body the marks of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

I do not resent the marks.  I only want to be worthy of the marks.  I do not resent holiness; I only hope I can be worthy of the earmarks of living the life for Christ. 

These “marks” (stigmata) meant signs of ownership such as were branded on slaves and cattle. Paul referred to the scars on his body, which were caused by persecution for Christ’s sake because they demonstrated he was a slave of Christ and not just a people-pleaser. 

Thomas Saw the Marks

 John 20:24-28 (KJV)
²⁴ But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. ²⁵ The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe. ²⁶ And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.
²⁷ Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. ²⁸ And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. (Song “Thou Art Worthy”)

Holy Ghost Power

Jude 1:17-25 (KJV)
²⁰ But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,
²¹ Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
²² And of some have compassion, making a difference:
²³ And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.
²⁴ Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,
²⁵ To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.

Anyone who reads through the New Testament cannot ignore the supernatural events that take place whenever the gospel is preached and experienced.  Something happened in this new religion (if you want to call it that) which made it different from anything else known to man. 

Actually, the worst thing that has ever happened to the whole body of faith and belief in Jesus Christ is that it became a religion.  It was never meant to be this way.  Jesus said, “But ye shall received power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you.”  Acts 1:8.  The preponderance of Christian believers today think that the Holy Ghost may be real but the power is not.  They think that the early church needed it back then, but we do not need it today. 

I submit to you today that the Holy Ghost has never lost a single iota of power over the 2000 years since it was poured out on the church!  When someone receives the Holy Ghost, they still receive the power.  They get whatever they got on the Day of Pentecost! 

Power that makes you come alive!

John 3:3-5 (KJV)
³ Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
⁴ Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?
⁵ Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

Titus 3:5 (KJV)
⁵ Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

You’re going to have a better life when you get the Holy Ghost baptism.  You get a new perspective on life, a new reason to life, a power that you never had before.  (Mary Klever). 

Power that lives within you!

1 Corinthians 6:18-19 (KJV)
¹⁸ Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.
¹⁹ What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

No matter how weak, immature, imperfect you are, you still have the Holy Ghost indwelling.  “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for thou art with me!”  The valley may scare the tar out of you, but it won’t scare the Holy Ghost out of you!  

2 Timothy 1:6-7 (KJV)
⁶ Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.
⁷ For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. 

3.  Power that seals the deal!

Ephesians 1:13-14 (KJV)
¹³ 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,
¹⁴ Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

        Seal:        Closes it up; makes it secure in a legal sense.

                Also, it is an official emblem; ownership likeness (wax seal, gold seal)

                It is settled:  My sin is remitted and my sonship is secure!   

This week I listened to an audio clip of a man who objected to the scriptural experience of speaking in tongues.  He said it was nothing but babbling and gibberish.  I don’t understand how it was okay for the early believers to speak in tongues, but it is just nonsense when we do it today.  

I would like for him to be here in a chapel service or at an altar service when God fills a little child with the Holy Ghost.  A child who has never been taught what to expect begins to speak fluently, even forcefully, in tongues as the Spirit of God gives the utterance.  

Why does God want you to speak in tongues when you receive the Holy Ghost?  He knows you are going to be challenged.  He knows the devil is going to lie to you and say you don’t have the Spirit of God.  You are going to remember your experience and rebut the claims of Satan.  Not only that, you can enter into the spirit of prayer and start praying in the Holy Ghost as is says in our text from the book of Jude! 

4.  Power that fills you up!

        Acts 2:4 (KJV)
⁴ And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

Ephesians 5:18 (KJV)
¹⁸ And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;

Difference between indwelling and infilling:  You are indwelt when you receive the Holy Ghost; you determine whether or not you are infilled!

        Possession is for Assurance

        Filling is for Service 

5.  Power that makes you live and serve right!

Romans 8:1-2 (KJV)
¹ There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
² For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

We have two natures:  flesh and spirit.  The believer, though he is still in the flesh, lives after the Spirit. 

Romans 8:12-13 (KJV)
¹² Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.
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.

The Holy Ghost is not just an experience…it is a way of life!

We may not be perfect, but our standard is not imperfection! 

What gives us the everyday power to live a Christ-like life?  It is the power of the Holy Ghost! 

Galatians 5:16-25
16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
24 And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 

6.  Power that lights up your way!

Romans 8:14 (KJV)
¹⁴ For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

The early church was completely under the guidance of the Holy Ghost. 

It is like the difference between a smart bomb and a dumb bomb.  A “dumb bomb” is a bomb with explosive material and a detonator, dropped from an airplane (such as the B-2 bomber). The bomb is considered “dumb” because it simply falls to the ground without actively steering itself. Needless to say, it’s some feat hitting a target precisely with this type of weapon. A bomber might have to drop dozens, or even hundreds of dumb bombs to take out a target effectively.

“Smart bombs,” by contrast, control their fall precisely in order to hit a designated target dead on.

The control system and adjustable fins give the bomb a way to steer itself as it glides through the air. While the bomb is “in flight,” the sensor tracks the target on the ground. The sensor system feeds the control system the position of the target, and the controlling  system steers the bomb toward the target.

The control system sends a message to adjust the flight fins. As a result, the bomb turns in that direction. This adjustment process continues until the smart bomb reaches its target, and the fuze mechanism sets off the explosive. Smart bombs generally have proximity fuzes, which set off the explosive just before the bomb reaches the target, or impact fuzes, which set off the explosive when the bomb actually hits something. 

Smart Bomb Basics
A smart bomb is essentially an ordinary dumb bomb with an electronic sensor system a built-in control system (an onboard computer) a set of adjustable flight fins a battery

When a plane drops a smart bomb, the bomb becomes a particularly heavy glider. It doesn’t have any propulsion system of its own, like a missile does, but it does have forward velocity (by virtue of being dropped from a speeding plane). It also has flight fins that generate lift and stabilize its flight path. 

When you get the Holy Ghost, you are not a dumb bomb!  You are a smart bomb!  You are under power so that you can deliver power! 

7.  Power that brings the divine anointing!

1 John 2:26-27 (KJV)
²⁶ These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you.
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.

Acts 1:8 (KJV)
⁸ But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

Ezekiel 1:15-21 (KJV)
¹⁵ Now as I beheld the living creatures, behold one wheel upon the earth by the living creatures, with his four faces.
¹⁶ The appearance of the wheels and their work was like unto the colour of a beryl: and they four had one likeness: and their appearance and their work was as it were a wheel in the middle of a wheel.

Picture a huge wagon wheel, because that’s what they had in Ezekiel’s day.  There is a big outer wheel that rolls along on the ground.  What keeps the outer wheel in place?  Spokes.  The spokes are attached from the outer wheel back to an inner wheel called the hub.  Without the hub, the outer wheel would collapse.  The power to operate, the power to function depends upon staying attached to the hub.  

Jesus is the hub.  He is the wheel in the middle of the wheel!  I have power through the Spirit of Christ in my life. 

The Art of Looking Up

¹ Give ear to my words, O LORD, consider my meditation.
² Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God: for unto thee will I pray. ³ My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up. ⁴ For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee. Psalms 5:1-4

The word “up” is one of the most interesting words in the English language.  It is a two-letter word that perhaps has more meanings than any other two-letter word.

It’s easy to understand UP, meaning toward the sky or at the top of the list, but when we awaken in the morning, why do we wake UP? At a meeting, why does a topic come UP? Why do we speak UP and why are the officers UP for election and why is it UP to the secretary to write UP a report?

We call UP our friends. And we use it to brighten UP a room, polish UP the silver, we warm UP the leftovers and clean UP the kitchen. We lock UP the house and some guys fix UP the old car.  At other times the little word has real special meaning. People stir UP trouble, line UP for tickets, work UP an appetite, and think UP excuses. To be dressed is one thing but to be dressed UP is special.

And this UP is confusing: A drain must be opened UP because it is stopped UP. We open UP a store in the morning but we close it UP at night.

We seem to be pretty mixed UP about UP! To be knowledgeable about the proper uses of UP, look the word UP in the dictionary. In a desk-sized dictionary, it takes UP almost 1/4th of the page and can add UP to about thirty definitions. If you are UP to it, try building UP a list of all the UP is used. It will take UP a lot of your time, but if you don’t give UP, you may wind UP with a hundred or more. When it threatens to rain, we say it is clouding UP. When the sun comes out we say it is clearing UP. When it rains, it gets the earth wet and often messes things UP. When it doesn’t rain for awhile, things dry UP.

One could go on and on, but I’ll wrap it UP, for now my time is UP, so it is time to shut UP about up!

Looking Up

Except to say this: Make up your mind that life is all about looking up.

It seems simple enough, maybe even simplistic.

When things are going well, we say that “things are looking up.”

When we try to talk someone through a crisis, we say, “look up.”

When we are trying to restore confidence in someone, we tell people to “look up” to them.

When we are trying to change someone’s focus from negatives, we say “look up.”

Looking Down

Looking down conveys a totally different thought than looking up.

People look down when they feel depressed, sad or discouraged.

People look down when they feel worthless or ashamed.

People look down when they are intimidated or unable to compete.

People look down when they are browbeaten and hopeless. 

The Bible has a universal appeal to man about the direction of our gaze.  We are constantly encouraged to look up instead of down.  Evidently, David knew something about this.  That’s why he wrote, “O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.”  

But even in the light of this knowledge, David confessed that he couldn’t always do it.  

¹² For innumerable evils have compassed me about: mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I am not able to look up; they are more than the hairs of mine head: therefore my heart faileth me. Psalms 40:12

Someone may be sitting here this morning thinking, “I’m trying to look up but I just can’t!  Innumerable evils have surrounded me; my sins, my demons have taken hold of me.  Every time I try to look up, things push me down.  My job, my kids, my spouse, my siblings, my boss, my teacher, my friends, my bad luck…everything is stopping me from looking up. 

I submit to you today—not to make light of all of your problems—but you are not looking up.  You are looking around all around you.  You are looking to the right or left, in front of you or in back of you.  It was when Peter started looking around him at the wind and the waves that he began to sink. 

Looking up has nothing to do with your job, you kids or all the rest.  It has to do with you making a decision in your heart that you know where you help lies. 

¹ I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. ² My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth. ³ He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. ⁴ Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep .⁵ The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand. ⁶ The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night. ⁷ The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. ⁸ The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore. Psalms 121:1-8  

Ever wonder why we look up to pray?  Because God inhabits the heavens!  Heaven is His throne and the earth is His footstool. 

¹ O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens.   ² Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger. Psalms 8:1-2

God occupies the space above us.  That makes us lower than God.  David talked about that too. 

³ When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; ⁴ What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? ⁵ For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. Psalms 8:3-5

If God is above us, then the only way we can see or talk to Him is to look up.  Not so with Satan.  Anytime we read about Satan, he is either on the same level or plane as us or else he is lower than us. 

¹⁸ And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. Luke 10:18

The only time God looked down was to take the form of a man so he could identify with us.  When Jesus came to earth, he went down as far as he needed to go to save lost souls.  When he reached bottom, he turn around and headed in the opposite direction.  From that moment, He has never reversed his course.  Not only that, but he reached out to the church and joined us to him.  We are going in the same direction! 

The direction of the church is never down.

The calling of God never leads us on a downward path.

God will never put you down, push you down, keep you down or let you down.

Any interaction we have with God always lifts us up to a higher plane of existence.

He picks you up, holds you up, sits you up and fixes you up. 

¹ And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; ² Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
³ Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
⁴ But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,⁵ Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) ⁶ And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: ⁷ That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. Ephesians 2:1-7

This leads us to a critical message for the church in this hour.

It is time for us to recognize the importance of moving up into higher realms of spiritual authority, of the operation of Spirit in our daily lives, into redemptive relationships, and into sacrificial living that separates us from the world and into the presence of God. 

We have an incredible task ahead of us.  Here is how the Apostle Paul described it: 

⁶ That the Gentiles should be fellow-heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel: ⁷ Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power. ⁸ Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;
⁹ And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: ¹⁰ To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, ¹¹ According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:Ephesians 3:6-11

This is the setting in which the church is found.  Now, here is the purpose:

¹⁶ That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;
¹⁷ That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, ¹⁸ May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;
¹⁹ And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. ²⁰ Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,²¹ Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen. Ephesians 3:16-21

He is not talking about a church that is struggling over where to draw the line between the church and the world.  This is not a church that is caught up in policy fights, internal squabbles, carnal pursuits or political correctness.  This is not a weak, anemic church that doesn’t even know why it is in existence.  This is a church that is way past all of that.

This is a church that understands it is time to start moving up!

It is time to wage spiritual warfare.

It is time for intense intercessory prayer.

It is time operate in the dimension of the Holy Ghost.

It is time for Spirit-driven evangelism.

God is looking for some first responders.

God is looking for some trail-blazers.

God is looking for some Elijahs and Elishas. 

I am addressing people who have been here for many years.  I’m talking about leaders, about ministries. We have to look beyond the things we’ve always done.  We have to look beyond the default position that we fall back to so often.  

Spiritually speaking, far too many people are in a rut.  Vance Havner said that a rut is just a grave with both ends kicked out.  

We just had a revival impact that stirred us and made us think.  I saw people touched by God in this revival that have been dry for a long time.  We heard a sermon last year about ignition.  God has given you enough to get you started.  Now, you have to make the commitment and have the want-to to keep it going. 

God spoke to me and let me know that the evangelist may have helped us to open the door.  Just because the evangelist has left does not mean that the door is now closed!  All the power and potential that was here before is here right now! 

Are you ready to move up?  Are you ready to look up?

Maybe it is time for God to take charge of the situation like he did with the blind man.  

²² And he cometh to Bethsaida; and they bring a blind man unto him, and besought him to touch him. ²³ And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town; and when he had spit on his eyes, and put his hands upon him, he asked him if he saw ought. ²⁴ And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees, walking. ²⁵ After that he put his hands again upon his eyes, and made him look up: and he was restored, and saw every man clearly. Mark 8:22-25  

I am praying that God will come down and grab some folks and make them look up!

God can do it through circumstances that he allows into your life.  God can put you on your back so that the only place you have to look is up! 

That’s what happened to Jonah.

That’s what happened to Saul of Tarsus.

That’s what could have happened to Judas.  Jesus tried to put his hands on Judas and make him look up, but instead, Judas ran out into the night. 

If God moves you into situations that are hard to understand, he is trying to narrow your options.  He is trying to make you look up! 

I don’t know how much longer the church has to work.  The age of grace will not last forever.  The bible tells us about the midnight hour approaching when the call will go forth, “Behold, the Bridegroom cometh!” 

¹⁰ Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: ¹¹ And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven. Luke 21:10-11

²⁴ And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.
²⁵ And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; ²⁶ Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.  ²⁷ And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. ²⁸ And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh. Luke 21:24-28

The things that are happening in the world today are having an effect on the church—they are making the church look up! 

Look up:  Understand that your help comes from Heaven.

Look up:  Quit looking down, around and everywhere else.

Look up:  Get out of spiritual kindergarten.

Look up:  Redemption time is drawing nigh.

As It Is in Heaven

Matthew 6:9-10  After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.  ¹⁰ Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

Intro:  We are familiar with all of these words.  The Lord’s Prayer is not only a part of our Bible knowledge, it is a part of our culture.

The God above us is the Father of us all, the Progenitor, the Creator of the human race, the One with whom we have to do.  The Name of the Father is Hallowed, revered, honored, sacred and holy.  But, the Kingdom of the Father is not yet come.  It has not been fully established in this earth. This is a tacit admission to the fact that the whole world lies in wickedness and sin.

The trouble and turmoil, the death and disease, the conflict and wars, the rebellion and blasphemy that convulse this world demonstrate that the Kingdom of God has not yet overtaken the world.  And so, Jesus then states the petition of man, “Thy will be done.”  The will of God is not being done in the world.  The will of God is peace, holiness, truth, wholeness, and alignment with the nature and purposes of God.

Where does the will of God need to be done?  “In earth.”  So far, we understand what Jesus means.

Then, he says something about which we do not know by simple observation.

“Thy will be done in earth…as it is in heaven.”  Who among us knows what is going on in heaven?  How is the will of God being done in heaven?  Why should we pray that the will of God would be done down here just like it is done up there?

Because the One who was speaking on earth was the Lord from heaven!

John 1:1-4 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² The same was in the beginning with God. ³ All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. ⁴ In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

John 3:13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.

John 6:51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven:”

If anyone knows what is going on in heaven, it is Jesus Christ.  So now, the question is what is going on in heaven?  How is the will of God being done in heaven?  You may ask, “How important it is to understand this?”   Just this:  If we are to pray that what happens in earth would be like what happens in heaven, we need to know what is happening in heaven!  Once we understand what is happening in heaven, we can pray with greater assurance, greater confidence and greater expectation about what we want to happen down here.

Three conditions exist in heaven:  The absolute sovereignty of God; the supreme authority of the Word of God; the focused attention of heaven upon God.

First, we must recognize the absolute sovereignty of God in heaven.  Specifically, the God of Heaven overcomes all opposition and rebellion.

There was a rebellion in heaven with an archangel called Lucifer.

Isaiah 14:12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!

The story of this rebellion is given to us in the next few verses:

Isaiah 14:13-15 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
¹⁴ I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.
¹⁵ Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.

It is significant that the prophet Isaiah quotes Lucifer as saying “I will” five different times.  “I will ascend…I will exhalt…I will sit…I will ascend above the clouds…I will be like the most High.”

God responded… “There is a will that will be done in heaven, but it will not be your will, Lucifer!” 

Jesus knew about this. Luke 10:17-18 And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name. ¹⁸ And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.

Heaven is a place free from the ravages of Satan!  Heaven is a place where Satan not longer deceives, lies, disrupts or instills fear in anyone! Now, it makes a great deal of sense to pray “Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven!”  You do not have to be at the mercy of Satan if you pray for God’s will to be done in earth.  You are praying against Satan when you pray this way!

I am tired of the devil destroying lives.  I am tired of Satan luring people into addictions, immorality, fear, dysfunctional relationships and death.  Jesus went on to say,

Luke 10:19 Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

You need to rise up and say, “Satan, the blood of Jesus is against you!”  You might say, “I’ve tried that and it doesn’t do any good.”  That’s because you haven’t put it in the context of heaven and earth.  You haven’t prayed with understanding of what’s going on in heaven.  Ask Satan how much authority he has in heaven.  NONE!

But, the devil might say, “But you’re not in heaven.  You are down here and this is my realm.  This is my territory.”

• The United States of America owns territories in faraway places.  Guam, Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, The U. S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Wake Islands, Midway Islands and other uninhabited islands are all under the control of the US government. 
• The US coastal waters extend out twelve miles from shore.  Any vessel that enters these waters comes under the control of the US government. 
• Not only that, but any vessel that sails under the flag of the United States in under the jurisdiction of the United States.  If the flag flies, the US Constitution is in force.

If Satan has no authority in heaven because the will of God is done there, then wherever and whenever the will of God is done, Satan loses his power.

Matthew 16:18-19 And I say

also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
¹⁹ And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

When I raise the flag, the blood-stained banner of the Cross over my life, Satan loses his authority over me!

Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven!

Second, the question arises about the Word of God.  In heaven, the Word of God has supreme authority.  On earth, however, everywhere we look, the Word of God is being violated, ridiculed and denied.  We live in a culture that is almost totally in rebellion against the precepts and practices of the Bible.  The entertainment industry revolves around anti-God and anti-Christian ideas.

The sexual revolution has introduced perversion and confusion into the minds of people about the way we live our lives.  The New Age movement has brought in a bevy of false gods and twisted beliefs about spirituality.  The theory of evolution has paved the way for abortion, euthanasia, social engineering and the use of the human body for things that violate the divine purpose. 

Now, these new ideas have started to penetrate the church.  I am speaking of the new emergent church movement that holds up nearly everything the bible teaches to question.

I am issuing a warning about these things.  They use terms like missional, revelancy, deconstruction and authentic in order to make things sound acceptable.  But anything that substantially changes the intent of the Word of God needs to be opposed! 

I believe that the Bible is the Word of God.

I believe that   I believe:

• that God created the heavens and the earth
• in the Garden of Eden
• in the rod of Moses turning into a serpent
• that the sun stood still for Joshua
• that Jesus turned the water into wine
• that the axe-head did swim
• that Jesus fed the five-thousand with five loaves and two fishes
• that Elijah was taken up in a chariot of fire
• that Jonah was swallowed by the whale

I believe in repentance, water baptism in Jesus’ name, the infilling of the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in other tongues as the Spirit gives the utterance, in living a holy life, in the soon return of Jesus Christ for the rapture of the church.

Do you know why I believe in these things?  Because these are the things already established in heaven!

Psalms 119:89 For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.

Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven!

In the book of Acts, we find numerous accounts where it specifically says that the Word of God triumphed.

Acts 6:7 And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.

Acts 12:24 But the word of God grew and multiplied.

Acts 19:20 So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed.

The educational community, the scientific community, the media and entertainment industry, and the government itself may come against the Word of God.  In the end, the Word will triumph.  Paul said,

2 Timothy 2:9 Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound.

The Word of God is not bound to man.  The Word of God is not bound by man.

I want the Word to triumph in my life right now!  That’s why I pray, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven!

Psalms 19:7-14 The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.
⁸ The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.
⁹ The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.
¹⁰ More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
¹¹ Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.
¹² Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults.
¹³ Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.
¹⁴ Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.

Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven!

Thy Word have I hid in mine heart that I might not sin against thee!

Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven!

It doesn’t matter how the rest of the world lives.  Commit to living your own life by the Word of God.  Declare yourself to be under the dominion and direction of the Word of God.

Proverbs 3:1-6 My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments:
² For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee.
³ Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart:
⁴ So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man.
⁵ Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
⁶ In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven!

Third, something else is going on in heaven:  Worship! All of heaven’s attention is focused on God Himself!

Isaiah 6:1-3 In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.
² Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.
³ And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.

I don’t know exactly when this was written.  Probably 2500 to 3000 years ago.  Do you think this is still happening?

Yes!  Worship is happening in heaven right now! 

Revelation 4:1-11 After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.
² And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne.
³ And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald.
⁴ And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.
⁵ And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.
⁶ And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind.
⁷ And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle.
⁸ And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.
⁹ And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever,
¹⁰ The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying,
¹¹ Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

Worship needs to dominate our relationship to God.  Our corporate services need to be filled with worship.  Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven!  If you cannot worship, you cannot pray this prayer with sincerity!  If you withhold your worship, you cannot pray this prayer with sincerity!  It is God’s will for you to worship!

Clap your hands.  Raise your hands.  Shout to the Lord with a voice of triumph.  Sing the songs of Zion.

Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven!