The Bliss of Heaven
Experiencing the bliss of Heaven.
CS Lewis said, "Joy is the serious business of Heaven".
When you consider that Jesus was anointed with the oil of gladness more than anyone else and that He endured the cross for the joy set before Him. And that we are rewarded with joy when we face the Lord.
"Well done good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of the Lord".
"the joy of the Lord is your strength"
"In your presence is fullness of joy" Psalm 16:11
In Heaven is joy, God presence has joy, since joy is a fruit of the Spirit. Being filled with joy is a sign of maturity. This joy is not natural but supernatural.
God wants us to enter into His joy, and walk in the bliss of Heaven, as we grow closer to the Lord and walk more in His Spirit, joy should be increasing in us.
Being drunk in Gods Spirit is proof of this supernatural joy being manifested, and I believe its not just for a few of us, but, all of us should be getting drunk, and getting more intoxicated with Gods presence.
Why did God call it NEW WINE? Wine makes us drunk and happy... and this is what happens when we have Gods wine.
Religion is all about works, instead of gifts, Jesus has done all the work for us to receive all the spiritual gifts in Heaven, all the new wine, all the bliss, all the ecstasies of Heaven. Religion is about rules to follow instead of a relationship.
Experiencing Gods Spirit is bliss, the ecstasy of Heaven, and we can have this now, we don't have to wait till we go to Heaven to have it. There is nothing spiritual about dull, boring religion, joyless ritual. God is full of Joy, Jesus was the happiest person on the planet according to scriptures (re-think how he rebuked people, when he was full of joy!)
Most Christians miss the point!!! they want to study the Bible to get their doctrines all correct, and have lots of knowledge. "Sober minded! thats what the Bible says."
We go to church to hear sermons, lots of talk!
BUT... the point of the scriptures is that Jesus has made a way for us to have a personal relationship with God (Father, Son, Holy Spirit). And having a relationship is not about knowledge its about experience.
Instead of talk, talk, talk, we should be interacting and drawing near to Him. In fact any teaching that is not drawing you to interact and draw near, should seriously be examined. Since it might just be religious!
The people who killed Jesus, and did not recognise Him were the religious people, who did a lot of talking, especially about the Bible. Obviously their studies did not bring them closer to the Lord!
So beware of teachers that teach knowledge and not direct your attention to the Heavens, to Jesus and to intimacy.
The antichrist spirit is just that, anti the anointing, it is anti the spirit of God, and is against anything of the Spirit of God. I believe it is also the religious spirit. A very dangerous thing.
Since religious teachings will always say, you must earn, work for what the Lord has freely given us. It says we are sinners, instead of we are saints. It says we can never be perfect, even though the Bible says we can not sin if we are saved!
Old covenant thinking, verses new covenant thinking... the new covenant is all about life, the Spirit... the old covenant is about rules, curses. Listen when people talk, see if you can tell which covenant they are speaking from. I can tell just from conversations and peoples prayers, where they are coming from.