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A Container for His Presence

A Container for His Presence
Matthew 9:17 – “Nor do they put new wine into old wineskins, or else the wineskins break, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But they put new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.””

For the past several weeks the Lord has dealt with me about having the right container.  Jesus reveals an important principle in this passage of Scripture, “You cannot put new wine into an old wineskin.” 

So often we focus so much on an outpouring of God’s Spirit, which the new wine represents in this passage of Scripture, that we neglect the container.

Without a proper container we cannot keep what is being poured out.  Containers are very important.  If a canned good is not perfectly sealed the food it contains will spoil. 

God has been visiting us as His people to prepare a container.  Before He pours out the new wine of His Spirit He first has to prepare the container.  If we short circuit this process we will not be able to contain what He desires to pour out into our lives.

Listen to the words of Jesus, “You cannot put new wine into old wineskins.”  The purpose of visitation is to prepare us to carry His presence in a greater way.  Why do we need a visitation of God’s Spirit?  Judges 2:10 reveals the reason; “When all that generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation arose after them who did not know the Lord nor the work which He had done for Israel.”

In Ezekiel 37, the Prophet Ezekiel has an experience in a valley filled with dry bones.  Verse 1, “The hand of the Lord came upon me and brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley; and it was full of bones.”  In this passage there is a pattern that reveals how God prepares a container for His presence. 

In Ezekiel 37:3 the Lord asks the prophet a question.  “Can these bones live?”  What was the answer from Ezekiel?  “O Lord God, You know.”  In His instructions to the prophet he gives instructions to how He brings revival to His people.

He first prepares the container.  In verse 7 the prophet prophesied to the scattered bones.  What happened?  “There was a noise, and suddenly a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to bone.”

Verse 8 continues, “Indeed, as I looked, the sinews and the flesh came upon them, and the skin covered them over; but there was no breath in them.”  Here stands an exceedingly great army, but there is no breath.

God brought together the container and then commands the Prophet to prophesy to the wind.  In verse 10 the prophet prophesied and the breath came into this exceedingly great army and they lived.

We must allow God to prepare us to retain His life giving Spirit.  Why have so many revivals ended in confusion?  Perhaps, because the container wasn't properly prepared for His presence.

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