The spirit of Being in the Spirit

Revelation 4:2

And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne.

John said that he was in the spirit two times in the book of Revelation. In Revelation 1:10 he says, I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day… This Spirit that John was talking about was the Holy Spirit. In other words, he was filled with the Holy Spirit when he went to church. However, in the verse above, John also said that he was in the spirit. The spirit that he was in the second time was not the Holy Spirit, but his spirit. Let me put it this way: he was filled with the Holy Spirit, and the filling of the Spirit is what got his spirit involved in that church service.

We often talk about the importance of the pastor being filled with the Spirit when he preaches God’s Word, and he ought to be filled with the Spirit. However, imagine if the listener was as filled with the Holy Spirit as John was on the Lord’s Day. The same Holy Spirit that fills a preacher as he preaches can also fill the listener as they listen. Imagine how much would change in our church services if both the preacher and the listener were filled with the Holy Spirit. Let me show a couple of things that happen when you are filled with the Spirit on the Lord’s day.

First, you will hear preaching in a different way. Revelation 1:10, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet. When you are filled with the Spirit as a listener, the preaching of God’s Word will sound like it is directly for you. One reason people don't get anything from the sermon is because they are not filled with the Holy Spirit as a listener. Just as the Holy Spirit will speak through the preacher as he is preaching, the same Spirit will speak loudly to the listener to help them with whatever need they have at the moment.

Second, you will see God working in the services when you are filled with the Spirit as a listener. Revelation 1:17 says, And when I saw him…  Because John was filled with the Holy Spirit on the Lord’s Day, he saw God working in that service. I can promise you that when you are filled with the Holy Spirit as a listener, you will see God working through every part of the service. Being filled as a listener will make the church service so much different for the believer. You will see God working in the invitation time as well as in your heart. You will see the miracles that God is doing in the lives of people when you are filled with the Holy Spirit on the Lord’s Day.

Third, God will directly speak to your heart about what you need to change when you're filled with the Holy Spirit as a listener on the Lord’s Day. Chapters 2 and 3 are filled with instructions to the seven churches, and what they needed to change for God to keep His blessings on them. As a listener to the preaching, you will find God will directly speak to your heart about what you need to change when you are filled with the Holy Spirit.

Fourth, God will move your spirit when you are filled with the Holy Spirit. The only reason you cannot get excited in a church service is because you are not filled with the Holy Spirit. Men will not have an issue with saying “Amen” when they are filled with the Holy Spirit. Every believer will have their spirit involved in the singing when they are filled with the Holy Spirit. You will find that when you are filled with the Holy Spirit, God will move your spirit, and when the Holy Spirit is moving your spirit is when you will find the church services will be personal to you and exciting as well.