The weight of glory cannot be measured on the scales of man. “[Our troubles are] working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory” (2 Corinthians 4:17).
EM Bounds was a civil war pastor who wrote more on prayer than anybody I know. In the book “EM Bounds on Prayer” an account was given about an all-night prayer meeting held long before his time on December 31, 1738. In attendance were some mighty men of God including John Wesley and George Whitfield. Here is an excerpt from that night:
“About three o’clock in the morning, as we were continuing instant in prayer, the power of God came mightily upon us, so that many cried out for exceeding joy, and many fell to the ground” (Pg. 270).
You know when the weight of glory has filled the house of God when nobody can remain standing. “…the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled the house of God (2 Chronicles 5:14 NASB).
Several years ago, I went to a powerful prayer meeting. There was such a move of the Holy Spirit that you could literally feel it in the air. There was a man there who was praying over people. As he prayed many would become so filled with the Spirit that they would fall to the ground.
I know this falling is not always real, it is sometimes faked or fawned, or not even of the Holy Spirit. But when it is of God, there is such a presence of the glory that one simply cannot remain standing anymore.
Only those who never experience the power of the Holy Spirit can argue against it. And argue they will such that they can justify their own lack thereof.
Never try to convince someone who is bent on not believing. You can never prove by sight to those who are blind, nor by sound to those that are deaf.
“Jesus said to her, ‘Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?'” (John 11:40). Imagine your life, “…if you would believe…”.
I have experienced this weight of glory before, but on this night I was determined to stay on the edge by myself. I did not feel worthy to be that near to the Lord.
The man of God saw me and had me stand up with him. He said that he saw a dark cloud that was all around me. I felt the very same thing. I was in prison ministry at this time and felt as though I was being spiritually attacked like never before. May we always be ready to admit to where we need help.
To go from glory to glory, you cannot remain as you are. What was good enough before will not be enough for what He has for you. “But we all…are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord” (2 Corinthians 3:18). An increase from glory to glory only comes by the Spirit of the Lord.
When the man of God prayed over me I fell instantly to the ground, not of my own power nor the power of man. I was laid out on my back and I felt the weight of glory upon me. I felt the Holy Spirit holding me down and doing a new thing in me. It was as if there was an intense sanctification going on to a degree I had never experienced before.
The Lord Jesus will draw you up to the next level just as soon as you are obedient in the level that you are in now. “…we are being changed into his very image, from one degree of glory to the next, by Adonai the Spirit.” (2 Corinthians 3:18 CJB). Glory increases upon glory.
I don’t know how long I was like this. I literally felt a weight so heavy upon me that I could not get up on my own strength. It was the most beautiful thing! It was as if I was held in the grip of God, pinned down of the Holy Spirit, while He did a work inside me. When I finally got up I was so overwhelmed that I had to go outside where I could weep by myself. Nobody gets past the Holy Spirit without tears.
There is a greater glory in the Spirit than in the stone. “But if the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance, which glory was passing away, how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious?” (2 Corinthians 3:7-8).
Friends, don’t you ever stop growing spiritually! Don’t let your natural understanding of things block the spiritual understanding that only the Holy Spirit can teach you. Don’t ever think that our supernatural God is limited by the natural in which we live. Stay grounded in the Word but keep reaching for the things of heaven.
Do not seek the wisdom of man to solve the mysteries of God. “To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27).
Seek to have a spiritual life for which you long for. You were meant for something more! There is so much more! Don’t believe the spiritually dry teachers. There is a richness of glory available to you, which is Christ in you.
Be filled with the Holy Spirit such that you are forever content, yet be wanting such that you are never satisfied to remain as you are.
Oh, how I pray that the weight of His glory would bring you to your knees.
Blessings to you,
Paul
All Scripture is in red and uses the NKJV (New King James Version) translation unless otherwise noted.