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.
AMEN!
Thank you Anna!
Thank you, Paul! I absolutely love your wisdom!
Thank you, I needed to read this…sometimes it is hard to let go in order to get to the next level! I need to completely let go…
Praying for your victory, which will come by your surrender. Lean into the Holy Spirit and He will do all the work for you.
Amen, wonderfully shared, the intimacy of the Holy Spirit, such a gift to us, is tangible and precious, I have not experienced being weighted down by the Glory, but I’ve experienced being before His Glorious presence, or I would say, just a glimmer of it..as in that day when His light will illuminate, and I knew no earthly words to describe it!! there was no sun or moon!! but the universe was filled with His light. When you have experienced the Omnipresent Lord of ALL things created, “Revelation 21:2 I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. 23 The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. 24 The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. 25 On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there. 26 The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it.” Yes, there is more, so much more..
Thank you so much Robyn. I find it so refreshing how the Lord will reveal Himself to people in such unique and magnificent ways! I used to wonder early on with some experiences, because I had never heard of them happening before. But isn’t that just like our creative Creator. We see this in Scripture and we see it through the ages, that God does not follow a script, He writes them! You are so very blessed that you have seen even that glimmer of His glorious presence! I am most sure that you could take that moment, draw a line in time, and think of your life as what was before this happened, and after. Nobody has such significant encounters with God, and walks away unchanged. Blessings to you!
I know, I have felt this before! There was an evangelist that visited our church one weekend. Sometimes, Holy Spirit is so strong, people that I pray for are slain. This night I, was on the receiving end. Funny story, as he started walking down the roll of people.. I, remember thinking, ” I am not going down” The Godly man didn’teven touch me and I was completely layed out! It was the most amazing feeling. It was as if the ground was a magnet and I couldnt even raise my arms or legs.
I just layed there in awe of HIS PRESENCE! His glory is unexplainable! I love HIM so much!
It is a beautiful thing to be on either end, that the power of the Holy Spirit would flow through you onto others, or from another directly into you! You know, I had the very same thought that night, I was not going to go down. I wasn’t even going to stand up! But isn’t God so great, He does not ask for that which He knows we so desperately need. I think sometimes it is the ones that seek this that makes Him grieve. But when we humbly receive it, and not only fall in the Spirit, but get back up and walk in the Spirit, then the Lord has a utensil He can use.
Amen!!
Oh how I wish the church of today would see this and come back to their first love! I’m getting so tired of the jokes I hear from the pulpit and parts of movie clips to help strengthen the word of God; like His power and glory are not enough to teach and convict….. Thank you Paul for this beautiful reminder to return to our first Love!
Thank you Lynn! I worry on how far the church goes to emulate the world that it might attract the people in it. But we are not called to be like the world. What the world offers is emptiness on top of emptiness. The Lord offers rivers of living water! Oh how we need to just teach the truth unhindered and let the Holy Spirit impress it upon the hearts of those ready to receive it!
Thank you, Paul for your heart thus displayed and prayers for us, your readers. May it be.
Thank you Lynn, oh, I truly pray that more would long for and then persevere to that deeper faith. There are no requirements from our side, only a surrender. I believe that if one is willing, they will reach mountain tops from which they never imagined would be possible.
This is an excellent article. I so desire exactly this.
Keep pressing into it Juanita, never give up on Him because He will never give up on you!
my thoughts exactly
Thank you!
Thank you Paul for sharing, It is so refreshing to hear someone who has experienced the freedom that comes by persistently pursuing a love relationship with the Father. Looking forward to His Glory being poured out through the saints changing and transforming the lives of billions!
Thank you Kenney for your kind words. There is so much He has for us all. There has been an outpouring and we need only be there to receive it. We are in special times and we will see such moves of God like never before.
Yes and amen! Beautiful! I want the weight of Glory as well in Jesus name.
Keep pressing in, glory to glory!
Amen and amen. Thank you!
I haveexperienced the same splendor of the Glory of God. Been praying for an outpouring of hunger for your Presence and thirst your glory in my church. Praying for two people to desire His heart and press in through prayer to ignite an Awakening.
What a great blessing that you have experienced this! And what a great prayer that you would desire this to pour out upon your church! I pray for this too!
THE WEIGHT OF HIS GLORY!!!, May God bless you and anoint you beyond measures
Thank you so much! Praying the Lord’s favor would be upon you!
Weighty, God-glorious post, Paul. I’m at a loss to adequately express the big blessing that you are to me, from glory to glory.
Thank you so much! I appreciate your encouragement and may God bless you for doing that!