The Altar

Understanding The Altar

The OT altar was a place of sacrifice. The OT altar was a place of sacrifice. It’s a sacrifice to come to the altar. It’s a sacrifice to come to the altar. Some will bring sacrifices to the altar.Some will bring sacrifices to the altar. The OT altar was a place of death. The OT altar was a place of death. Some will come to put things to death. Some will come to put things to death. Some will come to repent: repentance is Some will come to repent: repentance is

death to lifestyle. In all of the above cases, death to lifestyle. In all of the above cases, they will need our help.they will need our help.

The Altar Worker

God’s expectation is that we study his word to God’s expectation is that we study his word to become a workman; a workman that needs not be become a workman; a workman that needs not be ashamed if he’s working. ashamed if he’s working.

We get trained and in turn, train others so the We get trained and in turn, train others so the church can grow.church can grow.

2 Tim 2:15 “Study to show thyself approved unto 2 Tim 2:15 “Study to show thyself approved unto God a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, God a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth”. rightly dividing the word of truth”.

The Altar Worker

In Mark 16 casting out devils is listed ahead In Mark 16 casting out devils is listed ahead of speaking in tongues as signs that follow of speaking in tongues as signs that follow believers. It’s important that we are well believers. It’s important that we are well equipped to do God’s work. equipped to do God’s work.

At The Altar

Being equipped thoroughly is not just knowing the Being equipped thoroughly is not just knowing the basic Word of God but knowing how to be: basic Word of God but knowing how to be: 1.1. Sensitive to the voice of God.Sensitive to the voice of God.2.2. How to follow the spirit.How to follow the spirit.3.3. How to minister to somebody to receive the How to minister to somebody to receive the

Holy Ghost. Holy Ghost. 4.4. How to minister to help them with their shame. How to minister to help them with their shame. 5.5. How to do spiritual warfare. How to do spiritual warfare. 6.6. How to have a personal and intimate relationship How to have a personal and intimate relationship

with God, helping others hunger and thirst for with God, helping others hunger and thirst for that same relationship. that same relationship.

The Workman At The Altar

God wants to do His works through you. God wants to do His works through you. Each of us has a different gift from God. Each of us has a different gift from God. Our being thoroughly furnished, equipped or Our being thoroughly furnished, equipped or

complete for every good work is His desire in complete for every good work is His desire in effectively ministering to others. effectively ministering to others.

2 Tim 3:17 “That the man of God may be perfect, 2 Tim 3:17 “That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works” thoroughly furnished unto all good works”

What We Impart

You impart not understanding of knowledge but a You impart not understanding of knowledge but a spiritual transmission: what they don’t have, they spiritual transmission: what they don’t have, they now have. now have.

Acts 3:6 Peter said, silver and gold have I none Acts 3:6 Peter said, silver and gold have I none but such as I have, give I thee …but such as I have, give I thee …

Freely you have received, freely give. Freely you have received, freely give. You can’t give away what you don’t have but you You can’t give away what you don’t have but you

can be used of God to give.can be used of God to give.

What You Have - Invest

God expects us to take what we’ve received God expects us to take what we’ve received and invest it – invest it in others lives so and invest it – invest it in others lives so that they can take that deposit and gain that they can take that deposit and gain growth and interest on it for God. growth and interest on it for God.

This is the will of God. It’s the spiritual This is the will of God. It’s the spiritual cycle. cycle.

Why People Come to the Altar

Help / Problems in life. Help / Problems in life. Healing. Healing. Deliverance. Deliverance. Repentance.Repentance. Receive God’s Spirit.Receive God’s Spirit. Pray for loved ones / others. Pray for loved ones / others.

Laying It All Down At The Cross

What do you want God to do for you today?What do you want God to do for you today? Do you want God to fill you with the Holy Do you want God to fill you with the Holy

Ghost? It’s good for them to say so because Ghost? It’s good for them to say so because saying so strengthens their resolve to be saying so strengthens their resolve to be filled.filled.

Be sensitive to the spirit leading .. if you Be sensitive to the spirit leading .. if you don’t feel anything move to the next persondon’t feel anything move to the next person

How People Received

Acts 2:1 they were all with one accord Acts 2:1 they were all with one accord (same passion, same burden, same voice).(same passion, same burden, same voice).

Acts 8:14 when they laid hands on them Acts 8:14 when they laid hands on them they received the Holy Ghost. they received the Holy Ghost.

Acts 10:34 while he yet spoke the Holy Acts 10:34 while he yet spoke the Holy Ghost was poured out. Ghost was poured out.

Acts 19:1-7 Paul laid hands upon them and Acts 19:1-7 Paul laid hands upon them and they received the Holy Ghost. they received the Holy Ghost.

What Qualifies You?

You must have a sincere compassion and You must have a sincere compassion and burden for that person.burden for that person.

You must have faith they’re going to You must have faith they’re going to receive it. Faith is projected like a radio receive it. Faith is projected like a radio signal. Doubt is transmitted in the same way signal. Doubt is transmitted in the same way so believe and do not doubt in your heart. so believe and do not doubt in your heart.

Have faith in God and God will pour out his Have faith in God and God will pour out his spirit. spirit.

What They Battle

Fear: afraid they won’t get it. They must Fear: afraid they won’t get it. They must believe to receive. believe to receive.

Doubt: not sure about this. Read Acts 10 Doubt: not sure about this. Read Acts 10 for for they heard them speak with tongues and they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God and Peter said can any forbid magnify God and Peter said can any forbid water that these should not be baptised. water that these should not be baptised.

They have to repent of their sins. They have to repent of their sins.

What We Battle

Doubt: Too often we substitute physical Doubt: Too often we substitute physical exercise for faith because our faith is exercise for faith because our faith is limited. limited.

Our limited faith and doubt will be Our limited faith and doubt will be transmitted. transmitted.

We cannot rely on emotions but rather the We cannot rely on emotions but rather the power that works in us. power that works in us.

Observation

Did you speak words or sentences you did Did you speak words or sentences you did not understand?not understand?

Tell them to relax: people who are tense are Tell them to relax: people who are tense are less likely to receive. less likely to receive.

Listen – put your ear down to their mouth to Listen – put your ear down to their mouth to hear them. hear them.

Things That Will Hinder

Unrepented sin. Unrepented sin. Unbelief/doubt/low self esteem/unworthiness.Unbelief/doubt/low self esteem/unworthiness. Unyieldedness/unwillingness to let go.Unyieldedness/unwillingness to let go. Disobedience/rebellion.Disobedience/rebellion. FearFear Evil spiritsEvil spirits IntoxicationIntoxication

How To Pray For The Seeker

Don’t lay hands on people too quickly - Don’t lay hands on people too quickly - wait until the anointing comes. wait until the anointing comes.

When faith comes into your heart that When faith comes into your heart that they’re going to receive the Holy Ghost, lay they’re going to receive the Holy Ghost, lay your hand upon their head (and don’t do it your hand upon their head (and don’t do it like they have leprosy or something), do it like they have leprosy or something), do it with faith and authority. with faith and authority.

Transmitting and Expecting

There is a transmission when hands are laid There is a transmission when hands are laid upon the head in the proper way. It must be upon the head in the proper way. It must be done by faith. done by faith.

When you say: Receive ye the Holy Ghost, When you say: Receive ye the Holy Ghost, expect them to receive it!expect them to receive it!

Don’t take your hand off of them until they Don’t take your hand off of them until they receive it. Allow faith to come into their receive it. Allow faith to come into their heart – keep your hand there. heart – keep your hand there.

Instructions

First, repent. You can’t get the Holy Ghost First, repent. You can’t get the Holy Ghost without repenting. without repenting.

Speaking in tongues is a process of learning how Speaking in tongues is a process of learning how to to submit or yieldsubmit or yield to God. Encourage them to do to God. Encourage them to do this. this.

The spirit gives the utterance but The spirit gives the utterance but they have got to they have got to speak.speak. Encourage them to give the spirit voice. Encourage them to give the spirit voice.

Desire - seeks after God. Desire - seeks after God. Blessed are those who Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness for they will hunger and thirst after righteousness for they will be filled. Matt 5:6be filled. Matt 5:6

Instructions

Get your attention right on Jesus – get your Get your attention right on Jesus – get your mind on the Lord. Visualize Him. mind on the Lord. Visualize Him.

Have faith that God is going to give you the Have faith that God is going to give you the Holy Ghost. Holy Ghost. You’re going to walk out of You’re going to walk out of here with the Holy Ghost. here with the Holy Ghost.

Worship the Lord – the Holy Ghost comes Worship the Lord – the Holy Ghost comes in worship. Halelujah is the highest praise.in worship. Halelujah is the highest praise.

Instructions

God does not respond to begging. Begging does God does not respond to begging. Begging does not move God to do anything. God responds to not move God to do anything. God responds to repentance and faith. repentance and faith.

If they sound like they’re begging, tell them to If they sound like they’re begging, tell them to stop begging but rather believe that stop begging but rather believe that He is a He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek himrewarder of those who diligently seek him. .

He’ll give it when you believe you’re going to He’ll give it when you believe you’re going to receive it. receive it.

This isn’t about unworthiness for all have sinned. This isn’t about unworthiness for all have sinned.

Actions Toward Receiving

Desire – him will all your heart; get your attention Desire – him will all your heart; get your attention on Jesus Christon Jesus Christ

Faith – have faith that he’s going to give you the Faith – have faith that he’s going to give you the Holy Ghost and because of your faithHoly Ghost and because of your faith

Worship the Lord. When you do these things Worship the Lord. When you do these things you’ll feel an invisible power come near you – you’ll feel an invisible power come near you – that’s the presence of God to give you the Holy that’s the presence of God to give you the Holy Ghost. Ghost.

Actions Towards Receiving

When you feel that power (unction, anointing) in When you feel that power (unction, anointing) in your heart, believe this is it. your heart, believe this is it.

And as you praise him, your tongue wants to And as you praise him, your tongue wants to speak words or sentences you cannot understand. speak words or sentences you cannot understand. Continue to give your voice and forget about Continue to give your voice and forget about saying halelujah or praise the Lord – let the Lord saying halelujah or praise the Lord – let the Lord put the words in a language that you never learned put the words in a language that you never learned in school. in school.

That’s what we call speaking in tongues. That’s what we call speaking in tongues.

Elements to Receiving

Faith – is necessary to receive anything from God. Faith – is necessary to receive anything from God. Paul reminded the Galatians that they had received Paul reminded the Galatians that they had received the Holy Ghost by believing what they heard. Gal the Holy Ghost by believing what they heard. Gal 3:23:2

Jesus said that the spirit will flow through Jesus said that the spirit will flow through whoever believes in mewhoever believes in me. John 7:38. John 7:38

We must inspire faith in the heart of the seeker.We must inspire faith in the heart of the seeker. Prayer – the Holy Ghost is given in response to Prayer – the Holy Ghost is given in response to

believers prayer. Earnestly seek God’s face. believers prayer. Earnestly seek God’s face.

Elements to Receiving

Obedience – Acts 5:32 Peter said God gives Obedience – Acts 5:32 Peter said God gives the Holy Spirit to “those who obey him”. the Holy Spirit to “those who obey him”.

The primary purpose for receiving the Holy The primary purpose for receiving the Holy Ghost is to receive power to witness. Acts Ghost is to receive power to witness. Acts 1:81:8

God is ready to empower those who are God is ready to empower those who are ready to obey His command to share the ready to obey His command to share the gospel with the lost. gospel with the lost.

Elements to Receiving

Yieldedness to God is vital to receiving. Yieldedness to God is vital to receiving. The seeker should be instructed to yield The seeker should be instructed to yield their entire being to the Lord. This includes their entire being to the Lord. This includes their whole mind, body and spirit. their whole mind, body and spirit.

It’s through yielding that the Holy Ghost It’s through yielding that the Holy Ghost can fill the person, take control of their can fill the person, take control of their vocal chords, and speak through them in vocal chords, and speak through them in other tongues. other tongues.

Ministering To Others

Working the altar is about feeling after the spirit on Working the altar is about feeling after the spirit on both sides: you seek for a leading while they seek both sides: you seek for a leading while they seek for an infilling. for an infilling.

What about those who claim to be born again? What about those who claim to be born again? Assure them that if they are born again God is Assure them that if they are born again God is ready to flow a river of living spiritual water ready to flow a river of living spiritual water through them that begins in the belly and comes out through them that begins in the belly and comes out of your mouth. John 7:38 That’s the Holy Ghost. of your mouth. John 7:38 That’s the Holy Ghost.

Remind them of the promises: everyone who asks Remind them of the promises: everyone who asks receives Luke 11:9-10receives Luke 11:9-10

What Not To Do

Speak in one ear while someone is speaking Speak in one ear while someone is speaking in the other. in the other.

Speak when it’s NOT the Holy Spirit giving Speak when it’s NOT the Holy Spirit giving you what to say. Leave flesh behind. you what to say. Leave flesh behind.

Block a minister who comes to pray.Block a minister who comes to pray. Shake their heads, yell in their ears, speak Shake their heads, yell in their ears, speak

in tongues in their ears to where they can’t in tongues in their ears to where they can’t hear their own thoughts. hear their own thoughts.

It Is God’s Altar

Be respectful of it. Be respectful of it. Be mindful of it. Be mindful of it. Be careful with it. Be careful with it. Be sensitive in it. Be sensitive in it. Souls are saved, healed and delivered here. Souls are saved, healed and delivered here.

The devil wants them to doubt. God wants The devil wants them to doubt. God wants them to believe. them to believe.

The Altar