Fall 1995
The Order of Operation in the Church
Seeley D Kinne

Where two or three are "gathered" together in the Name of Jesus, in the power of the Holy Spirit, He is present. Being "gathered together" is more than two or three being present. It has to do with a unity of spirit, our being one with the Lord.

While Jesus is in the midst, as the director of such a body of believers, whether large or small in number, His Church is in manifest operation.

The beginning of the operation of such a body is praise, worship, and adoration. The purpose of this praise and worship is to carry our attention beyond self and our surroundings, to Christ Jesus. Here, the state of rapport obtained lifts us into felt presence divine, bringing us into the Heavenlies with Christ. Wherever such order may be given by the Holy Spirit, it will be easy for us, and glorious to enter the realm of the Spirit.

While thus seated in His presence in the Heavenlies, the chorus may burst forth in spontaneous singing, or the Holy Spirit may engage the body of believers in prayer, as every heart seems to melt and flow out to God. An altar call may come forth by the Spirit in audible words, or by an inward movement that draws all present to seek God.

After experiencing such hallowed scenes, all love for the world with its earthly attachments and tendencies melts away, and one feels that Heaven is the only place for him. This is in harmony with the divine purpose of the Church, the maturing of the saints.

A body of Christians, who conduct their services without the direct leading and control of the Holy Spirit, can never come into the order of the Lord and the purposes which He seeks to accomplish, unless they first wait for the moving and direction of the Holy Spirit. If this is not done, they will accept the substitute of men's leadership.

There is within the Church, under the leadership of the Holy Spirit, an operation of divine government. This is the authority and power to control. It is not merely a once for all delegated authority, but a flow of the Holy Spirit into man, making him master of the situation, in the Spirit.

It has none of the elements of human willfulness, high-mindedness, independence, or self assertion, in its characteristics. These are disastrous elements in the Church.

Divine government is a protection gift. Its function is to watch over and guide the flock. Pastors must be under divine government themselves in order to control through God's divine government. Therefore, there can be no element of self therein, but pure love and justice. It holds all in order, and protects from confusion.

When we gather together in His Name, at first all may seem dry and natural, but as we offer the sacrifice of praise, the Holy Spirit will begin to move and lift the congregation into worship and into the moving of the Holy Spirit. As we approach this moving of the Holy Spirit with boldness of faith, yet with reverence and humility, we may confidently expect large liberty in the Lord.

In the beginning of gift operations, we are liable to mistakes. If a mistake is made, we are not to reject the gift, nor the person who made the mistake. Rather, we are to seek the mind of the Lord until the error is remedied. We have this treasure in <I>earthen<D> vessels. The excellency is of God; the frailty of us.

We have a tendency to run ahead of the Holy Spirit in our meetings. We must learn to be pliable and obedient. We should be willing to make mistakes, but watchful to correct them and ready to be corrected by others.

There is a great similarity between the workings of the flesh and those of the Spirit. It requires training and development, by reason of use, if we are to discriminate in things spiritual.

There is a veil which hangs between the heavenly and the earthly which was caused by the fall of man. Jesus pierced through that veil, and rent it in twain. He who will diligently seek the Lord and walk by the guidance of the Holy Spirit, may move into heavenly things.

We are mostly novices in these spiritual things, therefore it becomes us to be humble and teachable. We are fighting our way upward to where the Church originally moved in power and the places of their meetings were mightily shaken. But God is at the helm and will guide us safely.