TITLE: SHIFTING THE ATMOSPHERE
SCRIPTURE: II CHRONICLES 5:13-14
It was around the end of last year that a few great songs hit the airwaves and are still very popular and being sung in many of our churches. There is one in particular that I am sure most if not all of us have listened to and enjoyed. The song is entitled Shifting the Atmosphere– it was written and performed by a Senior Pastor by the name of PASTOR JASON NELSON, the proud pastor of GREATER BETHLEHEM TEMPLE. The success he has experienced with this his second album has not changed his focus. When asked about how he came up with the song he really impressed me by stating – “MUSIC FROM A BIBLICAL CONTEXT HAS ALWAYS BEEN USED TO CHANGE THE DYNAMICS OF AN ATMOSPHERE.”
• Such a refreshing statement in light of some of the songs out there today
• Many songs in the Gospel genre have nothing to do with the Gospel at all
• Too many cross-over songs
• When we really sing about the Gospel, the World cannot handle it
• Bible says the Carnal Mind is Enmity with God
• Pastor Nelson extracted events from the Bible
• That’s why it touches us the way it does
I want to spend a few minutes this morning examining this thought Shifting the Atmosphere. Almost two weeks ago, Oklahoma tragically suffered Six (6) deaths in WOODWARD, OK when a devastating Tornado swept through that small town. The subsequent ELECTRICAL Storm and Window Shacking THUNDER kept many of us up overnight, too nervous to go to sleep. TORNADO SIRENS went off in the middle of the night locally, and that is never a good sign.
It was sixteen (16) years ago that we relocated from New Jersey to Oklahoma. We are now officially considered OKIES. I recall how nervous we used to become when we first moved to this state. We don’t have Tornados in NJ. But after 16 years, we no longer are as nervous as we used to be. It is not that we are no longer cautious or don’t pay proper attention to the weather casters, it is quite the opposite.
• Forecasters are able to predict these wall clouds days in advance
• Forecasters can tell us exactly where the Tornados are forming
• Forecasters can tell us exactly what streets the Tornados are moving
• We have learned how to become Weather Aware
• We did not understand that 16 years ago
• Tornados were 100 miles away moving in opposite direction and we used to run and hide take Tornado Precautions back then
Weather Forecasters are able to track the JET STREAM and based upon that are able to determine what movement will happen in the ATMOSPHERE causing ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE at the Earth's surface - that’s one of the keys to weather, which is one reason weather maps feature H's and L's, representing areas of HIGH and LOW air pressure. High and low pressure areas are important because they affect the weather.
• What happens in the atmosphere
• Although we cannot see or feel it
• Affects our weather conditions
• Based upon the highs and lows of the Atmosphere
• Causes a Shift in our Weather
There is always one thing that causes a shift in our Weather Pattern - it is dependent upon what is taking place in the Atmosphere. Atmosphere speaks of a PERVADING or SURROUNDING INFLUENCE or SPIRIT. We can apply that same principle in our effort to understand the importance of Shifting the Atmosphere.
• Atmosphere for us can be our general environment or mood or even a spirit
• Maybe even our own spirit
• Not only do we deal with atmospheric changes directly affecting the weather and our individual lives
• But the atmosphere we create also has a direct affect on the life and movement of the church
This is why we can experience such dramatic changes or differences in various worship opportunities in the sanctuary. Some particular Sundays and Wednesdays the Spirit of God is flowing so heavy that we can’t help but to SHOUT – JUMP – DANCE. Other Sunday’s and Wednesdays it is somewhat Quite and even difficult to get into the Worship experience. Not only here but it happens all over the land until we learn the importance of Shifting the Atmosphere.
There must be no spiritual hindrances. This sets the Atmosphere for the Heavens being Opened.
• We all have seasons when we are pressed on every side
• When darkness seems to abound, and the heavens seem as brass
• Sometimes we let our circumstances dictate our mood
• When we come to church we are coming to worship
• But if we let our problems and the situations that we are dealing with, hinder our spirit - then there is no true worship
• No Shifting the Atmosphere – No Windows of Heaven being opened unto us
Read Vs. 13-14 (Again). We need to learn to come to church with one thing on our minds, Worship. We need to learn to give our cares to the Lord and let Him fight our battles for us. Hard to Worship if we are fighting Battles mentally and physically. We shouldn’t allow anything to hinder us in our worship and thanksgiving. This is why we have heard some say I came to church today with a HEADACHE – BACKACHE – ACHES AND PAINS - NOT FEELING WELL – but as they began to Worship, Headache, Backache, Pains disappeared. Before we come to this house on any given day, we should cast off every care, every worry, and anything that might come between us and our worship. By pressing their way to church in the midst of their body hurting you were casting it off, that worship might start Shifting the Atmosphere.
• We need to come without Anger, or Resentment
• We need to come without any Fear or Entanglement
• We need to come without any Bitterness or Envy
• We need to come without any Hang-ups or Gossip
• We need to come without any concern, except for the things that concern our great and mighty God
No business as usual services - There must be an atmosphere of unified Expectancy. Every time the doors open it should be a cant’ miss opportunity. We should be coming together with excitement, and believing for great things to happen. Think for just a moment - what did you come expecting this morning?
• Did you come expecting the Lord to Show Up!
• Did you come expecting God to Move on Your Behalf
• Did you come expecting to Feel the Presence of the Lord in this Place
• Did you come expecting God to Deliver your Lost Loved Ones
• Did you come expecting God to Reveal Himself to You
• Did you come expecting God to Speak to Your Condition
• Did you come expecting God to Deliver and Set Free
We need to come to church every time the doors are open expecting Jesus to show up in our midst. The text says as the people praised God – the house was filled with a cloud. They entered in with the Spirit of Worship and expected God to Show Up.
• They did not come in to follow the Morning Bulletin
• They did not come in with all these local announcements
• Forget about a meeting Itinerary, or a program
• We should be looking forward to the Holy Ghost taking charge of each and every service
• We should be looking forward to the Holy Ghost having His way
• We should be expecting the Lord of Glory to fill this place with His presence each and every time we gather together to lift Him up and glorify His mighty name
• We need to set the Atmosphere for the Supernatural to take place
• Come expecting and come with the right attitude
• The Lord responds to our Faith
• Our Prayers don’t move God – Our Faith Does
• Our Music doesn’t move God – Our Faith Does
• Our Praise Dancing doesn’t move God – Our Faith Does
• Our Praise and Worship Team doesn’t move God – Our Faith Does
• Our Wonderfully Articulated Sermons dong move God – Our Faith Does
There is a SUPERNATURAL ELEMENT THAT IS SET INTO MOTION when we in Faith expect something extraordinary to happen. GOD WILL RESPOND TO A PEOPLE WHO BELIEVE THAT HE IS, AND THAT HE IS A REWARDER OF THOSE THAT DILIGENTLY SEEK HIM. When we direct our faith toward God he will surprise you. When we enter with NO LIMITATIONS we set the ATMOSPHERE IN MOTION. God showed up in the text because the people and the musicians were “AS ONE.” God moves when our focus is on Him alone.
• Rahab was a woman of the night - yet she is listed in Hebrews 11- Hall of Faith
• Paul was vicious in his persecution of the church
• David committed murder and adultery
• Mary Magdalene was filled with demons
• Gideon was a coward
• We must remember there is no limit to what God can do with a life committed to Him
• He is not a “respecter of persons” what He’ll do for you or me - He’ll do for anyone
• We need to know that
• We need to believe that
• We need to embrace that
• We need to teach that to everyone that walks through those doors of this Church
In our text the people in the Sanctuary began to PRAISE GOD AND LIFT HIS NAME. They were determined to be an EFFECTIVE CHURCH FAMILY. That takes much EFFORT – TEACHING – TRAINING.
• Less than 25% of people in many churches faithfully support their church with tithes and offerings on a consistent basis
• Fewer than 25% serves the church with their time and talents!
• The church serves a multi-fold purpose, not only are we to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ, but the church is here to help people
• In order for the church to help people, the church has to have the recourses to do so
• Money is just one thing
• Your time and talents go a long way in ministering to those who may be sick and need someone to come in to cook for them, or help clean up a little bit
• We as a church need to learn to voluntarily give the recourses that the Lord gives us
• Our Money
• Our Time
• Our Talents
• Our Abilities
• And our Love for our fellow man
• The church was established to be a blessing to those who have need of what we have to offer
If we are to experience Shifting the Atmosphere we must establish An ATMOSPHERE OF COMMUNICATION WHERE THE VOICE OF GOD CAN BE HEARD CLEARLY. It is sad but true, we have a lot of churches without ever hearing from God at all. Hear from everybody else but the Lord. Many churches cannot distinguish between the voice of the Lord and the voice of the Adversary.
• The reality is that there is a fresh out pouring of his spirit today
• He is speaking to those who have an ear to hear what He is saying
• Have we grown so confident that we don’t need to hear from the Lord in our time?
• Have we gotten to be so good that we have no need for His Wisdom and Grace?
• Have we become so righteous that we have no need to hear from the creator of the universe?
• Have we reached a place in our culture that God only needs to speak to Those People?
• We need to hear the voice of the Lord!
• We need to cry out for a word from our Almighty God!
• We need to develop a hunger and a desire
• We need to yearn for a visitation
• We should be seeking Him in every crack and crevice
• We should seek Him in every corner, nook and cranny of our lives!
• We should seek communion with Him every day in every way
• We should mourn when we are not in that place of Shifting the Atmosphere
We must also my brothers and sisters set an atmosphere of vision. An atmosphere where people can see the invisible and do the impossible. ST. LUKE 18:27 “AND HE SAID, THE THINGS WHICH ARE IMPOSSIBLE WITH MEN ARE POSSIBLE WITH GOD.” Jesus, in His earthly ministry did many mighty and wonderful things:
• He healed the sick
• He made the blind to see
• He caused the deaf to hear
• He made the lame to walk
• He turned water into wine
• He fed 5000 people with only 5 loaves of bread and 2 fishes.
• He walked on water
• He spoke to the winds and they behaved
• He even raised the dead
What do you see when you look at the church? Do we see and understand the Vision for the Church. Is every ministry operating to support the Vision of the Church? Or do we come in and see all the imperfections?
• God see’s a people that He has empowered through the gift of the Holy Ghost
• God see’s a people that he is expecting to do many great and mighty things in the name of the Lord
• God see’s a people that he is expecting will carry out the Great Commission, and operate in the Gifts of the Spirit in an effort to win the lost and make believers out of them who do not believe
• We need to see what God see’s
• We need to have the same vision for the church that God has
If Shifting the Atmosphere is to take place in this worship experience and those to follow then we must get a grasp that VISION IS THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT DIMENSION OF A SUCCESSFUL MINISTRY. We must set the ATMOSPHERE OF WORSHIP:
• An atmosphere where the spirit of God is released in its fullness
• We have to get to a place in our worship where there is a heartfelt adoration towards God
• When we come into His house we should feel
• A sense of Reverence
• A sense of Awe
• A sense of Power
• A sense of Love
• We should have a strong sense of urgency to praise Him
• To Lift Him Up
• To Exalt Him
• To Shout out our Praise for who He is
• To Shout out expressions of Thanksgiving for what He has done
• To give Him Glory
• To Give Him Honor
• To Magnify His Name above all created things
• We should leave everything else outside the doors of this church and reach out to Him
When the musicians and the people were as one and began to praise and lift up the name of the Lord A SHIFTING OF THE ATMOSPHERE TOOK PLACE.
• Something began to move in the heavens
• Something began to move in the Atmosphere
• Something began to move above what the Congregation was able to see
• There was some Atmospheric Pressure
• Just like the Jet Stream Pushes the Cold Air out of the Way
• The Praises of God’s people began to move the Jet Stream
• The Coldness of the Church lifts and the Heat of our Praise
• Shifting the Atmosphere
• Cloud filled the Sanctuary
• The Preachers could not even Preach
• Heaviness of the Presence of the Lord filled the Church
-- Shifting the Atmosphere
--We must learn the importance of Shifting the Atmosphere
--When this happens things change in our Lives
--When this happens things change in our Circumstance
--When this happens things change in our Environment
--When this happens things change in our Outlook
--When this happens the Impossible becomes Possible
--When this happens God is able to step in and turn things around
--When we Praise Him we can Feel Shifting Taking Place
--Every time I Pray – I expect a Shift
--Every time I Teach – I expect a Shift
--Every time I Preach – I expect a Shift
-- Shifting the Atmosphere
