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Intention

To call the Church back to holiness.

Scripture

“Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the Lord filled the house.”

“Suddenly a sound like that of a violent rushing wind came from heaven, and it filled the whole house where they were staying.”

“Don’t you yourselves know that you are God’s temple and that the Spirit of God lives in you?”

– 2 Chronicles 7:1; Acts 2:2; 1 Corinthians 3:16

Reflection

This month of prayer and fasting for sexual integrity is most needed in our nation and around the world.

I also strongly support the soon release of The Australian Sexual Integrity Creed. This is a wonderful initiative that I had the privilege of working on. Its importance in the light of upcoming elections cannot be overstated.

To understand the significance of sexual integrity and holiness, we must focus our attention on the Scriptures.

Around 3,000 years ago, King Solomon built God’s temple in Jerusalem. It was called “God’s house” (2 Chronicles 7:1).

On the day Solomon dedicated that house to God, we are told that he had hardly finished praying before the fire of God came down “and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices” (2 Chronicles 7:1).

God’s glory filled that house. His holy presence was so intense that “the priests could not enter into the house of the Lord, because the glory of the Lord had filled the Lord’s house” (2 Chronicles 7:2).

God chose His house and “set it apart to be holy” (2 Chronicles 7:16).

God’s holiness was vital to His temple. If Israel neglected holiness, God threatened He would “reject this Temple that I have made holy” (2 Chronicles 7:20 NLT).

Sadly, we know that Israel did not choose holiness. And God’s house was destroyed.

We now come to New Testament times. In Acts 2, Jesus has just been resurrected and ascended to Heaven. He had told His disciples to stay in Jerusalem until they received the promised Holy Spirit.

In Acts 2, we find a remarkable parallel to 2 Chronicles 7. God’s glory once again fills a house.

The Scripture tells us that on the day of Pentecost, “Suddenly a sound like that of a violent rushing wind came from heaven, and it filled the whole house where they were staying” (Acts 2:2).

The Holy Spirit is often connected with fire – a symbol of purity and holiness. He is the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:3–4 says, “They saw tongues like flames of fire that separated and rested on each one of them. Then they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them.”

Acts 2 teaches us that we are now in the Church age. It is a new era, a new dispensation.

But what does not change is the call to holiness. God’s command remains that His temple must be holy.

1 Corinthians 3:16 tells us that a people – the Church – is now God’s temple. It reads, “Don’t you yourselves know that you are God’s temple and that the Spirit of God lives in you?”

The question today is, What kind of temple are we?

I am utterly convinced that God is saying that the Church must come back to the place of holiness. There is a desperate need for the Church to cry out before the Lord to be holy once more.

As we saw in 2 Chronicles 7:20, God is serious about holiness in His temple since He said He would destroy that building. In 1 Corinthians 3:17, Paul similarly warns, “God will destroy anyone who destroys this temple. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.”

We are the holy temple of God.

It’s time for the Church to come back to holiness.

Video

Prayer

Heavenly Father,

We pray for Your Church to listen to Your call to holiness.

We are Your temple. We pray for the reformation and revival of the Church so that we are filled with Your holiness. May we be holy, as You are holy (1 Peter 1:16).

Purify Your Church in holiness.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen.

Author Bio

Pastor Peter Walker and his wife, Maria, have been involved in ministry for more than 35 years. Peter pastored Redfern Indigenous Church for 10 years and is the Founder of Australian Indigenous Christian Ministries. Pastor Peter is a descendant of the Bunjalung Indigenous Australian tribe and now resides in far north NSW.

Prayer Points and Purpose for October 2024

1. Revival and restoration of sexual integrity to renew the individual, revitalise marriages, restore families and protect children. Hebrews 13:4
2. Revival, repentance and reformation of Australia. 2 Chronicles 7:14
3. Revival, repentance and reformation of America. 2 Chronicles 7:14
4. The Lamb that was slain may receive a reward for His suffering. Revelation 5:12

We invite you to support this prayer campaign by ordering your FREE copy of Break Through: 15 Keys to Supernatural Breakthrough, a book on prayer written by Warwick Marsh. Reading this book will multiply the effectiveness of your prayers. You can make a donation to the Canberra Declaration to help pay it forward and bless someone else to receive a free copy of Break Through.

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Daily devotions are brought to you by the Canberra Declaration.

View October 2024 Daily Devotionals: dailydeclaration.org.au/tag/sexual-integrity-2024

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