Worshipping in Flesh and in Lies

“The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet. Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth,” John 4:19-24, KJV

“The woman said to Him, Sir, I see and understand that You are a prophet. Our forefathers worshiped on this mountain, but you [Jews] say that Jerusalem is the place where it is necessary and proper to worship. Jesus said to her, Woman, believe Me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither [merely] in this mountain nor [merely] in Jerusalem. You [Samaritans] do not know what you are worshiping [you worship what you do not comprehend]. We do know what we are worshiping [we worship what we have knowledge of and understand], for [after all] salvation comes from [among] the Jews. A time will come, however, indeed it is already here, when the true (genuine) worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth (reality); for the Father is seeking just such people as these as His worshipers. God is a Spirit (a spiritual Being) and those who worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth (reality),” John 4:19-24, AMP

I’ve heard the story of the woman at the well many times, but it wasn’t until recently that I began meditating on the 24th verse of John 4. In the preceding verses, Jesus is having a conversation with this woman at the well explaining to her the living water (everlasting life) available that will cure all thirst—salvation. As He speaks to her, Jesus reveals the knowledge of the woman’s act of adultery. The woman immediately perceives Jesus as a prophet, but Jesus corrects and reveals to her that He is the Messiah.

In the passage mentioned above, I keyed in on verses 23 and 24—worshipping the Father in spirit and in truth. This was because I felt very strongly in my spirit God saying, “They are trying to worship me in flesh and in lies.” It is not enough to say that one believes in God and then live a life contrary to His word. God knows the truth and He requires us to worship Him that way. We are to exhibit the fruits of the Spirit, not the works of the flesh. And as hard as it is to write this, there are many in positions of leadership filled with carnality.

We cannot lie to God and we cannot worship Him in flesh. Many (and I have fallen into this category too in the past) have the audacity to ask God for all of the things we want, but unwilling to give Him the things that He requires. “23But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.” He seeks this, requests this, searches for this. I feel the Spirit saying that He doesn’t ask for much…that He gives much and He gives often, but when He makes a request He’s often shunned, ignored, or put on the back burner. Why is this? God wants only the best for us…His commands and rules are set in place to protect us because He knows the devil’s agenda is to steal, kill and destroy seeking whom he may devour. God is trying to protect us from the Father of Lies—the master deceiver. As many adopt the spirit of deception, they somehow think they can make this deception work on God. Be not deceived for God is not mocked.

“Do not be deceived and deluded and misled; God will not allow Himself to be sneered at (scorned, disdained, or mocked [a]by mere pretensions or professions, or by His precepts being set aside.) [He inevitably deludes himself who attempts to delude God.] For whatever a man sows, that and [b]that only is what he will reap,” Galatians 6:7, AMP.