Fit For Glory

The Cleansing That Made Room To Be Filled

❡In Process

Hi Friend, I am so thrilled you are here. This feels like a second cup. If you’ve read my recent post on TheOneThing1, “The Word & The Warfare,” these reflections flow from the same well. It took me a bit to write them.

They carry the inner movements of thought, the ramblings, the revelations, I’m still holding and still praying through as I write the chapters of my first book. I offer them as they are, unfiltered and unfolding. I wanted to gently say, this is the process, not the product.

I would ask you to pray before reading so that you hear what the Spirit is speaking to you. I welcome your gleanings and thank you in advance for reading.

❡Zeal, Authority, and the Greater Cleansing

It is no coincidence that, over the past few weeks, I have been led again and again to the account of the cleansing of the temple, especially in light of the upheaval of these recent weeks. I didn’t realize that I would see the Gospel unfold in this way, and I also didn’t know how beautifully this passage aligns with a portion of the book I am writing.

Interesting, the scene appears in all four Gospel narratives, though the timing differs between the synoptic gospels and John’s gospel account. There has been much debate about whether Jesus cleansed the temple once or twice. I simply love how the Spirit leaves room for both, which is an invitation to more of the Lord. Sometimes, things are left not for us to debate but to be drawn into His wonder and majesty. And instead of attempting to close the ranks in our thinking, we can open our hearts to the God who desires to fill them, while allowing the Spirit to expand them.

I recently was speaking to a friend, and the verse that came to mind was:

“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you.” John 16:12-14.

I simply want to say that Jesus is still speaking to His Bride through His word and the Spirit. He is still unveiling more of Himself to us, and may our desire be never to hinder, grieve, or quench the Spirit, but instead allow Him to move as He wills, having the fullest expression in every area of our lives.

So back to the temple cleansing…

John’s Gospel places the cleansing of the temple immediately after Jesus’ first sign, the turning of water into wine, which is deeply significant. While the Synoptic Gospels situate it after His triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Both placements are striking, neither accidental. I believe each carries intentional weight and meaning that invites prayerful attention and slow meditation. For now, I’m placing a pin here.

But the truth that confronts us is sobering.

Jesus entered the temple and drove out those who defiled it.

When I first began writing, I was focused on Jesus driving out those who defiled it. But, upon re-reading, I was halted at the fact that He entered the temple. This time, it was His direction. He is going in, and this time, He is preparing to make it a place where He will stay.

I pause to picture it.

I’ve never imagined a weak Jesus. What I mean is, even on the cross, I never envisioned Him as weak, though marred beyond comprehension, but never weak. This was a Man who worked with His hands, formed by years of labor beside His earthly father. Strength marked Him. Endurance shaped Him. In this moment especially, I don’t see fragility; I see resolve, zeal, and authority.

As I read the accounts, His passion is unmistakable and uncompromising. This is not passive righteousness but holiness in motion. He overturned tables. He confronted corruption. He disrupted what had replaced communion, and this, seen through the human lens, was towards a physical, temporary structure. But there is so much more.

John’s Gospel sets the tone most clearly. What was happening was never merely about a building of stone and mortar.

“…Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up…But He was speaking of the temple of His body.” John 3:19, 21.

I linger here. In this moment, Jesus is speaking of what He came to do, what He would do, and for us, what He did do.

Jesus is not merely confronting corruption in stone and courts—He is unveiling the greater reality to which the temple always pointed. His body would be broken for us and as us. In His death, He stands in our place; in His resurrection, He raised us up with Him, made alive in Him (Romans 6:4; Ephesians 2:5–6).

He would ascend and pour out His Spirit, not to dwell in a building made with hands, but to live within His people (Acts 2:33; 1 Corinthians 6:19).

Contemplate: He is the Head; we are His body. The union is so incredibly intimate. Such nearness is a wonder. I considered my own flesh, my hand does not reach unless instructed, and my feet do not step unless first led. Then an unveiling: We are designed to move as He thinks, even now.

“Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?” 1 Corinthians 3:16.

“If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple.” 1 Corinthians 3:17.

“Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own.” 1 Corinthians 6:19.

“Now you are the body of Christ, and individually members of it.”
1 Corinthians 12:27.

Jesus is pointing to the unleashing of His resurrection power, so that a far greater cleansing could take place—not the clearing of tables, but the purification of hearts and giving of the Spirit. We now have the honor, the pleasure of living in constant union with Him, as Him; that is, Him living in and through us.

“We have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” Hebrews 10:10.

And in Him, the true Temple comes into being:

“In whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit. Ephesians 2:21–22.

Yet, cleansing of the temple was never the end of the story. It was the beginning of a new eternal reality for you, for me.

God gave instructions for the first, yet it was corrupted by the hands of men.
A place intended for worship, prayer, and communion; reduced to profit, transaction, and exploitation.

Jesus Himself established the last.
His perfections laid the foundation.
His Person, hewing each living stone, fastening them securely into place.
His finished work is complete, irrevocable, and eternal.

A turn of events… As you know from my previous post, I’ve been walking through somethings. I was going to share this message directly after the first, but there was a pause. I wasn’t sure I was ready to release this word, whether I would be giving too much away about the book, but also because I needed to walk a little further in it myself.

I would love to know from those of you who have written a book or are in the process of writing one, whether this is your experience. It is almost as though you are walking in what the Lord laid upon your heart in real time. For me, the word that is constantly whispered:

“You are spirit, therefore walk in the Spirit.”

“You are spirit, therefore be led by the Spirit.”

“You are spirit, so pray in the Spirit.”

And the last one has been heavy on my heart. The aspect of communing with the Lord in prayer.

❡A House of Prayer and What Followed

Jesus declared, “My house shall be called a house of prayer.”

These words echoed four times in Scripture—and it is sweet to my taste, because it names the reality we now live in. It reveals who we are made to be.

Matthew records it this way:

“And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who sold and bought in the temple, and He overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. He said to them, ‘It is written, “My house shall be called a house of prayer,” but you make it a den of robbers.’” Matthew 21:12–13.

And then—look what follows:

“And the blind and the lame came to Him in the temple, and He healed them.” Matthew 21:14.

And it culminates here:

“Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies You have prepared praise.” Matthew 21:16.

My thoughts immediately turn toward the thoroughness of the work,
the efficacy of the cleansing—a temple not made with human hands.

How much more healing and wholeness flow from the finished work of Christ?

How much more prayer and praise should rise from the true Temple of the Living God?

How much more ground could be taken if there were no divisions, no fractions—only one new creation, governed by the Spirit, where the will of God moves unhindered?

What Jesus did was not a surface cleansing.

Not a temporary covering.

But a holiness so complete, so finished, so thorough that God Himself is pleased to dwell in it—not someday, but now. This nearness positions us in our divine purpose: worshipers who carry incense through lifted prayers and praise before Him.

This is our inheritance in Christ, the shared life of the Son, through which His authority is exercised in the earth: not by domination or effort, but through a people who abide in His presence and yield to His Spirit.

❡When the Thief Is Driven Out

Jesus evicted the thieves and robbers.

The Spirit was specific in choosing these words. Isn’t this exactly what the enemy does? “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy…” He robs humanity of the life God designed for them. This isn’t an exhaustive list, but some that I am well acquainted with:

Prayerlessness

Condemnation

Unbelief

Fear

Doubt

Shame

Guilt

Neglect of the Word

Compromise

Distraction

Thieves.

Comparison

Discouragement

Confusion

Mental fog

Overthinking

Sickness

Chronic tiredness

Weariness of soul

Anxiety

Stress

Burnout

Restlessness

Insomnia

Thieves.

Offense

Unforgiveness

Bitterness

People-pleasing

Fear of man

Isolation

Thieves.

Hurry

Hustle

Noise

Over-commitment

Misaligned priorities

Thieves.

I highlighted prayerlessness because it is so important. I don’t want to give too much away… I am hoping to leave plenty for the book, but I felt this word was too important to defer.

When you work as a nurse, you often pay less attention to the things that are happening to you while caring for others. And I want to say that, honestly, I thought I was putting on my own oxygen mask first, but I lost the plot and found myself in the emergency room (ER) recently. Anyhew, hew…

Here I am in the ER, pokes, vials, IVs, tests, EKG, chest x-rays, and the diagnosis is: Dehydration. God is so good to reveal a word in the midst of the situation; He wouldn’t let this detour go without a word:

“This is what it is like when my people fail to pray.”

Some symptoms of dehydration include thirst, dry mouth, feeling sluggish, headaches, dizziness, confusion, irritability, rapid heartbeat, rapid breathing, constipation, low blood pressure, decreased urine output, and, if left untreated, shock. If this happens when the physical body is without water, what happens when we are without the Fountain flowing in us?

Prayer is what the body of Christ is designed to do. It is the simplest act of dependence, and it gives God great glory when we turn to Him. It honors Him as the Source and gives worship to His character. It is also our inheritance and a divine privilege, and when we don’t function in this capacity… thieves like tiny foxes come in, and we experience dehydration of the soul.

This will be expounded in the book. For now…

See Jesus evicting them.

“I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” John 10:10.

This does not promise a life untouched by pain or suffering, but it does secure our access to heaven’s provision, Jesus, in the midst of them.

It means we carry divine receipts, the witness of the Spirit, the testimony of Jesus, and we apply the blood of Jesus by faith when earthly facts do not yet align with our heavenly reality.

Jesus cleansed the temple, wasn’t for Himself, but for us.

He gave His body and His blood so that no thief, no robber, no voice of accusation or condemnation could ever steal what He purchased.

How much power do we give to the enemy because we lack understanding, and in many cases, have yet to believe the totality of Christ’s sacrifice?

The Bible says, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me; Because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.” Hosea‬ ‭4‬:‭6‬.

Oh there is so much I want to say about this verse… here are a couple nuggets that will hopefully make it into my book…

If people are destroyed for lack of knowledge, how much more for lack of revelation? The whisper of Jesus’ word… take heed how you hear…. do we come with a heart ready to receive or a take-it-or-leave-it kind of heart? Just thinking out loud… The soil of good ground was that which hears the word and understands it.

And in context for this passage, what was the Law in the Old Testament is now the law of the Spirit of life written on the hearts of the children of God.

So what are the consequences of not receiving the moment-by-moment Wisdom, Truth, and Guidance?

The election of priest in the Bible primarily is to minister to God; it is the prophet who gives word to the people. In the Old Testament, the priesthood is sacred and limited to the Levites. But, we have become a kingdom of priests to our God… One of our primary functions is prayer.

I ask myself…

Do we realize what Jesus has done?

Do we understand Who we have been uniquely fitted for?

Because when we don't, we are kind of left exposed. What I mean is we have access to a heavenly arsenal and provision, but fail to use them.

Jesus evicted the robbers and thieves, and didn’t leave the temple vacant; He filled it with Himself, His Spirit.

When Moses was challenged to guide the nation of Israel out of Egypt and was met by the Red Sea, the Lord told Him:

“And the Lord said to Moses, “Why do you cry to Me? Tell the children of Israel to go forward. But lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it. And the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea.”Exodus‬ ‭14‬:‭15‬-‭16.

How much more for us who have the Spirit?

Two verses I have been led to saunter in…

“So shall they fear The name of the Lord from the west, And His glory from the rising of the sun; When the enemy comes in like a flood, The Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him.” Isaiah‬ ‭59‬:‭19‬.

“And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—” Ephesians‬ ‭6‬:‭17‬-‭18‬.

I highlighted the words that continue to stay with me, and one of the gleanings is that the Spirit is the sword using the word of God, not simply the written word, but also the revelation of the Word. It is interesting that the emphasis in Ephesians 6:18 is on prayer, the capstone of this powerful passage.

❡The Glory Has Returned — Glory Restored

What Jesus accomplished was not moral improvement, but divine completion.

Not behavior modification, but total reconciliation and transformation.

The Spirit does not move into compromised space—He claims it by virtue of Christ’s finished work.

This does not mean we never sin. Rather, when we do, it is often because we have forgotten what Jesus has already done. We attempt to manage life in our own strength instead of yielding to the Spirit who dwells within us. We rush to resolve what feels urgent, forgetting that one moment in His presence can reset everything. Because “God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.” Psalm 46:1. He is here, living, breathing in us.

Getting to know Jesus for ourselves—lingering in what He has accomplished, to remain in it, to return again and again—not in fear or striving, but in trust. Letting His presence do the work we were never meant to carry.

Beloved, the Spirit’s indwelling is the evidence that Christ’s work was not partial, provisional, or symbolic—but perfect.

We do not walk perfectly, but the One who dwells within us is perfect. And as we grow in the knowledge of Him, surrendering more fully, His life is increasingly expressed through us.

Those rooted in the Tree of Life bear the very same life—effortlessly—because it is grace; it is Him. It has always been Him.

This is why I love You, Lord, why my affections are drawn toward You. There is such a perfect rest found in Your presence.

The cross did not merely make us forgivable—it made us fit.

The blood of Jesus not only cleansed the record; it prepared a dwelling place.

“Christ in you” is a staggering truth, a breathtaking reality.

That the Holy One would choose to abide in us is not a testament to our discipline, but to the sufficiency of Christ’s sacrifice. The Spirit’s presence is not a reward for progress—it is the proof of completion.

Sanctification, then, is simply the outworking of what Christ has already done. Our outer lives align with the inward reality—Christ in us.

Oh, how truth renews the mind, satisfies the soul, and washes away the dust of the old. This is grace at work—the holy reset of the Gospel.

As I lingered with these truths—married to Another, filled with the Spirit, kept by grace—I sensed I was not merely reflecting on a moment, but touching the heartbeat of what the Lord has been quietly stirring within me. Drawing me back to the page and the pen. Inviting me deeper.

❡The Latter Glory Now Revealed

The saints of old looked forward to our day—the day when the Spirit of the Living God, the glory of the Lord, would return to His dwelling place.

If you’ve ever read Ezekiel and felt that ache as the glory departed the Temple, you know this: God never desired to leave. His lingering, hovering, gradual withdrawal reveals the heart of a God reluctant to depart from the place He loved.

Before Christ, the Spirit would come upon God’s people for a moment, a task, a season—and then withdraw. But now, everything has changed, and it is absolutely astonishing.

“The Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.” John 14:17.

In Christ, the longing of the ages has been fulfilled. A new creation has emerged, bearing the DNA of God, renewed in mind, governed by Christ, and animated by the Spirit.

The Temple not made with human hands isn’t coming; it has arrived.

Formed by God.

Filled with God.

Empowered by His presence.

He no longer merely visits; He abides.

I can’t help but consider the words from the prophet Haggai 2:

“…Be strong… Work, for I am with you,” declares the LORD of hosts.” v:4

These words were never merely given to Zerubbabel, Joshua, or the saints of old. It was a summons echoing across generations, spoken to a people standing between former glory and future fulfillment. People like us collaborating with the Lord amid shaking. God’s presence was not lost; it was only waiting to be revealed more fully “…And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:20.

“My Spirit remains in your midst. Fear not.” v:5

The glory that once departed would return, but not to be housed in stone and gold alone. “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever.” John 14:16.

“The latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former, says the Lord of hosts. And in this place I will give peace, declares the Lord of hosts.” v:9

The Lord promised a greater glory, one not measured by rules, rigid structure, or tradition, but by indwelling presence. “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.” 2 Corinthians 3:18.

Beloved, the latter temple is now being unveiled.

They worked to build a physical temple, a shadow of what was to come…

We rest in the reality of the True Temple, bearing the name and fruit of God.

The glory has returned (Isaiah 60:1), glory is being restored (Isaiah 60:2).

And the Rivers of Living Water are flowing through His people.

“And it shall be that every living thing that moves, wherever the rivers go, will live. There will be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters go there; for they will be healed, and everything will live wherever the river goes.” Ezekiel 47:9.

What an invitation.

What a reality.

This is the mystery and the miracle: wherever His people go, life flows because He lives. Not because we are impressive or eloquent, but because Life has made His home in us.

Questions to Ponder:

In what ways might the lack of understanding the finished work of Christ leave the temple vulnerable, not because His work is insufficient, but because our faith has not yet learned to rest in what has already been secured?

How would your experience of prayer, inward freedom, and kingdom authority be transformed if we truly believed that the glory has not merely returned to visit but has chosen to abide in us?

Since we are now the temple of the Living God, cleansed, indwelt, and joined to Christ, how might your understanding of spiritual authority deepen if you truly believed in all that Christ is—is not merely to be accessed from time to time, but to exist as a continual flow through you?

Since Jesus has cleansed the sanctuary restoring it to the original purpose of prayer and praise, consider what we forfeit, individually and corporately, when sacred communion is neglected and the temple grows quiet where it was meant to resound with intercession; what is lost in us, and among us, when prayer is silenced and praise no longer fills the place Jesus purified for communion?

Let’s pray.

Abba Father,

Thank You for making us a house of prayer where You dwell. We repent of neglecting this divine privilege and, today, return in humility to the rest and the refreshing of our Lord Jesus. May our prayers ascend as incense before Your throne, and Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Lord Jesus,

It is by Your blood that we have been brought near, so near that we are one with You. Thank You for interceding on our behalf, and in this moment, let our hearts, minds, and voices join in the intercession not only for ourselves but for the saints and those who have yet to come to salvation.

Holy Spirit,

We yield to You and allow our tongues to be anointed. Speak through us the words of grace and the will of Almighty God. May the words You pray through us, consecrate us, allowing us to reflect Christ Jesus. Help us to persevere in prayer so that our words carry the glory and power of God, being salt and light, touching those in our sphere of influence.

All this we pray in Jesus’ Name,

Amen.

Thank you for hanging in till the end, my friend. God bless you!