Matthew 27:51

Matthew 27:51 “At that moment the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook, rocks split apart…”

I want to share a testimony of this verse which I believe will give insight to many problems within the lives of God’s people today.

I can remember living a life of spiritual discipline and sanctification. Like a Jew, I had consecrated myself to God, following a specific ritual to enter his holy presence. I didn’t realize it at the time, I thought I was “guarding” my relationship with God. I would not watch “worldly” music, movies, or games. I would pray, offering myself as a sacrifice to god and cleanse myself of all sin and any “worldly” influence.  When I surrendered it all, those were my sacrifices. I kept his presence behind a curtain because I was not worthy to enter it if I had not prepared myself. Deep within, I was afraid to lose his presence, afraid to not be fully prepared and be struck down dead spiritually, and afraid to experience sorrow in the process. I struggled with these things day by day until one day during a worship service, I read a specific verse which said

“You tore the veil, you made a way, when you said that it is done!”

In that moment, I realized that it was not my sacrifices of praise or the ritual cleansing of avoiding anything worldly that brought me into his presence. It was by the death, the blood, and life of Jesus Christ which tore the curtain of his presence and unleashed the holy spirit to all who believe in him. I was completely free from living that old life. I realized that I had made priestly garments for myself and tried to cleanse myself, but after that divine revelation, I had spiritually taken them off and chose to be clothed in humility and thankfulness. I could then freely say by the holy spirit living in me “Hallelujah!”