You got to 'smell' right | Odour of Sanctity
We no longer offer incense on the Table of incense, but we become the incense.
Rev. Neville Johnson
Neville explains, "When you are walking in the fruits of the Spirit and giving off ‘the right smell’, demons cannot stay in your presence. The smell is death to them." It is this same ‘smell’ that is necessary to enter into the ‘Holy of Holies’ - to come into the manifest presence of the LORD.
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Our heart attitude gives off a certain 'smell' in the spirit realm. There is a certain smell and color associated with love, joy, peace... likewise with fear, anger, self-pity, resentment. Neville added, "They are very clear in the spirit realm. When people are angry, I could see a color, a sound and a smell coming out from the person. For people who are praising GOD, all kinds of colors come out from them.
When we praise the LORD, we shine with light and color. Every emotion that you have emanates from you a sound, a smell, light, color. That is the glory of GOD."
Also, every time when we make a sacrifice for GOD, it adds a smell [savour] on us. We read this in Philippians 4:18
A classic example of this manifestation can be seen in the life of St. Pio of Pietrelcina [1887-1968]. He bore the stigmata - the visible wound marks of JESUS - for fifty years, and instead of the smell of the wound odour, those who encountered this phenomenon testified to the scent of violets, lilies, roses, incense, and even fresh tobacco. This perfume is also referred to as 'odour of sanctity'.
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Some of the testimonies from those who experienced St. Pio's perfume:
Perfume during Mass:
Fra Modestino reported: “I was serving Padre Pio's Mass when I started smelling his perfume. It was so intense that I was about to faint, and mentally asked him to stop. The perfume stopped. Later I asked Padre Pio about it. "My son it's not me. It's the Lord. He decides who smells it, and when. Everything happens if and when He wants.
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Perfume after a telegram:
On October 1949, Maria Galiano was about to die from uterine adenocarcinoma. The daughter sent a telegram and 2 letters to Padre Pio. On April 29 1950 Maria smelled an intense perfume. It lasted for 2 days. On the third day, she felt healed. The doctors run some tests and found out that 'the tumor has completely disappeared.”
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Whenever anyone smells St. Pio's perfume, it is a sign that God bestowed some grace through the intercession of St. Pio. It always has a positive implication, as it testifies to his presence as an approval for something is going on, a warning of approaching danger, appeal against sin and temptation, message of comfort to a soul in distress, an answer to a cry for help, the announcement or the confirmation that he has heard our prayer or request.
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Footnotes
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Holy of Holies: refers to the back, innermost room of the Tabernacle of Moses and the temples that took the tabernacle's place, starting with Solomon's Temple. The Holy of Holies was a perfect cube, and contained the Ark of the Covenant. It is also referred to as "Most Holy Place" in some Bible translations.
The Holy of Holies was separated from the rest of the Tabernacle (and later the temple) by a large veil. The veil guarded the people from accessing the Ark of the Covenant and coming into the presence of GOD.
Because of JESUS' sacrifice on the cross, and His blood washed away our sins, we can now have a relationship with GOD. This is signified by the Temple veil torn in half at the moment He died on the cross.
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Spiritually, the Tabernacle of Moses reflects the different levels of our spiritual condition. To be able to access the highest level - which is the Holy of Holies - require an intimate fellowship with the LORD; to set ourselves apart for His purpose. Here, we will encounter the mysteries of GOD and His manifest presence.
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