These words of Jesus are of immense importance and contain a profound prophetic truth of what is going to be the outcome of His wonderful accomplishments on The Cross and His Resurrection and Ascension and the giving and pouring out of The holy Spirit upon all Flesh.

Up until this time all worship has been to the best of man's ability, and (as we read in Paul's letter to the Hebrew believers) "stood only in meats and drinks and  divers washings and carnal ordinances imposed on them until the time of reformation" [Hebrews 9:10.] 

                                                                          "The Time of Reformation."

This reformation has taken place on earth and  in Heaven when Christ "finished" His work on the Cross and was buried and Ascended to the Throne on High. It also takes place in the Heart of every one who stands under the shadow of The Cross and looks to Jesus by Faith to receive forgiveness and Salvation from sin and destruction. On that basis and that basis alone, he receives the Holy Spirit, to "seal"  him to The Son and The Father and indwell him forever. Such is born again and by the Spirit is Baptised into the body of Christ in a living relationship with every member of The Body of Christ,  and with Christ as "Head over all things to The Church which is His Body the fullness of Him that filleth all in all" [Ephesians Ephesians 1:22-23.]

What a wonderful reformation this eventually proves to be in time, through many dealings of the Lord. Now there is being accomplished what The Father seeks in worship and that is worship in spirit and in truth. The believer has now been made alive in his "spirit", has been "born again" spiritually and such worship is reality and according to "truth", if he is walking in fellowship with The Lord, or as put in scripture, making his walk a... "walk in The Spirit" [Galatians 5:25.] which produces worshiping The Father "in  spirit and in truth".

                           Paul gives the greatest definition of Worship in spirit and in Truth.

Paul spoke much about Rejoicing, "rejoice in The Lord alway and again I say Rejoice!" [Philippians4:4.] "Rejoice evermore." [1 Thessalonians 5:16.] and here he unfolds to the Philippian believers that the true essence of worship is the beautiful Spirit imparted Rejoicing in Christ Jesus.The Prophet Habakkuk, under the inspiration of The Spirit of God says "Although the fig tree does not blossom, neither shall fruit be on the vine.....and no herd in the stalls; yet will I rejoice in The Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation." [Habakkuk 3:17-18.]

                  How does Rejoicing in Christ Jesus mean Worshipping God in The Spirit???

A person can "worship" a thing or a person or an experience, IE;

• Entertainer- (Australian Idol!)
• Wife,Children, husband.
• Money, car, house,posessions,  etc.
• Sport or Physical activity.

When within the context of this love and adoration, there is communication or experience or contact and relating of that person or thing there is "rejoicing", happiness and contentment and such is this "Rejoicing in Christ Jesus"  which is true worship of God because ALL the Fullness of God is only revealed in Christ, as The Word says "Beware lest any man spoil you through Philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the World and not after Christ. For in Him dwells ALL The Fullness of the Godhead bodily and Ye are complete in HIM."  [Colossians 2:8-9.] If  Christ is the full expression of The Father and there is rejoicing in Christ and love and appreciation of all that is "In Him" then that is truly receiving The Father and truly loving and appreciating and worshiping Him as Jesus said "he that receiveth me receiveth Him that sent me" [John 13:20.] So conversely if a person has minimal appreciation of Christ then their worship of The father is going to lack and be faulty because they are downgrading the very communication and revelation of The Father's person and character in Christ - There is a fullness and Glory of God's person manifest in Christ that cannot be appreciated in the breathtaking view of the Grand Canyon or any other natural beauty. ALL the Beauty and glory of The Father's Person is Revealed in Christ, and that's why when we fall down before Jesus and say as Thomas did "My Lord  and my God" we are truly worshiping, loving and appreciating all that our Heavenly  Father is.

Circumcision: It is fairly clear that Paul in Philippians 3:3 is talking not about a physical circumcision because he includes himself in the term "we are" with the Philippian believers which were Gentiles and outside any tradition and culture of circumcision. He then goes on to declare that such circumcision (as he says in another place) "is of the heart in the spirit" [Romans 2:29.] which brings forth True Worship based upon the revelation of The Spirit, opening up to a believer "The Unsearchable riches of Christ" causing the heart to marvel at such "Amazing Grace" and to.....

This Rejoicing in Christ, has nothing to do with the flesh as said elsewhere "though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet henceforth know we Him no more, therefore if any man be in Christ he is a new creature, old things are passed away and behold all things are become new" [2 Corinthians 5:17.]  Such knowing The Lord produces a contrasting knowledge of His Beauty and loveliness compared to our beggarly weakness, vanity and emptiness, causing us to exclaim as Job did, "... But now mine eye seeth Thee, wherefore I abhor myself and repent  in dust and ashes." How much we (the Church) need to see His Glory and that revelation of His Glory promoting in us ZERO confidence in the flesh. Which means no confidence in any outward works of self. His inward work produces an outward work, in The power of the Spirit. 

O what wonders can flood the soul in this Great and Mighty work of the Spirit, creating such thankfulness and praise "in the spirit" that will last for eternity - Peter in speaking of The Preciousness of Christ says, "But Ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood that ye should show forth the Praises of Him who hath called us out of darkness into His Marvellous light" [1 Peter 2:9.]

The reason why the believer comes to this "Rejoice in Christ Jesus" and  that rejoicing being  "In the spirit" and according to truth is because it is wrought by The Spirit!

Jesus said in clear and wonderful words "When He, The Spirit of Truth is come, He will not speak of Himself ....... He shall GLORIFY ME.....He shall take of Mine and shall shew it unto you" [John16:13-15.] Christ is The "Brightness" of God's Glory and "the express Image of His person..." [Hebrews 1:3.]

As Watchman Nee has said "The Son was sent to reveal the Father and the Spirit is sent to reveal The Son." Philip expressed this desire to see The Father when he said to Jesus "Shew us The Father and it sufficeth us, Jesus saith unto him, have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen The Father; and how sayest thou then, shew us The Father? [John 14:8-9.] This very important truth is again expressed in The Lord's words "All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth The Son, but The Father; neither knoweth any man The Father, save The Son and  he to whomsoever The Son will reveal Him" [Matthew 11:27.] So if the only revelation of The Father's fullness is found in The Son and The Son has ascended to the Father, we then need a third person with whom can be found the revelation of the glories and fullness of Christ in whom is revealed The fullness of The Father and this person is The Holy Spirit, whom Jesus said He would send in order  that across the whole globe to every believer there can come the wonderful revelation of the greatness of all that Christ is and has done and of all the Glories that are yet to be revealed through Him now and throughout eternity.

The more we are "led of the Spirit"  the more we will be led into this "rejoice in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh" knowing more and more that "Christ is all" as Paul said to the Colossian believers. [Colossians 3:11.] Also in another place Paul declares Jesus to be ALL to him - "for to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain" [Philippians 1:21.]

The renowned Australian  Evangelist - John G Ridley Penned beautiful truths in his book "Passion for Christ" outlining that knowing  Christ is the Highest calling of the Christian and in that thrill of knowing Him there is an automatic apprehending as the apostle Paul said  "...of that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus" [Philippians3:13.]

The following is one of John G Ridley's Precious poems.

The Lord keep us all "looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith" [Hebrews 12:2.] producing in us this springboard of Worship "in spirit and in Truth" [John 4:24.]

God Bless you much in this great pursuit to know Him more.