God's Gifts Keep Giving

In my last post I shared about my yearly weekend quest for renewal with God.  When I’ve gone in the past, I’ve known why, but this time I didn’t. I had my yearly plans for the school year done, so that wasn’t burdening my mind much so I was free to find out what God had for me next.

By the time I got home Sunday, I realized I’d gained something overwhelming and addicting.  God and I were still celebrating something. I had a new freedom in my heart. I was a faithful person before, but I’d prayed for freedom and for a greater love to fill my heart. The biggest change came from my experiencing the love of God anew. The peace that now hovered around me and filled me was like the fragrance of flowers blowing in the fresh air of a spring day. My burdens were all left behind and a zeal for God consumed me. This was not a burdensome zeal, like when I’ve felt drawn to fast and pray for something, but a zealous joy and desire to evangelize.

Something was upgraded in my walk with God and it definitely felt different. I wondered what I would have to do with it.

A few weeks ago God had compelled me to read Acts in one sitting. My reading came back to me. In Acts, the apostles waited for the Holy Spirit to come upon them before they went out. They prayed each time for the Spirit before they did God’s work. Who would want to go out without the presence of God anyway, especially in those times? My new understanding was a “why” they went out after that. They couldn’t help it!

Reinhardt Bonnke, an evangelist, had said in a recent conference that we need to preach and pray, preach and pray, meaning we needed to pray, go out and tell someone, then repeat the process.  Yes! I thought. If I don’t reach someone with this message, it will explode with it in me. It’s not something I can keep inside. There is no tract or script that could give the new peace, love and boldness I felt resting with me and driving me.  It had to be poured out. I began to understand the equipping power of God in a new way and what the term baptism in the sprit in the life of the believer.

Monday morning I was up early and excited to talk with God some more. I had coffee, soaked in his presence and the kids came and went around me. I think they ate some cereal, I didn’t notice, but no one was complaining or starving. A new understanding had come to me about the verse “The joy of the Lord is your strength.” It wasn’t my joy in the Lord, it was the Lord’s joy that was my strength. He had poured joy into me and it was giving me a strength and boldness I had not had in a while. Each season of growth in my walk with God has brought something new, but this was different. I was high on God and ready for anything and anybody. I prayed for God to bring me whoever I was to reach today. He worked fast to catch the moment.

While basking in the joy the doorbell rang. I ran to the door. A beautiful young woman and her six-year-old daughter had come to encourage me to read my Bible. It was like a birthday gift. “Come in!” I welcomed them, trying not to laugh at this miracle and thus scare them away.  “I could not be happier to see you today!” I welcomed them in to my living room and sat on a stool near the chair where they sat.

“We are just out today encouraging people to read their Bible,” she began.

 “Wonderful,” I smiled. “You’ve come to the right place, “I’ve been reading since I got up and praying and I’d love to talk to you. Don’t you just love how God sometimes just shouts to you through the Word when he wants to get our attention.” It was hard not to just hug her, but the Holy Sprit and I just sat on the ottoman waiting for what He would do. I sat and smiled while she said a bit more. 

After I talked to her little girl for a few minutes about how exciting it was to know that Jesus loves us more than we can imagine, I asked her how old she was.

“Six,” she beamed.

 “Do you like to pray?” I asked the little girl. “Praying is when the Holy Spirit speaks to us and we agree with God for change on the earth. We get to talk to God himself! It is so fun.”  See smiled more and seemed to agree, or at least want to.

In the past, I had kept information ready to share with Witnesses when they arrive, and had talked about the alterations in their Bible versus my Bible. I had no desire to do that now. What I did do is this, “You know, I just feel led to pray for you. Would you mind if I did that?”

“No, that would be great,” she answered, caught by surprise.

 After chatting a few moments I put my hands on them and prayed. I can’t remember all that I prayed; there was no strategy. I just prayed the love of God onto them, things I can’t remember now, and for them to be free to follow God alone – always- rather than the voice of men. The meeting ended well. They asked if they could come back. “Of course!” I cried. The little girl said, “Maybe when I come back we could play and have some fun with toys or something?”

“I would love that,” I said. 

Who knows what went on in their minds, but it was the simplest Jehovah Witness visit I’ve ever had. Jehovah’s Witnesses aren’t allowed to take any handouts or information from you when they come. They have a fear of “false teaching.” Only God knew what they needed that day, so I was happy He took over. It was so simple to overwhelm them with love then lay hands on them and pray while the Holy Spirit himself is in the room.  When we rely on our own minds, fear cripples us. The Holy Spirit and I sat on that stool together like a little child sits at dinner with their invisible friend, telling their parents all about what he is doing, but no one else sees.

After they left and the door closed, my oldest son came downstairs. He knew I’d been up praying and reading all morning, but didn’t miss me, since he was free to enjoy his own plans. “Who was that?”

“A Jehovah’s Witness!” I beamed.

“O boy,” he laughed. “Of course it was! I can’t believe it.” It was a wonderful moment we shared, both knowing that the Holy Spirit was there in our home that morning and had brought that person to our door at just the right moment. There was a lot of joy floating in the air that day and my kids attitudes reflected it. No squabbles took over, was quick understanding with correction and general peace in the atmosphere. Why? I think they honored the presence of God in our house and their mom's authority over them. As parents, we pray to leave a legacy of faith to our children and witnessing God in action is worth so many words unspoken.

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The Lord invites the church to let him in too. None of us really like to think we are the church at Laodicea, but a good look in the mirror is necessary to keep ourselves in the true faith...Jesus tells John in Revelation....

“[To the Church in Laodicea] “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.” Revelation 3:14,20 NIV

Just as the early apostles waited for the Spirit to arrive with fire before they went out each time, we must do the same if we are to have the testimony God has planned. His testimony is more powerful than any we can invent with our own imagination. This takes knees and wills bent in prayer. It may take more than 5 minutes. It may take days! But, it’s worth it. This intimate fellowship with God is available through Jesus Christ. It is unexplainable, it is attainable, and it’s a free gift. The only cost is your whole life. He wants it all: your heart submitted, your mind open, and your soul open and your will ready to be bowed. Then, we find joy unspeakable and words Jesus spoke begin to sound doable:

(Matthew 10:8) Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.

May His will be done in my life and in yours.

Amen!