Experience the Impossible: Simple Ways to Unleash Heaven's Power on Earth (5 page)

I pay no attention to the warnings of possible excess from those who are satisfied with lack.

T
he most exciting time in the life of the Church is when the Holy Spirit begins to move in power. So many things happen outside of the usual experience that to say it is
a
learning
season
is a huge understatement. And so the education begins—great change is in the air.

In the middle of miracles and changed lives is the group that always questions what is happening. That is not necessarily a bad thing—not if humility and hunger accompany the questions and the subsequent journey. In fact, none of us responds to the Holy Spirit’s moving in the same way; nor do we accept it in the same timetable. This is how the process begins. Individually and corporately, life takes on new meaning. The tragedy happens when the questions come from self-appointed watchdogs determined to keep us safe. They are absent of hunger and its companion trait of humility. Revivals never start with the watchdogs.
Never.

The concern of something not being biblical takes center stage as we try to eat the meat and throw away the bones. We all tend
to interpret what is before us by our knowledge of Scripture learned from our own history. The problem is that we all have limited knowledge and exposure to truth. Let’s hope what we know is true, but what we know is also limited. That is true for all of us. Thus, what is happening can be completely from God, yet it will be rejected by some because it is different from what they have already experienced. It is quite humorous that most of them want God to do a new thing, as long as He does it the way He has always done it.

Some go into fear mode, thinking that emotional experiences are in excess, and that excess is our greatest danger. It is true that emotionalism has caused problems for the Church throughout history. But extreme emotionalism is easy to spot. Rather, the quiet unbelief and resistance from the skeptic is a far greater enemy. It is a powerful deceiver because it has become accepted in much of the world’s church culture as wisdom and spiritual intelligence. It is neither. If we value something wrong, it has permission to stay.

Which is more dangerous, to interpret Scripture out of our experience, or to interpret it in the absence of experience? We would never embrace a teaching on prayer from one who has never prayed. I point that out not to say that any experience a person claims to have from God is really God. Nor should we redefine the meaning of the Bible because an angel showed up and spoke to someone differently from what is thought to be true. The Bible provides the absolute standard for life and ministry. But the fact remains that we interpret Scripture either out of experience or in its absence.

I know that approaching a move of God in this fashion is scary to some, perhaps to many. But when I look at the life of Christ and the relationship He had with the Father, and the demonstration of purity and power of the Holy Spirit that flowed from Him, I become jealous—jealous for what was made available to me by His example and commission. It seems illegal to
desire anything less. Excess has been feared as long as I have been alive. I have chosen to turn the tables and fearfully concern myself with lack.

When I am in pursuit of rare expressions of the Gospel of the Kingdom found in the Person of Jesus Christ, I do so with people of like mind, staying accountable and humble, but at the same time, staying willing to risk all to obtain the lifestyle made available to all who embraced His “co-mission.” The heartbeat of hope overrides all fears, enabling us to lean into what God is saying and doing. Living from this assurance brings such rest.

Prayer

Father, please give me true discernment in this hour for the challenges I face in order to step into a fuller expression of the Gospel as found in my Lord Jesus Christ. I long to see all that You have purposed for me in this life in both realms of purity and power. This is my hope. Please surround me with people of like heart and mind that I might illustrate this life in community. I pray these things that the name of Jesus would be exalted in all the earth.

Confession

God has purposed to do more in and through me than I could possibly imagine. I set my heart, therefore, to expect and anticipate the extraordinary life of Jesus to flow flawlessly through me. I was born for this purpose for His glory.

Jesus messed up every funeral He attended, including His own.

T
here are probably very few believers who do not get excited about what Jesus did as recorded in the gospels. The gospels contain the living testimonies of the nature and heart of God who loves people beyond our wildest dreams. The challenge comes in our response to what He did, which in some ways is determined by our response to a few pertinent questions. Did the time of miracles end when the last apostle died? Or did it end when the canon of Scripture was completed? The idea of cessation is not in any way based on the revelation of Scripture, itself. And it certainly cannot be found in the life, teaching or prophecies of Jesus, who is perfect theology.

While some hold that view, their numbers are decreasing continuously as the miracle ministry of Jesus is becoming more and more evident in today’s Church around the world. This is especially true where the number of believers is increasing daily, as recorded in Acts. The cessation of miracles is a doctrine devised by the mind of man, created to comply with the belief that the season for them no longer exists.

If, then, we do believe that miracles are for today, we face another question: Are they to happen solely as sovereign acts of God (where He initiates and we observe), or do we play a role in the outcome? Many of the former group are moving to the group that says miracles are possible, but only if God initiates. I am grateful for the forward motion, but that approach seems to nullify the fact that the disciples were commanded to heal the sick, raise the dead, etc. (see Matthew 10:8). They were not commanded to observe the sovereign invasions of God into impossible situations. That is a given, and is the joy of every believer. But there remains a command that requires obedience and pursuit on our part. Whether regarding a miracle of healing or the salvation of a soul, God often responds to our obedience.

The one other question that is worth considering here is this: If Jesus meant for us to be involved in healing the sick, raising the dead, etc., what standard do we follow? Did Jesus show us what God could do? Or was He showing us what a person could do who was in right relationship with God? I believe the latter. While Jesus was, and always has been, entirely God, He chose to live with the limitations of a man.

That brings us to this point: Did Jesus actually give us an example that could be followed by the average believer? I believe the answer is unquestionably yes!

Jesus Christ is perfect theology. He is love. And love changes things. There is no record of His attending a funeral and leaving the person dead. I do not think that means people are not to die, as Scripture says death is an appointment for every person. But Jesus seemed to run into situations where people died outside of God’s timing. At minimum, we should at least attempt to do what Jesus did—including raise the dead.

The fear of looking foolish to others has kept many from responding to this command of the Lord. In addition, we might never do this assignment well. But that does not give me the
right to change the assignment to what I do well, and then call that my ministry.

Prayer

Father, please help me not to get trapped in a life of human possibility. I want so much to represent You as Jesus did, illustrating the resurrection life Jesus made available to me. I want to think differently about situations that look hopeless and dead, realizing that nothing is impossible for You. Only when You say it is done do I want to back off my pursuit of breakthrough. Please help me with this.

Confession

I have purposed to spend the rest of my life learning what it means to live a life of resurrection power and presence. I know that it is in this way that I can best represent the Father of life as Jesus did. The example that Jesus gave me, along with His great commission, is enough for me to respond with a resounding yes! I will follow with all of my heart, to the glory of God our Father.

Faith grows through use.

S
pending so much of my life in airplanes and sitting in meetings is a prescription for health problems. Both exercise and a healthy diet are vital to a successful lifestyle, let alone the vibrant one I want. I owe it to God to be at my best. I found that these two areas are essential for the body as well as the soul. It did not take long to realize that I am much more mentally alert and creative when I am consistent in the discipline of exercise. There is much to be said about the effect of being active and eating well on the emotional life, too.

A number of years ago, I started lifting weights, as I could no longer be active in the competitive sports of my youth. In doing so, I found that I absolutely loved it! We picked up this activity as a family and noticed very quickly its impact on our whole lives. Not only were we sharper mentally, we actually started thinking differently. For the first time in my life, I started looking at food as fuel. It was not that taste did not matter, as God created food for our pleasure. Rather it was the fact that I could tell the effect of an early afternoon meal on the workout that evening. I do not like doing things halfway, so I started studying the effects of certain foods on the body as well as their effects on my strength and energy levels. As a result, I began to eat for the workout.

This analogy works powerfully in the subject of faith. Faith is to our hearts/inner man what muscles are to our bodies. It is faith that enables the work of God to be done through us effectively. “Faith without works is dead” (James 2:26). We do not work to get faith. That kind of striving is anti-productive. But we do work to grow it, as faith grows with use. Everyone has been given a measure of faith. What we do with what we have determines how well we do in maturing as disciples of Jesus.

One additional insight on faith as learned from the world of exercise and fitness is the fact that sometimes we reach plateaus in our development. When a muscle reaches a plateau in its development, it needs to be shocked into growth. That can be done a number of different ways. One involves working the same muscle with a different exercise, hitting it from a different angle. Sometimes our faith becomes stagnant because we get stuck in a routine. In our walks with Christ we get accustomed to doing things a certain way. Yesterday’s exercise that shocked our systems into great growth has become today’s routine. In all the miracles of Jesus recorded in Scriptures, not one of them was done the same way as the previous one.

Prayer

Father, I believe You. I trust You. While I love the lessons of yesterday, I do not want them to confine me to a routine or formula. That is why I ask You to give me grace to hear Your voice always. It is my life. I always want to know what You are saying and what You are doing so I do not become stagnant in my faith. Thank You in advance for this answer to prayer.

Confession

I am a person of faith. I was born to believe God. Because of this, there is no need for me ever to become stagnant in my faith. I have set my heart to glorify Him by depending on His voice for my life.

Sometimes instead of answering our prayer, God gives us a promise.

W
e often treat prayer as though we are using a vending machine: We put in our requests, and, if we are lucky, we get the answers we want. We pray and God responds. While there is truth in that idea, it does not give the whole picture. Not by any means. Prayer is an expression of a relationship. It is the interaction of the Creator with His creation, bringing us into our eternal purpose. It is the school of God, training His people to rule and reign with Christ. Just knowing this simple principle gives hope for our entire walk with the Lord.

It is in God’s nature to answer prayer. He loves satisfying the cries of our hearts. He is a father—the ultimate Father. Prayer represents the partnership between Him and those made in His likeness. But His heart’s desire for us is much greater than answering our requests to be able to pay the electric bill or whatever it is that we are praying for. His desire to build people into His likeness through the proper use of His authority and power takes center stage as everything God does is unto this end—people who represent Him well, accurately.

A huge part of God’s intention for us is to get us to live responsibly. That, of course, includes living righteously and not unto ourselves. But it is more. Living responsibly is to live with divine responsibility. It is to do as Jesus would do if He were in our shoes. But even that needs clarification because it is what Jesus—as the resurrected, ascended and glorified One—would do if He were in our shoes. The life of the believer is to illustrate the power and purpose of the resurrection over every enemy of humanity.

Our roles differ in the various seasons of our lives. In one moment, our job might be simply to stand by and see what God accomplishes for us. But then that changes, and we must become aware of the change. Instead of watching Him work, we work. But our work is not independent of Him. Quite the opposite. He works through us.

He arms us with purpose by giving us a promise instead of the answer. That way, we are forced to learn how to believe Him before the answer comes and then learn how to exercise His will in the circumstances that are contrary to the given promise. This is part of what it means to be a co-laborer with Christ. He labors, and we labor with Him.

Jesus was constantly training His disciples unto this end. That is why He taught them to speak to a mountain for it to be removed. It was His purpose behind cursing the fig tree that bore no fruit out of season. He led them into storms to see if they picked up the powerful lessons regarding their speech. It was in these lessons—outnumbering even His lessons on prayer—that His disciples were trained to implement and enforce the will of God on the earth. This is the assignment of every believer.

The answers to prayer reveal His goodness. When He gives us a promise instead of an answer, it reveals His desire to draw us into our eternal purpose. It is His longing to raise up people into their God-given responsibilities.

Prayer

Father, I need Your wisdom to know the differences between the seasons of my life. I want to know when to stand and watch You work on my behalf and when to embrace my responsibility to enforce Your purposes on the earth. Please give me clarity of heart and mind unto this end, that I might always live with rock-solid hope.

Confession

I have been given the privilege to pray and see God move on my behalf. And I have been given the great honor to take His promise and co-labor with Him to see His will accomplished on the earth. I embrace this assignment with fearful excitement, all for His glory.