Man, there is freedom in worship to be had folks, and it has been something I have missed out on my whole life! It’s beautiful!
With April 1st being a 34 hour day and the race dwindling down, my thoughts for the future have been at the forefront of my mind. What is my next step? What about a job? Maybe missions, ministry, or engineering? I have sat on this question with the Lord and I have not the slightest of clues. There has been no command from the Lord on this topic, yet one command came forth in HD:
Dwell in me. Be in my presence.
So the past few months I have sought that, G squad has focused on that, and He has poured out Himself on us during worship. The power and freedom of it all has been epic! I have finally cast out fear and chose the Spirit of God. In the midst of worship I now find myself pacing around in excitement, head-bobbing like a Jew reciting scripture as affirmation of the words being sung. My arms stretch as wide as can be in passionate desire, or are clinched close with my hands over my mouth waiting for the Lord to speak. And yet being in the Spirit I can’t help but make proclamations and declarations spontaneously of who He is! I have gotten overwhelmed at times as God’s Spirit literally poured over me which brought me to tears or inexpressible joy written all over my face! It’s wild! It’s crazy! It’s God!
In these moments I’m alive; my passion for the kingdom becomes limitless and my response to it all is a shear desire to worship, share Christ, and see others experience the enormity of his joy & love for the first time! To often, as we enter into worship our minds remain focused on worldly things; a barrier that is hard-pressed to move feels apparent and a spirit of fear sets in not allowing us to fully praise the Lord. Our minds run rampant with insecurities, a sly tool of fear. We begin to think what we might look like to others around us, or how our reputation may be affected if we get to “carried away.” We play the comparison game, ensuring that our actions are acceptable from a quick glance around the room. And comparison is brutal. Comparison will be the #1 thing that will keep you from your calling. Furthermore, fear cripple you and keep you from experiencing His actual presence. Try this one on for size:
Knowing what something is, is not the same as knowing how something feels. – Kari Jobe
For me, I want to know my God, the lover of my soul! How can I be in an intimate love relationship without experiencing my God!? He calls out “Know Me!” John 10:27, as believers we ought to KNOW the shepherd’s voice (head and heart knowledge). He desires us to taste AND see that He is good! So come and get your portion! Don’t leave the sanctuary half full! The Lord wants to make your cup overflow! He wants you so badly to operate from that state, because it is the milk and honey! So give into the Lord, not fear. ACT on the Spirit’s prompting within your heart that you have suppressed and jump, literally JUMP out of your comfort zone! 🙂 What follows is true freedom! Living water is to good to pass up people, come on! Haha, I’m practically shouting out of joy and excite for you to experience the Lord as I have out here on the field!
I got more, so hang with me a bit longer. Before Jesus left his disciples for heaven He breathed the Spirit of the Lord into them (John 20:21-22). God desires to do the same with us! Sweet, right? So when was the last time you felt His presence? When was the last time you received a new revelation from God? Not any secondhand revelations from your pastor or friends, but from the Lord? …been a while?
As we mature in faith we are expected to eat solid food and not be fully dependent on our pastor or friends spiritual experiences. Do not read this out of context. I am not in the least belittling the church or downgrading its role in our lives as it IS essential and it IS the body of Christ. We are all called to establish His church. Nor am I saying attend church less, in fact, attend more! But what I am saying is this; as we grow, as we step outside of our comfort zones, lay waste to fear, and take action on our own Spiritual convictions God, being ever so personal, will physically meet us where we are. You will feel Him and you will become overwhelmed with a multitude of emotions. He will overflow your cup and grant you, specific to your life, revelations (always aligning with scripture. The Spirit and Truth never contradict).
So go all out and let today be the day you fully yield to the Spirit of the Lord! …it’s WILD!
“Therefore, yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good. As you come to him, the living Stone – rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to Him – you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For in Scripture it says: See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.”
1 Peter 2:1-6
