The Revival
Our
Church had been looking forward to this Revival for several weeks before it
began. We had been praying and asking God to please bring his fire back to
our Church. We were good Christians. We all loved God, but as a
Church, had become comfortable. We had become at ease with God. We
had stopped going deeper with him. We needed a refreshing. We needed
to feel the all consuming fire of the Holy Spirit in our lives. We needed
him changing us and renewing us daily.
On Sunday Night August 6, I wasn't sure what to expect. All I know is that
I wanted God to move in our Church. I felt I knew what God was going to
do. He was going to bring new people to our Church. These people would
need to be ministered to, and I knew God had called me to help with new
Believers. I never realized that God wanted, and needed to work in my life
first.
That Sunday Night, I stood at the back of the Church. I could hear God telling me that I needed to turn my entire life over to him. That I was holding back a small part of my heart, and I needed to release my entire life over to him. I knew what he was talking about. However, have you ever had something that you just loved so much that you just loved it. It wasn't a bad thing in and of itself, but because you made it a priority in your life you placed it above God? That is what I had done. I had one television show. I just loved it. I had every episode on tape. I even had a coffee Mug. Every week, you could set your clock by my actions. When that show came on, EVERYONE knew not to call me. I simply wouldn't answer the phone.
Well, that night I stood there and I knew God was asking me, "What do you love more, your television show or me? If you love me, you'll remove it from your life. Make me the priority."
The Evangelist was calling people out and sharing word from God for several people, so my flesh jumped in. "Well if he comes to me and says, 'You need to get rid of your tapes.' I'll know it's you telling me to do this God." I kept feeling convicted. I knew what I was supposed to do. I stood at the alter, and argued with God again. "Well God, if the Evangelist says 'You have something in your life you need to get rid of.' I'll know it's you, and I'll do it.
About this time, God said to me, "I've told you three times now. What are you going to do? You know it is me talking to you. I don't have to tell the Evangelist to talk to you. I've told YOU." At that point, my will broke. I told God. I would do it. I would remove the Idol in my life. The one part of my heart that I wouldn't allow God to have control over. I immediately felt the rush of the Holy Spirit. I began Crying.
Right then, wouldn't you know the Evangelist came over to me? He looked right at me, and said, "The Holy Spirit is crawling all over you, what are you waiting for?"
The next thing I know, I was laying on the floor. I had been slain in the spirit, and had enjoyed the presence of God for I don't know how long. When I rose I knew that I was going to be obedient to his will. I had set in my heart to obey God no matter what.
I have since had a "remove the shackles in your life" party at my home. Everyone enjoyed smashing my video tapes, and helping me remove them from my life. Everyone else that had needed to remove something from their life enjoyed the evening. Some wrote emotions, painful memories, or histories that they needed to remove from their lives on note cards. We then let each person take their cards outside to the BBQ grill, and toss them in. We took the time to pray and ask God to remove all of these things from our lives.
Since the very first night, I have been growing leaps and bounds with God. I have found that God can use me in ways I never expected. God has taken this time to teach me to pray. To really pray. I've always been able to pray... to simply talk to him, but I have never been able to pray in the Spirit.
I've been growing so deeply in my relationship with God, I have started to become an intercessor. I never thought I could be someone who was "Strong in Prayer." One of those people who could pray and pray. Who could reach the ear of God, and bring Changes. Three times now I have found myself at the alter. Praying for someone else. Not rising from the alter for an hour or more of intense prayer. Of pouring out my heart to God, and knowing that God was listening to me. That God was going to answer my prayers.
I have found myself going deeper in prayer with God. I am 6 foot 6 inches tall. Easily the tallest person in my Church. That has always made me self conscious about my prayer or my behavior in service. I knew that no matter where I stood, wherever I am in service, EVERYONE can see me. I've always held back in my prayer. Held back in my worship. Afraid of what people thought of me.
My Experiences with God have made me bolder in Christ. I now sit in the very front Row! Not only do I sit in the front row, but in the last 3 weeks, I have gained a reputation. When service is over, people will come up and tell me about what I did that service. Just last night during the song service, I found myself after praying in the Spirit, in a different row and pew than when I started!
This boldness in Jesus has grown outside of Church too. I have gained a reputation at work too! I am not afraid to BOLDLY proclaim the Good news of Jesus Christ! I've lived a good life in front of people there, but unsaved people can live "good lives" too. I wasn't making a large enough impact. The Holy Spirit has grown in me. I have gained a boldness that now allows me to walk up to people. To step into a conversation and proclaim. "Yep, I was at Church last night. It was awesome! You should come with me!"
I just want to encourage everyone from my own experience. I will never be the same. I want each one of you to be different too. God is changing me every day! Every day I find myself different than I was the day before. I praise God for it!
It took several steps to bring me to this point. I want to share them with you simply to help encourage you. Maybe some of these will help you draw closer to God.
1. If you really want to grow closer to God, ask God if there is something that you have that is stopping God from working in your life. Be honest and open. It will probably be hard at first when you hear his answer, but you will feel a greater peace if you let it go.
2. Make the decision in your heart and mind that the most important relationship in your life is Jesus Christ. When you love someone you are not ashamed to stand up for them. You don't care what people say about you because you love them. Make the decision to love Jesus enough that you will stand up for him. People will respect you for it, and you will respect yourself more too. Most importantly Jesus said, "If a person is ashamed of me and my message, I, the son of man, will be ashamed of that person when I return in my glory and in the glory of the Father and the holy angels." - Luke 9:26
3. Lastly, and most importantly. Love God with all of your heart. Want to draw closer to him. Seek a closer relationship with him. When you do, God will baptize you in his Holy Spirit. When you are baptized in the Holy Spirit you will speak in other tongues, just as it happened to the Apostles in Acts Chapter 2.
If you are in a church that does not believe in the Holy Spirit, and you want this depth with God. Visit a Pentecostal Church. One where they are not ashamed of the Holy Spirit. You won't ever be the same.
If you have more questions, or would like to talk to me about what I've described, please drop me an email.
God
Bless all of you,
Ken
You can
email me any time:
Ken@standing4Him.org