This is an area that is full of interesting conversations. I didn’t grow up with a focus on things of the Holy Spirit, and it’s just been the last 8 years or so that I’ve gone on my own journey in this area. Growing up, we definitely believed in the Holy Spirit, but it didn’t seem that we pursued knowing Him, or the gifts He gives. It seemed that we had the sense that we needed to kind of stay at arms length because “it could be from the devil”. Raising your hands in church was “for the wild church down the street”. I’m being a little facetious, but there was clearly an aversion to focusing on it. However, I always knew there was more. I read it in the word, “Pursue love, yet desire earnestly spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy” (1 Cor 14:1), and other scriptures along the same lines.
I’m not a deep theological type. I fully believe we need to study it, and be prepared, but my heart is to touch people… and most of the people in my world have either been hurt by the church or don’t see any need for it (after all, it’s just a bunch of rules and regulations, right?). I believe the average person we run into at the store or Starbucks will be more deeply affected by encountering a believer that is walking in the love of Jesus, and the power that He showed, than by a theological treatise. This includes signs, wonders, healing, prophecy, etc.
I believe the average person we run into at the store or Starbucks will be more deeply affected by encountering a believer that is walking in the love of Jesus, and the power that He showed, than by a theological treatise.
Folks warn me to not get too much into the “feelings”. I understand that, it’s valid, but I’ve been so far the other way all of my life that I’m more afraid of what I’m missing than of what I may get a little carried away with… hope that made sense.
I’ve seen enough in the past eight years that I’m ruined anyway. I’ve seen dreams that have given direction to lives, kept people safe, and shown what’s ahead. I’ve seen people healed of STD’s that were “incurable”, legs grow, an ear hear, pain leave, and so on. I’ll be honest I don’t see near as much as I want to personally in the realm of healing, but I’m going to continue to press in because I believe healing is there for us to participate in. If we don’t continue to learn and grow and try it, how will we ever know what we could do? Another area I’m growing in is the prophetic and “words of knowledge”, “words of wisdom”. It’s funny because it’ seems to have come so slowly and it’s been “hard” to get forward momentum. Sometimes I think God want’s us to passionately go for those things, I think he smiles, and then gives it to us in increasing amounts. I joke with myself that God must be using me as an example for everyone that if I can do it, anyone can! Hah.
I believe healing is there for us to participate in. If we don’t continue to learn and grow and try it, how will we ever know what we could do?
It’s a renewing of our mind, letting go of the “logic” that we (at least in my country) have grown up with. I believe we need to use our minds, it’s so important, but we are sorely behind in learning to use our spirit, so let’s put some focus there. We have grown up in a “Greek” mindset where everything has to make sense, to be proved. I still struggle with it. We grow up knowing that God can heal (hey, he’s God!), but that it probably won’t happen. Come on, who else has felt that way? Our brains hold us back. Like Dan Mohler and Todd White say “our hearts can take us places our brains can’t fit.
Let’s let our hearts take us there…