What's the matter, Ash? I'm sore Lord. I might have to add playing softball to my murtaugh list. But, you did it, right? Well, yeah. And it was fun right? Well, yeah. And you only kinda embarrassed yourself, and lost just a little blood right? Ok, Lord, I have a feeling you're getting to a point here, so you can just go ahead with it without the need of me replaying that in my head over and over again. Well Ash, my point is about trying new things. People need to try the things they're afraid of to experience growth.
How can people ever come together if they are unwilling to step out of their comfort zones and experience the things that make them uncomfortable? How can we ever see another person's viewpoint if all we do is shut down and hide inside ourselves when contradicting opinions arise? How can my church grow the way I intended it to grow if people are too afraid to experience the supernatural? How can we heal the sick and cast out demons if church leaders preach that these gifts aren't for this time?
How can the Holy Spirit pray a perfect prayer through you as a conduit to the heavens if you don't believe in prayer language? How can we fight spiritual warfare that can't be comprehended by the human flesh if we don't have soldiers willing to go into battle in a state of full surrender? What would so many of these so called "Christians" do if the devil showed up on their doorstep ready for a fight? Would clinging to your Bible be enough? Would singing hymnals be enough? Would the lessons you learned in church prepare you for that battle, or are they only preparing you for the next pot luck dinner?
What would happen if no one believed in words of knowledge, words of wisdom, prophecy, discerning of spirits, workings of miracles? Church would be boring...that's what.
That's what you're missing out on. If you've spent your life in church and you still think there's something missing, I am talking to you. If you read the bible and don't get it, I am talking to you. If you claim to be a Christian but hide Jesus from everyone in your friend circle because you don't want to be judged as that christian goodie two shoes, I am talking to you. If you have never felt at home in a church, I am talking to you. The Holy Spirit is what you are missing. Point Blank Period.
Christianity isn't something that we do to get favor from the Lord. It's not something that we do because we want to be saved and earn our wings. It's something we should go into full force, ready for warfare and ready to take back the ground that the enemy has gained overt the years on this earth. We shouldn't go into this thinking oh I am saved now, I can pray for my family and we will all be fine because the Lord protects us. We should come into Christianity with a fire that wants to kick the enemy out of the Lord's territory for good. We should look at every soul on earth as if their salvation depends on whether or not we show the Lord to them in every experience they have with us.
Here's the thing though, this is why words of wisdom, knowledge and all of the other gifts are so important. It's because people don't need to hear more of "Jesus loves you". People don't get excited when someone chases them down the street yelling about Jesus. People need to EXPERIENCE Jesus loves you. The Holy Spirit will help you do just that. There have been times that the Lord has straight up told me to say things to people that make no sense to me at all...then the magic happens. The Holy Spirit helps me read someones mail, helps me find a way to touch that person's heart. All without being super pushy, judgmental, preachy, or giving people a bad experience. That's the beauty of the Gospel. That's the balance. Don't be a preacher, be Jesus.
Be disciples. Step out of your comfort zone!
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 ESV
19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20 for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body..
1 Corinthians 4:20 - For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.
1 Corinthians 6:14 - And God hath both raised up the Lord, and will also raise up us by his own power.
1 Peter 4:10-11 ESV
10 As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: 11 whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
1 Corinthians 12:4-11
4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5 and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; 6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. 7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8 For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.
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