Our children, our teenagers, our young people, even our older people are flocking to the supernatural. It pulls us, it grabs our attention. I was standing in the change room of the pool last week listening to an older lady describe perhaps to her adult daughter that what had happened to her was simply “her destiny, the path that she was destined for.” This could be a big problem, because the supernatural they are finding does not necessarily lead them to a path of life no matter what they believe about their destiny.
There is so much fear and discouragement right now, it seems our world and especially the media thrive to make us afraid to live, afraid to go out, to mingle with others, it is so sad. I talked with another lady last week who moved here to be nearer to her adult children and grandchildren. But as she said they are busy, involved in their own world, she finds herself now sitting alone in her apartment watching the pigeon’s poop on her deck. She left her last city because her family (brothers, sisters and mom) refused to believe the same as her and they excluded her from all family events. Heart crushing…..
I see company names with big black skulls on them. I drove around Dawson Creek and saw 4 company signs with skulls on them in a very short drive. I was not even looking. Again this morning I saw a company logo for a store, with a big black skull imbedded into it. There are many differing views but traditionally the skull represents: death, evil, fear, mortality.
It seems the “dark side” and fear have been rising up giving people some kind of something to cling to.
Your children, your grandchildren, your neighborhood, they are the ones looking. No, let me rephrase that, they are the ones searching, they are on a hunt to find meaning, excitement, and a reason that they are alive. The younger generations are all about “authentic”, “genuine”. I am not sure how they find it on the internet, but they seem to. They can talk to whomever they want and get their questions answered immediately, right there on google. They want to know the “real deal”.
There is sacrifice in everything that is a worthy pursuit. Open a new business and the sacrifice is huge, time commitment, energy, learning how to run a business. How about having a baby, a huge sacrifice, your life will no longer be your own, you will be a mom or dad for the rest of your life.
How do we portrait or show the younger generation that the supernatural actually started with God Himself and that His way is exciting and real? Excellent question.
It will take immersing yourself in the training school of God, it takes time. It starts when you first discover Him and it ends when you get to heaven. In the middle is the training ground, your life is the school and the teacher is God Himself. Yes, we have to position ourselves to a lifestyle of learning, it does not end when we graduate from high school.
God has plans and ideas for you that you have to invest some time in to find out what they are. God is not boring and His plans for you won't be either. It will not be a 5 minute journey and it will not be a google search, it will be a lifetime of investing in the things of God, keeping your mind open, allowing God to take you where He will, teaching you about who He is and what He is about. We must surpass the 15 minutes a day with God mentality, it is not cutting it.
God is more than you will ever, ever come to know. He is bigger than that. I know this because our human brains have boxes, or filters, we see God based on who we have been taught or figured Him out to be. My Jane box will create a God who Jane thinks He will be like. But what if? What if, God is so much bigger than our brains could even handle?
Well now that gets exciting!
Will you spend your life drawing near and being taught by God so that your children, your grandchildren and the neighborhood will not have a hard time finding the “supernatural God” you serve?
As I look around, if I did not already know about God, and I looked at most churches today, we seem to have developed a "let's show up and see what the Pastor does" mentality instead of expecting God to show up.
A lady in the prayer room today came in for some prayer, she listed a few things about her health. But in her statement, her words indicated that she believed her health was hooped. I asked her if she really believed that God could come heal her because she was not really sounding like it. She looked at me curiously. I explained that if I said, "I have this or that health thing, had it for a long time, might as well ask for prayer. It did not sound like I actually believed that God was going to show up." We MUST be ready to expect God to show up at any time!
"And He (Jesus) did not do many miracles there because of their unbelief." Matthew 13:58
Unbelief caused Jesus to not be able to do miracles. Could we ourselves be the holding God back to releasing miracles?
The disciples were doing miracles, Jesus did miracles, they were calling on God to heal people. Everywhere they went, something was happening, there were crowds who followed them, not because they believed but because they were watching. They wanted to see what and how they did the things they did.
I was reading the book of Acts this morning, you know “the acts” that the disciples did after Jesus was taken up to heaven and the disciples had been filled with the Holy Spirit. I believe with my whole heart, this book is the blueprint of what we should be doing now.
“Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ. And the crowds with one accord paid attention to what was being said by Philip when they heard him and saw the signs that he did. For unclean spirits, crying out with a loud voice, came out of many who had them, and many who were paralyzed, or lame were healed. So, there was much joy in that city.” Acts 8:5-8
Couple of things to note: 1) Philip when to Samaria – this was huge! Philip went to the town of the Jewish enemies, probably not the most comfortable decision for him...Most Jews did not believe that Samaritans should live, never mind tell them about Jesus and do miracles there! Thought: how many enemies have you told the good news of Jesus too?
2) Note that the Holy Spirit the disciples were given, is exactly the same today as He was then. He has not changed, only the people, His power is limitless.
3) The demons know who the Holy Spirit is and they recognize Him and the presence of those who have Him. You know who doesn’t recognize this? Most of us.
4) Many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. How many healings have you been a part of with Jesus?
5) The city was filled with joy. Wow, we could use more joy!
The disciples were not the “real deal” until the Holy Spirit hit them with force on Pentecost and after that no one could shut them up. They learned the secret to life, they were given a purpose and meaning and it was not about them. It was about “others”, they did not get to keep it.
God’s kingdom is often referred to the upside down kingdom, because it is opposite of the worlds views.
When we search for something here in the world, we keep it, we hold onto it, because we finally found it. In God’s Kingdom we give it away. It is one of the coolest things about God’s Kingdom.
When God gives us finances, we give some of it away. You cannot get refilled, unless there is an emptiness in the pot. A pot full to the brim cannot hold more.
When we get Blessings from God, we give them away, because that is the nature of God. He gives.
The disciples after Jesus died learned the secret of “giving it away”. They could not
contain the Holy Spirit – everywhere they went people flocked after them. Why? Well, they either were attracted to them for good or evil but the thing that brought everyone running were the signs they did.
People wanted to see the miracles, the healings, the power that these guys exuded. Who the heck were these guys and how could they do the things they did?
They were filled to the brim with the power of God because of the Holy Spirit and each time they healed, God gave them more. The more they healed, the more miracles they did, the more God gave them. They could not use it up!
Our world is looking for a renewable source, a sustaining energy, and it will not be found in electric cars, climate change or any of the other worldly “claims”.
It can only be found in the truest source of power that ever has been: God Himself, and people everywhere are looking for it.
"In that last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams." Acts 2:17
Expect God to honor His Word, have an attitude of expectant anticipation. Ask Him to show up and show off.
You are needed, it is vital, this is not fooling around, it is the very essence of why Jesus died – to give you hope and a future and we are commanded to share it.
There will be a free Aglow conference in Gr. Prairie on Friday April 12 at 7:00pm at Christian Fellowship Assembly called: “Empowered for Purpose and Mantled For Greatness!” it is open to anyone who wants to attend. Two of the Canadian National Team will be coming to Grande Prairie to encourage us and stir things up a bit. You are empowered for a purpose and greatness, the only one who probably needs to believe that is YOU!
Aglow has been a voice for God in the world in over 170 countries since 1967, to see God’s will done on earth as it is in Heaven. They do this by raising up champions and warriors across the earth.
Will you be one of them? Come join us!
Song to contemplate "Go Tell The World About Me" by Cain: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYVAmmaFXfc