Over the centuries there have been small outbreaks or "outpourings" or "renewals" of the Holy Spirit (or whatever we want to call them) in different churches and denominations around the country. These have been quite short-lived and their impact is often "small" but glorious all the same. I think this is because we can all be a bit pompous towards anything that doesn't start in our own church or our own network. We draw up checklists and say that "a true move of God should have this, this and this, so it's not a move of God." I reckon there have been times we've missed out on what God was wanting to release to us because we haven't been willing to a) get over ourselves and b) travel.
There is still quite a powerful sense of competition between different churches and denominations in the same city, all believing that they and they alone are God's answer. We all rightly expect God to do something mighty in our church whether it's massive salvation, manifestations of the Holy Spirit or angelic visitations but in my opinion we wrongly expect that it all has to start with us in our church in order for it to be from God or for it to benefit us. For example let's say we've been praying to God to see more people healed in our church in Nottingham and we hear that a church in Edinburgh has received huge breakthrough in healing. For a lot of us our first thought isn't to jump on a train and go humble ourselves to learn from the church in Scotland and what God is doing there. Instead we keep crying out to God to come and do it here for us. We miss the fact that God only has one Church in the UK so if the Church has been crying out to see more healing (through it's mouth in Nottingham), God has released it to the Church, just maybe not directly to that congregation. So the question comes, how badly do we want it?
It works both ways. If we step back and say we are looking for God to move through the whole country, why would we stay so focussed on our city alone? If we want God moving throughout our city, why would we focus on our local church alone? If we get breakthrough in an area in our local church, do we keep it to ourselves or do we let the rest of Jesus' Church in our city know what's happening and share the grace we've been given? If we see another city that needs breakthrough in an area that we're succeeding in, do we expect them to come to us or do we go to them to serve them and give to them? We need to get the Church on tour! I'm not just talking about special leaders with titles but people who are full of the Holy Spirit and in-tune with what God is doing who have a heart to see His glory radiate throughout the Church. Imagine planting seeds of the kingdom wherever we meet Christians. What if you prayed for God to release the breakthrough in prayer that you've had in London in the tiny little chapel you visit while on holiday in the Lakes? What if you discover that they have powerful encounters with God during their times of praise? Ask them to pray for you!
There's lots of questions in here but I'm thinking of it like this: God's presence is everywhere but His manifest presence is His choice. If He is choosing to powerfully manifest His presence somewhere on this planet, why wouldn't we run there to see Him?! We live on a tiny island, we have cars, trains and planes. Let's use them to build up the Church and stop hoarding God's gifts like greedy children. The Church is one Body so unity is our reality. Our experience of it however is limited by our decision. I think God sometimes works this way to develop humility in us at the same time as releasing to us the things we've been asking for. I'd also apply this principle to other supernatural things like restored marriages and obedient young people who aren't insecure. If we see these things in other churches, let's get humble, pack up the van and go on tour!
Thanks for reading :-)
There is still quite a powerful sense of competition between different churches and denominations in the same city, all believing that they and they alone are God's answer. We all rightly expect God to do something mighty in our church whether it's massive salvation, manifestations of the Holy Spirit or angelic visitations but in my opinion we wrongly expect that it all has to start with us in our church in order for it to be from God or for it to benefit us. For example let's say we've been praying to God to see more people healed in our church in Nottingham and we hear that a church in Edinburgh has received huge breakthrough in healing. For a lot of us our first thought isn't to jump on a train and go humble ourselves to learn from the church in Scotland and what God is doing there. Instead we keep crying out to God to come and do it here for us. We miss the fact that God only has one Church in the UK so if the Church has been crying out to see more healing (through it's mouth in Nottingham), God has released it to the Church, just maybe not directly to that congregation. So the question comes, how badly do we want it?
It works both ways. If we step back and say we are looking for God to move through the whole country, why would we stay so focussed on our city alone? If we want God moving throughout our city, why would we focus on our local church alone? If we get breakthrough in an area in our local church, do we keep it to ourselves or do we let the rest of Jesus' Church in our city know what's happening and share the grace we've been given? If we see another city that needs breakthrough in an area that we're succeeding in, do we expect them to come to us or do we go to them to serve them and give to them? We need to get the Church on tour! I'm not just talking about special leaders with titles but people who are full of the Holy Spirit and in-tune with what God is doing who have a heart to see His glory radiate throughout the Church. Imagine planting seeds of the kingdom wherever we meet Christians. What if you prayed for God to release the breakthrough in prayer that you've had in London in the tiny little chapel you visit while on holiday in the Lakes? What if you discover that they have powerful encounters with God during their times of praise? Ask them to pray for you!
There's lots of questions in here but I'm thinking of it like this: God's presence is everywhere but His manifest presence is His choice. If He is choosing to powerfully manifest His presence somewhere on this planet, why wouldn't we run there to see Him?! We live on a tiny island, we have cars, trains and planes. Let's use them to build up the Church and stop hoarding God's gifts like greedy children. The Church is one Body so unity is our reality. Our experience of it however is limited by our decision. I think God sometimes works this way to develop humility in us at the same time as releasing to us the things we've been asking for. I'd also apply this principle to other supernatural things like restored marriages and obedient young people who aren't insecure. If we see these things in other churches, let's get humble, pack up the van and go on tour!
Thanks for reading :-)
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