I have been reading the book, "When Heaven Invades Earth, a Practical Guide
to a Life of Miracles" by Bill Johnson.
I have to say this, I WANT TO LIVE A
LIFE WHERE THE MIRACLES HAPPEN....EVERYDAY! I have pondered on this for
some time....actually since I began following Jesus back in 1973.
However, I was never taught how.
I am discovering, through going back
into scripture, reading some books and talking with some of my prophetic
friends, that what I was longing to do, I can do, through the Holy
Spirit. Well...duh! But, my question has always been
"how"? I wanted to learn...I'm a see-er/do-er person.
I've NEVER had an example shown me, except Jesus.
I have discovered as well, that most
things can be obtained/accomplished without God/Holy Spirit leading. I
have the resources to do and accomplish LOTS of things for the
Kingdom.....BUT....
Yes, BUT - is a HUGE three
letter word. But - where is God in all this? Where is God in our
meetings, our programs, our goals? WHERE? Well...apparently
for a very long time, God has been placed on a shelf and just called upon -
"when needed", like a prescription drug. I'm sorry, but I just
don't go for that.
Indulge me. Here is the
excerpt from Bill Johnson's book, "When Heaven Invades Earth, a
Practical Guide to a Life of Miracles". Faith from a Relationship
page 47.
“The
Holy Spirit lives in my spirit. That is the place of communion with
God. As we learn to receive from our spirits we learn how to be Spirit
lead.
"By
faith, we understand." Faith is the foundation for all true
intellectualism. When we learn to learn that way, we open ourselves up to
grow in true faith because faith does not require understanding to function.
I'm sure
that most of you have had this experience--you've been reading the Bible, and a
verse jumps out at you.
There is a great excitement over this verse that seems to give so much life
and encouragement to you. Yet initially you couldn't teach or explain that
verse if your life depended on it. What happened is this: Your
spirit received the life-giving power of the word from the Holy Spirit.
When we learn to receive from our spirit, our mind becomes the student and is therefore
subject to the Holy Spirit. Through the process of revelation and experience
our mind eventually obtains understanding. That is biblical learning--the
spirit giving influence to the mind.”
By 'faith'.... I think this is what has happened, at least here
in America with the CHURCH (the Body of Christ). We give intellectual
knowledge the go ahead, rather than being vulnerable to the leading of the Holy
Spirit. We know we can accomplish much with our resources....but come on; can't
God do better, if we allow Him to? DUH!!! Of course He can!
The Holy Spirit LIVES in my spirit. I asked him to, way back in 1973. Every so
often, He will stir my spirit awake, like from a long sleep, to get me off my comfortable
chair and follow Him. Okay!!!! It wasn't until last year, in 2011
that I really started searching deep within myself. I wanted more of
God. I really wanted MORE. I knew I was missing out, but darn it,
didn't know how to attain that - more.
Faith. Simple and true.
Believing I have a Heavenly Papa who loves me so much, that He wants to show me
the things of Heaven. He has. In just a little over a year, I had learned
to not just have a "quiet time", but to have some Papa God time,
where I can go and sit on His lap, tell him things and as I sit quietly, He
tells me things as well.
I have learned just from that time
together I have the Holy Spirit to counsel and guide me, and help me speak
words that need to be spoken. I have been used of the Holy Spirit to
heal. Yes, my conservative Baptist friends....heal. Allowing Holy Spirit to
work through this broken vessel to help another, and show His love is
AMAZING! It didn't just happen once, either. I have been (as some
call it) "slain in the spirit" with my head plastered on a table at 5
Guys Burgers, while just sharing and talking with my husband and a friend.(That
was a first, by the way.) A little worship & prayer time we were
having, just the three of us, yes, in the middle of 5 Guys Burgers on one
of the busiest nights they had. God seemed to put us in a bubble, because
no one really noticed us.
As a daughter of the King, I want to
live for Him. I strive to love as He loved and to help others as He did,
but not through my strength. I fail quite often. I'm still human
and I have to repent...every day. But, Papa God still uses me. I
get disgusted with work at times. I am impatient. I can get grumpy
sometimes. Yet, God still loves me and still uses me for the Kingdom, in
spite of - ME! Thank goodness.
I have stepped out in Faith on many occasions
this past year. Yes, I have. It has been a scary journey at times,
yet wondrous. I have found that when I act in faith on what I have been
told by Holy Spirit to do, WOW! Just WOW!
This is just who I am - at this time
of my life. Good grief! You would think at 58, I would want to slow
down, right? WRONG! There is so much more I want to learn and
to grow in. Who wants to slow down? NOT ME!
