I may have helped a few, but not as many as my heart wants to embrace.
I have never experienced the depths of the Lord to this extent. Never felt the despair in my soul over my condition in the Spirit like this. I have never seen such wonders and peered into heaven so regularly. I have wept for hours. Worshiping for hours with encounter after encounter, I would be laughing and then convulsing with the deepest soul realization of Jesus I have ever had.
All my life I have been focused on following Jesus. Granted. Some seasons carry more zeal than others. One thing has been clear to me, I am a follower of Christ. Yet, there have been seasons where the Spirit opens my heart and life up so deeply that I feel as though I was never a follower of Jesus at all. But I was and have been. In comparison the new understanding makes it seem as though I never knew him at all.
Something is stirring in this country and the world that takes us away into revelation and understanding of the LORD that is not book learning, studying or earned. It is a grace from the Holy Spirit. An overcoming wave of glory and power that sweeps through your soul and spirit like a Tsunami. Literally tearing away everything that does not find allegiance to the Spirit's righteousness.
I have been walking in these places for years now. And still I have a hard time explaining what is going on.
One thing I have noticed. I have boundaries in me that my soul and flesh want to keep. The Spirit of God wants to decimate each of these with freedom, love, and peace.
I learned about the boarders years ago. While traveling in Japan on mission the Spirit was doing some incredible things. In one church everyone was on the floor after ministry. They were lying around the room toppled in the Spirit. I actually thought it was something they learned to do. You know. A cultural expression of their fellowship or something (uh, can you say fleshly and earth perspective?). The first thing that happened in that meeting was a whole family fell over about 15 feet away from me as I waved my hand.
I had an inner conflict with the Spirit. Boarders that I was afraid to allow to be crossed. Fears that were lodged in me. Fears which I justified, nurtured and upheld. Misconceptions about the Holy Spirit, religion and brokenness.
I felt the fear and the boarders clearly and was confused. My mind and my heart were not one. And this is what I have come to understand about limiting the Holy Spirit. Both my mind and my heart are places for incredible freedom and love, but fear and a desire to control my experiences with God limit my experience of HIS fulness.
I did make a heart commitment. Nothing was going to ever hold me back from experiencing all the Spirit had for me. I was no longer going to allow fringe people or actions that may offend my sense of order hold me out from experiencing the Spirit in fulness.
My heart and my mind have often been out of synch. When this occurs I find my heart takes the brunt of it. My mind can shut down the ongoing flow of revelation and joy in the Holy Spirit. My mind can hold me out because of the crazy things I see or hear.
Here are a couple things I have found to help me keep pressing in regardless of what is going on around me.
1) Focus on the Lord Jesus and on engaging him as deeply as possible.
2) Focus on the heart first in any move of the Spirit. Feed the heart first with first love and deep desire. Make some lists. What do you want to know, find and hear from God.
3) Learn the ways of receiving as a child and trusting the Spirit to let you know when something is not right. We were never our best discipler. The Spirit is capable and the Heart of the Father protective enough to cover us with love and lead us to life.
4) Focus on learning to abide with the Spirit and listen. Capture revelation and act on it.
5) Challenge your mind with your heart. If you lack zeal your heart is not working right. If you lack joy your heart is missing something vital. Challenge your mind with your heart condition and then let the Spirit do some heart surgery.
6) The heart needs some outlandish desires to stay alive and thrive. The Spirit is accommodating. Find your heart desire and put it before the Lord. NO matter what it is. He is a loving Father who believes in us and plants good desires in us for him and his Kingdom.
Often the heart has been shut down by the mind. Remember. The first and greatest commandment gives the divine order. Love the Lord Your God with all your HEART - the heart is first.
Walk in the Power of the Spirit and Love of Jesus with the Father's Heart.
Jeff
Comments? Ideas?
jreynolds@mycapstone.org
www.mycapstone.org
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