This may be longer than most posts. And it definitely ain't going to be like the any of the other posts, so I understand if I lose a few of you along the way. But those who can push through and allow this post to minister to you, in deep deep unspoken places. Let it. Don't be a spectator- join in on the intimacy of God. (I know, I know- I lost at least 3 readers with that simple phrase but you CAN have intimacy with God)
So wayyy more so than any other time I have had readers contact me about writing more often. Maybe it is because they miss me, or maybe because they find me amusing, or perhaps because the hope I write about is something they want to experience. Not just read about- Not just believe in- but experience. So with that I thought I would share some things I have been learning and experiencing. Do not take this as me knowing more or being in more favor (or less for those who have experienced more) but take it as all of us Children of God working together to understand and experience Him as He is too big and mysterious to comprehend completely. And since He is so big, I have decided to split the blog into three parts.
First and foremost the Holy Spirit is just rocking this city. In the last month there has been over five conferences with all speakers who have been hosts of revivals in America & abroad- so since they have already ignited a revival- I think it is important to listen to what they have to say. Thus will begin the 'lessons' portion of this three-fold blog, which will later be continued with what He has been speaking to me & finally good one liners from preachers.
Lessons
With that I have been to two of these conferences: 'Catch the Fire' with John & Carol Arnott from the Tronoto Revival and 'One Thing' with IHOP (International House of Prayer) both of which places are having revival AS I WRITE THIS! Both of them gave the same two principals/teachings to hosting a revival, whether it be your own heart or your whole city/campus.
1. Sit at the feet of Jesus and experience His intimacy. Press in to His love. One can look to Mary Magdalen as an example
2. Give ample room for the Holy Spirit. The best way to honor Him is to allow Him to move as He wishes. If that means you only worship for the whole Sunday service - DO IT. If that means you worship without any voices or music- DO IT. If that means you you meet for nightly meetings for 15 years (Toronto) then do it.
That's it. How's that for Religion? We only have to honor two 'rules' and Jesus will take care of the rest. In your hearts you start questioning, "Yeah Kerri - that sounds nice but what about this addiction I am battling, what about my headaches that won't go away, what about the sexual abuse, what about waking up day after day feeling hopeless? How can I experience God and keep those out of my life once and for all? I am just so sick of battling this..."My answer, stop battling. Not even just the battle but the war has already been won. Step into God's love.
This illustration may help explain that better. Imagine you are in a small room and behind the door there is your monster, whether that be depression, sexual immorality, drunkenness, homosexuality, abuse, lies, abandonment etc.. (yeah, I went there) and you are trying with all your might to keep the monster out! You know life is better without it but you can't seem to get rid of it. you lean against the doors for hours-days-week-years at a time giving all your strength to keeping that door closed. Struggling, battling, and growing weary. And then... you turn around after feeling so defeated that you can't keep this monster out and you notice another door. This door keeps opening... forever somehow (?) it has no wall to stop it, no hinge keeping it from re swinging open. So you reach for the door... and immediately the love of God, the grace of God, the beauty of God, the beauty of life, abundant life fills the room. And you become so fascinated with these emotions, these wonders you didn't even notice that the room became so full with God that the monster's door is closed shut. It has no room to open. To keep it that way however you must reach for the right door. And you must reach out constantly- otherwise bits will slip out without noticing and the door will be given room to creek open again. You must make the choice to focus on God and His grace daily.
-I must give credit for this illustration to a very cute Australian guy who shared with the Mercy girls last week, Thanks Grant!
No matter what you are looking for, you must prepare your heart, give him room or He won't be able to do anything for you. Even those who don't think there is a God get healed because they allow room for hope and faith, even if they don't know where it is coming from. Prepare your heart in his word. For there is no truer. pure thing than the already spoken word of God.
The seven ways to know if you have truly forgiven someone- *highpriority*
1. You don't tell any unnecessary people what they did. (to get pity, to get others to not lie them etc.)
2. You don't let them be afraid of you (hold it over their heads)
3. You do not allow then to feel guilty, at all.
4. You let them say face.
5. You protect them from their darkest secret
(unless they could be harm to another person then again follow #1)
6. Know that it is a life sentence- you must forgive them for as long as you live.
7. You bless them.
Out of this comes these drops of wisdom: It takes a lot of grace to forgive someone who doesn't either know they did wrong or refuses to apologize, but you still must forgive them (Check out what Jesus says on the cross for help with this); Harboring unforgiveness is like drinking poison and hoping the other person dies; Without releasing others, God cannot release us; And lastly, I really don't like #5. Let these 7 steps mess you up a bit.
This last lesson really blew my mind. Really made me think about generational curses and how god use everything for His glory and our good and He will accomplish everything He needs to with or without us.
Terah was Abram's Father. Abram will later become Abraham (for those who don't know the story). God called Terah to go to Canaan. However he decided that he liked Haran and settled there. He became comfortable and forgot about the promise land and his calling to it. After almost 100 years of living in outside of God's will (at least for where he was suppose to live), Terah died. Immedaitly God tells Abram to go to Canaan and become the Father of the Nations. Abram then named Abraham for his obedience went and conquered. We know the story from there but, Yay for carrying out callings! Yay for breaking generational patterns!
So I feel like I should tell you to flip the tape over to keep tuned in. Ha, now for Part II
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