It’s amazing what happens when we remain flexible for the Lord’s work and stop trying to control our own lives. It’s great to have healthy and productive goals and a vision for the day or week, etc., but if we allow these things to become rigid, we can become our own anchor. We can miss the moment-by-moment leading of the Holy Spirit and the blessing of God upon our spiritual growth and usefulness for Him. We have to seriously consider the things that we allow to get in the way of the Lord’s work — of serving him and walking in the power of the Holy Spirit (verus by our own strength). These things can even grow to be idols in our lives — that is, things that we hold in higher regard, greater importance, or cling to and trust in over God, or things that we allow to control our minds, bodies, and/or lives.
Our rigidity or idolatrous behavior, choices, or emotions can even have a ripple effect on our family’s or brethren’s service toward the Lord, so we have to be careful for others’ sakes, too. “Stop and pray” is always the best choice to make before opening up your mouth or doing something that might be a stumblingblock or anchor upon another. This will quickly chasten you and get you in tune with the Holy Spirit, so you can be a fruitful help with however God is using the other person — or, it will at least equip you to discipline yourself to be quiet and still and simply watch the Lord work through your family member or brother/sister in the Lord.
Here are some recent situations that were the result of remaining fexible for the Kingdom of God. There were choices at the time that could have hindered the hand of God. After all, God doesn’t force Himself upon people, but rather provides opportunities for people to lay hold. As members of the Body of Christ, we are all learning and growing and overcoming. Praise God for His never-ending patience and mercy and grace toward us, His blessed children!
1) Don met James in Walmart as he noticed him looking at some Bible-related literature in the books section. James is not yet filled with the Holy Spirit, but he was super keen to receive Don’s encouragement to read the Book of Acts, expecially the first 19 chapters, in conjunction with the Gospel of John. We are praying for him.
2) On a family day out, Don got chatting with a man in the lobby as he waited for the rest of us to catch up with him. We had dinner reservations and even received a notice that our table was ready, but Don kept encouraging Gabriel who was, by this time, in tears. Gabriel is already born again of water and of the Holy Spirit but up until he met us, he had only prayed in tongues sporadically (versus intentionally on a daily basis as Paul the apostle obviously did). He had allowed his walk with the Lord to wax cold and has been through some very rough times in recent years. Gabriel knew that Don had been sent by the Lord to share with him some important messages. Praise God!
3) The day after this, Don spied a vehicle with messages about Jesus all over it in the parking lot of a store. He waited and waited for the owner to return, and finally a lone man looked like he was heading his way, so Don engaged in conversation with him. It turned out that he wasn’t the right guy, so instead of leaving, Don waited longer and soon the vehicle’s owner turned up. Don had a great conversation with him, discovering that the man is born again, having had a miraculous 360 degree transformation about two years ago. Since then, he has felt on fire to talk about Jesus to anyone and everyone who would listen. Don soon realized why God had connected them together, to encourage the guy to do as the disciples did in the Book of Acts and not just talk about Jesus, but to take further steps in faith to water baptize believers and pray for them to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Here’s a text that Don sent to the rest of us when he remembered more about how the conversation went with the guy:
I just remembered that when I was talking to that team Jesus guy yesterday, after I had finished telling him that the thief on the cross is not in heaven, but will be raised and judged on the great white throne judgment day, which debunks the John 3:16 give your heart to Jesus salvation message (that he initially had told me was all I needed to do when I asked him about his gospel message), he said to me, “That’s interesting because only one other person has ever told me that.” Some older man had told him that a few years ago. So, here I am showing up and confirming that to him!
4) More to come regarding a super nice guy that came by after prayer group last Thursday night in order to have us pray over him to be filled with the Holy Spirit. He received mightily, praying in tongues powerfully — but only after he mentally and emotionally let go of himself and his life, being obedient to the scripture that tells us “he that loses his life shall find it.” The timing was absolutely miraculous in terms of Don coming to him with a message (actually, “running into him” pretty much literally!) just two days before his life was about to drastically change. The story is still in progress, so we will share more when we can . . .
