God
speaks to us through dreams, visions, and the still small voice. He is longing
for our communication daily. I think this is probably one of the hardest things
to do as a Christian to speak consistently to the Lord. Why do we struggle with
this? Every time we come in His presence He makes us over and we feel so clean
and loved. So why don’t we run to this experience repeatedly? The answer is
that we are warring against the flesh. The flesh is constantly fighting against
the spirit man.
There
is a battle going on in the spirit realm that we can not see and rarely do we
understand. The answer is not to cut off communication because we have failed
Him today. The Lord is not standing with a gavel to punish you because you
failed yesterday but He is reaching for you today. When you fail Him in prayer
and communication it just means you have to try that much harder to be
consistent. The key is discipline! Oh how we love that word… But I have come to
find that discipline only has been possible by removing the world from my life.
No
longer am a light dimly lit. But now I am a light on a hill shining to become
salt and light to the world. You will only be consistent through continuing to
pray daily. But you will only remove the constant battle when you remove the
world from your life. I will tell you what God has personally been dealing with
me about. This is not to point judgment or tell you that you have to do what I
am doing but it is just for an example.
I
would like to start by saying that God does not require you to change
instantly. But He is a patient and loving God who is taking you through a
process of change. When He gets you to a certain point, you either listen to
His voice and change your actions or you stay in the same place. You will never
move forward in the ministry of the Lord if you don’t listen when He tells you
to do something. Listen or be prepared to stand still.
Two Personal Struggles
Vanity
The
Lord has spoken to me about vanity. As many of you know I have been blessed to
reach out to the local homeless community in my hometown. While working with
them the Lord has shown me that a lot of the clothes, headbands, shoes, purses,
etc. are excessive. I am not saying the Lord doesn’t want me to look nice but
not in excess.
Television
and Movies
This
is a hard one for me. But the Lord told me just the other night that “He is not
a faucet that I can turn on and off at will” meaning that I cannot expect to
feel His presence and operate in the Spirit if I am constantly moving between
light and darkness. I used to go to the movies all the time and every time a
new DVD came out I was first in line. These are weights for the most part but
more so they are sin.
"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are
of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there
be any praise, think on these things."
Philippians
4:8
So
in actuality no matter how we try to justify watching T.V. it really is a sin
for the most part. Sure there are cute movies but they lead to more movies and
they dull the senses. They cause you to escape the world around you. When your
senses are dulled you cannot be tuned into communication with God. By constantly
moving between sinful conversations I have been limiting the move of God in my
life. Now
don’t give up hope! My purpose in telling any of this is to stir revival in
your soul. The Bible says:
"Wherefore
seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us
lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us
run with patience the race that is set before us,"
Hebrews
12:1
How
can we run if we have been lulled to sleep? How can we be light if we are
allowing darkness to take over the light? How can we expect God to reside and
move in our lives if we are not willing to set aside the world?
Our
communication with God is everything. The two examples I used were just a few
things the Lord has worked on my heart about. But the main thing we must
understand as Apostolic Pentecostal’s is that we must have communication in
order to be saved.
God
gave us human relationships so that we could understand how God desires to have
communication with us. If you did not talk to your spouse one day because you
were busy and since you did not talk to them one day you then decide you had
messed up too bad to talk to them the next day. Does this make any sense? No of
course not! To have a good relationship with a spouse or loved one you need to
talk to them every day sure but it’s the same with the Lord. He is willing and
loves you so much He is waiting for you to come to Him again.
The
more you come to Him the more He will show you His love. The more you seek Him
the more you find Him. It is a simple principle that extends to all areas of
your life: The more you give the more you get! In marriage, friendships,
relationships and most importantly God.
Do
not be fooled by the enemy! You can make it and you can build up to a
consistent relationship with the Lord. He will not require everything from you
at once. It will be a gradual process because He is a loving God. He wants to
show you His tenderness and compassion. But He also wants you to be willing to
seek Him in all things big and small.
I challenge you today to stand at the door and knock. I implore you to take up the armor of prayer. When you pray and set aside the world you will be able to overcome any battle and all fears and doubts. It is only when you let Him shed the layers of spiritual apathy that you will see God move in your life.
It
is by His grace and mercy that we are redeemed by the blood of the lamb at the
cross. We are a people of the name we are sealed in baptism by being baptized
in Jesus name. We have the power through the Holy Ghost by speaking in tongues.
We have the shield and protection from the world through Holy living and
setting our lives away from the things of this world. We are a separate people
who can not afford to be lulled to sleep by our own lusts. Take back your communication
with the Lord and let Him radically change your life!
