Expecting God

My family and I experienced something so powerful this past Friday and so real, I can't help but write about it. Coming in on the heels of a pretty uncomfortable post about the church needing to rise up (my last blog post), I wanted to share some thoughts I've been having that may be less unapologetic and more urgent in its approach to whoever decides this is worth their time to read. I want to talk about the power of the Holy Spirit and our expectancy as it relates to Him. In a world that is so quick to justify everything - a culture obsessed with downplaying the supernatural - are we, as followers of Jesus Christ, expecting to have an encounter with God? Are we waking up each day on pins and needles excited to see how God may reveal Himself to us and those we love? Do we go to bed at night excited of what lies ahead in our dreams hoping to experience a divine revelation or vision? As we gather with other believers, in settings like church, bible studies, or dinner with friends, are we expectant for the power of the Holy Spirit to light up our conversations - where the topics of these conversations have little to do with the craziness going on in the world but more to do with all the ways God is moving and working? Are we living day in and day out with a mindset fixed on Jesus Christ and excited to share with those around us how we've experienced Him? Friends, are we expecting God?

When I read the New Testament, I am truly confounded by the abnormalities I see between the believers in the early church and well, to be honest, me. I read about lame people being made to walk, the blind given sight, the deaf hearing, demons being cast out of people, lepers being healed, followers of Jesus speaking in tongues, boldness and courage in the face of death, immovable doors being opened for the Gospel to be shared, believers actually praying and fasting for one another, believers sharing with one another the goodness and glory of God, joy in the midst of persecution, gatherings happening despite persecution, and the list goes on...all of this to magnify the name of JESUS. This can be found in the NEW testament; the same age in which we are currently living! I read about believers gathering together with one mind and one Spirit in unity, and when this happens, the supernatural follows. I can't help but wonder why is this not the norm in the church today? Why haven't I seen this in my own life?

I am led to believe motives could be a culprit here, but I also suspect our dependency on man and what he can conjure up has taken the place of our dependency on God and the power of His Holy Spirit. I'll be the first to admit, I've glorified people and their "giftings" more than I've glorified the Gifter - I've gone to church to hear an effective communicator instead of going to church expectant to have an encounter with the living God. I've literally thought to myself (when leading bible studies or attending "church" events), I hope the Holy Spirit shows up...as if He's not already there. I've criticized gatherings that didn't have the right "atmosphere" for worship; like human manufactured music or lights is dependent on having an encounter with Almighty God. I've mocked people who were so overcome with the Spirit that they did something out of the "norm", and I wrote it off as counterfeit and disingenuous. How dare I...

The problem I'm facing in my own heart and the problem, I believe, hindering the church today isn't whether or not God is there, it's whether or not we're there. We've made a mockery of the Holy Spirit's power, and we've tried to fit what He does in our little human box with our little human parameters. Instead of being a people expecting God, we're a people quick to label Holy Spirit happenings as "coincidences". I'm here to tell you, if you're a follower of Jesus Christ and believe He is on the throne today, NOTHING IS A COINCIDENCE. We need to get on our knees now and repent. Then we need to shout from the rooftops what God is doing in our lives, not keep it quiet! If you got a job promotion, wouldn't you tell someone? Of course you would! So should we be with the revelations and experiences we have with God. This is what will turn a spark into a flame. Which brings me to the purpose of this post...that powerful thing that happened Friday night? The words on this page won't come close to doing it justice, but my family and I attended a gathering where everyone around us showed up expecting God to move. A group of about 15-20 people, with one mind, were expecting the Holy Spirit's power to invade the room. It wasn't about who was on stage or what music was playing. It was about the King Himself. I've never quite experienced something so powerful, so authentic, and so palpable. All I can say is...I want more.

We each have the opportunity to be baptized by the Spirit, but our hearts must adjust. No longer can we afford a comfortable and complacent mindset. No longer should we come to a gathering - whether it be church, bible study, dinner with friends, or whatever - with the attitude of "what's in it for me?". Before each supernatural act you read about in the Bible, there was one thing that preceded it: Faith. Revival is possible, and most definitely on the horizon, but revival has to start on an individual level before it can happen on a corporate level. It has to happen in your heart and my heart. Every day we wake up, we need to have a sense of expectancy for God's glory to be revealed. I hope you're encouraged to expect God today because He's waiting for you to show up.