Now that I've given some context for my faith journey, I'd like to explain what I really mean by "radical living". It's a vast concept that has many different explanations and titles, but this is just what I have decided to call it as it applies personally. You may call it something else and say, "Gosh, that's a weird thing to call it. I just call it '.....' or I don't have a name for it." Sorry, I'm being ambiguous and weird.
Basically, I'm striving for a life style that exemplifies James 2:17, "Faith, if it does not have works (deeds and actions of obedience to back it up), by itself is dead (without power, inoperative)."
I strongly believe that I, along with others, have spent my Christian life striving to gain all the fruits of the spirit, and forgetting about pursuing what the Spirit Himself is calling us to: works along with our faith. Works including powerful prayer, miracles, worship, boldness, evangelism, prophetic words, and communicating our Father's heart to the world around us. I am personally completely fed up with being a follower of Christ without actually "following" by example what He did while He was on earth. Yep. That about sums it up.
Please never take what I say as preaching or directly forced into your life just because you happen to be reading my quirky thoughts. While I do believe that everyone who has committed their lives to Christ has this calling on their life, timing and exact examples are not up to me to create or decide. I feel that God has called me to inspire people and give practical methods of living out His plan for His followers. I am incredibly excited about this recent revelation and change in my heart, and I feel that writing about it not only helps me share it with my world, but keeps me accountable and focused on closely pursuing what He's called me to. Someone challenged me when I first mentioned this to ensure that I was still pursuing God, not the radical living. Very good point. That would potentially be easy to be caught up in and completely deterring from the purpose. It is BECAUSE of Him that we passionately out pour our lives for His sake and therefore become radical.
A good practical example of what I'm talking about happened in our Passion Project worship night this past Sunday. If you're reading this, you were probably there, but if not, I can explain what happened and how God moved through me in a powerful way. Passion Project is a monthly worship night that we host in St. Pierre Bible Fellowship Church. Our goal is to glorify and honour God by bringing people deeper into His Presence through worship. We worship through prayer, painting, dancing, fellowship, and of course music. This ministry has grown like crazy and we have seen God work in dynamic ways through our service to Him. What He did on Sunday was a great example of this.
Caleb (my brother and co Passion Project leader) and I decided that our prayer time this month would be a corporate prayer, with God calling forth different things that needed to be healed. I lead the prayer time, and knew that I would need to have a lot of faith for this. Being a planner by career and nature, I was quite nervous to go up on stage with no plan or direction beforehand. Totally goes against every fiber of my being and I was having a mini panic attack. So I had a serious talk with God. I said, "God, if I am nervous, it means I am making it about myself. This has nothing to do with me, I am just being used by You and obeying Your command to put works with my faith. I trust in You that I will hear Your voice at the right time when I need to speak. I am just stewarding what You give me." Still freaked out, but here we go into worship.
The time came for me to hop on stage, explain what we were doing, and communicate what I felt God was speaking to me. Oh boy.
I looked into the crowd and saw some of the most beautiful, hungry faces I've ever seen. People were so eager to be in God's Presence and to let Him speak to them. I didn't even know half of them, but I was completely taken aback by their intensity and sincerity. I started praying. First, we prayed for minds. For depression, anxiety, worry, low self-esteem, and other attacks that do not belong in our God-given mind. If people were comfortable enough, they got a group to surround them and pray with them. I felt His Presence so strongly. Then we prayed for physical bodies; specifically bones, limbs, joints, and muscles. People laid hands on each other and fervent prayers were lifted up. I'm not even completely sure of what I prayed as I just let the Holy Spirit speak through me. Then we thanked Him for what He has done and was about to do. It was powerful and full of joy. We continued on to singing and declared that our God was everything we need.
Shekinah Glory: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2eLHe7VqVQ is a powerful song about His Presence that gets everybody full of joy and on their feet. During this song (that our band did an EXCELLENT job of) we had a time of testimony where people could share any immediate breakthrough they experienced. Again, a big testing of my faith with the possibility of no one sharing and me being spontaneous. But hooooo boy did my Jesus show up! There were miraculous healings in backs, hips, arms, thumbs, and migraines! I also asked if there were any breakthroughs with minds, even though that can be a bit harder to tell right away. But there were many people who raised their hands and had just felt a huge sense of peace and wellness. Praise Jesus!!!!!!!!! I was overwhelmingly encouraged and so full of joy. We danced the rest of the songs and thanked Him for everything, including the healings that had not yet taken place that evening. God is so good, plain and simple.
I had a lot of feedback and people thanking me for being obedient to what He was saying. That's all I did. Though terrifying and full of trust, it was as simple as listening to God, and communicating it. There was nothing I did except pursue His heart. "May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ." -Galatians 6:14
As simple as the concept is, the execution is the part we all struggle with. "Yeah, ok Melanie I listen to God and follow His plan for my life, but what else am I supposed to do? Pray for miracles and be a crazy Christian weirdo?" Well, maybe. This is where loads of scripture, theology, and teaching come into play, which I will save for your pastors, Bible studies, and friends for the most part. But I am full on choosing to be constantly listening to His voice and acting out on what He tells me to do. Gulp. Hold me to that, will you? I don't know if I'm brave enough.
Love you all.
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