The Next Level
Tonight was one of the most awesome nights of my life, to top off a terrific week of God's power and growth in me. To start the week, I hammered out some things with God and spent a long time in prayer coming to a point of complete and utter surrender. I did this because I was desperate for God to move, and oh boy did He move. Once I got to a state of total surrender and reliance on God, He filled me with a new kind of strength - unending, solid, and motivating. It was a good start.
On Tuesday, I had cell group, and we were praying for people at the end and I was put in the middle (not against my will, but not by my request either). I was given the gift of tongues there - still exciting and still using it as much as possible. Weird but awesome. I've already found that it's dangerous to do while eating, brushing teeth, or shaving. So much better connecting with God though.
On Friday we had a youth leaders' meeting for a network youth gethering we had tonight. We were given a bit of a leadership intensive seminar that really redefined the landmarks of leadership in my world. Simply by being me, I lead change and transformation in those who follow. They're growing to look like me, so what I want stamped on the lives of those I lead must be genuine qualities of my life.
That's nothing new, but the worldshaking moment was when I realised it was character and hunger that they copied, not knowledge or learning. So now I'm challenged to make my life not only genuine as an example, but genuine in every aspect I want stamped onto this new generation of believers. That includes stuff I'm not real comfortable with, like welcoming and getting to know new people *all the time*.
No recovery period from that of course; iinstead there was the network youth gathering tonight. I was recruited as an usher, got to help pray for and talk to new converts (still gotta work on that... I'm no good with words and unsure what to say in those situations), and then near the end of the night all the youth leaders were called up and the pastors empowered us to pray and minister to the youth who were there. This was a first-time too, and daunting but life-changing.
God just hit me and swept me up - the words that came out of my mouth didn't even pass through my mind on the way there. Right, wrong, hesitation... it was all swept out the window because I was hearing what I was saying at the same time as everyone else. This was a one-off special from God, but I'd love to develop my gifting in that area (getting out of non-existant would be awesome). That said, I hope I didn't damage the poor kids I prayed for too much. If I'm lucky, I may even have helped define some lives.
I look at this, and I see a pretty clear call in my life to step things up. There's a new level of my Christian walk sitting right there, within reach. Where it'll lead, I have no idea... but as is the signature in lives touched by God, I must go there.
On Tuesday, I had cell group, and we were praying for people at the end and I was put in the middle (not against my will, but not by my request either). I was given the gift of tongues there - still exciting and still using it as much as possible. Weird but awesome. I've already found that it's dangerous to do while eating, brushing teeth, or shaving. So much better connecting with God though.
On Friday we had a youth leaders' meeting for a network youth gethering we had tonight. We were given a bit of a leadership intensive seminar that really redefined the landmarks of leadership in my world. Simply by being me, I lead change and transformation in those who follow. They're growing to look like me, so what I want stamped on the lives of those I lead must be genuine qualities of my life.
That's nothing new, but the worldshaking moment was when I realised it was character and hunger that they copied, not knowledge or learning. So now I'm challenged to make my life not only genuine as an example, but genuine in every aspect I want stamped onto this new generation of believers. That includes stuff I'm not real comfortable with, like welcoming and getting to know new people *all the time*.
No recovery period from that of course; iinstead there was the network youth gathering tonight. I was recruited as an usher, got to help pray for and talk to new converts (still gotta work on that... I'm no good with words and unsure what to say in those situations), and then near the end of the night all the youth leaders were called up and the pastors empowered us to pray and minister to the youth who were there. This was a first-time too, and daunting but life-changing.
God just hit me and swept me up - the words that came out of my mouth didn't even pass through my mind on the way there. Right, wrong, hesitation... it was all swept out the window because I was hearing what I was saying at the same time as everyone else. This was a one-off special from God, but I'd love to develop my gifting in that area (getting out of non-existant would be awesome). That said, I hope I didn't damage the poor kids I prayed for too much. If I'm lucky, I may even have helped define some lives.
I look at this, and I see a pretty clear call in my life to step things up. There's a new level of my Christian walk sitting right there, within reach. Where it'll lead, I have no idea... but as is the signature in lives touched by God, I must go there.
posted by Merlz at 5:44 AM
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