John 10:4 "When he puts forth all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice." NASIn the late 1990's, as my little ministry grew, I was invited to attend a lot to meetings, and occasionally speak at some of them. One night I decide to take my preteen and teenage girls to a Acquire the Fire meeting a local church where I had preached three or four times. The multi-media presentation was very cool! The kids were really engaged in the music and the Gospel movie. It was powerful to see the death of Jesus on the cross (years before the Mel Gibson movie).
Everyone seemed to be weeping and they did an altar call. Most of the kids went forward to receive Jesus or make a new commitment. Both of my girls went forward. The young woman, who was the speaker, asked anyone that was released to pray for others by this church, to come forward and pray for the kids. I started to walk forward and I was abruptly stopped by my friend Holy Spirit. I remember thinking that I had prayed a lot for this meeting, and I could feel the anointing of the Spirit. I just stood there to see what God was doing.
To obey is better than sacrifice 1 Samuel 15:22
As teens and young adults made their way to the altar, the speaker said that the first thing that those who were going to pray should do, was to ask each of the kids if they needed a hug. And, not to stop hugging them until they were asked. Now I understood what God was up to. I was so used to meeting needs with a prophetic word, or the raw power of the Holy Spirit, that I missed some of the more obvious needs for understanding and affection. I just began to cry as God ministered to me too. I had been the religious one, trying to be the spiritual gift, instead of a loving, feeling human being that God could use. That was my Jesus that I seen dying on the cross during the movie, not theirs.
What amazed me was that many of the kids responded to the hugging for a long time; some of them for twenty minutes. They stood there in the sweet embrace of Jesus through His people, where they wept, they prayed, they cried out for salvation and received healing. It was a really a joy to watch God at work.
The kindest of God’s instructions, “not right now.” That was powerful one me that day.
The ATF crew ended the night with a call to action, a call to missions and almost everyone who had been at the altar, left with a booklet of mission trips they could participate in.
After the meeting, I was talking with one of the staffers, and all of sudden, I had an opportunity to pray for her. God reveled a specific country for her to minister in. It was a surprise to her as she had been wrestling with God about two different opportunities; one to be a lead staffer doing presentations such as the one we had just seen, the other as a long term missionary in Africa. All week she said, I have been asking God which of the two opportunities I should take. It was very powerful, and she invited the entire team to let me minister to them as well.
As I drove home, again, I was amazed at what God wanted to do, and how He did it. My kids were excited about Jesus, and talked about how much the "hug" ministry time really impressed on them the love of God. They chattered all the way back to the house about which country they would like to serve God in.
To obey is better than sacrifice 1 Samuel 15:22
Comments
It isn't the best approach to always apply in parenting and Holy Spirit needs to remind me that His way is the best and most efficent way. After all He knows our hearts.
Thanks for the reminder, David.