Wednesday, December 16, 2009

The Spirit Moves

It's been an interesting time. The biggest spiritual development has been the surprising increase in supernatural movement in my life. It's a bit hard to explain, and it's a pretty controversial subject, I suppose. I want people to know there's more though.
I was watching the IHOP webstream again (this is a while ago, now) and the internet cut out. I felt God leading me to stop watching and participate. So I laid down and said, "Whatever you want to do, do it." Before long the Holy Spirit came and 'manifested' in my body. This apparently can look very different for each person and for whatever the Spirit wants to do that day. For me it's mostly shaking, movement in my spine and such. I've been given the gift of praying in tongues as well. It is strange, no doubt, but it's intimate. God's spirit unites with my spirit. The deeper I get into God, the more my head spins when I try to understand Him. I used to be pretty smart on the topics of religion. Now all I can do is shake my head or laugh in wonder.
I'm seeking to know God as a person now. I've prayed to Him forever, but He's so mystical to me. It doesn't really feel completely like a relationship. He can do things in my body and heart, but sometimes it feels more like the repairman coming to fix things and leaving, or Barney saying he loves me and then going to commercial. I'm closer than I've ever been, but I can see that there's so much more.
Last night I went to the opening of the 'Boiler Room' in the Love Power building downtown. Once again, super strange. I got the invite on Facebook from someone I'd never met, but I knew what it was about and wanted in. There were people there, my age and older, that were so abandoned in the presence of God. Some were dancing and twirling, some spinning flags, some blowing rams' horns, some interceding for strangers (I being the stranger on one occasion,) and there was an empty chair in front of the musicians so they could focus on ministering to Jesus. As they said at the start, "If you came expecting a religious service, you came to the wrong place." Apparently. But they had such freedom that I have yet to know. I stood (or knelt or laid) in one spot facing the stage, and they wandered all around, dancing and singing. One girl my age prayed into the mic a prayer so simple and so desperate for God that I started crying. I cried so much that night. Sometimes I had a reason, sometimes I didn't. Oh, it was beautiful. But it still showed me how much freedom I don't yet have, and how much closer to God I can still get. I want more.
I'm struggling with something else, though. God's given me eyes for certain people's hearts, and I tell them when I see something amiss. Lately I have been so tormented about this, because the messages are harder and heavier to deliver. The person's usual first reaction is surprise and occasionally anger (wounded pride, for Valleybrookers.) As Ezekial was given the same job in the bible and got some stronger messages and reactions, I'm assuming I'm not off base and that I am following God's leadings. Satan's trying so hard to tear me down about this, which is probably another sign I'm going in the right direction. It's so hard to hurt the ones that I love though, so that they might grow.
I'm going to IHOP in Kansas City for Onething soon. I expect God to do a lot in me there, deliver me freedoms and heal my body in certain ways. North Central comes soon after that, and Christmas just before. Life's busy, but full at the same time.