This Sunday morning I saw a lion pacing a small cage, back and forth, back and forth. Then it was released in to the wild. Do you know what that lion did? It just continued to pace back and forth. It could not comprehend it's freedom. It's time the church quit pacing. Take the land!
There was an irony to it. I saw the vision at the altar during worship service and right after, people with prophetic insight were chosen by leadership in order to give a word for the church. I was not chosen so I sat quietly and kept the vision to myself. I felt like a pacing lion.. and it made me laugh. There is a time to speak and a time to be silent. It is good to have wisdom to know the difference. This is when I realized that the cage is not always self imposed. For so long the things I have seen and heard were ALWAYS kept between me and the Holy Spirit, now I am actually SURPRISED when I am able to release it.
Yes, the structure of church does feel like a cage at times. But that is NOT where God intends for us to release church! Listen, listen, listen... GOD has put us in to the OPEN PLACES! If the only hope you have to express your spiritual gifts is in the 4 walls of the church you will STARVE or worse than that, you will become performance driven in order to get in with the "in" crowd with the hopes of some day having a platform to release. YES! We are meant to give out what we have; but, dear brothers and sisters, we were designed for the WILD. Do not be afraid and do not starve. It is a mandate (GO ye therefore in to all nations..)to GO and use our spiritual gifts for a world that is HUNGRY for it. It is not just for the 4 walls of a church. There is no way the church could possibly give EVERYONE's gift a platform.. that is not it's design. Go! Go! Go!.. Go hunt down your encounters. When Jesus said, "I have food you not of"; this is what He meant. This is OUR FOOD.. Healing is the children's bread. SELAH.. Think on it. GO!
In the mean time, let church be church. One thing I have learned, is leaders and elders hear from God too :D (what a relief).. IF the vision was for that moment in time. One of them would have heard God say, "Cher has a word". Once relationship and trust is established; then, the door will open. I am honestly in no hurry. I have enjoyed the quiet secrets between me and God. I have come to a place where He speaks to me continually. There is not one question that I ask that He does not answer. He also gives me visions as people are speaking or during worship to explain deeper things. HE REALLY LOVES to answer questions! The Holy Spirit really wants us to understand what is happening around us. I am His disciple and MOST of the time, it's just between us (Matt13:11&12). If anyone wants or needs to know something, they can just ask Him.. He is faithful to answer. And when He points out blocked children in the public arena, I go after them like a lioness and He is my rear guard. We hunt together in the ministry of reconciliation. I am enjoying our intimacy. I am enjoying purpose.
There was an irony to it. I saw the vision at the altar during worship service and right after, people with prophetic insight were chosen by leadership in order to give a word for the church. I was not chosen so I sat quietly and kept the vision to myself. I felt like a pacing lion.. and it made me laugh. There is a time to speak and a time to be silent. It is good to have wisdom to know the difference. This is when I realized that the cage is not always self imposed. For so long the things I have seen and heard were ALWAYS kept between me and the Holy Spirit, now I am actually SURPRISED when I am able to release it.
Yes, the structure of church does feel like a cage at times. But that is NOT where God intends for us to release church! Listen, listen, listen... GOD has put us in to the OPEN PLACES! If the only hope you have to express your spiritual gifts is in the 4 walls of the church you will STARVE or worse than that, you will become performance driven in order to get in with the "in" crowd with the hopes of some day having a platform to release. YES! We are meant to give out what we have; but, dear brothers and sisters, we were designed for the WILD. Do not be afraid and do not starve. It is a mandate (GO ye therefore in to all nations..)to GO and use our spiritual gifts for a world that is HUNGRY for it. It is not just for the 4 walls of a church. There is no way the church could possibly give EVERYONE's gift a platform.. that is not it's design. Go! Go! Go!.. Go hunt down your encounters. When Jesus said, "I have food you not of"; this is what He meant. This is OUR FOOD.. Healing is the children's bread. SELAH.. Think on it. GO!
In the mean time, let church be church. One thing I have learned, is leaders and elders hear from God too :D (what a relief).. IF the vision was for that moment in time. One of them would have heard God say, "Cher has a word". Once relationship and trust is established; then, the door will open. I am honestly in no hurry. I have enjoyed the quiet secrets between me and God. I have come to a place where He speaks to me continually. There is not one question that I ask that He does not answer. He also gives me visions as people are speaking or during worship to explain deeper things. HE REALLY LOVES to answer questions! The Holy Spirit really wants us to understand what is happening around us. I am His disciple and MOST of the time, it's just between us (Matt13:11&12). If anyone wants or needs to know something, they can just ask Him.. He is faithful to answer. And when He points out blocked children in the public arena, I go after them like a lioness and He is my rear guard. We hunt together in the ministry of reconciliation. I am enjoying our intimacy. I am enjoying purpose.
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