This truth is difficult for many people to grasp. The fact of the matter is that in many areas we have passed on a natural faith to a natural mindset. We have been taught to express our faith in a way that "makes sense." We learn how to rationalize the Scriptures, defend our faith through arguments, and to be careful about how we experience the things of God. It's especially difficult for people who see doctrine and theology as the only basis for walking in unity.
Why is that a problem? Well...it's a problem because it necessitates that we clearly understand and define what God is doing. It's a problem because it doesn't allow God room to move. In much of our theology and in many of our doctrines we have limited God. Anything outside of our paradigm causes us to question what is of God and what is not. In case you aren't sure, the definition of a paradigm is:
1) A typical example or pattern of something; a model.
2) A worldview underlying the theories and methodology of a particular scientific subject.
For the typical church-goer, the paradigm they have been exposed to is through a particular denomination. The way in which a certain group defines God and His activity in our lives. What this setting creates is a culture that says "this is the way God does things."
It's important that you understand where I'm coming from:
We need doctrine
We need theology
We need structure
However, we need to make sure that within those things God is allowed to be God.
The essence of our worship and experiences in God need to be spiritually discerned. This isn't done through the natural mind. In fact, if it is your practice to try to understand (logically) what is going on around you then it will always be difficult to see past the natural person. I'll give you an example: Let's say you have someone dancing around in a worship service. The first thing you see is the individual, you see the way they are dressed, and you see the way they move. If you are unable to spiritually discern the situation then you may just write it off as emotionalism or attention seeking. However, if you will allow God to speak to you through this type of activity then you can actually "feel" what the Spirit of God is doing in those situations, you can "hear" what He is trying to say, and you can "see" what is really going on.
A couple of weeks ago I was knelt down in worship. I was singing out, crying, praying, and just simply taking in the love of God in the moment. All of a sudden I started feeling these incredible waves of His glory crashing into me. In my mind I heard "What is that?" so I opened my eyes to see a little girl dancing around me. What I was feeling was the ministry that she was bringing through her dance. It was the actual glory of God radiating through her. There were others that I talked to after that service and they experienced the same things. Was this true of everyone that was present? Not necessarily. While they may have been moved to emotion by watching such a young one express her love for God, they could have totally missed out on what the Spirit of God was doing in the moment. Some could have been in total disagreement about the whole thing (depending upon their background). The point I'm trying to make is that we have to learn how to spiritually discern every moment in God.
I'm going to give you a little exercise that can help open you up in this area.
* Take some time to get alone with the Lord.
* Think about experiences that you know were genuine experiences in the Lord.
* Express your thankfulness to God about these experiences.
* Typically this type of exercise will bring with it the emotions of that moment, or at least a definite feeling of His presence. What you must do is linger (remain) in that place. Feel those feelings. Ask God if there is more that He was doing in that moment. Enjoy His presence.
* This is a small part of it but then you can take those same "feelings" and use them as a "check-point" in other conversations and experiences. The reason I used the term "waves" earlier is because that is how I experience the Lord. Now there are times when I'm talking to someone and I can sense His presence in thoughts and statements because that same "feeling" comes back. I can also use that feeling to prophecy into the life of the other person.
You might be wondering if I have a chapter and verse for this and my answer would be "yes" and "no". What I can tell you is that this is how I have experienced the Lord and I have seen Him confirm it time and time again. How can I be sure that this is of the Lord? I'm sure it's of Him because I am learning how to spiritually discern His activity. It may not make sense in my natural mind but when I obey the Lord in those moments then His presence becomes very real. This is how we receive the things of the Spirit. It's a part of the journey. Enjoy it!!!
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