Sometimes God has more for us in our meetings than we think.
He might want to fill everyone with the Spirit, and with joy.
But then once He's filled us, He might want to use someone to bring a different manifestation.
Last Monday night a guest speaker had a tent meeting. He didn't use any background music, so the crowd was not hindered from receiving from God, and many were on the floor laughing in the spirit. It was good.
I said to one of my friends sitting in our seats that after almost everyone else gets up off the floor there will likely be a few who will remain on the floor - and that if we allow it, God will likely use one of those to minister something to the congregation. And I pointed-out exactly who I felt that person could be.
Then the preacher left while everyone else was still on the floor. People started getting up off the floor and returned to their seats. Others in the congregation began leaving. But the person I'd pointed out, and a number of others, were still on the floor.
I was longing to see us allow the meeting to go to the next level, like I've seen in other places when we allowed it. But after some time one of the guys started to put some music on. Rather than be resigned to a less-than-optimal meeting, this time I went up to him, "What are you doing?"
He said he was putting some music on.
"I don't think we need it," I said.
"Righto", he said.
Then I said to one of the remaining leaders that if we think what we were seeing happen so far is the peak, then it will be - but if we're willing, it can just be the start of another level - and God can take us there.
"For example," I said, "God might use someone like her," and I pointed to the person on the floor who I'd been sensing the Lord might use, "to bring something from the Spirit for the whole congregation. It could be a totally different type of manifestation."
"Yes it comes in waves. We can wait for the next wave, or we can go", he said.
I asked him if the microphone was still turned on. He brought the mic. to me, but I just pointed at the woman on the floor.
I don't even know who she was. So he put the microphone up to her, and she started singing in the spirit. It was a song of worship and thanks to Jesus. Then it became a song of intercession for the lost on the Gold Coast. Part of it was likely an interpretation of tongues.
Last Monday night a guest speaker had a tent meeting. He didn't use any background music, so the crowd was not hindered from receiving from God, and many were on the floor laughing in the spirit. It was good.
I said to one of my friends sitting in our seats that after almost everyone else gets up off the floor there will likely be a few who will remain on the floor - and that if we allow it, God will likely use one of those to minister something to the congregation. And I pointed-out exactly who I felt that person could be.
Then the preacher left while everyone else was still on the floor. People started getting up off the floor and returned to their seats. Others in the congregation began leaving. But the person I'd pointed out, and a number of others, were still on the floor.
I was longing to see us allow the meeting to go to the next level, like I've seen in other places when we allowed it. But after some time one of the guys started to put some music on. Rather than be resigned to a less-than-optimal meeting, this time I went up to him, "What are you doing?"
He said he was putting some music on.
"I don't think we need it," I said.
"Righto", he said.
Then I said to one of the remaining leaders that if we think what we were seeing happen so far is the peak, then it will be - but if we're willing, it can just be the start of another level - and God can take us there.
"For example," I said, "God might use someone like her," and I pointed to the person on the floor who I'd been sensing the Lord might use, "to bring something from the Spirit for the whole congregation. It could be a totally different type of manifestation."
"Yes it comes in waves. We can wait for the next wave, or we can go", he said.
I asked him if the microphone was still turned on. He brought the mic. to me, but I just pointed at the woman on the floor.
I don't even know who she was. So he put the microphone up to her, and she started singing in the spirit. It was a song of worship and thanks to Jesus. Then it became a song of intercession for the lost on the Gold Coast. Part of it was likely an interpretation of tongues.
That was something we wouldn't have seen happen if we'd put the music on. I think everyone likely sensed the beauty of it. Some people sensed the gravity of it.
Then he asked if I had anything else. I said no except I sensed something about someone on the other side of the congregation, someone wearing tan-coloured shorts.
I just waited on the Holy Spirit, others carried on enjoying the Lord. Then I sensed the Holy Spirit impress on my heart that it looked like that was it (that was the extent of what the congregation wanted) for tonight.
So the meeting ended. But a few people over the other side lingered. I could see one of them had tan-coloured shorts on. So I went to him, and I sensed I should pray for him for healing. I told him, and he nodded - so I laid hands on him for healing.
Every one else left the tent, and for a long time only he, his wife and one other person remained, praying for him. I prayed for a while, then left them there.
I felt content that we did go a little bit further into something this time - even though it can still go much wider than what we saw, if only the congregation stays for it, and if only they sense the gravity of it.
Then he asked if I had anything else. I said no except I sensed something about someone on the other side of the congregation, someone wearing tan-coloured shorts.
I just waited on the Holy Spirit, others carried on enjoying the Lord. Then I sensed the Holy Spirit impress on my heart that it looked like that was it (that was the extent of what the congregation wanted) for tonight.
So the meeting ended. But a few people over the other side lingered. I could see one of them had tan-coloured shorts on. So I went to him, and I sensed I should pray for him for healing. I told him, and he nodded - so I laid hands on him for healing.
Every one else left the tent, and for a long time only he, his wife and one other person remained, praying for him. I prayed for a while, then left them there.
I felt content that we did go a little bit further into something this time - even though it can still go much wider than what we saw, if only the congregation stays for it, and if only they sense the gravity of it.
In other meetings I've seen two people at the end stand up and speak in tongues and interpret; I've seen one or two go around and lay hands on everyone; I've seen a wave of deliverance from demons come into a room; I've seen laughter turn to repentance and weeping - then back to laughter again; I've see tongues poured out on thecongregation, and interpretation; I've seen visions poured out, and people sharing their visions and prophesying.
Congregation-wide laighter in the spirit isn't an end in itself - it's only the beginning of a deeper level in the Spirit we can still go to. The joy can be but the precursor of other manifestations of the Spirit in the meeting and in the life of the church. And there can even come an overspreading of the Spirit into the unsaved community around us.
We only have to allow it.
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