How to See the Holy Spirit Move in Meetings

 by John Edwards

One of the keys to seeing the Holy Spirit move in a meeting, is something practical not spiritual:

Simply give the Holy Spirit time, in the meeting.

On purpose.

Just stop doing something else at that time in the meeting - and really give Him the time.

Some leaders have learned not to let a sermon get in the way of the Holy Spirit moving - and that's been a blessing, when that’s been appropriate.

But there's still one more thing which many meeting-leaders seem to be having a harder time letting go of - and it can stop the touch of the Holy Spirit from going next-level in a meeting, just as much as anything else can:

And that, perhaps surprisingly, is music. Music and singing.

We rely on music a lot. And music does help, especially at the start of a meeting - it can help open us up to the Spirit.

Or, constant music is good if a get-together is just about soaking individually. That sure is good too!

But what often happens whenever churches have an "Upper Room Meeting", or an "Encounter Night" or whatever we may call it, is that instead of being a meeting where there’s a sermon as usual, it pretty-much ends-up just being a night of extended music and worship.

Extended worship can be great, of course - but Acts chapter two was not primarily a music event!

So, music can help, at the start of something - but once the Spirit starts moving, then music can get in the way, if we keep playing it. When we could instead become aware of what God has begun to do, and let it become the thing.

It's a bit like trying to sing and drink a glass of water at the same time.

Because the thing about music - and anything else that comes from the stage, from the front - is it tends to dominate a meeting.

Everyone has been taught from childhood days at school always to defer to the front. So even if people in the congregation are starting to feel touched by the Spirit, if anyone's talking or singing or a band is playing from the stage the people will nearly always politely defer to that. And if they know the tune, they'll probably try to obediently sing along.

That can short-circuit whatever else the Holy Spirit may have begun to do in the meeting. The music can stop the congregation hearing people getting touched. So instead of opening-up their own hearts to get similarly touched, music and singing once again becomes the thing.

But in order to see the individual 'touch' of the Spirit become a 'move' of the Spirit, and go congregation-wide and then go next-level, it helps to allow the touch of the Spirit to be the dominant sight and sound in the meeting. That often requires stopping the music for a while. Completely.

I'm not talking about silence. There may be rare moments when silence is appropriate. But no-one benefits much from awkward silence! If nothing's happening, rather have some music, or even a sermon!

No, this is about, when some individuals have begun to be touched, and you can see it and hear it, and you want to see it go congregation-wide and next-level - then back off the music for a while, so everyone can hear and see the touch of God, so they can be encouraged to open up their own hearts to receive too - then it'll soon spread like Dominos and the whole congregation will be swimming in it. It's a joyful and wonderful sight and sound!

And then if you let it take its course - resisting the urge to interrupt it from the stage, or to ‘help’ it with a background song - you might experience a second and third wave sweep through the congregation.

For example, what might start-out with a few individuals getting filled with joy, might spread to the whole congregation; then it might turn to congregation-wide tears and repentance and petition or intercession; then back to laughter again; then people seeing visions - and then people speaking with tongues, interpreting or prophesying. Spontaneously.

Everyone seeing, hearing, receiving, participating and expressing the Spirit. As one person.

Then maybe a couple of unexpected individuals might be used in a special way.

Everyone edified in spirit and mind.

Without unnecessary instruction or background input from the mic.

You're not as likely to see that, while music is still playing and dominating.

Really let the Holy Spirit hold the floor, have the room. Without trying to help it with a song, background music, or giving of instruction.

Let the Holy Spirit Himself instead be like the musician or the conductor who directs or plays the congregation’s hearts as a whole, for a while - then afterward the congregation and musicians will want to praise God together, for what He has done - to Jesus Christ's glory!

Stop the music for a while, then once you've let the Spirit have His way - and everyone's filled and satisfied and have expressed all that the Holy Spirit has done in them - now's the time to strike up the band again!

Now the congregation will really feel like dancing and celebrating!

At this point music is truly a 'ministry of helps', not a hindrance.

Not every meeting has to be exactly like this though. Just like not every night out of a lover and a beloved is scripted or the same. And we’re all different. And that’s okay.