911

no, I'm not going to talk about the falling of the twin towers.

911 means change. A shift in what is going on at the moment. I can't sit and make a theology about it (I don't think that way), but for me I just have come to realize that's what it means.

Here's what I want to talk about, and it's kind of about 911 (the number, not the event) : The Religious Spirit. The one who wants to terrorize our rhythm with Jesus, especially in seasons of change.

I've recently been in constant conflict and all out fist fights with the Religious Spirit. It has been waiting for me around every corner of the past few months, ready to pounce on me and distract me from what I need to be doing. The biggest lie of the Religious Spirit is, 'You can't do that. That's not how it goes. You're not staying in the lines. These things don't add up the way they should.'

The Religious Spirit is an accuser. It is from Hell. It accuses people of doing the wrong thing when they are in fact right where they are supposed to be. The Religious Spirit sees people who are earnestly seeking the Lord's Face and wants to snatch them from His Hand. The Religious Spirit is really tricky, showing up in the conversations of close friends and relatives that you know are meaning well. But in your heart, the Lord is telling you to keep being messy, keep pissing off the Religious Spirit, keep doing the things that His Presence is taking you to, trust that you are listening to His Voice. 

If we are not moving toward a place of conscious conversation with God one on one, and at some point facing attacks that test the authenticity and accuracy of that exchange, then we are not in the right place.

Many times I hear people question : ' How do you know the Lord told you that? ' 

My answer : ' Because I believe I can know His Voice, and that you can too. I believe it takes practice, and a lot of messing up, and sure it's possible that this is a mess up, but I have faith that it is not. We can be and are called to be confident in what God is saying to us. '

My friend Aaron Jaqua (who I ran into today - such a blessing from God) just told me a story :

A guy from Bethel Church in Redding, CA who was wanting to grow in the Prophetic (the gifting of hearing from God) would go into neighborhoods, stand in front of houses, and wait. He'd wait on hearing God's voice. He'd listen for names, ailments that needed healing, etc. and when he'd feel like it, he'd walk up, ring the bell, and ask for the things he got words for. If it was wrong, he'd go, stand in front of the next house, and try again. After a while, he became more and more in tune with the Lord. I've heard that now he is incredibly accurate incredibly often. 

Here's what the Religious Spirit would say here :

' I'm skeptical of where he's getting this supernatural power (it's probably a coincidence-based thing anyway), because it seems people either have a gifting or they don't. '

Here's what the Holy Spirit says here :

' I am and always have been more interested in the process of things than the ends of things. I'm so much more interested in loving and being close to my people than seeing my people do things for me. I'm calling you to intimacy, and that intimacy brings fruit. Supernatural fruit. '

Well, for now, that's it. Let's see if there is anything religious in us and burn it. To the ground. And bury it. Forever. And fall in love with the person of Jesus, following Him and not doctrine. Are we afraid of the discomfort of being out of control? Relinquish control. It feels wrong in our hands because it was never supposed to be there.