A Fresh Wind!

As I look back on my past and then turn and look the other way toward my future, I see a reoccurring theme and/or truth that has repeatedly shown itself in my life… all along the way!  The Pastor seemed to put it all in perspective yesterday as she stated: “OBEDIENCE is the blueprint for the foundation of every dream that was ever fulfilled!”

One of my favorite topics that is worth reviewing once again, is how Piper and I had decided early on in our marriage, that we did not want to just be spectators of the Christian walk and watch others play the game… we wanted to not only be on the team… but be part of the first string that actively participated in every play!

With that decision made, we quickly came to learn that OBEDIENCE to our OBEDIENCE to the call and leadings of God was the most important and key element to the continued maturing of our Christian walk.  In other words, once we obeyed a directive of God, we needed to stick with it throughout all the ups and downs in the natural realm that came along while following the command!  To stay in the Word, to stay stirred up, to stay in fellowship with like-minded Christians, to support each other and to keep checking in with the Boss!

But let’s pause for a moment here and let me explain, that while all of that may sound like a lot of extra work and pain and could possibly persuade other Christians to steer clear of attempting to go after the seemingly impossible in their lives… that Jesus said He can turn into possibilities (See, Matthew 19:26)… OBEDIENCE definitely does have its rewards.

In Psalm 51:11-12 the Psalmist cries out to God saying, “Do not force me away from your presence, and do not take your Holy Spirit from me.  Restore the joy of your salvation to me, and provide me with a spirit of willing obedience.” (God’s Word ©)  When I first read this verse this morning, it immediately dawned on me that there is a sense or maybe better said, a PLACE of JOY in our OBEDIENCE to God!  And I easily recalled how Piper and I always felt a stabilizing and calming JOY in the midst of the ups and especially the downs we went through while staying the course of OBEDIENCE to something that we knew that He had called us to do.

The more I think about it, I have to believe that this JOY has two important roles that it plays while we persevere and stay OBEDIENT to our OBEDIENCE to His leadings.  The first being in line with the Psalmist’s heart-felt request to the Lord in Psalm 51:11 when he asked God to not force him away from the awesome presence of the Lord or take His Holy Spirit from him.  You have to understand that this was before Jesus’ coming and making a way for the Holy Spirit to reside in us.  At that point in time the presence of the Holy Spirit only came upon the Prophet, Priest or King.

We though, don’t have to wait for His presence, because as a Born-Again Christian, we’ve got His presence all the time.  But… we can also experience times when His presence comes upon us as it did on many occasions in the book of Acts.  So, in the midst of staying true to our OBEDIENCE to the Lord, there are times where His JOY can help us to push past the down feelings and stir-up the power of God to the point when we experience a tangible anointing upon us.

I can vividly remember four such personal experiences.  The first occurred one night in my bedroom at my parent’s house shortly before Piper and I got married.  We had been to a church service that had really touched my heart and after I dropped Piper off at her house and climbed into bed… I didn’t want that feeling to leave.  So, I began to quietly praise the Lord (I didn’t want to arouse my very Catholic parents who might have not have understood what I was doing) and within a few moments, the presence of the Lord filled that room!  I can still feel His personal awesomeness as I laid there in amazement over that tangible anointing in the room and I prayed that it would never leave!

Another time was when Piper and I were at The Inn at the Tides in Bodega Bay, California enjoying one of our two night mini-vacations.  On the second night we entered into prayer together over an upcoming VBS that we were putting on at our church.  His presence filled that room to the point where we both felt it and saw what seemed to be a blue haze that floated along the ceiling and dimmed the mood lighting that shined forth from the cam lights in the ceiling!

Then there was the time after preaching one Sunday morning in place of our vacationing Pastors, when I saw that same haze in the back of the auditorium and physically felt the power of God going through me and into the people that I was laying hands on for healing and other needs at the end of the service… which went on for an hour extra that day… simply because I didn’t know what to do except following the leading at the time!

Finally, was when I was alone in the house one day as Piper and the kids must have been on a school field-trip and I was feeling a little down.  So, I decided to stir things up a bit and put on one of my favorite worship CD’s, cranked up the volume and began to worship the Lord right there in the living room.  There was one song in particular that seemed to be bringing me closer and closer to the Lord and I must have recycled through that song at least ten times!  It was wonderful to be in His presence right there, in the middle of the day, in the middle of our living room!

The other role (amongst others I’m sure) that JOY plays, is in setting one free from the pressures that come against us to try and foil our OBEDIENCE to the Lord.  The King James Version translates Psalm 51:12 as “Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.”  While the Message Bible has the Psalmist asking of the Lord to, “…put a fresh wind in my sails!”  That tells me that our OBEDIENCE to God releases an uncanny freedom in us that seems to put a “fresh wind” in our steps along the way!

I can attest that every time that Piper and I stepped out in OBEDIENCE to Him, that we almost immediately felt what can be likened to a “fresh wind” come over us… and that “fresh wind” helped to carry us through some of our most difficult of experiences… even or especially when others around us were lost in and yielded to fear!

Therefore, it is with His promise of JOY, FREEDOM and a “FRESH WIND” that I encourage each of you to be OBEDIENT to His callings and leadings in this life.  It is not always the easiest road to follow, but it is definitely the most scenic and rewarding!

Have a good week and keep expecting God’s best in your life!