There is a tremendous realization that sets in over you after a few years at a new pastorate. That revelation is that God did call you to that church. He picked you, not men. This is the revelation that has set into me lately here at Calvary. When I was in Michigan I caught the understanding that I am not only in the right place at the right time, I am the right person. A new confidence has flowed into my being from the Lord. He has set before me an open door. Victory will be achieved and the Lord's will shall be accomplished. We are still heading in the right direction.
There has either been a darkness lifted from over me, or from over the church. Whichever it is, all I know is that things "feel" different. I've often told the congregation that it has to "feel right" to me. I know we don't go by feelings, but what I mean is the gift of discerning of spirits operates in my life. I've have come to trust this internal spiritual sense, because it has led me through many difficult times by pre-warning me of an upcoming battle. I've often claimed that Scripture where Jesus told his disciples “I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe" (John 13:19). Fellowshipping with the Spirit of Jesus is like having a spirit of prophecy operating on the inside of you.
This gift has proven itself already at Calvary. Even before something happens, before a battle arises, there is this "feeling" that sets in over me. It is a warning system placed in me by the Holy Spirit because I am the Pastor of this church. Jesus talked about people who could discern with signs of the weather changing, but could not discern the signs of the times. He gives Pastors a discerning heart to "feel" climate changes in the church. This gift has so exercised itself in me that I can now discern it in an individual's face. Jacob saw this when Laban's heart was no longer towards him as before.
“And Jacob noticed that Laban’s attitude towards him was not what it had been.”
Genesis 31:2
Another thing that the trip to Michigan did for me is it placed in me a greater confidence in this gift of the discerning of spirits. I now realize I have been right time after time, but sometimes unwilling to admit it. Pastor Holdeman calls it "your gut." Where once I felt judgmental, now I know that God is preparing me for what is to come through discernment. This greatly helps me in knowing when and what to preach before the people of our church. Even now that discernment has called me to preach a series on "Times of Refreshing." The Lord does not want us burdened down and weary when the storm on the horizon hits us — as it is about to do.
Each day, as I go to the prayer tower, I gain more and more strength and discernment. The Lord is speaking to me to "stir up" this gift in me. I am new to this "impartation" thing, but the Lord says that I truly received an impartation of confidence through the laying on of hands by Bishop Dave Williams. He does not want me to ignore it nor neglect it. It is not only a gift for me, but it's a gift for our church. I have come to realize, if you are a Pastor, you have been gifted with many spiritual gifts. I thank the Lord for the discerning of spirits most of all.
The Lord told me years ago that he would show me things about people if I could keep my mouth shut. There are times when the gift of discernment is not the word of knowledge. I keep these things in my heart and pray. I believe that because of this the Lord has helped people through my prayers. However, it's been hard to believe that an impending problem was adverted through prayer when it didn't happen to people. In some instances I doubt, but I believe it wholeheartedly when the Lord has come and spoke to me about my sons. He has awakened me in the middle of the night to get me to quickly pray over a situation. Sometimes he has told me about it, sometimes he hasn't. Nevertheless, I pray, knowing that I am preventing a situation from happening.
It has gotten easier over the years to operate in the discerning of spirits, having seen the good it can bring about. The Lord now wants me to grow stronger in it and become able to speak it out to those who are resisting his will. Confrontation is never fun, but as a Pastor, it is necessary to protect the flock. In situations where it is obvious, it's not hard for me to tell people what I see. However, there are times when people are such good play actors that they draw people into their deception and others become influenced against the discernment of their Pastor. These are time when you really need to know you are hearing from God, because others will misunderstand.
We are coming up upon such a time of testing. Again, the Lord tells us these things so that when they happen we can believe he is guiding us. The reason we will be tested is because God wants to prove to this congregation what I stated earlier — I'm the right person, in the right place, at the right time.
The Lord wants Calvary to be able to trust their Pastor. He wants to show his hand upon my life so they will know that I hear and obey his voice. Victory in times of testing establishes trust. Trust takes time. I'm am very open about my struggles with self-doubt and discernment. This is because I want the congregation to know, when I see I have failed, or I see I have chosen the wrong direction, I will repent and change course.
“For there must be also heresies among you,
that they which are approved may be made manifest among you.”
1 Corinthians 11:19
The Lord has continued to show me many more unworkable differences among us here at Calvary. It's heart-breaking, but the differences he is showing me is so I can address them with the power of his Word.
“Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you;
but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.”
1 Corinthians 1:10
Outward unity will exist by policies, structure, constitutions, and bylaws. However, the inward unity that God desires can only come when we a perfectly joined together by "the same mind and in the same judgment." This is when we all submit our agendas and our attitudes to the authority of the Word. If a person's life is not submitted to the Word, you cannot expect that it will be submitted to the church.
We are only a part of one another to the limit we are in agreement with the Word in our personal lives. This is the principle that God has yet to instill in us. I hope to begin moving towards spiritual unity by first preaching on all the good things that are ours in Christ. Perhaps through a desire for the rewards of God we will place ourselves under his authority, and begin to serve his purpose as a church.
Even though we may have been brought to a new level of peace by no longer attacking one another and by casting out the spirit of control, God still has to instill a spirit of submission in our church before we will truly be able to accomplish the will of the Lord in our midst and in our community.
Yes, that means further battles. Don't worry, God has called us to now retreat into a season of refreshing this month as the look at all the good things that are ours in Christ Jesus. These are the days of inspiration and impartation.
Remember to pray IN our prayer tower and FOR our prayer tower as I seek to draw up this vision and write it down. Also, we've finally added a new Photo Events page to our website. Check out the new drop down menu items above. Our first page has photos from Sunday's Annual Church Picnic in Harter Park. God bless you this week.