This is starting to take shape as a little prayer and mission series, which is good.
As we walk the streets at night our prayer before we leave is that we connect and communicate. Here's a thought: all the suddenly stuff, the supernatural stuff dare I even say the treasure hunting has a place in our lives but, and I use this "but" carefully, could it bypass the need to develop connections with people and build relationships with them?
Do we hide behind the supernatural as a pose to putting in the ground work of building relationship? I give you a prophetic word or word of knowledge therefore I get to speak intimately into your life without really knowing you! Can prophecy be a bypass to intimacy?
I believe that supernatural revelation is a God given gift that does make evangelism more effective, I don't doubt that for one moment.
I want to connect and communicate with people and sometimes that is a long haul relational deal, in fact I believe that most times it is long haul relational over instant supernatural. We go out we meet people we try to build relationships with them. We connect and communicate.
My prayer is often that we make a connection, that we communicate the love of God to whomever we meet. If they are only around for the short term probably the supernatural works as an instant hit. If it's long term, sure the supernatural can unlock a door, but the reality is that we need to build relationships with people. Relationships don't happen quickly.
One of the guys who got saved out here, was loved into the kingdom over 5 years by a variety of people who built relationships with him. He was also prayed into the kingdom by his mother and family, the end result was supernatural transformation of his life but it came through the effective connection and communication of the love of God over a long period of time.
Connect and communicate.
2 comments:
Wow Brian!....great thoughts in this post. As someone who's struggled with intimacy I think the answer is YES...I have hidden behind the supernatural before. I think being in Ibiza last summer realy challenged me to open myself and to let people see me...when they see that I genuinely love God and people, I think that can have the same impact as the supernatural...Heck, that IS supernatural! I also think when we build authentic realtionships and then God does something supernatural in the midst of that, it almost multiplies the power of the supernatural! I don't want to ever get caught up in looking at people like "projects" my goal is to build real and true friendships. To walk with people and as we walk, let them see the way I live and how Christ is the center of that. That is the most supernatural thing of all!
yep, some interesting thoughts there brian. the 'suddenly' stuff is great when it happens, but... well you said it better than i can.
al.
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