Daring to be Restless

“A move of God is, by its very definition, God moving.   In the very first mention of the Holy Spirit in Scripture, He is moving (see Genesis 1:2). That is His basic nature, and He will not change. Those who are led by the Spirit are also moving, going somewhere, and are always focused on a purpose and a destiny.” – Rick Joyner, The Power to Change the World , p. 9 According to the Bible, there is something fundamentally different about the Children of God, something that keeps them from blending into the crowds of unsaved people at their door – their lives are exciting, moving in dynamic ways, focused, powerful.   Admit it; as you read the quote above, something in your heart was stirred, longing to live a life like Joyner describes, longing to experience so much of the Spirit that you are able to constantly move in the exhilarating flow of God’s plans and purposes for you.   There is something in all of us that longs to stand apart, even when it’s difficult, lo...

In the midst of lavish promises of a beautiful future and restoration, Isaiah 62:6 stands out with the glaring ferocity of a warrior in a ballet class.   Verse five is frilly, beautiful, bubbly and sweet, ending with the words “As a man rejoices over his new wife, so your God will rejoice over you” (NCV), summoning with it memories of all the festive wedding celebrations we’ve been to over the years.   So, why then, without warning, does verse six warn, in a quiet and sterling voice, with a knobby finger pointed in our face and a steely penetrating gaze: “Jerusalem, I have put guards on the walls to watch .   They must not be silent day or night.   You people who remind the Lord of your needs in prayer should never be quiet?”   Or, as the Good News Bible has it, “On your walls, Jerusalem, I have placed sentries ; they must never be silent day or night.   They must remind the Lord of His promises and never let him forget them?”   Why, after promise...

I have to admit that prayer has been a struggle for me in recent months, more like a year really.   As I’ve studied the Word and worked to really believe more of what I am, I’ve been challenged not to doubt when I pray, to quit asking for things that God has already said are mine (how annoying is that, to have someone ask you for something six times when you’ve already given it to them?); I’ve learned that prayer is supposed to be filled with longing and desire (for Mark 11:24 says, “Whatsoever things you desire when you pray …”), and that after I pray, it is my responsibility to believe that I have received and to celebrate – even if I can’t see the answer yet.   That’s what faith is.   Throughout this journey of painful reevaluation, I’ve found myself so convicted of all the unscriptural ways I’ve prayed in my life that my routine devotional prayer times have kind of fallen by the wayside.   Despite this discouragement, God continues to teach me.   This ...

I have to admit that prayer has been a struggle for me in recent months, more like a year really.   As I’ve studied the Word and worked to really believe more of what I am, I’ve been challenged not to doubt when I pray, to quit asking for things that God has already said are mine (how annoying is that, to have someone ask you for something six times when you’ve already given it to them?); I’ve learned that prayer is supposed to be filled with longing and desire (for Mark 11:24 says, “Whatsoever things you desire when you pray …”), and that after I pray, it is my responsibility to believe that I have received and to celebrate – even if I can’t see the answer yet.   That’s what faith is.   Throughout this journey of painful reevaluation, I’ve found myself so convicted of all the unscriptural ways I’ve prayed in my life that my routine devotional prayer times have kind of fallen by the wayside.   Despite this discouragement, God continues to teach me.   This ...