If you find yourself in the evangelical church world today you will be familiar with a litany of words and slogans communicating the desire to see revival, spiritual revolution and advancing His kingdom. If you love Jesus, of course you know that His desire indeed is for these outcries to become a reality. It begs a very important question, however. Why are we not seeing these things happening? Please follow me as I attempt to answer this compelling question.
A few years ago I was asked to speak at a small pastors’ conference in Colorado Springs, Colorado. This was my second time addressing this group of pastors made up of 40-50 men and women. As I was preparing my closing message for this three-day event I found myself having difficulty crafting a message that would compliment their theme, Taking New Territory. After some time and much prayer I was persuaded that the Lord gave me a message that would ultimately turn the theme literally inside out.
I began by suggesting that whenever you hear those words, taking new territory, it is almost always associated with an outward thrust—in other words, let’s expand God’s kingdom out there. I went on to remind all of us that we do not take new territory—God does. It is His great desire for us to become instruments in His hands to do that. So, if it is not happening, could it be there is something lacking in the instrument—you and me?
One of my favorite quotes from Oswald Chambers says, God will not do any more through you then you first allow Him to do in you. Maybe we should look at this theme in a different way—inside out. I believe God is saying to all of us who are followers of Jesus that His great desire is for us to allow Him to take new territory in our hearts. What might be the compartments of your and my heart that we have walled off from God?
Dear friend, there is a profound relationship between obedience and power. I am persuaded that our inability to expand His kingdom has everything to do with our own submission and spiritual preparedness. Until we turn from our wicked ways, He will not respond and we are left with empty rhetoric.
A powerful reminder of this came home to me personally in 2010 when Cindy was in ICU fighting for her life. She developed blood clots in her lungs that were threatening her life by preventing air from getting into her lower chamber. The doctors thought she would not survive the night and brought in a special team to go into her lungs and try to remove the clots. I will never forget the scene as I was allowed to stay and watch.
Cindy was in a coma and did not experience anything, but there was a lot of tension in that room. The doctor went in with a long wire through her trachea. There was a camera and small clamp on the end and we could see everything on a TV monitor. The doctor went in 21 times. On the screen the clots lookrd big but actually they were very small. The clamp would close in on one and as it was being pulled out sometimes it would break off a tiny piece and everyone in the room would gasp. Other times a huge piece would come out and the team would applaud.
It was amazing and at the end the doctor pulled her mask down with a big smile and declared, she is clear. The room erupted in praise. I don’t know the doctor’s name but I affectionately refer to her as D.r Grabber. It was an amazing experience but nothing compared to what happened to me in the car during the one hour drive home.
In the middle of my prayer time giving thanks and praise to God He interrupted me and whispered, Vince you have a lot of clots. First, I knew that had to be Him because I had no clue as to what that meant. He went on, oh Vince, they are not physical clots, they are spiritual. But in the same way as those physical clots were preventing air from getting into Cindy’s lower lung chamber and threatening her very life, your spiritual clots are getting in the way of my spirit flowing through your life in the ways I fully intend.
I want to suggest what is going on in your mind right now—the same thing that went on in mine. You know exactly what your clots are. You are keenly aware of those places in your heart where you have compartmentalized and locked God out and the result, perhaps it may not be physical death—though in some cases that is possible, but worse, spiritual death…stagnation.
I got this picture of God up in heaven with all the angels standing there in the operating room watching God reach down into my life in an attempt to remove my clots. He would grab on and begin to pull and then just a small chunk would break off and all the angels would complain, almost got that one. Then He might reach down and a great big chunk comes out and you can hear the angels rejoice, wow, that was awesome! Can you see it?
Let me end in this way and on a very serious note. Our world is in the most evil and desperate condition I have witnessed in my lifetime. This is no time for half-hearted Christianity. This is serious business and God is looking for fully prepared and equipped warriors to advance His kingdom purposes. You either want to be a part of that or you don’t. The choice is your’s.
If you want to live out the role God has in mind for you then the entire purpose of this article is to bring you to one simple question: WHAT IS THE CLOT I NEED TO DEAL WITH—RIGHT NOW?
I am going to ask you to do something incredibly important—get on your knees and make a commitment to God right now regarding what you know you need to do, acknowledging that you cannot do it without His help. In 1 Samuel 13:14 God refers to David as a man after His own Heart. If you desire God to see you in this way, then you must pray as David did.
Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; And see if there be any hurtful way
in me and lead me in the everlasting way.
Psalm 139:23-24
Repeat this process every single morning and see the victory you will have.
Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.
Ecclesiastes 12:13-14
Also please enjoy this teaching from Vince on The Key To A Life Of Power. Also featuring a brief cameo from John Tesh.