A couple months ago a small group of friends and I were talking after our church service. We talked about a lot of different subjects... Life, friends, church, God, the Bible and praying. Then we got stuck on prayer and really dove deep. This went on for a few hours. Then it was time to go home. And one of us spoke up, "How can we sit here and talk about people needing to pray more, and we NOT pray before we leave?". Talk about a convicting sentence. He was right.
So we did.
That night has brought so many blessing into my life. And to the others I'm sure of it. It changed how I look at things, with church and serving God. This led to a week of prayer meetings where we were seeing God move. If we want God to do something in our life or our church, then we need to do something. You and I both.
Pray.
"If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." 2 Chronicles 7:14 KJV
Not just 'God, bless this service.' Or 'Thank you for another day in your house.' But PRAY! Ask God for something great!
During every service a close friend of mine and I work the sound system and live stream on Facebook. We have our sound booth and we are in our own little world. I got to the point where I was comfortable and thought I HAD to put the slides up for the invitation song. So I couldn't go to the alter and pray. Even though I'd pray most of the time. But I did it from my comfy seat in the sound booth. I felt like I had an obligation and couldn't get on my knees for God, the comfy seat was good enough. Because you know, everyone needed the words for 'Just As I Am' on the screen to sing.
Until one evening during one of our pray meetings. We all finished praying and was discussing what we could do to better ourselves and our church. Talking about back years ago when the pastor had an altar call, so many people hit their knees in the front of the church and prayed. Prayed for revival and God to move in our small church. Well, we weren't seeing a lot of that now. And we wanted that to change. If our small group would just come forward to pray during a service, what could happen? To be an encouragement to others or maybe that would be enough for a lost soul to move and come forward because they didn't want to be alone on the altar. But my friend and I mentioned the sound booth and the invitation time. We had a job, we couldn't come forward if we wanted to.
He then looked at me and said, "They can use hymnals, they don't NEED the screen." And he was right. I was using that as a crutch so I didn't have to go to the altar.
After realization kicked in, I agreed and he said these words, "Forsake the sound booth." He said it kind of jokingly. But it hit home with me. I needed that.
We all have our own 'sound booths'. Our 'spiritual bubbles', if you will. Comfort zones where we draw a line and tell God, this is where I'll serve and I don't need to cross it. We need to get uncomfortable in our flesh to get comfortable in God. Deny the flesh. Show the flesh who's boss.
"That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." John 3:6 KJV
If you're saved, you have the Spirit of God in you and you are not your own. The flesh is dead and we are alive in Christ. We then should live for God and listen to his voice.
"Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me." Matthew 16:24 KJV
Jesus didn't say, "Sit quietly in the sound booth and pray with your eyes wide open, in that comfy spiny chair so your flesh is oh so comfy!"
He said "deny himself". Take up thy cross, deny the flesh, get uncomfortable!
Do you want to be the one that doesn't let God move in your church? Do you want to be the one that hinders the Holy Ghost from doing something great during the service?
I know I don't.
I've seen God answer so many prayers in the passed couple months. Not just mine, but of others who have been praying with me. If we want God to answer prayers, then we need to be praying to the Holy Spirit. He won't answer them if we don't ask.
If you want to see God do great things. You need to expect God to do great things. You need to pray and ask God to do great things. And for that to happen you need to pop that 'spiritual bubble' that you've blown up around yourself and deny your flesh of its contentment.
Get up, take up thy cross, get uncomfortable for God and pray.
Forsake your sound booth!
~Amanda R. Rose
Psalm 86 <3