Mark Sorensen In one of the first watch night services led by John Wesley in 1740, he gathered the church together on New Year’s Eve with the intent to sing songs in worship, share stories of God’s work within the community, and covenant to see God move within the life of the church following year. It’s within the context of this service Wesley would speak into four specific areas that, if the people truly sought to see God move, must be practiced as a daily discipline.
I shared the following words today in staff Chapel at TWUMC, and, you know, it was true in 1740, and I believe it’s just as true for us all today.
Do you want to see God move in mighty ways within your life? Start here.
- Abide. To abide simply means to rest in the presence of the Lord. Look at the rhythm of Jesus in the Gospels and what do you see? He’s on the move. He’s healing; He’s teaching; He’s doing the work His Father sent Him to do; but He is also pulling away from the masses and crowds to find moments of stillness and silence in the presence of His Abba, Father. If Jesus was God in flesh (and He was) and saw the necessity to be still before His Father and abide in His presence, who am I to think that once a week on Sunday morning is enough? Jesus says in John 15:5, “I am the vine, you are the branches. If you remain in Me and I in you, you will bear much fruit. Apart from Me, you can do nothing.” Great movements of God must begin with moments of abiding and stillness.
- Expect Awe and Wonder. In John 14, Jesus speaks to His disciples telling them of the Holy Spirit and what’s to come. He says, “I tell you the truth: whoever believes in Me will be able to do what I have done, but they will do even greater things because I will return to be with the Father.” Focus on the words, “greater things.” Jesus is saying that when He returns to the Father, the Holy Spirit will come, and through the power of the Holy Spirit at work within their lives, they will see the supernatural. That’s POWERFUL stuff when you realize that that the same holds true for us today. Question: When you wake up, are you expecting to see the supernatural through the power of the Holy Spirit at work within you? Are you praying prayers, both silently and out loud, over people that allow the Holy Spirit to show up and show off in your life? Take a lesson from the Apostle Paul: “Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us.” (Eph 3:20)
- Learn to Lean Into His Strength, Not Your Own. I wrote the following on my white board in my office recently: “When I can’t, I AM.” It serves as a reminder that I AM (the name of God) is enough. Look, life is challenging. Circumstances can be overwhelming. I get it and Jesus does as well. In fact, Jesus never misled us about this reality. He said to expect the opposite: “In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” Our strength is found when we lean into His greater strength. Remember Christ’s words to the Apostle Paul when he speaks of a thorn in his flesh. Jesus says, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9)
- Resolve to be Faithful. There’s this beautiful moment found in Luke’s Gospel where Jesus tells Simon Peter “I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail.” (Luke 22:32) Stop and let that settle in. Jesus tells Simon Peter that He has been praying over him that his faith should not fail. You know what? I believe He’s doing that for each one of us right now. Keep running the race, friend. God is faithful and is right there with you. Believe it.
Abide. Expectancy. Strength. Resolve.
Careful. Take these four things seriously and watch what God can and will do.
