Showering Us With His Affection

What happens when God's way of communicating with us becomes new and somewhat mysterious?  I recall nearly three years ago when Holy Spirit made Himself known in a powerful way.  I had never experienced this kind of encounter and did not know anyone then who had, but during a time of worship in our home, He came like a heavy blanket over me.  It lasted for 4 months.   The first two weeks were intense and my body felt the Presence in such a physical manner that at times I needed Joel's support to walk.  Now, stay with me here, as I speak with honesty, because this is what I experienced.  This kind of physical and spiritual encounter continued at a lower level for over 3 more months, subsiding greatly by the end of the 4th month.  And then it was over.  It is hard to describe, but we definitely knew it was from God.  It put us on a quest to understand the experience more of course, and we have read about others with similar encounters since then.

 Saturday while watching the movie "Holy Spirit Reborn" a pastor asked this question..."Why is the church so afraid of Holy Spirit?"  With tears in his eyes he truly wondered why people are afraid to experience the Presence of God in ways where Holy Spirit is in control.  Well, I know I had little idea what I was doing when I asked God for "more" of His Presence.  I certainly was surprised when He gave me what I asked for and beyond!  I thought I had it all wrapped up tightly in a bow and I thought I knew how it would present itself.  Surprise!   BUT I would not have missed it for the world.  Not. for. the. world.  At the end of those 4 months I felt God's love for me in a way I never had before, I became good friends with Holy Spirit, and inner healing was a "side effect" of those wrap around, come on down, I desire all of you days.  I did not want it to end.

I have longed for that same season once again, but have not experienced it at that level.  I pondered why until I heard someone say that there are hundreds of ways to communicate with God and I realized I need to be open to how Jesus/Holy/God wants to communicate with me now in this new season of my life.

Through the scriptures we learn that Jesus wants a close relationship with us.  For each of us that will look differently, and we won't all experience His presence in the same way.  Still, He longs to talk with us and have us talk with Him the way friends do.  He walks with us through every minute of every day.  He is not found just inside the walls of a church, He is found in you, around you.

Abi Strumwell, a Bethel church teacher says, "A relationship with Jesus is not about rules......it is about having many different ways to bond with Him."  In nature, in music, in dance, in art, in laughter, in tears, in quietness, in loudness, in encounters that shake our world."

Holy Spirit is a gentleman and will not make Himself known in us unless we give Him permission, but He wants to draw us closer to our God and in doing so it will shake up our world.   Our God is without boundaries, limitless, and crazy about His children.  Yes.  He is crazy about us.  He wants to make Himself known in us and I believe He gave us a new Spirit to love and empower us as we welcome Him.  He wants to shower us with His affection in a variety of ways.