I was in a meeting a few years ago and we were talking about future ministry efforts and what God could do with just a few people getting on board. We were all dreaming and believing God could do a great work when all of a sudden one person in the room started doubting the whole thing. Right out of left field this person had made themselves the self-appointed rainmaker on our parade. If it was a brief shower we could have kept on going, but it turned into a constant downpour and the whole group went into “faith shock.” You know what Faith Shock is don’t you? It’s where Christians kind of start believing this Bible stuff about God being all powerful, and answering prayer, and being alive and active, and blah, blah. Then they start to hear every reason God can’t do anything and they go into “Faith Shock!” The group started showing signs of faith shock, but then it happened. A smart, warrior of God stood up in the midst of the meeting and said, “Well, I’m going to go with this plan 100% and if it fails, it won’t fail because I didn’t give it my all.” That smart, warrior of God was a friend of mine (you thought it was me?) and after he sat down I turned to him and whispered, “If this thing starts to gain momentum, I’m with you.” Did his stand for God stop the rain? Nope! You know what would have stopped the rain? Me standing with him! With my support (where two or more are gathered in my name I am in the midst of them) we could have defeated the evil faithless rainmaker. But no!!! Why didn’t I stand up when he did? First of all, because I was a chicken and wanted to reserve the right to say, “I told you so.” If I stood with him, I would not be able to say those passive aggressive words of safety and denial. Secondly, I wasn’t in it to win it. I was in it to score it! If I’m in something to win it, I will be so busy serving, I won’t even look at the score. My life will be so totally immersed in following the plan, that I won’t let the rain even start to sprinkle. But, If I’m in it to score it, then that’s a different story. From the git go I will start to nitpick every detail and my half-hearted efforts will turn into no effort and thus the rain will start to fall. Then before long, we will have a rain out on another great plan God had showed us to just believe in. You know what happens when it rains. You get sleepy and sleeping becomes the only thing you want to do. So…..we sleep.
Well, WAKE UP!!! It’s time to get busy….(let’s get it started ha…ala Toby Mac) It’s time to kick the rainmakers out of our path and stay away from Faith Shock and start believing again. When we start believing, everything changes, and the rain stops falling, and the parade goes on. Here are some of the float entries in the parade. Float #1 – This float is a depiction of Christians uniting together for one central goal of reaching the world for Christ. The characters on the float are children, youth, and adults serving together and moving toward a central goal. Float #2 – This float has many working parts that are all powered by a motor in the middle of the float. This motor makes it possible for all the parts of the float to do their part, work together. Float #3 – This float is probably the most grand of all. Those riding on it are all the lives that have been touched by those who planned the parade. They are not just watching the parade. Now they are in the parade. Float #4 – Is the last, but the best float and it carries the Grand Marshall of the parade. He is the one the parade is honoring and He is lifted above all other floats to show his position. Do you get the parade illustration? Float 1 is Christians uniting together to be the church as God supplies the power. Float 2 is all Christians using their God given gifts to serve in some part of the church and they are focused on God moving them. Float 3 is all the people who come to know Christ and join hands with us and serve in His church. Float 4 is the church gathered to lift up the name of Jesus and honor Him who sets us into motion as we live the abundant life. Cool huh? Only cool if these words and illustrations become actions. Only then. James 2:17 says, “Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.” If we only live a faith of words, then Faith Shock will scare us off every time. If we live a faith of action, then Faith Shock is a thing of the past and our Faith becomes Actions. Don’t let the rainmakers in your life keep you from standing up to the rain. Even if they can’t be specific, they will say, “It’s raining somewhere!” They will try every flimsy excuse they can to keep you from dreaming and dreaming big. Your reply to them will need to be, “Yeah, it’s raining somewhere, but it’s not going to rain here anymore!” Now that’s the Spirit!!
The Pilgrimage continues…..
David Warren