Flooding The Church

"Then, after doing all those things, I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your old men will dream dreams, and your young men will see visions." (Joel 2:28)

  "Oh by the way the basement is flooded." This is never the phrase you want to hear from one of your children, especially at 6:30 in the morning after a monsoon like rain.  "What do you mean eh basement is flooded?  I was just down there.", "Oh yeah there is like six inches of water."

  I started to get up, dreading what I would find while mentally calling our insurance agent.  But as my son continued, I realized it wasn't our home but the church basement that was under water. While this is still bad, knowing that we have mostly tile down there, and we had a custodian on duty and a great a business manager who is on top of these things, I breathed easier.  Odds are the problem was already being tended to.

  And it is. It will be cleaned up, although as our business manger said, it's a mess down there.  One of the problems you have with a flood is how indiscriminate it is. I suppose if the water would satisfy itself and stay contained to one area it would be easier to manage.  Maybe even ignore.

  But hat's not what floods do. When the water rises it goes everywhere. We once levied near an area that flooded easily.  Trust me it goes everywhere. Your yard house, basement bedroom. Flood waters are no respecters of person they don't' care how  attached you are to something it 's going to get wet and perhaps be damaged.

     Back in the summer we used this passage of Scripture in one of our worship services.  I've prayed  this promise of God would come true for us at Trinity. I've been praying  daily that God would pour out His Spirit on us.  And at the same time wondering why we don't see it more often.  We know God is a great finisher of promises. He never makes a promise that He does not keep.  Here He promises the Holy Spirit will be poured out on His people.  If that's true, where is it? Where is the out pouring of the Holy Spirit.

  The problem lies in the gap between what we ask for, and what we really want.  Most people who pray that the Holy Spirit would fall on them or their congregation are sincere about it. But what we envision is God turning on the tap. We envision just enough of God's spirit to quench our thirst. At least enough to get us through the week until we find ourselves at the well next Sunday. That would be optimum.  Satisfy me so I don't have to concern myself until we get together again.  We want the experience with the Holy Spirit to be satisfying, cool, refreshing and thirst quenching.  In fact to make it easier, we are even happy to be the one who control the tap.  I don't want too much of God lest He spill over into the rest of my life.

  But hat's not what God promises is it? Go back and read the Scripture again.  What God wants is to flood our lives with His Spirit. Look at how indiscriminate he is. It is poured out on men and women, young and old.  It's not just for the church leaders or the professional clergy. God's promises He will unleash a deluge of His Spirit on the church, on each of us individually.

  But like any flood it can't be contained. God doesn't just want to flood your worship time. he wants to flood our marriage, your work space, your friendships. There is literally no areas of your life He doesn't wish to flood with His Spirit. 

  The Holy Spirit is no respecter of your traditions. You may have a way do looking at life, a prejudice or a world view you have always held. When the Holy Spirit floods your life that all changes. You can't be touched by the Holy Spirit and leave untouched. 

  For most of us, that type of experience with God's presence is daunting.  We might lose control. We might be changed.  We have a sense it goes beyond simply feeling good on Sunday to having a life changing experience.  But it might not be worth it? Haven't you ever longed for something greater than you are right now.  have you never head the whisper that your life was meant for more then it is right now? That you were meant to experience something greater than you are right now? 

  Then let me encourage you to open yourself up to God's promise. Ask Him to flood your life with the Holy Spirit. Be drenched in His presence today. Let the flood come let us be swept away by God's love and Holiness. The flood's are coming, let us pray we don't isms it.

In Christ,
Rev. Dr. Brian Jones <><