A few nights ago I had a dream that I was at a concert. Now, I never go to concerts; Christian or otherwise. But in this dream I was about 50 feet back listening to a tall young man singing on stage with a band accompanying him. The lead singers voice was amazing. His voice sounded like lead singer Jim Morrison of the Doors. As he sang the crowd was drawn in by the gift of his voice. After a few songs he took the microphone and just talked to the crowd about himself, telling them of his struggles with drug addiction and his decision to quit a few days earlier.
As I listened to him in my dream it was as though I was drawn into a deep prayer of intercession for the man though I never seen him before. I recall praying “Lord, he has an amazing gift that he could use for your glory. He could reach tens of thousands with such a gift; more than I ever could. Please save him and draw him to yourself and use this gift. But I wondered, was I praying for him or the use of his gift. I immediately woke up.
In the scriptures in Genesis 1:2 we read; “Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness covered the surface of the watery depths, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters.” This scripture came to mind to me shortly after the dream and led me to wonder if the Spirit of God hovers over the gifts and talents both natural and spiritual that flow over the face of the earth in it’s people. Does he long to bring to the surface those gifts just under the surface of our lives to give and bring glory to God the Father?
In James 1:17 we read; “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no shadow of turning.” With such scriptures as this and the dream I had I began to wonder if perhaps this last great outpouring of the Holy Spirit may just be ushered in by these very gifted ones.
We see some of these gifted ones performing in concerts drawing and leading thousands in worship such as: Hillsong Worship, Jesus Culture, Elevation Worship and Passion. These Christian musical groups combine both song and large scale image and light shows to set the atmosphere to draw the crowds into the worship. I have to ask; are we witnessing the hallmarks of revival in such concerts and are the large megachurches following suit to these type of displays in their own Sunday gathering?
When it comes to the move of God’s Holy Spirit and the later day rain can study the moves of God like a weatherman? We can send out the storm chasers to large praise and worship conferences, concerts and study past revivals and awakenings yet not catch the fire and bring it home. The Holy Spirit does not appear on the churches Doppler radar to say here he comes and for how long.
We have to pay the price that was shown in scripture for true revival; namely the upper room. Here there were no standouts, no gifted ones outside of the Holy Spirits gifting given to the men and women there. They worked things out for ten days through prayer, repentance and forgiveness. They prayed in one accord in a private upper room and were led outward filled with the Holy Spirit.; bold and on fire for God. There were no speakers, microphones, guitars, drums or light displays in the upper room. No one could boost except in the Lord. No one man show here. The Spirit moved upon them and sent them out with signs following and God got all the glory.
My prayer in the dream was for man not his gift. It was for his soul to be saved wether God used his natural gift or not. The gift he possessed though natural, was not the focus nor should it be. It’s all about his soul and in this instance; it was a heartfelt prayer for his whoever this person may be. For I believe God sees the soul of a person as much more important than his or her gifting, natural or otherwise.
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