When the Holy Spirit moves…watch and listen
I consider myself a Christian, someone who follows Christ. I happen to attend a United Methodist building of praise. Worship is an act of the heart that has nothing to do with people. Praise does. So according to scripture (go to bible.com and look up the words praise…and then worship) out of over 600 verses on praise and worship, ONE has something to do with people. Therefore we have “praise leaders” but our “worship leader” is Christ and Christ alone. Just to give readers a little background:
I am a keyboard player in my praise team
I also sing Baritone/Tenor
I have an Apple computer with lots of music software and video editing software
Needless to say I am JUST learning how to run a soundboard at 11:00 am praise service
Yesterday I had planned on serving Christ by playing keyboard for our time of praise, yet God had something else in mind. He needed me to run sound during that service so that the Holy spirit could do His work.
Not only was our pastor on fire in the Word of God and preaching straight from the Gospel (this had been prayed for because I have known my preacher to be a good man, but a man that fears other men and not Christ as he should), but the Holy Spirit decided that He was going to show up an an obvious and scary way.
Sunday our pastor taught a lesson on Grace and being saved by faith and not our works, and was teaching straight from the Gospel (praise God for answered prayer).
At the close of our service and the benediction was being said, a woman who is known for her mild nature and devotion to prayer began shouting “Jesus, Son of David! Have mercy and pity on me!” -Luke 18:38, Mark 10:46-52
She began walking to the front of the congregation with arms raised high. Now this wasn’t a nice happy feeling that was coursing through my body when I heard her. It wasn’t peaceful and merely Joyful, it was the Holy Spirit saying, “people often ignore me and want to be in control, but I am God and you will hear me this day.”
As she was about 3/4 of the way to the front of the congregation, I could pick her up in the sound system. The only microphone on was the lapel microphone (a clip on mic. that gets quieter if you move two inches away from it) that the preacher was wearing. This is to say that it’s nearly impossible for someone to be yelling at that distance and come through the sound system. I am trying to get a copy of the sermon (because the recording comes straight from the sound booth) to see if you can hear her clearly.
At first no one knew how to react. The associate pastors began praying with the woman and Senior Pastor Chuck Hodges attempted to continue the benediction and pray “over” her. The Holy Spirit would have none of that. The woman began shouting louder and louder “JESUS, SON OF DAVID! HAVE MERCY AND PITY ON ME,” and would not yield. Pastor Chuck realized what was going on and began inviting others forward and made an impromptu alter call. The exciting and yet sad reality was that maybe 1/3 to 1/2 of our congregation understood what was going on. The other half merely had disgusted expressions because their Sunday service was interrupted by this “crazy lady.”
God showed up in power and when others tried to drown out His voice, He spoke louder. What is interesting about this Woman’s quote from scripture is that it comes from two verses. In Luke it says “have mercy on me” and in Mark it says “have pity on me.” The significance of this is that Luke is the gospel of Jesus as the Son of Man. The Son of Man showed mercy, being fully God yet fully man, capable of showing mercy as He himself was tempted to the full extent that humans are. Mark is the Gospel of Jesus as the Son of God. The Son of God showed pity on one of His children though they were yet sinners.
What this tells me is that this entire quote is devoted to Jesus Christ the Son of Man and the Son of God. The POWERFUL Jesus. Not the servant, and not the conquering king, but the ALL-POWERFUL mighty God that reigns in Heaven and on Earth. The one who’s name is above the angels (Hebrews Chapter 1), who is the holder of the laws that Moses presented to God’s people.
The best part about this story, which validates that Glory was given to God and God alone was that this woman fell to her knees as she was shouting scripture, and when she rose from her knees…she didn’t remember anything that had happened.
God moves in miraculous and scary ways. Not one person in the congregation felt “calm” or “safe,” but most people felt “uncomfortable” and were scared at what was happening. God is pretty scary. The one that created the Universe can also take it all away. If we disobey Him, we can cease to exist if it is His will.
I leave you with these words from our Father from the book of Acts Chapter 2 verses 17-21
17” ‘In the last days, God says,
I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
your young men will see visions,
your old men will dream dreams.
18Even on my servants, both men and women,
I will pour out my Spirit in those days,
and they will prophesy.
19I will show wonders in the heaven above
and signs on the earth below,
blood and fire and billows of smoke.
20The sun will be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood
before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.
21And everyone who calls
on the name of the Lord will be saved.’”
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