Nov 9, 2012

Testimony Time  

On this day 11 years ago at midnight, I was at my brother’s doorstep with a birthday cake in hand. I knew he’d be up because he worked late hours so I obnoxiously rang the doorbell, lit the candles, and sang him happy birthday right at 12am (super cheesy I know). I hung out for a while and then drove back home. 

I was overjoyed to celebrate my brother. There was such a pure innocence to it that I was amazed by. I felt so proud in being brave enough to put myself out there to be vulnerable to show that kind of radical love I had only in childhood. Also grateful he didn’t reject me and slam the door in my face haha. I had allowed myself to become calloused and bitter because of trials that I endured up until that point but the Lord was dealing with me, calling me deeper, and placed it in my heart to do this small but meaningful gesture. How marvelous that God cares about our relationships with our loved ones. He doesn’t just want to reconcile us to Himself, but to them too.

I got home and turned on worship music as I prayed and thanked God for what He was doing. I was so marked by this moment that I can remember the songs playing as I prayed (“stronger” by Hillsong and “healer” by Kari Jobe and “inside out” by Hillsong). I prayed a prayer I never prayed before. A prayer I never heard anyone pray before… It was a prayer of reckless abandonment and surrender as I choose Jesus over myself, and over others, and over what others would think of me. Choosing the life He had for me and forsaking my own. Choosing not to care if people make fun of me or persecute me or misunderstand me.  That brought me nothing but chains; Jesus brought freedom. 

As I look back, I can see how that 1 little action of obedience to God actually was so much more. In being obedient to what God put in my heart (loving my brother the way He commanded me to) was actually God showing His love to my brother through me. This action was also preparing me to be vulnerable more and show radical love to others. Jesus used some very intense language on love when instructing us in the sermon on mount (Luke 6:27-31). Think about this, if I couldn’t even step out in faith for my own family how could I ever do it for strangers? The days of 10% are over. The days of 90% are over. He wants all of us.

Luke 6:27-31 “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you.”

Matt 5:23 “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and reconciled to them: then come and offer your gift.”

Dream

On this anniversary, I woke up this morning with a sweet message from My Lord that I would like to share as I believe that this dream was not just for me, but prophetic pertaining to the whole body of Christ:

I was at a grocery store and an elderly man came up to me very frantically and said “Do you know who Jesus is?!” Without hesitation I said, “I sure do! He’s coming back soon!” 
This 80 something year old man then replied, “Do you know where I can find Him?” 
My spirit quickened as I realized this man was not seeking to minister TO me but to be ministered to BY me. I stopped everything I was doing to give him my undivided attention. “You can find Jesus with me” I grabbed his hands and led him in a prayer of salvation and as I was praying with him, someone was praying over us on the intercom. 

(symbolism–>while I was leading him in prayer, heaven was leading me)
(prophetic–>pointing to the days ahead-all hands on deck-malls, grocery stores, movie theaters, gyms, restaurants, etc. will become like a church when His people are obedient to step up to the call)

We then finished and I gave him a warm embrace. He was speechless, smiling, his burdens lifted. When I met him, he was frantic and when I left him, he was at peace and more importantly at peace with God. It was so beautiful. 

I just recently heard a minister say that a time is coming where just barely getting by and going to church as normal on Sunday is not enough-we must also become the church (the hands and feet of Jesus). The harvest is plenty but the laborers are few. That leads me to ask all the born again believers this question, are you ready to pop off and preach/serve God’s people anywhere, anytime? If not, what are you doing to get ready? There is a time coming where the harvest will be so great that it will require all hands on deck like in Luke 5:6-7 when the boats were so full that they began to sink. To those who aren’t saved and have read all the way through to this point, out of curiosity about Jesus. Your curiosity is not by coincidence. He is calling you deeper, and just like I told that old man in my dream, you can find Jesus here with me.

In these past 11 years, I have learned a lot, made a lot of miserable mistakes, went through a lot of unnecessary pain, and avoidable trauma in my walk with God, all of which I would like to spare you from if you’d listen. God has now empowered and compelled me to speak, there will be more stuff like this and whatever else God leads me to share to be found here on www.preachitpritchett.com

Come and see what The Lord has done.