Thursday, February 21, 2013

Is experiencing God a sign of maturity?




I think most believers would say that they desire at some level to experience God. They may call it weird or at least think that its unattainable, you know... only for the really spiritual. But I think if I sat down with the average Christian over coffee and really got down to it, they would say something like, "If it’s real, and if it’s possible I'd like to experience God".

I'm by nature more of a touchy feely type of guy. But even for me I have to intentionally fight for experience in my walk with God. It’s so easy to make Christianity an intellectual transaction. I absolutely love the presence of God and the atmosphere of heaven that invades our space and our reality. Yes I've seen some all out weird stuff growing up in the church and especially around Pentecostal/charismatic believers. The Pentecostal/charismatic flavor was all I knew growing up. And I admit that we have done ourselves a dis-service at times when our flavor, personality, and even flesh has gotten in the way of genuine moves of God. However, saying all of that, I've also seen and experienced some all out awesome moves of God. I’d rather wade through all of the questionable and sometimes “fake” to find the genuine presence of God, instead of “throwing out the baby with the bath water”. I’m not going to dismiss one at the expense of the other. The Bible says, “Test everything” but we've forgotten the art of “testing”. We’d rather throw away what makes us uncomfortable and stay safe, in what we've always known.

I've been in environments where it was hard for people to stand in the presence of God. I've seen prophecy work in such dramatic ways where people's “mail is being read" and destiny is being set in motion over their life. I've often felt the presence of God or angels as areas of my body experienced heat or waves of heat. I've had goose bumps as every hair on my body stands up when the presence of God changes the atmosphere. I could go on and on telling my stories or other people's stories.

My heart has always been for the body of Christ to experience the presence of God. I've taught on it and preached on it. I've told people we need to live in the tension of knowledge and experience. I genuinely believe that most Christians believe that in their head, but if i asked you, “when was the last time you experienced God?” I mean tangibly felt him, sensed him, heard him, saw him? What would you say?

I was recently getting ready to teach a class in our Church's "School of the Spirit". The topic was "Connecting Experientially With God". I knew the Bible was full of times where men and women experienced the presence of God. During my study I was pulling out example after example to share with the class and then came across a principle that surprised me. I read Hebrews 5:11-14.

“Concerning him we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing.  For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food.  For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant.  But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.” (Hebrews 5:11-14 NASB)

I was blown away as the author of Hebrews described maturity in our walk with God vs being infants who still need to drink milk. In verse 14 he says, "...But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil." He describes as sign of maturity in our walk with God as training our "senses" to discern him! As I studied the original language of this verse and it is directly talking about our 5 senses.

I think that most of us have had an experience with God and didn't know it. We've felt him, but dismissed it as something else. We saw something “supernatural” but explained it away and rationalized it. We heard something, but were afraid we might be wrong. Doubt and unbelief is a toxic cocktail in the Kingdom of God, just read the gospels as Jesus over and over again says to the disciples, “Oh you of little faith”. My advice is don’t dismiss or accept spiritual things flippantly, test it. Pull it in, examine it, read scripture, ask questions, use reasoning, but just know that there will always be mystery with God. I sure haven’t figured him out yet. Try this… instead of “not believing” until you prove otherwise try your best to believe until you prove otherwise. I like to assume it’s God until I've tested and found out it isn't  Punch doubt and unbelief in the face.

So I propose this thought... "Connecting experientially with God is a sign of maturity in your walk with Him". Take it for what it's worth. My heart isn't to make anyone feel bad, but rather help to motivate us to greatness. Go after knowledge, but pursue His presence.