Spirit Dependence

Summer activities have been amazing! The Slovakia trip was amazing and full of great lessons for each of us on the team, which you can read about in previous posts. We had a couple of weeks between arriving home and then heading to Mid West Camp at FaHoLo Christian Camp and Conference Center in Grass Lake, MI. Mid West Camp is a Family Camp for all ages and this was our first year at FaHoLo (Faith Hope Love).

Mid West Camp is a great environment for all ages. I love being at a camp where the teens get to interact with older generations and play with the little kids. Camp was great this year as the new location seemed to aid in a more intimate setting. Our theme was Every Day Disciple Making, learning to live out the Gospel in day to day life.

Our morning classes were on Gospel Fluency, God's Story/Your Story, Gospel Listening and More Than Ordinary (how the Christian life should be full and abundant). At the heart of the week was how Jesus didn't redeem us so we could just have a "Get Out of Hell Free" card, no He wants you to have a life that is marked by His love and grace. Getting to gain a new perspective and love for Jesus in every area is hard but rewarding.

My biggest lesson came as I was assigned to preach on Friday night a sermon entitled "Spirit Dependent." I should have been prepared considering the topic, but I was a little surprised at the way this sermon came about. I have known and prepared for months about this sermon, but coming into that Friday I was under spiritual attack. An anxious spirit was upon me and I couldn't focus my thoughts. I found myself being short with my teenagers and feeling smothered. It was awful. I just wanted to get a lone and pray, but the day was packed. I pleaded with God to help me correct my attitude. A few hours later it finally subsided and I began to focus my thoughts on the sermon. As I was reading the Word I was convicted that I had to go apologize for my short responses to those I talked to earlier. I am grateful for their quick forgiveness and understanding.

It was with a great sense of my need to depend on the Spirit that I stepped into the pulpit that night. I was so amazed at God's faithfulness and how the Holy Spirit brought to remembrance everything I needed. I truly felt sustained by the Spirit and guided as I delivered the message. I was humbled again that God would use me to share His Word with people at camp.

God is waiting to use you. He has a plan and a purpose for you, but often a spirit of fear, intimation, anxiety, control, pride, etc. comes over you and I. Sometimes we are aware of it, others time we are not. When we learn to cry out to God to reveal our heart, and submit to His Spirit, He sets us free to be used in powerful ways. What is holding you back from experiencing God's best for you?