"Holy Spirit is bringing a new release, a fresh anointing, a fresh outpouring. The windows of heaven are pouring out a fresh flow of the River of Life. Holy Spirit’s wind is blowing away the old, the dead, the dry legalistic structures. I am longing to do a new work in you. There is more for you to receive, so drink in and let Me begin a fresh work in you from this fresh flow of the Spirit. Let freedom reign. Open your mouth and allow Holy Spirit to fill you with His baptizing work." (prayer guide and scripture here)From Acts 1-2
I know that I am feeling some form of grief. I've been told that I have been going through several of the stages of grief for at least a year now. Frozen feelings, emotional release, loneliness, physical sysmptons and guilt have plagued me. I've moved into a bit of a panic in my situation not really knowing what was next. Hostility seems to well up in me. It's a feeling that I've given my life and still, not a whole lot to show for it.
Then I realize that what I am feeling may or may not be all that true. I find that I have prayed more this past year than I can remember in years past. I know that there are intercessors praying for me - prophecying over me. It feels like the Lord IS intervening. I am just not sure how. I think something is coming to the surface in direction and mission. It seems like a God thing. I do tremble sometimes (in fear and awe) at the thoughts that I believe God is putting in me. They are not particularly new, but they do seem life transforming to me.
Our intercessors have been praying for rain for the last year or so. This year has had the greatest rainfall in years in our state. I know that is a picture of the rain of God desiring to pour on me (and us).
On the stages of grief there is a point called "selective memory". I'm not sure if that a good thing or not, but I don't think I'm there yet. At the moment much of what I think about from past years is pouring into my head and causing me to wonder.
The next step after that is about struggling for new life patterns. THAT is where I feel like I am. I don't know if I'm skipping something or not in the stages of grief, but I do know that I see possibilities for new life patterns. The challenge for me is how to start. When someone dies, there just seems to be a cleaner break to start the new life pattern. When you try to pattern new wine in old wineskin systems, it just feels hard.
But, how do you ever get to grow? Do you change the wineskin everytime there is growth in your life? My experience tells me that that is just running for greener pastures. How do you allow for growth in people and let them live in those new life patterns? Do you let people know that "TODAY is my new life pattern change day"? Sounds funny . .but how is that done?
2 comments:
You wrote, "But, how do you ever get to grow? Do you change the wineskin everytime there is growth in your life? My experience tells me that that is just running for greener pastures. How do you allow for growth in people and let them live in those new life patterns?"
What if, instead of constantly changing the wineskin, one overflows into new wineskins? What if, instead of having one, a person had many? Aged wine is supposed to be superior to fresh. Does one throw out the old to accomodate the new?
Mt 9:17
"Nor do people put new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the wineskins burst, and the wine pours out and the wineskins are ruined; but they put new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved."
Mr 2:22
"No one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the wine will burst the skins, and the wine is lost and the skins as well; but one puts new wine into fresh wineskins."
Lu 5:37
"And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the new wine will burst the skins and it will be spilled out, and the skins will be ruined.
Lu 5:38
"But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins.
I guess I am just seeing that new wine must go into new wineskins. In comparing the wineskins with the container that holds the wine, it seems that it's important what kind of wineskin holds the wine - particularly new wine. What DO you do with the old . . .when you want the new to be in you?
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