I once heard a very well known and successful world evangelist among us talk about how he felt sometimes after God had used him in a very special way.

Great power and anointing had flowed through him and many miracles and signs were done with large numbers being filled with the Spirit.  When it was finished, he felt empty and listless.

He taught us that when we worked diligently in using the gifts God had given us, that it was not uncommon to feel exhausted and spent.

He said that Virtue had been passing through and out of our bodies and the human body was designed for only a certain amount of supernatural exposure, and had its limitations.

Many of us were taught some very in-depth things about the working of the Spirit over the years by some of the best at major conferences and camp meetings.

It appears many of us kept these things in our hearts, even though those teachings were not put into practice when we returned to our own.

It always amazed me somehow that shortly after Elijah called fire down from heaven which burned up both altars and quite a few of those close by, he was then running for his life and went into a deep depression.

I guess one would have to be mightily used of God in order to know or understand something like this.

Deep intercession in The Spirit, bearing down with your body into the spirit world can leave you tired and with a feeling of being wrung out.

Many of us experienced this years ago after working in lengthy altar services, especially where demons were cast out and sweat poured from us like running water.

Seeing people delivered and filled with the Spirit made it all worthwhile.  We went home exhausted but happy to have been spent for God.

Being empty can be dangerous.  We are vulnerable after we have been spent.

The Angel of The LORD encamps round about those who fear Him and delivereth them.  Rest and proper nourishment is a must after these times.

We were not designed to fast and do deep intercession forever.  Our teacher taught us that these gifts had to be governed, that we must learn how to pace ourselves and guard ourselves from becoming too depleted.

I don’t know how much exercise we really had in many of these things because few of us are known for doing great works in The Spirit.

One thing is certain, the things we heard and were taught were not for nothing.  Every Word, every deeper meaning, all of the great things of The Spirit that were ministered to us was for an appointed time.

Every single thing the Spirit taught us privately was for an ordained purpose.

We have come into a time when it no longer matters what others think about, what you know, or what you have been taught.

The Spirit has spoken expressly in many places in The Word with one simple phrase, “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit is saying.”

What you heard was what you were meant to hear.  We laid down some simple teachings of Christ that we need to pick up again. “They that hunger and thirst for righteousness Shall be filled.”

We were told to desire spiritual gifts and we would get them.  May I say, some of us had these things long before we even realized we did.

No matter what your journey has been, never forget that the Spirit does not give these gifts with the intention that they never be used.

God does not play the kind of games we do.  That which is shallow and full of self is going to wither quickly under the heat that continues to grow, from both sides of the spirit world.

Take heed to your own spirit.  Have those around you who can give back to you, not just take.

Have you ever awakened speaking in tongues and rejoicing, not really knowing why?

When we place ourselves at the disposal of The Almighty to be used as He sees fit, our spirits are often in tune with what He needs us to do.

I say again —  I don’t care where you’ve been or what direction your life has gone.

Today, if you love Him and are doing everything you can to follow Him and you’ve paid your dues, He does not care what other people think about you.

He’s only interested in what He thinks about you.  Remember that old hymn the black choirs taught us a long time ago, “I don’t believe He brought me this far, to leave me.”

The Spirit will refill you with Power and Might whether others do or not.  Others were designed in this to fill us when we are weary and spent.

The Spirit has grown tired of waiting for them to do their job.  He will step in and do the work Himself.

Turn to Him more than ever before.  Don’t wait for anyone else.  What He started in you, He will finish.

Amen!

First Published: November 9, 2010.

~ Robert Blackburn

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Robert Blackburn

 

 

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