Intimate Evangelists
Tuesday, February 9, 2010 at 12:31PM 1 Cor. 6:16,17 - "What? Know ye not that he which is joined unto an harlot is one body? For two, saith he, shall be one flesh. But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit."
We have all been there as evangelists. The pastor is making his way through the introduction of the special guest minster for the evening and it just happens to be YOU. Bible in hand? Check. Shoes shined? Check. Shirt ironed? Check. You whisper one final prayer under your breath that sounds something like, "Holy Ghost, move." And before you know it the mic is in your hand and the show is yours. You are now at the technical point of your sermon that any orthodox homiletics teacher would call "the Introduction." So what do you do now?
There is something profound that we can gain from Paul's writing to the Church at Corinth that, I believe holds, a key to blowing a service up. Paul is talking about physical bodies. He says that when an individual engages in the act of intercourse he joins himself physically to his partner (v. 16). In v. 18 he goes on and exhorts Christians to flee fornication and to live pure lives. However he inserts v. 17 between the two verses and says that "...he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit." In other words you could say, "He that has the indwelling Holy Spirit is now one with the Sprit." There is no insignificance to the fact that Paul digresses one verse from speaking of physical bodies and makes reference to our relationship with the Spirit of God. Why? Because Romans 1:20 says that "...the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made." When we get revelation that the intimacy shared between man and woman in the act of intercourse is metaphorical of our life of walking in the Spirit, we can easier understand why God protects sex and doesn't want to see it defiled.
When a man and woman engage in intercourse a physical union takes place in which there is absolutely no distance. It is the highest level of intimacy that two physical bodies can involve themselves in. In this union of intimacy the participants feel the same things, think the same things, and are in a harmonious rhythm that will ultimately bring forth life. Paul uses this to demonstrate that there is a rhythm in the things of the Spirit that can only be picked up by having a close intimate fellowship with Him that is unbroken by harlots and other lovers. When we have that intimacy we can function in that rhythm and know just exactly how the Holy Ghost wants us to move. In this rhythm with the Spirit we will think like Him, talk like Him, and act like Him to bring forth life where there is no life.
You see, as evangelists our job is to function the way the Holy Ghost would desire in that particular moment. We aren't just supposed to make our best effort to be passionate all the time. Sometimes being too passionate can cause us to miss what God is doing because we too fired up to listen. God likens the Holy Ghost to water in John 7:37-38. But water has several different forms. Like John 7 says that sometimes it is a mighty, violent, rushing river that is capable of great power. Other times water is like consistent rain that brings refreshing and renewal. And other times it is peaceful and quiet, like a gentle brook. And of course, water can be like a thik mist that just hangs around and creates an atmosphere. These are all ways that the Holy Ghost can and has manifested himself in and among his people.
I have watched passionate prayers for the sick get offered up and later watch those same sick people die. There is no question abut it, the prayer didn't lack passion and fire. But sometimes passion and fire is not enough. Evangelists must be Spirit led and Spirit directed. We must walk close enough with the Spirit to recognize what the Father is saying and respond with obedience and faith.
The next time the mic is given to us, let's check our Spirits. If the atmosphere is energetic and calls for energy, fire, and passion...knock it out! But if you sense the Spirit leading in a different way than respond accordingly. I can guarantee that the results of doing so will blow your mind (Eph. 3:20).
Reader Comments (1)
This is awesome. I received so much revelation. I love the parallel message Paul used between physical intimacy and spiritual intimacy with the Spirit. I've been studying singleness and holiness and this scripture text just gives me more insight and clarity. Also, John 7:37,38 reference is deep. Before now I didn't not see the text in the form that you portrayed it.
Praise God for the leading of the Holy Spirit!