I love reading the Book of Acts. It is in the Book of Acts that we see the Holy Spirit bursting onto the scene in the upper room and then beginning His heavenly assignment by being large and in charge, transforming a weak, anemic group of people into the Church, a people who powerfully and radically turned their world upside down! (Acts 17:6)
It is also in the Book of Acts that we see the Holy Spirit’s MO (modus operandi). Time after time, we see that when He was given liberty, to use a Jerry Lee Lewis’ song title, there was a whole lot of shaking going on. At times, places were literally shaken (Acts 4:31 and Acts 16:26). At other times, services were shaken or interrupted (Acts 2 and Acts 10) by His visitation. Then, at other times, the Holy Spirit grabbed ahold of individuals and shook them causing even their very identity and names to be changed (transforming the Christ-hating Saul of Tarsus into the great Paul the apostle).
Have you ever studied to see what preceded the shaking? The key to Acts 2 is found in Acts 1. The key to the shaking in Cornelius’ house is found at the beginning of Acts 10. With the exception of the conversion of Saul (while we won’t find a direct reference to the saints praying for Saul, it wouldn’t be difficult to assume that this was happening), each and every shaking story begins with a God-connection, prayer. You see, the Holy Spirit comes by invitation.
My cry is for the Holy Spirit to come and interrupt business as usual. First of all, I’m crying for the Holy Spirit to come and shake me, move me out of my comfort zone. I so want the Holy Spirit to shake me to the place that people will have trouble identifying this new person. I am crying out that the Holy Spirit will shake our children’s ministry, interrupt our services and in doing so, transform each and every child.
Are you with me? Will you in your desperation cry out for a shaking? Will you grant Him liberty to come and shake you, your ministry, and your children? It is only in doing so that we will turn the world upside down!
