Here’s an interesting behind-the-scenes look at what has happened a few times in our traveling as evangelists …
Let me set the scene … It’s Sunday morning and Vickie and I have just arrived at the church to meet with the pastor before the morning service. After a few minutes of visiting, I inevitably will ask about the general length of the service so that I can have a feel of my boundaries. Ready for a shocker? There have been pastors that have said something like this … “Well Billy, we are usually dismissing the service around noon or maybe 12:15 PM at the latest. But, if the Spirit is moving, feel free to take your liberty.”
Did you catch that? “… if the Spirit is moving …” If you have been around me for any length of time, you know that my brain is constantly thinking of funny retorts. Fortunately, so far, I have been successful in suppressing a lot of what I’m thinking. If there were no possible negative ramifications, I know that I know that I know that I’d reply, “Is the Holy Spirit scheduled to be off duty this weekend?” or “You mean that it’s not the norm for Him to move in your services?” or “Is there a possibility that He doesn’t want to move supernaturally?” To be the sweet Billy that you know and love, I usually reply with, “Well, let’s see what the God that is able to do exceeding, abundantly more than we can ask or think is capable of doing.”
I am sharing this post to challenge pastors and Sunday school teachers and children’s/youth ministry leaders to replace the “if the Spirit moves” with “the Spirit will mightily move”. When the “if” is replaced with the “will“, we can be assured that there will be demonstrations of the Spirit and power (1 Corinthians 2:4), “suddenlies” will interrupt sermons just as seen in Peter’s preaching at Cornelius’ home (Acts 10), and lives will be greatly impacted by the preaching of the Word with validations of the preaching by signs and wonders (Mark 16:20). TODAY is the day of the Holy Ghost and this is STILL His dispensation for mighty, unprecedented, unimaginable displays of His presence and power.
If? Nope. Will? A Texas-size yes!!!
