Well, I just know that you’ve been waiting with bated breath for this next blog installment on how to call into being that which is not! Isn’t it tremendous fun learning how to live by His power? Jesus is the gift that keeps on giving, my friend, and there is no limit to the depths of revelation we will experience in this lifetime as we learn to follow Him! Hebrews 11:13 speaks of the promise over Abraham of a nation coming from him. It describes the following about Abraham and Sarah: “They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance (from afar).” They saw them. They saw the nation. They saw the potential. They never actually saw the physical nation yet Abraham looked out of his tent each night at the infinite twinkling stars above and saw – from afar – the multitude of his descendants. Again, in the heat of the day, he cupped the warm grains of sands in the palm of his hand, and saw – from a distance – the nation God had promised him. His faith called out what others could not see. I remember a story Claudia Fajardo told, as she described the early days of ministry with her husband. Together with a small group of young believers, they pledged to give ten years of their life to live radically for Jesus and to win their city of Bogota, Columbia, to Jesus, one disciple at a time. Claudia began to imagine what it might look like if they were actually successful. She found a picture of the largest stadium in the city – one that seated 100,000 people – and pinned it to the back of her bedroom door. Every time she closed the door to pray, she would imagine it filled with passionate followers of Jesus. Within 13 years, Ric stood in that very stadium, and witnessed, first-hand, 100,000 young people, hands raised in earnest worship, all devoted disciples of Jesus. It was breath-taking. She saw from afar and began to call into being that which was not. Brian Houston famously penned “The Church I See” some 30 years ago. He had a small bunch of young families meeting in a school hall when he began to dream of the God potential of a handful of faithful believers. He wrote: “The Church that I see is a Church of influence. A Church so large in size that the cities and nations cannot ignore it. A Church with a message so clear that lives are changed forever. A Church growing so quickly that buildings struggle to contain the increase.
I see a Church whose heartfelt praise and worship touches heaven and changes earth. With worship that exalts Jesus Christ through powerful songs of faith and hope. I see a Church whose altars are constantly filled with repentant sinners responding to His call to salvation.
Yes, the Church that I see is so dependent on the Holy Spirit that nothing will stop it nor stand against it. A Church whose people are unified, praying and full of Spirit-filled believers.
The Church that I see has a message so clear that lives are changed forever and potential is fulfilled through the power of His word. A message beamed to the peoples of the earth through their television screens.
I see a Church so compassionate that people are drawn from impossible situations into loving and friendly circle of hope, where answers are found and acceptance is given. I see a people so kingdom minded that they count whatever the cost and pay whatever the price to see revival sweep this land.
The Church that I see is a Church so committed to raising, training and empowering a leadership generation to reap the end-time harvest that all of its ministries are consumed with this goal. I see a Church whose head is Jesus, whose help is the Holy Spirit and whose focus is the Great Commission. Yes, the Church that I see could well be our church, Hillsong Church.” Well, in case you haven’t noticed, Hillsong Church has somewhat exceeded expectations! Brian saw – from a distance – and began calling into being that which was not. All the biggest miracles of my life were first seen – the phenomenal growth of our youth ministry, the home we live in, the daughter we adopted, the family we have raised. I literally found visual representations and stuck them on the wall next to my bed. They were the first thing I saw in the morning and the last I saw at night. They were reminders to activate my faith, to trust in God, to intercede, to call into being. What do you see? Do you see the problems, the short-comings, the limitations, the faults? Or is the God-potential burgeoning in your spirit! What Heaven-meets-earth encounter do you imagine for your marriage, your children, your finances, your neighbour, your health, your workplace, your ministry, your oikos, your church? How might you visually represent it to focus your faith, guide your prayer and stimulate your creativity? Are you getting excited? I hope so! I’ve got more on how to live a life of ‘calling into being that which is not.’ Stay tuned!
