A) The Great Connector

 

Every day the dots of our life need connecting.  Family dots, emotional dots, relationship dots and work dots. 

 

Using our own knowledge it can be hard to join the dots.  As Christians we know that the key to connecting the dots is to seek God’s answers to our questions.

 

Before His death and resurrection, Jesus told His disciples that He had to die in order to connect the sinful hearts of man to the holy heart of God. He explained that though He was leaving this world, His followers would not be left alone or without power.

 

John 14:15-17 - “If you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Counsellor to be with you forever – the Spirit of truth.” 

 

What an amazing promise!

 

Jesus went on to say in John 14:25-26, “All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Counsellor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.”

 

The Holy Spirit works in and through us to connect our hearts to the heart of God. He’s the connector between our problems and the solutions we seek.

 

As Jesus taught us, “seek and you will receive”.

 

 

 

B) Living The Connection

 

In the past I have struggled with letting the Holy Spirit join the dots as my brain just kicks into solution mode.  Using my limited brain to try to solve the problem.

 

But 2 weeks ago I had an amazing encounter and example of the Holy Spirit joining the dots.

 

Last Sunday we heard Barry’s great testimony in which he recounted how our friend from connect was in hospital and had just been cleared of an initial diagnosis of cancer.  She was later confirmed to have tuberculosis which is treatable.  I’m glad to say she is now back home and recovering. Praise God.

 

This woman (who lost her husband only 2 years ago) has 2 boys in their 20s and a 14 year old daughter.  Barry spoke about how one of the boys had previously been missing and how he and Carmen had gone out and found him and brought him back home. 

 

While mum was in hospital, the daughter stayed with us some 10 days to help the family.  During this time I came to meet one of the boys as he came to our home a few times to collect his sister.

 

This young man and I spoke of his faith and how he used to go to church.  Last Saturday he said he was coming to church with his sister which was a surprise to all of us.  He said that seeing all his mum’s Christian friends support her had touched him and he felt the call to come back to church.

 

The morning of church Barry shared his testimony with us then suddenly the dots joined. The young man Barry had spoken about was the same young man that I had met. I had no idea until I heard Barry speak.

 

What an amazing moment to see him come along to church that day and sit with Barry, Carmen, his sister and I in church.

 

Better still, he raised his hand during the alter call and gave his heart to Jesus.  Praise God.

 

But the Holy Spirit wasn’t done joining the dots.  The young man told me his family had been building a home and needed help as it had been delayed.  Enter stage right Minister Mike, who only recently shared with us his testimony around being a building supervisor.  

 

Well it turns out that the home is being built by the same company that Minister Mike works at.  He isn’t the supervisor for this particular build but he was able to check the status of the job and gave some great advice on how to move it along.

 

Can you imagine the smile on the woman’s face when I visited her last Sunday to not only share Minister Mike’s advice but to also share how her son had given his heart to Jesus.

 

Praise God.

 

 

 

C) It Was Going So Well

 

After seeing the Holy Spirit join so many dots, I was on a high.

 

And the enemy wasn’t happy.  

 

At home some issues that had been brewing grew bigger.  Frustrations with our 20 year old that won’t find work, how one person said one thing or the other. 

 

My wife lost her mother in June and was moving in and out of dark thoughts through her grief. It manifested in some trying behaviour towards me that I called out. 

 

But once the enemy got an inch it took a mile.  Being yoked together we fell in the same abyss.  We told each other unkind things and it escalated.   

 

Again, my brain just kicked into solution mode.  Using my limited brain to try to solve the problem.  But talk just wasn’t doing it.  The enemy had its grip and it felt like we were drowning.  It was getting worse!  It’s been years since we had a big barney and this had the hallmarks of turning into WW3.

 

Seeing talk wasn’t getting anywhere, I stopped and started praying in tongues. I prayed over my wife, our home and family. 

 

I also called on some prayer warriors who responded straight away with prayer and support.  You each know who you are and I’m very grateful. 

 

That night the issues weren’t resolved but praying at least put a pause on the events. What then became clear is that the Holy Spirit was at work even when we were sleeping.  Our counsellor, the great connector, lighting the way where there seems to be no way. When we are in the flesh he shows us how to find God.

 

The following day Barry’s wife Carmen and one of the other wives reached out to Paola and also prayed.  They helped set up an appointment with Ps Vera who was running a service that night.

 

We were there for 5 hours and spent that time in deliverance, prayer and worship.

 

We realised we had allowed over time for the enemy to lay words and thoughts from which we created stories. Stories that weren't true but we made true by reaffirming them and believing them.

 

As Eddy said on Fri, we must detoxify and desanctify our spirit of the words that make us contrary to God's will. 

 

Like the hedge around Job’s household that the devil sought to break (Job 1:10), it was clear that the enemy had created a gap in God’s hedge around our family.

 

We realised that not forgiving and remaining in the issues was actually making the gap in the hedge bigger and it was taking us away from our relationship with God.

 

And so, that night, through prayer, worship and leaning in, we forgave each other and with this the hedge was closed, reinforced and the snake cast out!

 

Since then the heaviness has lifted. Our faith and our relationship with God and each other is stronger than ever.  We are born again again! 

 

Before I was a Christian, I’d let issues like this escalate and they would take days or weeks to resolve.  In all my life I’ve never seen a situation like the one we were in turn around as quickly as it did. From looking like it was turning into WW3 to being resolved in a day.  Wow!

 

All by the grace of the Holy Spirit who answered our prayers and joined the dots for us.

 

I’m amazed and so grateful to God.  I have fallen in love with Him all over again this week.

 

So when life’s storms hit – stop, pray, forgive and give it all to the Holy Spirit to join the dots.

 

 

 

Is there anyone with anything to share?

 

 

 

Prayer Point 2 – Lord we reflect on all the ways the Holy Spirit joins the dots for us every day.  We thank and adore you for all you do in the background to help us in our families, relationships and work.

 

Prayer Point 3 - Holy Spirit, our great Counsellor, when storms hit, we let you join the dots.  Instead of staying in the flesh, we will humbly let you come in and do your thing.  Please do the work within us to speed up the process of forgiving, of healing and growing.  We give you thanks and praise..