Thursday, January 10, 2013

Free falling

Years ago now I got a call telling me that I needed to visit Toronto. It was the early 1990's and I was living in Russia. I had been a Christian for three years or so.

So I got on a plane and to this day am not really sure why. I arrived at the Toronto Airport Vineyard and I have never experienced anything quite like it. People in my motel were unable to eat their breakfast cereal because they had been 'slain in the Spirit' and were seemingly physically impacted under the power of the living God. To be honest, I thought they were all absolutely nuts. I went up for prayer morning, noon and night and truth be known I only really wanted one thing. To fall over like everyone else. I didn't. I didn't even wobble a bit (except at my own instigation to feel like I was joining in). The person I had travelled with did fall over. I was very very frustrated and jealous.

Anyway, on one night early on in the week I went up for prayer and was ushered into a room to be prayed for by a dear couple. I explained to them why I had come all the way from Moscow to Toronto and some of the stuff I had going on in my heart and life, including not falling over, and once I had splurged it all out this is what they said to me:

'What you need to know is who you are in Christ'

They gave me a piece of paper and on it were about 25 verses and we prayed them through together. No wailing, no shudders- nothing very dramatic at all.

From that moment on my life was perfect. Actually, that's absolute rubbish- of course it wasn't . I had years yet of rebellion, mess and independence. But it was without doubt one of the most important moments I have ever had.

We all need to know who we are in Christ. It's vital.

What happened to the person who fell over? Well, that's about it. They fell over. They aren't as far as one can tell following Jesus, they have ceased attending church as far as I know, and reflecting on it, I am not quite sure if they are or ever were born again. Who knows but God. It's one I'm still pondering.

And if you're wondering, I have as it happens fallen over since 'in the Spirit' but that's a story for another time.

Do watch this and then read this book and you can also read a review commending it here. If I'd read this when I got back from Toronto it might have saved me some time and bother. Great book to give to new Christians, teenagers or people in an identity pickle (which, let's be honest, we all are -which is why Paul wrote to the Ephesians)

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Saturday blog-sweep

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