The spirit of Bartimaeus
I guess many of us are amazed at the things going on in churches across the world – outbreaks of healing, fresh intimacy with Jesus, plus all the weird-but-exciting stuff like gold dust / flakes / teeth etc appearing to Christians. We have had the above happen to people at King’s Church and for me, it stirs a hunger for all that God has. Whether it is easy to understand or not, if something is the result of a sovereign work of the Holy Spirit, I for one want it.
There is a difference between becoming hungry for Jesus and staying hungry. I feel very challenged by the latter – e.g. not to become a spectator of the Florida Outpouring meetings but to actively participate in worship, prayer, study and reflection until the hunger becomes all-consuming. Thinking about this, I am reminded of the story of Bartimaeus, a blind man in Mark 10. He knew that Jesus was passing by and was determined to get his attention, shouting for help. Despite plenty of detractors telling him to keep the noise down, he became all the more determined to reach Jesus. And sure enough, Jesus spots him and, recognising his faith, heals him.
So I am determined to live in the spirit of Bartimaeus. I will not allow my spiritual hunger to become dull, or to keep quiet and get on with normal church life. Jesus is passing by in a fresh way, and I will press on in my quest to know him and to live in all he intends for me. I am shouting help – for physical healing, for intimacy and to see the power of the Spirit unleashed through me when I pray for the sick and the distressed.
Tags: faith, healing, persistence
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