Yorba Linda Vineyard

Blessing Those God Chooses

One of our highest values;that John [Wimber] really taught us and lived by, was the importance to be able to see and bless God’s presence on people.

The truth is, John was amazing at this. Amazing, because he wasn’t threatened. So he would see somebody, usually someone that wasn’t ready for what they were doing, and he would grab them, encourage them, and give them opportunity to move forward.Truth is John gave me so much stuff that I was so not ready for! I look back now, and feel sorry for those poor people…seriously. We’re called to recognize who God has his hand on, give them some training, and then we have to release them.

We have to be able to let go. To Father and mother. In the church I have seen a lot of good recruiting, alot of good training, but where’s the releasing?

Who really gets to play here? Because one of the foundations of who we are [in the Vineyard] is that everybody gets to play. John used to say it all the time! Everybody gets to play!

And some of those people playing are scary! But it’s always been that way, hasn’t it? It’s always a mix. But that should be our value. We want to recognize people; even if they don’ have ‘everything’ together yet.’ Our church really feels like this, and I love it! Carol calls us the ‘anybody church’, cool. But I have to say, I wasn’t like that years ago, in fact, that’s not something I really would have wanted.  I loved to serve the Lord, but there were days I’d like to just be left alone. Somehow in my mind I justified that it was ok because I gave so many other areas of my life to ministry work, but when I went to church on Sunday… “Lord, can I have a break? The Lord really began to show me my heart and it wasn’t pretty.

I really didn’t like too many people, with too many problems to come in and bother me on my day off. I gave a lot of time, so can’t I just come in on Sunday, get what I need, see my friends and family and go have lunch? But I really was missing something very important, something that needed to change in me.

Years ago one of the things the Lord began to speak to me about is the power of blessing. He told me to start going to church and change my focus. First, I needed to expect Him to move, and part of that meant that I was to begin coming into church, lookingfor people that I could bless.

As a leader this is so important. If you’re a leader and don’t learn to bless others, than you can’t expect those under you to. If we’re unable to have leaders around us that are better than we are; that are more anointed than us in some ways, then we create an environment that’s unable to bless others.  The truth is God will put his hand on me for one thing, and put his hand on another for something else. He usually anoints those we often overlook. I must be able too recognize who those people are and not be threatened, but rather bless. It’s not who I pick; its who He picks. That’s who we want; because those will be the anointed ones! The anointing is what we want.

 That means for me there are times when I need to step back and allow other people around me to be able to thrive. I pray in people that are more gifted than me in things. I need them around me.

It seems the church has made the qualifications to play quite difficult for those coming in.

One of the ways the Lord began to change me in this area was he began to show me who he picked. First he picked me. That should have been enough, but he also showed me the twelve.

I mean just look at the people that Jesus placed around him. Remember who he chose? Remember what they were like?

Remember Matthew, tax-collector, taking money off the top.

Foot in his mouth, Peter.

John the Baptist, so full of passion, but didn’t like people, and had a temper.

Remember?

These are the ones that Jesus chose, to not only be with him and to share life with him, but also he entrusted the very thing that he came to die for. To carry on the work of the church.

James his brother who said “I actually don’t even believe in all this,” and Jesus brought him in. How hard is it to have someone with you who doesn’t really believe what you’re doing;especially family?

And Judas who is going tobetray him, Judas who was known to embezzle money, and Jesus made him the treasurer.

There is something that we’re missing here. This is who Jesus let hang around him and chose to trust the keys of the Kingdom to.

 Anointing over Resume

We tend to get in a place where we look at the qualifications-the resume, rather than the anointing.

I’ll take the anointing over a resume; people can always learn stuff. Part of following the Holy Spirit is being able to take people in that aren’t fully mature; recognize their calling; bless them; train them, and release them. It’s a privilege really.

In our church we have quite a few Hispanic, and I don’t even speak Spanish. In fact, I failed Spanish 1 twice. We have people that come to our church that don’t speak English, butthey feel Gods presence and say that’s why they come. Why did so many follow Jesus during his earthly ministry? Why did the disciples leave everything when he called their name? They got to be with him, and they got to play.

We have got to let go of the lie that if we release people and bless people, that we will have nothing.Remember we give to get. Remember we only get to keep what we give away. We’re called to give away our best. That’s where blessing comes. And it’s a little messy. But the truth is, kingdom work is messy.