Yorba Linda Vineyard

Creating an Environment that Welcomes the Spirit of God

By Brenda Gatlin

When God gives us teachers and preachers a message, he is faithful to show us the timeless truths from it. These truths are what we want to challenge our listeners with.

Recently, I taught at the Midwest Regional Conference for Women. Months beforehand, I prepared to teach a 3-day afternoon workshop on the Holy Spirit. I prayed and asked God to empower the talks and ministry times. One day God gave me a picture of a fireplace being built brick upon brick and God said that the biblical foundation and teaching from scripture is like a fireplace—it will create a structure where women can see God’s heart and how he feels about the ministry of the Holy Spirit; then women will be able to give their hearts over to it, and let God come and light a fire in the fireplace. 

Since the fireplace was the biblical teaching and the fire was the ministry of the Holy Spirit, both were very important and dependent upon each other. During the Conference, I asked God every day what he had in mind for that day. He'd give me a general sense about what he was going to do. It came to me as I related and talked to women about what they'd hoped for from God. It also came to me spontaneously as I walked through the facility, praying for direction. One afternoon God said, "I’m healing the wounds of sexual brokenness." The next day he said would be a day of deliverance from demons of religion, legalism, or anything that opposes the Holy Spirit. The last day he said, "I want to impart and release women to be free to minister in the power of the Holy Spirit." All of this came before the teachings, and then as the ministry time began, we'd wait and listen, and he'd give more specific words and direction. 

Over the course of those days, God healed many physical needs, hundreds of demons left, women were released from years of fear and pain from sexual abuse, abortions, and rape, the power of addictions were broken, and much more ministry right from the heart of the Father for his daughters.

God is always weaving and working, wanting to pour his spirit out over people's lives. The message we prepare gives listeners the absolute truth and clearly proclaims who God is, and what he has done for us. Ministry time gives listeners an opportunity to be responsive to what the spirit of God is doing at that moment and to experience his presence and healing in their lives. When I'm faithful to bring people face to face with God through biblical teaching, and then provide a ministry time by inviting God and waiting for him to come, he is faithful to touch lives with real power and authority. 

Spending time pressing in and praying during preparation for teaching has become one of the most fun and exciting times of the whole teaching experience. God usually helps me envision the ministry time by giving me a picture of Jesus standing in front of the listeners after preaching from scripture. How would he invite them to respond? How would he inspire them to participate and engage in receiving something supernatural from him? Wouldn’t it be all inclusive? A free-for-all invitation? As I envision what Jesus would sound like standing before the people, I get really excited and expectant. I receive more and more faith that, as people respond to the invitation, God will come and have his way in their lives. They will get healed, saved and set free!

As I plan, pray, prepare, and then predetermine to say what God tells me to say—taking risks to invite people to receive from God—he comes and does amazing things. Asking God to give direction for ministry time beforehand gives me a good idea of what he wants to do; but, I always listen, and when the ministry time starts, it’s important to wait, and not fill the time and space with words. I always tell people we are going to wait, and I tell them not to be uncomfortable with the silence. It’s just our way of giving God an opportunity to speak his heart spontaneously at that moment. And I fully expect him to speak, and I have already predetermined to say what he wants me to. If we have no intention of doing what he wants, there's a good chance we won’t hear him. Why should he tell us what he wants if we have no intention of doing what he asks us to? Determining to take risks and obey him, no matter what, is a sure way to get direction from him. 

On a practical note, I always pray just before teaching anything. I empty myself of my fears and doubts and ask him to fill me with his Holy Spirit. I put all my gifts and everything I have prepared on the altar before God. I ask God to take this sacrifice, this offering, and spend me however he wants to. 

Years ago, I started doing something—I would walk into a room or meeting and ask, “God, what are you doing with these people? What do you want for them?” I practiced this. I practiced hearing his heart over people’s lives. Even if no one asked me for this input, I still asked God for it so I could learn what he was doing. Practicing this, and asking these questions over and over has helped me learn how to discover what he has in mind for a time set aside for ministry. 

I remember hearing John Wimber say he had learned there is only one true authentic ministry—Jesus’ ministry. We can give people a lot of advice, information, or even depend heavily on stories from our past experiences. But Jesus wants us to participate with him in Kingdom stuff, and do only what the Father is doing at the moment. His ministry is the only real and lasting ministry we have to offer. Preach the gospel, heal the sick, cast out demons, mend the broken hearted; I’m so glad God chooses to let us all play in his Kingdom.

Brenda Gatlin

Co-pastors the Duluth Vineyard in Minnesota along with her husband Michael. She also is on the Vineyard church planting team for the Mid- West region.

view all events