Stewarding Passion

The beginning of the year is always a thoughtful time for me as it may be for most of us. I plan my year, set goals and seek vision about what God is doing. I spend time with the Lord asking what He has for me and wants for me to partner with in this year. What is it that I carry in order to pass on to others? I am still in the process of figuring it all out, but there is one constant inner passion and desire for the fullness of God. What does that look like? How do I impart that to others? I am a believer that “you only get to keep what you give away”. It is how we steward the gifts and revelation we get from God. I have received so much and so I decided to share from my heart what I long to see for the Body of Christ, and in sharing, maybe your heart will be stirred for more.

I have grown up in and around revival and moves of God that were very powerful. I am so grateful that I was able to know and experience God as a young child. I have grown up believing God can do anything and I have seen signs, wonders, salvations and the church stirred. However, In the midst of all of it, sometimes some can be attracted to the signs and wonders without truly going after Jesus. At some point, the movements would fizzle out and I always wondered why. I began a heart journey to see an eternal movement of people who would fall in love with Jesus and change the world as the result.

In 2003, I went to Bible college and God shook my core with love for the Church, He broke my boxes and paradigms of who the Church was and what she was capable of. I went so deep into the Father’s heart and began to dream big! I began to understand my place and take ownership in my role in the Body of Christ and allowed myself to surrender to whatever He wanted, big or small. I began to recall the many times in my life I received the invitation to more of His heart through surrender, allowing my heart to be molded, broken and stirred for all God wanted. It has not always been easy, but there was a flame in me that would never allow me to quit or change my path. It was the fire of God. In the book of Ezekiel, he described it as “ fire shut up in his bones”. That fire fuels you in your hard seasons and propels you as you move with Holy Spirit. Fire and passion go hand in hand.

Passion will allow you to find Joy in everything you do because you are doing it for love. Passion will move you to serve and it will cause you to live your life in response to the revelation of His goodness. It will cause you to go the extra mile.

Jesus displayed passion living in response to the Father. He was full of joy, compassion and wonder. He was full of wisdom, yet taught us to be like little children.

His passionate love for us was the joy set before Him to give His very life. There is so much more to know about Jesus and so much more to experience of His nature.

John the Baptist prophesied that Jesus would come and would baptize with Holy Spirit and with fire. It is the infilling of power and fire that allows us to operate out of passion and love for Jesus. ( Luke 3:16 )

We are called to an exciting, love filled relationship with Him; It’s not head knowledge or religion. It’s an encounter that leads us to knowing Him more fully. It is being moved by His heart and then being moved to action.

My deepest heart desire is to see the Church, the beautiful Bride of Jesus, rise up and know who she is. I long to see the church take her place in response to revelation that we were created for Him. I want us all to catch the glimpse of the fire in His eyes, which I believe is His love and pure affection. I want to see His kingdom come and His Bride co-reign with Him.

I pray that revival fire and passion fills your heart, that you would feel the stirring and drawing of Jesus as you go through your days. I pray that you would fall more in love with Jesus and that you would carry that flame to the ones around you.