Exactly Which Chapter Are We In Now? by Dennis Lafayette

This past Saturday at Blazing Fire, I asked my good friend, Dennis, to share stories from his life (and that of his wife) who both walk in the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit on a daily basis like we read in the book of Acts. Oh, the stories he told! Deeply inspiring and challenging because each of us has the very same Holy Spirit with us. I asked Dennis to write this week's article, but you can listen to the stories here:

"Just Say Yes" Dennis Lafayette

EXACTLY WHICH CHAPTER ARE WE IN NOW? When Kathy and I first got saved we didn’t know anything about the bible or real Christianity for that matter. As we read the Bible we were stunned to come upon the Book of Acts. We had no idea that there was a roadmap included in the word of God. The “this is what it looks like” part amazed and thrilled us as we read the amazing stories. We reasoned that a movement that empowered people with the ability to proclaim the message of the Gospel with signs and wonders could not just vanish from the earth. Surely there must be a remnant, and so our search began. Within a short couple of years many of the miraculous stories had became part of our lives as well. We soon realized that we were called into this fellowship of His Disciples. Many people went all in at that time as well; this has been referred to as the Jesus Movement. There was no price we wouldn’t pay to live this life. Give all our passions to the poor? A bargain! Answer His call to spread the word? With pleasure! Deny yourself and take up your cross? Where do we sign up?! The miraculous was a daily occurrence—what a time to be alive! We were all very young and with few fathers to guide us. I was blessed to have some mentors come into my life at various times. I thought I had it all together. Then I met Corrie ten Boom.......she changed me forever. Her sense of God’s presence was unlike anything I’d ever seen. When we would talk, she would talk with me and Jesus in the same conversation. Every conversation—and I mean every—was the three of us: Me, Corrie and, of course, Jesus Himself in person taking part in our discourse. I had never been around someone like that. What I learned and willed to practice in my life: Father God loves me and nothing can change or diminish that, not even my own beliefs, feelings or actions. (Rom 8:38-39) Holy Spirit is given to help me, instruct me, comfort me, lead me, talk to me and much more. (Jn 16:7 and Heb 13:5) Our word for believe is a very poor translation of what it means to be a “believer”. We just don’t have a word for the Greek or Hebrew concept. The original thought for believing in Jesus and following Him actually goes something like this: Clinging to our Father, His Son and our Wonderful Holy Spirit like a nursing infant and mom, like two best friends together in warfare and like a Son of Adam with his God. Faith is like manna, we don’t store it, we must give it away everyday and we don’t get more until we use up what we’ve got today. Pray for everyone and about everything! (1 Thess 5:17-18) Vain repetitive prayer insults God’s character. He doesn’t need to be convinced to help us. He’s for us! (Matt 6:7 and Rom 8:31) Ask anything and everything in Jesus Name. (Jn: 14, 15 & 16, Col 3:17 and 1 Jn: 5) We are the next chapter of the Book of Acts if we’re willing to step out of the boat, take some risk and do what Holy Spirit asks us to do! “There is water in our lives waiting to be walked on” Bill Johnson. What are you waiting for? Go do it!