“Is this stuff still happening?”
We sat at the table, reading the book of Acts. My friend’s question came out of the blue. “I need to know. Is this stuff still happening?” she asked.
The stuff she was talking about was praying for the sick, and people being healed. It was being tongue-tied one moment, but sharing a message so powerful that it drew thousands to Christ the next.
My friend asked this question, not because she wanted to start a healing ministry or to tour around the country talking about Jesus, but because she wanted to pray for her children and know that God heard that prayer. She wanted to effectively live her faith in a world that doesn’t always understand it. More than anything, she wanted to be a woman with a Spirit-led heart.
If there was power that could bring her faith to life, she wanted every drop.
Are you asking these questions?
God, are you in the church?
Do you still want us to pray for people?
Do you still want me to partner with you, even though I feel unequipped most of the time?
As I read the book of Acts, I believe that the answer to all of these questions are: yes, yes, and yes.
We are called to be believers with a Spirit-led heart. That sounds awesome, except for right now, being a Christian in this culture feels so uncertain. Can I tell you something? That’s nothing new. Paul the Apostle wrote reams of letters to believers who lived in uncertain times. In each, he reminded them of who they were and what God wanted to do through them. Jesus himself told believers, in some of their most uncertain times, that they would “do greater things than even he had done” (John 14:12).
And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you. John 14:16-17 (ESV)
In this passage, Jesus made a really sweet promise:
You don’t have to do this on your own.
You don’t have to try harder, work harder, worry more, make plans and form committees. For there’s a Helper who knows you, and knows the heart of the Father over you. He knows those you come in contact with, and what role you will play in their faith.
He dwells with you and will always be in you. Not only that, he’ll empower you!
What does it look like to be a woman with a Spirit-led heart?
This Spirit-Led Heart manifesto emerged as I walked through the book of Acts.
[bctt tweet=”A woman with a Spirit-led heart isn’t a know-it-all, though she longs to know all there is to know. #SpiritLedHeart #livethepromise https://wp.me/p4jbdw-4AX” username=”suzanneeller”]
Do we dare to believe the promise is for us?
We hear it, but do we believe it?
We believe it, but do we embrace it?
We embrace it, but are we willing to live it?
These are the words Jesus spoke over his church:
- I’m will use your life to draw others to me.
- You will be baptized (immersed, covered, plunged) with the power of the Holy Spirit.
- Because of that, you will be equipped.
These are our promises too.
When we live the promise, we are still ordinary but we tap into all that the Helper offers — comfort, counsel, faith that is bigger than our circumstances, boldness, truth, direction, discernment and so much more.
What a beautiful promise. What a beautiful adventure!
Suzie
Are you ready to live the promise?
I have a book coming out in just a few days. I wrote this book for me, right in the midst of my own confidence crisis. I dug into the promise because I needed a reminder.
There were times that I wrote and studied that I wept with joy, or threw my hands up in the air to say thank you.
Yet I was also in a battle — my daughter and mom were battling cancer. I was holding up my cynicism daily before the Lord, showing him the roots and asking for direction and help.
If you pre-order the book, there’s some really cool freebies just for you.
One is a gorgeous printable 30-day calendar. Another is your name will be entered to win registration fully paid for my fall Come With Me retreat (horseback riding, zip lining, kayaking, worship, teaching, community) worth $170. There’s a couple more sweet freebies.
Want to know where you can buy the book? CLICK HERE.
If you pre-order the book, send a copy of your receipt to Living Free Together Ministries and you’ll receive 3 freebies immediately, and be entered into the retreat drawing. <3
We too, were affected by cancer this year. We didn’t question God about why us, instead we got on our faces with our church people and asked God for direction, healing, and testimony in the midst of our journey. God is so faithful! Can I tell you that we saw God in so many ways, from getting us appointments right away (that would usually take months), to encouragement from our brethren, and traveling through the process with our brother in Christ (who was diagnosed at the same time). What an incredible God we have!
Tricia Ann, What a wonderful testimony!! Praise God you were able to draw closer to Jesus during such a challenging time-thank you for sharing, your testimony will strengthen many others.
Yes, Thank you, Tricia Ann for sharing. 🙂 May God continue to richly bless you and meet your every need.
Praise God! Thanks so much for sharing with us, Suzie! I needed to be reminded of our Helper and all He affords us. I have been in a difficult relationship with a needy, mentally slow gal. God is working on/in our hearts, and this just adds to the healing, mending process. May God continue to richly bless you.
I love how God brings the word we need to hear at just the perfect time we need it! I’m joining with you, Cindy, in prayer regarding this difficult relationship~ for healing, wisdom, discernment, and peace.
WOW! God has done amazing things in your life! I am struggling some with my husband thinking about retirement at the end of this year, and with an 84 year old mother who is slowly losing her memory function. God is beside me, I know, but I don’t lean on him near enough! Your book sounds amazing! And that retreat would be the bomb!!! Thank you for this opportunity! I’m going to pre-order today!
Suzie, I am so thankful that God is using you treat other women and also to continue to place the urgency in my life to be a spirit lead woman. I was diagnosed yesterday with degenerative disc disease in my back along with excessive nerve damage that I can’t use my left arm. I’ve been standing on his promises and this morning I have movement in my left arm. I want to be that spirit-led woman filled with God’s love throughout the remaining of my life. all this other busyness that has come into my life is nothing in comparison to what God wants me to do. Thank you for the reminders, thank you for being a vessel that God uses to touch all of us. May God bless you abundantly and all that you made it.
Dear Ruthie, I pray for your continued healing. That the God of Acts will be so real to you. Blessings Diana from the Living Free Care Team.
I pre-ordered your book on December 22nd from Amazon. I lead an ENCOURAGEMENT FOR LIFE support group at my church. We have used several of your books in the past. Looking forward to this one.
Beverly, send a copy of your receipt to spiritledheart and we’ll get those freebies to you!
spiritledheart@gmail.com
What a wonderful post, we all need a Spirit led heart.
Such a powerful message and confirming words. Thank you, Suzie. I put this post to my ministry tribe. They’re mostly non-responsive. It’s a bit heartbreaking that women are this afraid to respond.
Hi, my name is Diane Coral and I ordered your book The Spirit Led Heart and I don’t know how to send you my receipt for the book.
Could you tell me where to mail it. I clicked on Living Free Ministries and it did’t do anything. I was just wondering about the freebies.
I received my confirmation email today, 4/24/18, that it was shipped. If you could let me know what else to do, I would appreciate it.
Thank you. I love reading your devotions I receive on email. I am not on facebook or twitter.
Send a copy of your receipt to spiritledheart@gmail.com and we’ll get those to you!