“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