Dear Mom, My family has recently began attending a church that is more Spirit let. People speak in tongues and are often healed when they are prayed for by the pastor or one of the elders. I have wanted to return to this type of church for many years and the opportunity recently arose, praise God!
One of the women at the church invited me to her home to worship: a small group of women from our church meet there every Thursday. The hostess, lets call her Hayden, played songs on the TV where the words were displayed. Five of us women sang along and worshiped the Lord.
I was very much enjoying the presence of the Lord when Hayden came over to
me and began praying for me. Well, it was not so much a prayer as a rebuke. I’ve been a Christian for many years and I love correction from God for the Bible says, “God corrects those He loves.” (Prov. 3:12) However, in this case, the correction was something that God has dealt with me about several years ago.
Hayden’s words took me completely out of the presence of the Holy Spirit. I was confused as to why God would interrupt my worshiping Him to remind me of something I’d learned years ago. I spent the remaining time at Hayden’s house asking God if I’d some how wondered into the wrong again instead of enjoying the worshiping. After thoroughly examining my heart, I find that Hayden’s words were very inaccurate. I have been gone from a demonstrative church like this for many years, since I was a teenager. I’m not terribly familiar with this type of thing. Is it common to have people approach you and pray for you without asking your permission? Or even so much as meeting your eyes and receiving a nod of acceptance?
I have a deep respect for Hayden who seems to love the Lord and is seeking to be pleasing to Him. How should I handle this situation? ~ Lynn Hardy
Dear Lynn,
It is unfortunate that the woman that prayed
for you did not wait for you to signal that you wanted her to. If you go to a
Spirit led church and go forward, you can expect people to lay hands on you. But
in this case it seems Hayden was out of order. I feel like her intentions might
have been good, but still when I pray for people I always ask them if I can and
if I can lay hands on them.
When someone comes toward me to pray for me
and I am not sure of who they are and how committed to God they are I will often
refuse their approach by taking their hands and politely saying, “No thank
you.”
I don't feel comfortable with just anyone
laying hands on me and trying to pray or prophesy over me. But at any rate seek
God and the Holy Spirit. To be a prophet, your prophesy must line up with the
word of God and come true.
This can be a way that God is trying to
reach Hayden so he can guide her. We learn from our mistakes, if we are willing
to take the chastisement. Willing to bend to Gods will.
I know you have recently returned to a more dynamic church. I want to caution you:
Emotions are not necessary to communicate
with God and the Holy Spirit. I feel God wants us to walk through life speaking
to Him and letting him gently guide us. It is not necessary to pray in a
wavering voice or a crying voice. Much like our children speak to us we should
speak to God. Do our children have to roll in the floor or jump pews for us to
be willing to listen to them. I don't think so. Use your natural voice, speak to
your "Abba" Father. (Abba translates to Daddy) He is our Father he loves us more
than our natural parent does. We are never alone, He is always with
us.
In the meantime, I suggest you continue to
pray for Hayden and ask the Father to work in her life.
Lynn Hardy is one of my five kids – one of
my twins. In her book Angels Believe in You: The Journey that Led to Heaven and Back Again
she mentions much of the
advice I have given her concerning her walk with God. She felt that others might
have questions about God or other issues which I might be able to help with: Ask
Mom was created for this purpose.
If there is something weird going on in your
life or you just need an outside opinion about your situation, I would love to
hear from you!
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