I received this email last year and thought that now is a good time to share it with you:
Dear David,
Thank you so much for your reply.
In your reply you picked up on several heart issues I feel the Holy Spirit has been speaking to me about recently.
I need to seriously take time to seek the Lord and fellowship with the Holy Spirit, as I used to do as a teenager. I have lost my first love. I first began my relationship with the Holy Spirit when I was 13 after reading Good Morning Holy Spirit by Benny Hinn in 1993, but I feel Him tugging my heart into deeper intimacy with Him. I was blessed by what you said referring to Brant about sensitive people needing time alone to refocus. Here in Japan I am constantly surrounded by people, both at work, in the train and at home, but I am determined to find a place where I can be truly focused and intimate with the Lord.
The issue of recognition and acceptance is also very important. I must not try to seek to please or be accepted or recognized by men, only Him. Whether I ever minister to people or not, I feel the Lord saying my highest priority is to minister to Him first of all. I must allow all my own ministry visions, plans and ambitions to die, lay everything on the altar and simply worship Him, not myself or my own ego.
Pride, greed and lust are all pits I want to avoid. I want to run the race in a way that makes Him smile. I want to learn more of how to give the Lord all the glory, and not take the glory for myself, especially with the miraculous. I am asking the Holy Spirit to teach me how to always give Him the glory and to build in me greater character - the character of Jesus.
Since finding Lonnie's videos I have begun to listen through Chuck Smith's teaching through the bible (one or two of his sermons per day on the train), and it has been a blessing. I studied for two years at Rodney Howard-Browne's River Bible Institute in 1999-2000 but nearly fell away from the Lord over the past few years as I focused on getting a secular business degree, becoming successful in business here in Japan and earning money. Recently the Lord has really dealt with me about greed and giving, and I am learning to yield totally in my finances and let Him control every area.
Now as I give and learn to yield more to Him it feels like all the seeds of the Word and anointing the Holy Spirit planted in my heart as a teenager are coming alive again. I just don't want to rush into anything without His glory and His manifest presence. As Moses said, Lord if your Presence is not going to go with us, take us not hence. He has shown me a vision and is revealing strategy concerning a move of God in Japan, but I know my foundations, both biblically and in my character, need to be stronger and deeper to sustain what I believe is coming.
Thank you again for yielding to the Holy Spirit and being such a humble and gracious servant he can use. If the Lord ever speaks to you about me in any way, it would be an honour to have you speak into my life.
Blessings.
Thank you so much for your reply.
In your reply you picked up on several heart issues I feel the Holy Spirit has been speaking to me about recently.
I need to seriously take time to seek the Lord and fellowship with the Holy Spirit, as I used to do as a teenager. I have lost my first love. I first began my relationship with the Holy Spirit when I was 13 after reading Good Morning Holy Spirit by Benny Hinn in 1993, but I feel Him tugging my heart into deeper intimacy with Him. I was blessed by what you said referring to Brant about sensitive people needing time alone to refocus. Here in Japan I am constantly surrounded by people, both at work, in the train and at home, but I am determined to find a place where I can be truly focused and intimate with the Lord.
The issue of recognition and acceptance is also very important. I must not try to seek to please or be accepted or recognized by men, only Him. Whether I ever minister to people or not, I feel the Lord saying my highest priority is to minister to Him first of all. I must allow all my own ministry visions, plans and ambitions to die, lay everything on the altar and simply worship Him, not myself or my own ego.
Pride, greed and lust are all pits I want to avoid. I want to run the race in a way that makes Him smile. I want to learn more of how to give the Lord all the glory, and not take the glory for myself, especially with the miraculous. I am asking the Holy Spirit to teach me how to always give Him the glory and to build in me greater character - the character of Jesus.
Since finding Lonnie's videos I have begun to listen through Chuck Smith's teaching through the bible (one or two of his sermons per day on the train), and it has been a blessing. I studied for two years at Rodney Howard-Browne's River Bible Institute in 1999-2000 but nearly fell away from the Lord over the past few years as I focused on getting a secular business degree, becoming successful in business here in Japan and earning money. Recently the Lord has really dealt with me about greed and giving, and I am learning to yield totally in my finances and let Him control every area.
Now as I give and learn to yield more to Him it feels like all the seeds of the Word and anointing the Holy Spirit planted in my heart as a teenager are coming alive again. I just don't want to rush into anything without His glory and His manifest presence. As Moses said, Lord if your Presence is not going to go with us, take us not hence. He has shown me a vision and is revealing strategy concerning a move of God in Japan, but I know my foundations, both biblically and in my character, need to be stronger and deeper to sustain what I believe is coming.
Thank you again for yielding to the Holy Spirit and being such a humble and gracious servant he can use. If the Lord ever speaks to you about me in any way, it would be an honour to have you speak into my life.
Blessings.
John (Not his true name)
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