SPIRIT BREAK OUT - Lent Devotional
It might seem like the church is losing ground. We might feel as though the challenges ahead are too great for us to solve. There might even be good cause for us to worry about the scale of problems.
But that is not the whole story. Why? Because…
‘The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.’
[John 3:8]
Thought:
And if you want proof that the Spirit is still blowing wherever He (or She) pleases, take a look at what’s happening in the world of Islam. Since its birth more than 1400 years ago, Islam has grown steadily, spreading its tent all around the world, expanding across oceans, mountains and deserts.
From the beaches of West Africa to the archipelago of Indonesia, in 49 different nations, the world is home to 1.6 billion Muslims. Larger than any of the great empires of history, one-fourth of the world’s population follows this religion in varying aspects of their lives. Throughout history, it was a rarity for a Muslim to convert to Christianity - until now.
More Muslims have left Islam and embraced Christianity since 2001 than in the entire 14 decades that came before. Through dreams and visions, God’s Spirit is waking them up. Lives are being transformed, not by a clever evangelism strategy or the work of apologists. Muslims in their millions are turning to Christ because the Spirit cannot be contained . A wind is blowing through the House of Islam, because it can.
Invitation:
In the midst of this remarkable move of God, it does us good to remember that the same Spirit blows on us as well. That same transformation, that same restoration and call to turn to God is offered to you and me.
What would it look like for you to say Yes to God’s Spirit right now? What part of your life would you hope God would change? What would you let go of?
Prayer:
Pray for the wind of the Holy Spirit to keep blowing, calling Muslims to faith in Jesus Christ from the four corners of the earth, and drawing an almighty Yes from everyday Believers like you and me.