You lead worship and just can't engage the congregation...you preach, no one listens...you pray over someone, nothing happens...forgot the last time you gave a prophecy, visions have disappeared, words-of-knowledge seem a million miles away...you go through the ministry motions and when someone talks about the 'anointing', you think "anointing? now, what in heaven is that??"
Sounds familiar? No? good for you :)
Yes? Please check your prayer life...your personal prayer life and read on.
Too many servants of God substitute personal prayer with community worship. I did this during my initial years of walking with Lord and how! Membership in 4 prayer groups at the same time, one of which met daily...plus I used to give talks/lead worship in all of them...trust me, attending and/or ministering in 10 prayer meetings a week is the fastest effective route to spiritual (and even physical) burnout!
Then circumstances (pretty sure the Lord also had a hand in it!) pushed me to live without a community fellowship for about 3 years.
But I ended up enjoying spiritual growth in those 3 years like no other...built my personal prayer life, learned to seek God's will, learned to depend on God for my needs and even received excellent training in worship ministry etc.
That's why I am blogging this post...so that someone may read it and avoid the same mistakes.
Before Jesus did anything significant like choosing His apostles (Luke 6:12-14), ministering to others (Mark 1:35-39), walking on water (Matthew 14:22-27) or even before His passion (Mark 14:32-39), He never gathered with His followers singing 'let's all praise and sing alleluia', instead, Jesus prayed......alone. Let us also do likewise.
Community worship and fellowship are no doubt very important, but personal relationship with Christ comes first. Just as loving God comes first before loving neighbor. Believing and practicing otherwise is a sure way to stifle the Holy Spirit's anointing.
For how can I inspire someone to worship God with a song I myself haven’t used to worship Him in that quiet place?
Or how can I help another be comfortable with God in silence if I myself don’t know how to listen to Him in solitude?
Luke 5:16, "...Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed." How much more should we?
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