Charismatic gifts

Directionalism 5: Key takeaways

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There's a lot in this, so I've tried to summarise the main points here. There are one or two extra points that I didn't draw out but which flow on from what has been said.

Key principles:

  1. We are to expect many glimpses of the perfected kingdom of God, many reflections, while we be like Christ to others and witness. However, full perfection will only come in the new heaven and new earth after Jesus' Second Coming.

In relation to healing, deliverances and praying:

  1. Asking God for breakthrough, healings, salvations and anything else is thoroughly biblical and will see results. It holds us in the right focus, acknowledges the right source of power and gives glory to the right person.

  2. Commanding things is probably best done only after specific direction by the Spirit, for that situation the Spirit leads you in.

  3. God is jealous for his own glory, and mindful that we can easily put trust in our own techniques, so he wants us to come to him freshly in each situation for direction

  4. The direction that we should align ourselves to is 3-fold:

    1. We must align ourselves to God's general will, as revealed from Scripture. This is timeless.

    2. We must align ourselves with God's general will for the believers you are with (your local church's vision and/or mission, or equivalent).

    3. We must align ourselves with God's specific will (typically for that day, or that week).

  5. Do not presume that God will do the same thing twice: the power we've been given is not an impersonal force that works by secret formula, but rather is personal that works by asking for God's direction

In relation to salvation (taken from What about the atonement, below):

  1. Do not presume that God will save the same way twice: each person is on a different journey and will need to give up different idols, and understand and see different aspects of Christ to make the ultimate decision

  2. While God's general desire is that all people will be saved, not everyone does, and sometimes it can take years. This is the same for healings and deliverances too. Nevertheless we fervently, expectantly, go after these things.

In general:

  1. Trust in God's sovereignty, not your own. Listen to God and follow his voice, and don't presume that God wants to start revival at your beck and call. Don't run off to what God is doing elsewhere because you can't make the sacrifice to do God's will where you currently are.

God bless you.