Being a Christian means you move.

How many times have I read Genesis 1:1,2. I have even written about these verses in my book, Live ABOVE the Chaos. But this week, while listening to a Beth Moore broadcast, Breath, she caused something to hit me in a new way…right between the eyes.

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters. (Genesis 1:1,2 NIV)

Here we are introduced to the Spirit of God.

He is MOVING.

I have always described the Holy Spirit as God’s energy. I have asked the Holy Spirit to live in and through me thousands of times.

But this grabbed me in new ways.

He only moves.

To be filled with the Spirit of God means to move.

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 NIV

To be Spirit-filled means our hearts are in neutral and God can nudge us any direction He pleases without notice.

And we GO.

Without intentional living, we settle into inaction (doing nothing to advance the Kingdom of God) or we engage in powerless action (hard work with no eternal fruit or distracted busyness that profits nothing from any vantage point).

I recently read an analogy that jolted me into a renewed commitment to make sure the Spirit of God is free to MOVE me. My 12-year-old son and I are currently using Unseen: The Prince Warriors written by Priscilla Shirer for morning devotions before he leaves for school. Though best known for her fabulous Bible Studies and teaching, she also played the main female character in War Room. Priscilla writes:

I didn’t know a lot about how movies were made until God gave me the opportunity to actually be in one. But I know this: If all the actors ever did was sit around reading the script and rehearsing their lines–if all the filmmakers ever did was build screen sets and select wardrobe and raise money to pay for the cost, cast, and crew–there would never be any movies made.

There’s no movie until actors get hired and sets get built, until the director yells, “Action!” and the actors act.

Our enemy really doesn’t mind if we put on our dress clothes, go to Sunday School, read our Bible, and plop a few dollars in the collection plate at offering time. He doesn’t care…as long as all this faith we’re building up never leads to any action. As long as when God says, “Action!” we stand still and do nothing about it.

It’s the action of faith–the living out of our faith–that becomes the shield of faith, able to guard us against enemy attack.

Let’s make sure the Spirit is in control of our lives and we are moving like the wind.

It’s scary. It will lead to new places, maybe not a new address but certainly into new ventures, new areas of town and new relationships. But such action (inspired and empowered by the Spirit) will be accomplished by faith and faith pleases God (Hebrews 11:6). Living a Spirit-driven life releases God’s power so our short lives can serve as a catalyst for God to use us in amazing ways.

On a more personal note, I prayed this one morning this week while pondering the Spirit hovering over dark waters before God said, “Let there be light” and creation began: Holy Spirit, hover over the dark waters of my chaotic life. I invite your energy (God’s energy) to bring creative order to the waters in which I am swimming. I look forward to watching what you will do in and through me today to the glory of God and the advancement of His Kingdom on earth.

Picture Explanation: This week was my Spring Break. I didn’t go anywhere, but on three of the days I shared a meal or coffee with either some members of my amazing Bible Study group or one of my daughters. Then on Friday, the O’Connor family celebrated St. Patrick’s Day. Yes, those are green pancakes. As for the corned beef and cabbage, see that steam rising from that platter? Yum! We are Irish after all!

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