Before Roger Bannister broke the 4 minute mile, everyone assumed it was a physical impossibility. Once he showed it could be done, it became a commonplace occurrence.
I came across a fascinating concept in a video the other day. The video is from a charismatic viewpoint, and there are some questions about the information on monkeys; however, I believe the main idea is true and very relevant to our lives today. If true (and I think you’ll agree with me that there is plenty of evidence for it in Kingdom terms), it then poses some questions that have the very real potential to change the things we are willing to put our time and effort into.
Here’s the video by Lance Wallnau:
The video can also be seen at this link.
We’ve seen this in our lifetime. For example, 15 years ago, the idea of simple/organic church was virtually unheard of. At that point, we might have been able to identify 200-300 house churches around the country. Now it is mainstream. What happened? A barrier was broken through, or in Lance’s language, a veil was pierced. The pioneers took years to understand the principles and to find each other and then break through the barriers. Now anyone can walk into the fullness of the idea without having to pay the same price.
Here are some questions:
- Are you content to stay with the status quo, or is there an area that seems impossible or out of reach that you sense the Lord is calling you to work towards?
- Where do you see Holy Spirit at work? Do you sense a groundswell of movement? It may only be a “cloud the size of a man’s hand” at present, but it is a sign of the handiwork of God.
- What spiritual barrier do you see that’s worth fighting to break through?
- What area is worth laying down your life for?
For me, one of the veils I’m working towards piercing is freedom for women within the church. Although there are notable exceptions, for the most part, women are relegated to lesser roles, not permitted to play a strategic part in what is going on. Even within the simple/organic church movement where there are no barriers for women, so many women are conditioned by their previous church experience that they do not step into the destiny that Jesus has for them.
I have a sense that once a few people (both men and women) break through the patriarchical attitude of the church, the floodgates will open for women to move into everything God has for them. Then the idea that God only uses a woman when a man isn’t available will seem as outdated as the concept of slavery. Men and women will co-labor, arm in arm, for the sake of the King and his Kingdom.
5 replies on “Japanese monkeys and spiritual barriers”
Often vision-casting is simply a matter of articulating what many already know in their hearts but can’t quite describe.
I am interested in the issue of women in church too. I just picked up Jim Henderson’s book on the subject last weekend.
The spiritual barrier that is paramount for me, personally, is that every follower of Jesus has received the Spirit and can hear the Father’s will and guidance moment by moment. (Just like Jesus did.)
As with the role of women, we have been conditioned to think that only a special subset of believers can REALLY hear. When there is a breakthrough and enough ‘ordinary’ people realise ‘I can do this’, everyone will discover how normal it is.
That will transform everything! Clear revelation in the moment will become normal.
Hi D. L., I’m not familiar with Jim Henderson’s book but will look it up. I believe this is going to be one of the key topics of the next few years.
Chris, as you know, I’m totally with you on this one too. Listening to God (and then doing what he says), is one key skill essential for all of us, no matter what our church background.
I was a speaker at a large conference here in Austin called Verge. It’s put on by a key mega-church here in the city. I was very blessed to see that several times during the panel discussion I took part in, and then after every few speakers during the rest of the conference, the entire conference would pause, and Michael (Stew) Stewart, the main guy behind the event, would ask everyone to listen to the Lord. What do you hear from God and what are you going to do about it. The topic of my workshop there was listening to God and it had a very positive response.
These ideas are catching on.