Over the course of my daily function as a fathering leader with international assignments, I find myself suddenly in emotional energy investments for no apparent reason. I suddenly feel that tightening at the throat and eyes that indicate weeping for many people. I’m not much one to cry because I become a bit dysfunctional if I weep. I’m unlike those people who cry and sing, cry and preach, cry and pray.
Today, while sharing some time with a prophet, we discussed a person’s public behavior and decisions, and she wept. She said, “I don’t know why I’m crying about this. I find myself weeping about this person, and I’m not certain why.”
I’ve stepped into a place on the earth and suddenly encountered its history. I stood on the shores of Scotland and looked across the North Sea and wept until my entire body shook about something in my inheritance that I could never explain. I stood at Azusa Street in LA with Ruthanne and we both wept looking at the sign on the pole that had been hit by a bus, brick sidewalk baked by California sun, the sounds and passion of revival washing over us. I’ve stood at the place where David Brainerd ministered and wondered at the suddenly emotional response that “came from nowhere” to my soul.
Apostles, prophets, intercessors who function in apostolic and prophetic ways and means, people of purpose with any and all functions and gift capacities, you will certainly feel the emotional response of spiritual reality, and when it comes you will not see, hear, or imagine its source. At times, the emotions are direct responses to spiritual mystery or hidden things made aware by your spirit’s alertness to spiritual realities.
Having this sudden response to spiritual reality makes some people consider themselves mentally suspect, hormonally imbalanced, or affected by the unseen. Without good leadership in their lives, many who experience this for the first time refuse it, shut it down, and put dampers on the openness of the spirit. God is working to move them to that awareness but they do not understand how God works.
Do not fear – ever! – what Holy Spirit leads to you to experience. Do submit to leaders He will bring into your life to help you, and make all necessary adjustments to prioritize this introduction to the next level of prophetic experience.
Leaders, Surrender to Revelation!
In these moments, leaders should surrender to revelatory experience. Do not proceed with calculation when God is leading you revelation!
Intercessors, allow this burden of the Lord to become a pregnancy of kingdom purpose, giving birth with your mouth as weeping leads to groaning.
Prophets, feel what God feels! Feel what the land makes available. Feel what others feel in intercessory ways so you can prophecy and pray from the same place our Intercessor in heaven feels.
Apostles, get under the emotional response in a healthy way: function with a sense of humanness that identifies with the people you are leading so your tendency to see only blueprints and finished outcomes does not remove you too far from the human factor. Wash feet. Break bread. Touch the hurting. Allow the hurting to reach out and touch you at the point of anointing release. Never become so aloof behind your entourage and armor bearers that you have little comprehension of the spiritual conditions of the people you are sent to lead.
Surrendering to the emotions of the moments represents Jesus. He is touched with the feeling of our limitations. Allow yourself to feel the pain, fear, anger, horror, loss, destruction, judgment, disappointment, and barrenness of people and places. You will not die, but you will understand the revelation in the proper context so you represent the One who sends you.
